The Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway performed the majority
of it's heavy "class" work and maintained it's rolling stock
at the West Nashville Shops, located just south of Charlotte Avenue on
the west side of Nashville.
The photo below shows NC&StL's West Nashville Shops in the early
1950's. These facilities opened in 1890 on the main line to Hollow Rock
Junction (Bruceton), with a roundhouse, car shops, foundry, stores, offices,
etc.
All but two of the stone-faced brick buildings were demolished in the
early 1960's following the merger with L&N. The remaining two
on the right in the picture remained standing until the early 1990's.
Foundation still exists in 2002 for the building on the right.
Most of the NC&StL's passenger equipment following the turn of the
20th century came primarily from either Pullman or the American Car and
Foundry (ACF). By the 1920's and 1930's, premium service passenger
equipment was of the "heavyweight" class - all steel (sheathed)
construction, large bay windows, 6-wheel trucks, and "tight-lock"
couplers.
Local and branch line service continued to operate older wood equipment
out of necessity into the 1940's. When in need of service or overhaul,
the task fell on the West Nashville Shops, or "Shops," which,
incidentally, hand-built the "City of Memphis" from older heavyweight
equipment.
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