Earlier this year my wife and I visited the Fordsville, Ky train depot on a rainy day. Fordsville is about 46 miles east of Madisonville in Ohio county. The depot is across the street from City Hall downtown.

The first train to Fordsville on the newly built Owensboro and Fordsville Railroad was on October 1, 1889 and regular freight and passenger service started a week later. The round trip fare was 85 cents. The Illinois Central Railroad built a branch line from Horse Branch to Fordsville in 1893. The L&N Railroad bought the lines in 1905 and the present station was built in 1916.

As many as 6 passenger trains a day went between Horse Branch and Owensboro but passenger service was cut June 15, 1941. Freight service lasted until the late 1970s.

The depot has been nicely restored and contains a modest train museum. Call 270-929-5792 for current hours of operation. There is a nice diner a block away on the main road (Hwy 54).  – Rich Hane