Railroads

Railroads. 1852 — Present. , In the late 1840s, Samuel Hall, future president of the Evansville and Illinois Railroad Co., had a vision of bringing the railroad to his adopted town of Princeton. He devoted much time and resources to realize his vision, but success did not come easily. During construction of the first rail line between Evansville and Princeton, the rail company was often hard up for funds to pay the contractors, so the officers would pledge their own private savings in order that the work could continue. Hall's dedication finally paid off on Memorial Day, 1852, when a train pulled into Princeton for the first time, delighting a large crowd who had gathered to marvel at the locomotive. More than any other industry, railroads influenced the early economic growth of Princeton by providing quick and efficient transportation of goods and supplies. Joshua Lyles, the namesake of Lyles Station, also foresaw the importance of bringing the railroad to his community, when he donated 6 acres of land to the Old Airline Railroad Co. to establish a station there, thus enabling the community to thrive. In 1891, a new rail opportunity came to Princeton. Advantageously located between Louisville and St. Louis, Princeton was the ideal spot for a new repair shop terminal. The shop buildings had the capacity to service 30 engines at a time and provided hundreds of jobs to area residents. The Southern Shops, as they came to be known, played a major role in advancing the area's economic growth during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As the automobile became common in the 1920s, it gradually replaced passenger trains as the preferred method of travel. Passenger services in Princeton were discontinued in 1967. The Princeton Depot now serves as a railway museum and as the home of the Gibson County Visitors Center. Two cargo lines are still in operation today. CSX Transportation runs a north-south line, and Norfolk Southern Railway runs an east-west line. These two lines intersect in Princeton, continuing her legacy as a transportation crossroads.