Winford Junction to Tennessee Border
Carlisle, Hickman, and Fulton Counties
32.5 miles
This line was abandoned from Winford Junction to Columbus by the Illinois Central Gulf RR in 1976; the remainder was abandoned in sections during the 1980s. It was built by the Mobile & Ohio RR; the first part in 1861, the second part was finished in 1880.
Much
of the line follows fairly close to the Mississippi River -- there are
access points at Laketon and Columbus (among others). The line provides
connection to Belmont State Park at Columbus, Westvaco Wildlife Management
Area, and several creeks and bayous. It intersects in several places with
the Mississippi River Trail, a designated on-road bicycle pathway. The
right of way also passes through Cayce, the boyhood home of railroad
legend Casey Jones.
Many parts of the right of way are intact and used as local roads or informal ATV pathways. Some parts have been absorbed by neighboring property owners and are built on by farm sites or mobile homes.
At the time of the abandonment of the first section in the late 1970s there was local and state interest in conversion to a recreational trail (mentioned in 1978 State Rail Plan), but apparently a trail project was never completed.