The Nashville, Chattanooga, and St. Louis Railroad ran from Paris, Tennessee to Paducah, Kentucky and was originally constructed around 1890. In 1982, a thirty-mile section of the railroad between Paducah and Hardin, Kentucky was abandoned and the rails were removed. The right-of-way can clearly been seen in aerial images.
Shortline railroads operated from Hardin through Murray and on to Paris, Tennessee over the next few years. Most notably, the Hardin Southern Railroad ran nostalgia passenger trains from about 1994 through 2004 from Hardin to Murray. In 2005, HSRR ceased operations and the nine-mile track was acquired by the Murray-Calloway County Economic Development Corporation for the purpose of Murray's Industrial Park. In March of 2009, the MCCEDC abandoned most of the line from about two miles north of Murray to Hardin.
Tracks are currently being dismantled through the small communities of Almo, Dexter and Hardin, which is also the location of a small yard. The KWT Railroad continues to operate freight trains using a small section of the MCCEDC-owned line in Murray as well as their own tracks from about Highway 80 in Murray down to Bruceton, Tennessee.
Thanks to Shawn Dunnaway for contributing information about this route.