The Illinois Central Railroad (IC), between 1851 and 1856, built a rail line from Chicago IL, to Cairo IL.
In 1876, IC entered Kentucky by purchasing the Mississippi Central Railroad that ran from East Cairo KY; via Fulton KY; to Canton, MI; and the New Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern Railroad that operated between New Orleans LA, and Canton MI.
In 1896, Chesapeake Ohio & Southwestern and Ohio Valley Railroad were sold to IC.
In 1896, when IC bought the Ohio Valley Railroad, that gave IC a route from Evansville IN, to Hopkinsville KY.
End of track for IC in Louisville KY was Central Station, built in 1891 and served IC both as a depot and office building.
In 1927 at Paducah KY, IC built their main locomotive repair and erecting shop.
In 1970, IC operated some 550 miles of track in Kentucky.
In 1972, IC merged with Gulf Mobile & Ohio Railroad to form Illinois Central Gulf Railroad (ICG). Then in 1998, IC was sold to Canadian National Railway (CN) and lost its identity.