Clarksville has a deep railroad history, and three railroads passed through town, and the city also boasted a streetcar network. Despite the history, the city has had a love-hate relationship with the railroad. Its first railroad was derided as “beginning in the woods and ending in a hollow tree.” When one railroad faltered, city leaders regrouped to build a second railroad, and the outcome was a line named for three states it never reached.

Todd DeFeo has written extensively about railroads, authoring several unique railroad books, including histories of the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Railroad, the Indiana, Alabama & Texas Railroad and Clarksville’s streetcar network. His presentations include rare and well-researched anecdotes to bring the stories of those impacted by railroads to life. He is the owner of The DeFeo Groupe and the publisher and editor of Sightseers’ Delight and Railfanning.org.