Lhoist North America summary
Lhoist North America (LNAX) is a short line railroad that operates in Tennessee. It’s owned by the Lhoist Group, a Belgium-based company that is a global leader in lime, dolime, and minerals. Heading west from Rockwood, the 15.5-mile railroad of standard-gauge track traverses the Cumberland Plateau to reach the Crab Orchard mine, also owned by Lhoist.
History
Lhoist North America was originally part of the former Tennessee Central Railway, established in 1893 by Colonel Jere Baxter to connect Nashville and Knoxville. Prior to becoming a station stop in 1898, Crab Orchard was discovered to hold large sandstone deposits only found in the mountains of east Tennessee. The commodity became nationally beneficial in material for architecture by the 1920s. Crab Orchard’s mine business wasn’t enough to save the Tennessee Central as it was separated and absorbed into three railroads in 1968 after a lifespan filled with debt and poor management. The mine itself would become Franklin Industrial Mineral’s first high-purity limestone operation in 1969.
By 2000, the ex-TC section between Rockwood and Crab Orchard had remained intact but was facing abandonment in the hands of Norfolk Southern. To preserve its connection to the North American rail network, Franklin Industrial Mineral purchased the line and three diesel locomotives. The Lhoist Group purchased Franklin in 2006, retaining ownership of both the railroad and mine. Major investment has been put into the line with upgrades and repairs, in addition to expanding the roster.
Operations
Lhoist North America and Crab Orchard specializes in the limestone business. The stone ore is extracted from the large mine and trucked to the plant to be processed. The produced calcium carbonate is then hauled out by the railroad and ultimately shipped beyond the LNAX to be used in a variety of products including glass, rubber, and chemicals. Rail operations are conducted 4 to 5 days per week, while navigating high elevations and steep grades at 2%.
Since being purchased from NS with the line, the three high short-hood B23-7s from General Electric-with a fourth added later-have become the main motive power in Lhoist North America’s roster. An EMD GP40-3 was added to the fleet for the railroad’s limestone haulage in 2016. A General Electric 92-ton switcher is stationed in Crab Orchard to provide switching for the mine.
Lhoist interchanges with Norfolk Southern in Rockwood where empty covered hoppers are dropped off on the short line to be sent to the mine. Meanwhile, loaded cars are picked up by the Class I railroad and shipped to their destinations.
Read more about Lhoist North America in Trains’ December 2021 issue.
