There are many great things about the U.S. state of Kentucky. Many people think about Kentucky Fried Chicken, a fast food restaurant chain. You have the bourbon distilleries. You have the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, the longest continuously running sporting event in the world and the first race of what is known as the Triple Crown. Louisville is also the home of the Louisville Slugger, a company that makes baseball bats. How about my Old Kentucky Home in Bardstown? Then you have Mammoth Cave National Park, the home of Mammoth Cave, the largest known cave system in the entire world. How big is the cave? Let us say that you cannot do the entire cave in one tour. There are many tours involved here. How does it get the name ‘Mammoth Cave’?
Some of you are saying, “Well, duh, it was the home of a mammoth. A mammoth lived in the cave.”
It is unclear if that is the answer but being the largest known cave system in the world, it is truly mammoth in size. It is truly a natural marvel that you will truly want to see. If you are ever in the south central region of Kentucky, you will want to visit Mammoth Cave.
Some of you are saying, “Wow! That is one big cave. However, there is one big problem. As you can see, this is a cave. This is not a railroad site. Therefore, I will not be exploring this place.”
You are right. This is not a railroad site. Why visit Mammoth Cave National Park?
Mammoth Cave National Park, as mentioned, is centered around Mammoth Cave. Hence the name. It is located near Cave City, which is about eight miles from the park.
Some of you are saying, “Well, duh! Cave City is an obvious name of a town erected around a cave.”
You are absolutely right, but this is where the story begins. Cave City was not always called Cave City. It was originally called Glasgow Junction. If you are thinking of a railroad junction, you are thinking correctly. The Louisville and Nashville Railroad brought people to Glasgow Junction. Then they were brought to Mammoth Cave by a horse drawn carriage to the cave.
Some of you are saying, “It is nice that they were able to ride the train to Cave City, but then they had to take a carriage about eight miles to the cave. That means that Mammoth Cave has nothing to do with the railroad. This mean that there is no reason to visit this cave.”
Ladies and Gentlemen, there is more to the story.
In an automobile, eight miles is a short distance. In a horse drawn carriage, it is a long distance. The owners of the horse drawn carriages saw that it took time to get tourists from the train station to the cave. They came up with an idea. What was that idea? In 1874, they started the Mammoth Cave Railroad, and the first train ran in 1886. Instead of riding the train to Glasgow Junction and taking a horse and carriage to the cave, they could now ride the train to the cave.
The railroad, sadly, was only profitable in the first six years. As more people were able to afford an automobile, fewer people took advantage of the train ride. The last train ride to the park took place on August 31, 1931.
Now the Mammoth Cave Railroad is gone… but not forgotten.
As you enter Mammoth Cave National Park, you can see the old railroad bed that the Mammoth Cave Railroad once ran on, and it is a rail trail that you can hike and bike today. Once you arrive at the Visitor Center, you are just a short walk from Mammoth Cave Railroad Locomotive Number 4 and Mammoth Cave Railroad Car Number 2. These two pieces of rolling stock that are covered and surrounded by a steel fence rest at the site of the terminus of the Mammoth Cave Railroad.
As you can see, Mammoth Cave it not just a big cave. It is a big cave with railroad history. You can hike on the original railroad bed in the park. Along with the many cave tours and rail trail, there are also numerous trails you can tread upon.
Mammoth Cave National Park is located at 1 Mammoth Cave Parkway in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. It is near Interstate 65 and U.S. Routes 31W and 31E. Please note that Mammoth Cave is not wheelchair accessible. You will also be making a descent into the cave with no elevator and escalator. You will need to climb steps out of the cave. The rail trail is dirt but is wheelchair accessible. You can get more information on directions, cave tours, the history of the cave and the Mammoth Cave Railroad at https://www.nps.gov/maca/index.htm. (Please note that the National Park Service recommends that you do not use GPS in the area and that you follow the directions on the website.)
The next time you think about Mammoth Cave and Mammoth Cave National Park, think about a big cave that has a mammoth history with the railroad.
John Cowgill: Stories of the Railroad 