Track, too, became a problem, and crossties, spikes, and track were taken from the less important railroad lines and used on the major lines. Crossties became rotten, and rails broke (the line from Nashville to Chattanooga had 1,200 broken rails in 1862). read more
The lack of railroads in the South during the Civil War is the major reason that Eastern Tennessee was occupied by the Confederacy until 1864. The railroad running from Chattanooga through Knoxville into Southwestern Virginia was a major supply line from the Deep South to Virginia during that time during the war. read more
"A Strategic Railroad: The New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern in the Civil War," Louisiana History (1973) 14#2 pp. 117–136 in JSTOR Gabel, Christopher Richard (2002). Rails to Oblivion: The Decline of Confederate Railroads in the Civil War (PDF). read more
Source: "The Railroad War: How The Iron Road Changed The American Civil War," by John P. Hankey (March, 2011 issue of Trains Magazine). After The War While the Civil War had emotionally and physically scarred the country, the railroad paved the way for further expansion and growth after hostilities ended. read more