Source:  Multiple Property Application for Historic Register Designation, Historic Resources of Brownsville, Tennessee (1823-1964), Section E, Page 5
Click here to view the full application (59 pages; PDF-format) from the U.S. National Park Service.

In 1846, Brownsville began constructing narrow-gauge railroads connecting Brownsville to cities to the east and west. Narrow-gauge railroads were often used in Europe before they became popular in the United States in the 1840s. These railways were built to be thirty-six inches wide instead of the standard four feet and eight inches. Narrow-gauge railways were often less expensive and easier to build, and were more frequently used for agricultural or industrial transportation rather than passenger carriage. In 1856, the Memphis and Ohio Railroad (later the Louisville & Nashville Railroad) was constructed through Brownsville taking over the original narrow-gauge railroads and affording an additional route for transporting goods, as well as carrying passengers. The railroad was initially chartered in 1852 to connect Memphis, Tennessee and Louisville, Kentucky. Construction began in 1854 and was completed in 1860.

Note:  The report cited above contains a fuller description.