In 1895, the Chicago and Carbondale Railroad organized to lay tracks between the Illinois Central railroad at Carbondale and connect with the new Chicago, Paducah and Memphis Railroad that had opened up in 1894, going through the central part of the county. (This one later became the Chicago and Eastern Illinois railroad). Herrin convinced the developers to take their line between Carbondale and Johnston City through Herrin. Soon after it opened, the line was sold to the Chicago and Texas railroad in the fall of 1895.