Constructed around 1890, the Calera and Shelby Railroad carried the region’s large mineral deposits, including iron ore, marble, limestone, and coal, and the L&N Railroad also operated daily passenger trains. The L&N depot was built in 1909 directly behind this location and was torn down about 1953. The last passenger train ran about 1951, and the fare to Sylacauga was 25 cents. In 1968, Alabama Power raised the water level in Lay Lake, leaving the tracks 6 inches under water and causing the river crossing to be abandoned. Freight, mainly pulpwood, continued to be shipped from Shelby until the late 1970s. In the mid-1980s, the tracks were removed and the right of way was purchased by the Heart of Dixie Railroad Club, with plans to replace the rails and operate a 10 mile excursion train from Calera to Shelby.