The Scottish Central Railway was formed in 1845 to link Perth and Stirling to Central Scotland, by building a railway line to join the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway near Castlecary.
The line opened in 1848 including a branch to South Alloa. The line immediately became part of the forming trunk railway network in Scotland, and amalgamation with other railways was considered, and in 1865 the Scottish Central Railway amalgamated with the Caledonian Railway.
The main line continues in use today as a major part of the Scottish Railway network carrying frequent passenger services and a significant freight traffic.