At KC Junction (MP 662.6), the former L&N line to Latonia continues southward, and the former C&O main line makes a big turn around to the northeast, with speed limit 30-25 to MP 662.4, 30 mph to MP 662.0, and then 45-30, falling to single track, crossing the Licking River, passing NX Cabin (MP 661.1), where a former L&N line trails in on the south side, and Newport (MP 661.0), where the line to the erstwhile L&N bridge once left to the north, turning north through the northern Kentucky urban area, with speed limit 35 mph past Bellevue (MP 659.8) and Dayton (MP 659.0), and then turning east-northeast, east, south-southeast and south, along the south bank of the Ohio River, with speed limit rising to 55-45 at MP 657.4, past Altamont (MP 655.9), where the speed limit is 79-45, falling to 55-45 at MP 655.4, rising to 75-45 at MP 654.5, falling to 60-40 at MP 653.8 and to 55-40 at MP 653.1, south-southeast past Coney (MP 652.8), and east-southeast, with speed limit 79-45, past the CSX Stevens Yard (MP 651.3) facilities on the north side of the line at Silver Grove, to Melbourne (MP 650.5), where the speed limit is 70-45.