Pennsylvania Railroad

The Pennsylvania Railroad {{reporting mark|PRR}} was an American railroad existing 1846–1968, after which it merged into Penn Central Transportation. Commonly referred to as the Pennsy, the company was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company's symbol was a keystone (Pennsylvania's symbol) with the letters PRR overlapping inside it. When colored, it was bright red with silver-grey edges and lettering (although it also appears in metal leaf outline on a wooden background on station benches).

History

The eastern part of the PRR's main line was built by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as part of the Main Line of Public Works, a railroad and canal corridor across the state. The system opened in 1834, consisting of the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad from Philadelphia west to Columbia on the Susquehanna River, a canal from Columbia to Hollidaysburg, the Allegheny Portage Railroad from Hollidaysburg to Johnstown, and another canal from Johnstown to the terminus in Pittsburgh. The Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad had one inclined plane at each end; the Allegheny Portage Railroad had ten.

Related Topics:
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania - Main Line of Public Works - Canal - 1834 - Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad - Philadelphia - Columbia - Susquehanna River - Hollidaysburg - Allegheny Portage Railroad - Johnstown - Pittsburgh - Inclined plane

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The Pennsylvania Railroad Company was chartered by the Pennsylvania legislature on April 13, 1846. Construction began in 1847 and the first section opened from Harrisburg west to Lewistown on September 1, 1849 (including the original Rockville Bridge across the Susquehanna River). Further extensions opened to McVeytown on December 24, Mount Union on April 1, 1850, Huntingdon on June 10, and Duncansville (west of Hollidaysburg) on September 16, 1850, taking it to a connection with the Allegheny Portage Railroad on the east side of the Allegheny Ridge. On the other side of the ridge, the main line opened from Conemaugh (on the Portage Railroad east of Johnstown) west to Lockport on August 25, 1851. On December 10, 1851, sections opened from Lockport west to Beatty (west of Latrobe) and from Pittsburgh east to Brinton, with a temporary stagecoach transfer between via the Southern Turnpike and a short turnpike branch built to Beatty. Part of that gap was filled on July 15, 1852, from Brinton east to Radebaugh, and on November 29 the full line was completed, forming the first all-rail route between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Related Topics:
April 13 - 1846 - 1847 - Harrisburg - Lewistown - September 1 - 1849 - Rockville Bridge - Susquehanna River - McVeytown - December 24 - Mount Union - April 1 - 1850 - Huntingdon - June 10 - Duncansville - Hollidaysburg - September 16 - Allegheny Portage Railroad - Allegheny Ridge - Conemaugh - Johnstown - Lockport - August 25 - 1851 - December 10 - Beatty - Latrobe - Pittsburgh - Brinton - Stagecoach - Southern Turnpike - July 15 - 1852 - Radebaugh - November 29

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Plane Number 1 of the Portage Railroad was bypassed on April 1, 1852. Other planes began to be bypassed by the New Portage Railroad, completed in 1856, but on February 15, 1854 the PRR's new line opened, leaving the old one on the east side of the ridge in Altoona and running west via the Horseshoe Curve and Gallitzin Tunnel, only using a short portion of the old Portage Railroad near South Fork and a longer adjacent section of New Portage Railroad. A reciprocal trackage rights agreement made March 18, 1854 allowed the PRR to use that section for free.

Related Topics:
April 1 - 1852 - 1856 - February 15 - 1854 - Altoona - Horseshoe Curve - Gallitzin Tunnel - South Fork - Trackage rights - March 18

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On March 21, 1849 the PRR contracted with Eagle Line, primarily a steamboat company, for through service over the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad. The PRR obtained trackage rights over the Portsmouth, Mount Joy and Lancaster Railroad, opened in 1838, on April 21, providing a route from Harrisburg to the Philadelphia and Columbia at Dillerville, just west of Lancaster. On September 1 the first section of the PRR opened, with all arrangements in place for service from Philadelphia to Lewistown. On December 20, 1860 the PRR formally leased the line west of Dillerville, renamed the Harrisburg, Portsmouth, Mount Joy and Lancaster Railroad in 1855.

Related Topics:
March 21 - 1849 - Eagle Line - Steamboat - Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad - Trackage rights - Portsmouth, Mount Joy and Lancaster Railroad - 1838 - April 21 - Dillerville - Lancaster - September 1 - December 20 - 1860 - Harrisburg, Portsmouth, Mount Joy and Lancaster Railroad - 1855

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In 1853 the PRR surveyed the Lancaster, Lebanon and Pine Grove Railroad from Philadelphia west via Phoenixville to Salunga on the Portsmouth, Mount Joy and Lancaster Railroad. This was done in order to show the state that the PRR was willing to build its own alignment around the Philadelphia and Columbia. On July 31, 1857, the PRR bought the whole Main Line of Public Works. The Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad was integrated into its system. Most of the New Portage Railroad, just completed the previous year at a cost of $2.14 million, was abandoned, while short sections became local branches. The canals were abandoned, and short sections were filled and covered by rails. In 1904 the New Portage Railroad east of the Gallitzin Tunnels (through the "Muleshoe Curve") was reopened as a freight bypass line.

Related Topics:
1853 - Lancaster, Lebanon and Pine Grove Railroad - Phoenixville - Salunga - July 31 - 1857 - Main Line of Public Works - Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad - New Portage Railroad - 1904 - Gallitzin Tunnel - Muleshoe Curve

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Access to New York, Baltimore and Washington

In the early 1860s the PRR gained control of the Northern Central Railway, giving it access to Baltimore along the Susquehanna River (via connections at Columbia or Harrisburg). http://www.chesco.com/~apu/prr/baltimore.html

Related Topics:
1860s - Northern Central Railway - Baltimore - Susquehanna River - Columbia - Harrisburg

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On December 1, 1871 http://www.prrths.com/Hagley/PRR1871%20Jan%2005.pdf the PRR leased the United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Companies, which included the original Camden and Amboy Railroad from Camden, across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, to South Amboy, across Raritan Bay from New York City, as well as a newer line from Philadelphia to Jersey City, much closer to New York, via Trenton. Track connection in Philadelphia was made via the United Companies' Connecting Railway and the jointly-owned Junction Railroad.

Related Topics:
December 1 - 1871 - United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Companies - Camden and Amboy Railroad - Camden - Delaware River - Philadelphia - South Amboy - Raritan Bay - New York City - Jersey City - Trenton - Connecting Railway - Junction Railroad

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The PRR's Baltimore and Potomac Rail Road opened on July 2, 1872 between Baltimore and Washington, but with a required transfer via horse car in Baltimore to the other lines heading north from the city. On June 29, 1873, the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel through Baltimore was completed, and the PRR initiated the misleadingly-named Pennsylvania Air Line service via the Northern Central Railway and Columbia. This service was 54.5 miles (87.5 km) longer than the old route via the Washington Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, but avoided a transfer in Baltimore. The Union Railroad opened on July 24, 1873, eliminating the transfer, and the PRR contracted with the Union Railroad and the PW&B. New York-Washington trains began using that route the next day, ending Pennsylvania Air Line service. The PRR acquired a majority of PW&B stock in the early 1880s, forcing the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to build the Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad to keep its Philadelphia access.

Related Topics:
Baltimore and Potomac Rail Road - July 2 - 1872 - Baltimore - Washington - Horse car - June 29 - 1873 - Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel - Northern Central Railway - Columbia - Washington Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad - Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad - Union Railroad - July 24 - 1880s - Baltimore and Ohio Railroad - Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad

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Low-grade lines

Around 1900, the PRR built several low-grade lines for freight to bypass areas of steep grades. These included the following:

Related Topics:
1900 - Low-grade - Grade

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• 1892 - Trenton Branch and Trenton Cut-Off Railroad from Glen Loch east to Morrisville (not only a low-grade line but a long-distance bypass of Philadelphia)
• 1892 - Waverly and Passaic Railroad (finished by the New York Bay Railroad) from Waverly, New Jersey to Kearny
• 1904 - reopening of the New Portage Railroad from the Gallitzin Tunnels east to New Portage Junction, then continuing north over the Hollidaysburg Branch to Altoona
• 1906 - Philadelphia and Thorndale Branch from Thorndale east to Glen Loch
• 1906 - Atglen and Susquehanna Branch from Harrisburg via the Northern Central Railway south to Wago Junction, then east to Parkesburg

The Pennsylvania and Newark Railroad was incorporated in 1905 to build a low-grade line from Morrisville, Pennsylvania to Colonia, New Jersey. It was never completed, but some work was done in the Trenton area, including bridge piers in the Delaware River. North of Colonia, the alignment was going to be separate, but instead two extra tracks were added to the existing line. Work was suspended in 1916.

Related Topics:
Pennsylvania and Newark Railroad - 1905 - Morrisville, Pennsylvania - Colonia, New Jersey - Trenton - Delaware River - 1916

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Penn Central merger

On February 1, 1968 the PRR merged with arch-rival New York Central to form the Penn Central. The ICC required that ailing New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad be added in 1969. Penn Central declared bankruptcy in June, 1970.

Related Topics:
February 1 - 1968 - New York Central - Penn Central - ICC - New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad - 1969 - 1970

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Successors

Penn Central rail lines were split between Amtrak (Northeast Corridor and Keystone Corridor) and Conrail in the 1970s. After the breakup of Conrail in 1999, the portion which had formerly been PRR territory largely became part of the Norfolk Southern Railway.

Related Topics:
Penn Central - Amtrak - Northeast Corridor - Keystone Corridor - Conrail - 1999 - Norfolk Southern Railway

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Timeline

• 1916 PRR adopts new motto, "Standard Railroad of the World".
• 1916 First I1s 2-10-0 "Decapod" locomotive completed.
• 1916 A5s 0-4-0 and B6sb switching locomotives introduced.
• 1918 PRR stock bottoms at $40¼ due largely to Federal railroad control, lowest since 1877.
• 1918 Emergency freight routed through New York Penn Station and the Hudson tunnels at night by the USRA to relieve congestion.
• 1918 N1s 2-10-2 locomotives introduced for Lines West.
• 1968-02-01 Pennsylvania Railroad absorbs New York Central to form the Penn Central.
• August 26, 1999: The United States Postal Service issues 33-cent All Aboard! 20th Century American Trains commemorative stamps featuring five celebrated American passenger trains from the 1930s and 1940s. One of the five stamps features an image of a GG-1 locomotive pulling the Congressional along Pennsy's route between New York and Washington, D.C., and whose slogan was "Every Mile Electrified!"