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Pennsylvania Railroad



 
 
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy," the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population city in the United States. It is the fifth-largest metropolitan area and fourth-largest urban area by population in the United States, the nation's fourth-largest consumer media market as ranked by the Nielsen Media Research, and the 49th-most...
.

The PRR was the largest railroad by traffic and revenue in the U.S.






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Prr M1a
Prr S1
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy," the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population city in the United States. It is the fifth-largest metropolitan area and fourth-largest urban area by population in the United States, the nation's fourth-largest consumer media market as ranked by the Nielsen Media Research, and the 49th-most...
.

The PRR was the largest railroad by traffic and revenue in the U.S. throughout the twentieth century and was at one time the largest publicly traded corporation in the world. At its peak, it controlled about of rail line. During its history, the PRR merged with or had an interest in at least 800 other rail lines and companies. The PRR corporation still holds the record for the longest continuous dividend history: it paid out annual dividends to shareholders for more than 100 years in a row. The budget for the PRR was larger than that of the U.S. government and they employed approximately 250,000 workers.

In 1968, the Pennsylvania Railroad merged with its rival, the New York Central Railroad, to form Penn Central Transportation. The Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission

The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, which was signed into law by President of the United States Grover Cleveland....
 (ICC) required that the ailing New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad be added in 1969. A series of events including inflation, poor management, abnormally harsh weather and the withdrawal of a government-guaranteed 200-million-dollar operating loan forced the Penn Central to file for bankruptcy protection on June 21, 1970. The Penn Central rail lines were then divided between Conrail and Amtrak
Amtrak

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide Inter-city rail train#Passenger trains service in the United States....
.

The Pennsylvania Railroad's corporate symbol was the keystone
Keystone (architecture)

A keystone is the architectural piece at the crown of a Vault or arch which marks its apex , locking the other pieces into position. This makes a keystone very important structurally....
, which is Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a U.S. state located in the Northeastern United States and Mid-Atlantic States regions of the United States....
's state symbol, with the letters PRR intertwined inside. When colored, it was bright red with silver-grey molding and lettering.

History


Main line


The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as part of the Main Line of Public Works
Main Line of Public Works

The Main Line of Public Works was a railroad and canal system built by the Pennsylvania in the 19th century. It ran from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania west through Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and across the state to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and connected with other divisions of the Pennsylvania Canal....
, chartered the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1846 to build a rail line that would connect Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Harrisburg is the Capital of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America. As of the United States Census, 2000, the city had a population of 48,950, making it the tenth largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Pennsylvania, Erie, Pennsylvania, Reading, Pennsylvania, Scranton, Pennsylvani...
 to Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania with a population of 312,819. The population of the seven-county metropolitan area is 2,462,571....
. This western line from Harrisburg would complete the main line, which was to be a railroad and canal corridor across the state. Work on the western part of the main line was completed in 1854 and rail service from Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population city in the United States. It is the fifth-largest metropolitan area and fourth-largest urban area by population in the United States, the nation's fourth-largest consumer media market as ranked by the Nielsen Media Research, and the 49th-most...
 across the state to Pittsburgh was available. In 1857 the PRR purchased the main line from the State of Pennsylvania. This line is still an important cross-state corridor, composed of Amtrak's Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line and the Norfolk Southern Railway's Pittsburgh Subdivision.

New York, Baltimore and Washington lines

1893 Prr
Pennsylvania Rr 1899
In the early 1860s, the PRR gained control of the Northern Central Railway, giving it access to Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore is an independent city and the largest city in the U.S. state of Maryland in the United States. Baltimore is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay....
, along the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River

The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At approximately 444 mi long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the United States and the 16th longest in the United States....
 via connections at Columbia, Pennsylvania
Columbia, Pennsylvania

Columbia is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, 28 miles southeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on the Susquehanna River across from Wrightsville, Pennsylvania....
, or Harrisburg.

On December 1, 1871, the PRR leased the United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Companies
United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Company

The United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Company was part of the Pennsylvania Railroad system in New Jersey, including their main line to New York City ....
, which included the original Camden and Amboy Railroad from Camden, New Jersey (across the Delaware River
Delaware River

The Delaware River is a river on the Atlantic Ocean coast of the United States.The Delaware was explored by Adriaen Block as part of the New Netherlands Colony, and was named the South River to mark the southernmost reach of that colony....
 from Philadelphia) to South Amboy, New Jersey
South Amboy, New Jersey

South Amboy is a City in Middlesex County, New Jersey, New Jersey, on the Raritan Bay. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 7,913....
 (across Raritan Bay
Raritan Bay

Raritan Bay is a bay located at the confluence of the Raritan River and the Arthur Kill between the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey. The bay, which is just south of the important Geography of New York Harbor, is bounded on the north by New York's Staten Island and Lower New York Bay, on the west by Perth Amboy, New Jersey, on the so...
 from New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
), as well as a newer line from Philadelphia to Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey

Jersey City is a City in Hudson County, New Jersey, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the population of Jersey City was 240,055, making it New Jersey's List of municipalities in New Jersey , behind Newark, New Jersey....
, much closer to New York, via Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey

Trenton is the Capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County, New Jersey. As of 2007, the United States Census Bureau estimated that the City of Trenton had a population of 82,804....
. Track connection in Philadelphia was made via the United Companies' Connecting Railway and the jointly owned Junction Railroad (Philadelphia)
Junction Railroad (Philadelphia)

The Junction Railroad was a railroad in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, connecting lines west of downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It came under Pennsylvania Railroad control in 1881, and was eliminated by merger in 1908....
.

The PRR's Baltimore and Potomac Rail Road
Baltimore and Potomac Rail Road

The Baltimore and Potomac Rail Road was part of the Pennsylvania Railroad's main line from Baltimore, Maryland southwest to Washington, DC. It is now part of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor; freight is handled by Norfolk Southern....
 opened on July 2, 1872, between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the Capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790....
 This route 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
Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel

The Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel is a double track, masonry arch railroad tunnel beneath Baltimore, Maryland. It now serves Northeast Corridor rail service operated by Amtrak and MARC Train passenger railroads with an average of 135 trains per weekday traversing the tunnel....
 through Baltimore was completed. The PRR initiated the misleadingly named Pennsylvania Air Line service via the Northern Central Railway and Columbia, Pennsylvania. This service was 54.5 miles (87.5 km) longer than the old route but avoided the transfer in Baltimore. The Union Railroad (Baltimore)
Union Railroad (Baltimore)

#REDIRECT Union Tunnel...
 line opened on July 24, 1873. This route eliminated the transfer in Baltimore. PRR officials contracted with both the Union Railroad and the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad
Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad

The Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad was the Pennsylvania Railroad's main line from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania southwest to Baltimore, Maryland....
 (PW&B) Railroad for access to this line. The PRR's New York–Washington trains began using the route the next day, ending Pennsylvania Air Line service. In the early 1880s, the PRR acquired a majority of PW&B Railroad's stock. This action forced the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. At first this railroad was located entirely in the state of Maryland with an original line from the port of Baltimore, Maryland, west to Sandy Hook, Maryland....
 (B&O) to build the Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad
Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad

The Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad was the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's line from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania southwest to Baltimore, Maryland, and is now used by CSX for freight....
 to keep its Philadelphia access, where it connected with the Reading Railroad
Reading Company

The Reading Company, usually called the Reading Railroad , and officially known as the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states....
 for its competing Royal Blue Line
Royal Blue (B&O train)

The Royal Blue was the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's flagship passenger train between New York City and Washington, D.C., in the United States, beginning in 1890....
 passenger trains to reach New York.

In 1885, the PRR began passenger train service from New York City to Washington with limited stops along the route. This service became known as the "Congressional Limited Express." The service expanded, and by the 1920s, the PRR was operating hourly passenger train service between New York and Washington. In the early 1950s, 18-car stainless steel
Stainless steel

In metallurgy, stainless steel is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10% chromium content by mass. Stainless steel does not stain, corrode, or rust as easily as ordinary steel , but it is not stain-proof....
 streamliners were introduced on the Morning Congressional and Afternoon Congressional between New York and Washington, as well as the Senator from Boston to Washington.

New York-Chicago

On June 15, 1887, passenger service began between New York and Chicago, Illinois as the Pennsylvania Limited. The occasion was also the first introduction by any railroad of the vestibule
Vestibuled train

A vestibuled train is a passenger train whose Passenger car have enclosed vestibules at their ends, in contrast to the open platforms on early cars....
, an enclosed platform at the end of each passenger car, allowing protected access to the entire train. In 1902, the Pennsylvania Limited was replaced by the Pennsylvania Special, which in turn was replaced in 1912 by the Broadway Limited
Broadway Limited

The Broadway Limited was the Pennsylvania Railroad's premier named passenger train, operating one train daily in either direction between New York City and Chicago, via Philadelphia....
 which became the most famous train operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad. This train ran from New York City to Chicago, via Philadelphia, with an additional section between Harrisburg and Washington (later operated as a separate Washington–Chicago train, the Liberty Limited).

"Low-grade" lines

Around 1900, the PRR built several low-grade lines for freight to bypass areas of steep grade (slope). These included the following:
  • 1892 — Trenton Branch (PRR) and Trenton Cut-Off Railroad from Glen Loch, Pennsylvania east to Morrisville, Pennsylvania
    Morrisville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania

    Morrisville is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 10,023 at the 2000 census....
     (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, New Jersey
    Kearny, New Jersey

    Kearny is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, New Jersey, United States. It was named after American Civil War general Philip Kearny. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town population was 40,513....
  • 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, Pennsylvania
    Thorndale, Pennsylvania

    Thorndale is a village in Chester County, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,561 at the 2000 census. Thorndale is the commercial and administrative center of Caln Township....
     east to Glen Loch (abandoned by Conrail in 1989)
  • 1906 — Atglen and Susquehanna Branch from Harrisburg via the Northern Central Railway south to Wago Junction, then east to Parkesburg
    Parkesburg, Pennsylvania

    Parkesburg is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,373 at the 2000 census.History...
     (abandoned by Conrail in 1990)


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.

Pennsylvania Railroad rail line electrification project

Us Northeastcatenary
Early in the 20th century, the PRR began construction to electrify some of their rail lines. The initial construction was in the New York terminal area, including some of the tunnels. This was a direct current
Direct current

Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as battery , thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type....
 (DC) low-voltage system that supplied power through a third rail. The system was put into service in 1910.

The next area to be electrified was the Philadelphia terminal area. After researching and experimenting with different power systems, PRR officials decided to use overhead lines
Overhead lines

Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point....
 to supply power to the trains. Unlike the New York terminal system, the overhead wires would carry high-voltage alternating current
Alternating current

In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. An electric charge would for instance move forward, then backward, then forward, then backward, over and over again....
 (AC) power. This became the type of system used for all future installations. In 1915, electrification of the line from Philadelphia's Broad Street Station to Paoli, Pennsylvania was completed. Other Philadelphia lines electrified were the Chestnut Hill Branch (1918), White Marsh (1924), West Chester (1928), and in 1930 the Norristown branch along with the main line to Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey

Trenton is the Capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County, New Jersey. As of 2007, the United States Census Bureau estimated that the City of Trenton had a population of 82,804....
.

PRR's president William Atterbury announced in 1928 plans to electrify the lines between New York, Philadelphia, Washington and Harrisburg. In January 1933, through main-line service between the principal cities was placed in operation. The first test run of an electric train between Philadelphia and Washington occurred on January 28, 1935. On February 1 the Congressional Limiteds in both directions were the first trains in regular electric operation between New York and Washington, drawn by the first of the GG1
PRR GG1

The Pennsylvania Railroad's GG1 class of electric locomotives were built between 1934 to 1943 at the PRR shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania, with a total of 139 units constructed....
-type locomotives
Electric locomotive

An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from an external source. Sources include overhead lines, third rail, or an on-board electricity storage device such as a battery or flywheel energy storage system....
. All regular passenger trains between these cities were electrified by March 15, and shortly thereafter through trains to the west were electrically operated from New York City to Paoli, Pennsylvania
Paoli, Pennsylvania

Paoli is a census-designated place located in Chester County, Pennsylvania near Philadelphia. It is situated in portions of three townships: Easttown Township, Pennsylvania, Tredyffrin Township, Pennsylvania and Willistown Township, Pennsylvania....
.

To complete the electrification project initiated in 1928, work was started January 27, 1937, on the main line from Paoli, Pennsylvania to Harrisburg; the low-grade freight line from Morrisville through Columbia to Enola Yard
Enola Yard

Enola Yard is a large rail yard in East Pennsboro Township, Pennsylvania....
 in Pennsylvania; the freight line from Perryville
Perryville, Maryland

Perryville is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, Maryland, United States. The population was 3,672 at the 2000 census. The town is located off Interstate 95 in Maryland, on the north side of the mouth of the Susquehanna River....
 to Columbia; and the freight line from Monmouth Junction to South Amboy. In less than a year—on the following January 15—the first passenger train—the Metropolitan—went into operation over the newly electrified line from Philadelphia to Harrisburg. On April 15 the electrified freight service from Harrisburg and Enola Yard east was inaugurated, thus completing the Pennsy's eastern seaboard electrification program with a total of of track electrified—41 percent of the total electrically operated standard railroad trackage of the United States.

Railroad shops

In 1849, PRR officials developed plans to construct a repair facility at Altoona
Altoona, Pennsylvania

Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the principal city of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. Construction was started in 1850, and soon a long building was completed that housed a machine shop, woodworking shop, blacksmith
Blacksmith

A blacksmith is a person who processess iron or steel by forging the metal; i.e., by using tools to hammer, bend, cut, and otherwise shape it in its non-liquid form....
 shop, locomotive repair shop and foundry
Foundry

A foundry is a factory which produces metal castings from either ferrous or non-ferrous metals alloys. Metals are turned into parts by melting the metal into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and then removing the mold material or casting....
. This facility was later torn down to make room for continuing expansion.

In time additional PRR repair facilities were located in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Mifflin, and the Altoona Works expanded in adjacent Juniata, Pennsylvania. Inventor Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell

Alexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist, Innovation and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone.Bell's father, grandfather, and brother had all been associated with work on elocution and speech, and both his mother and wife were deaf, profoundly influencing Bell's life's work....
 sent two assistants to the Altoona shops in 1875 to study the feasibility of installing telephone
Telephone

The telephone is a telecommunications device that is used to transmitter and receive electronically or digitally encoded sound between two or more people conversing....
 lines. In May 1877, telephone lines were installed for various departments to communicate with one another.

Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Fort Wayne is a city in northeastern Indiana, United States and the county seat of Allen County, Indiana. As of July 1, 2008, the city had an estimated population of 251,247, making it the List of United States cities by population Fort Wayne is Indiana's second largest city after Indianapolis, Indiana....
, also held a key position for the railroad. By the turn of the 20th century, its repair shops and locomotive manufacturing facilities became known as the "Altoona of the West."

By 1945 the Altoona Works had grown to be one of the largest repair and construction facilities for locomotives and cars in the world. During World War II, PRR facilities (including the Altoona Shops) were on target lists of German saboteurs
Operation Pastorius

Operation Pastorius was a failed plan for sabotage via a series of attacks by Nazi Germany agents inside the United States of America. The operation was staged in June 1942 and was to be directed against strategic U.S....
. They were caught before they could complete their missions.

In 1875 the Altoona Works started a testing department for PRR equipment. In following years, the Pennsylvania Railroad led the nation in the development of research and testing procedures of practical value for the railroad industry. Use of the testing facilities were discontinued in 1968 and many of the structures were demolished.

Penn Central merger

On February 1, 1968, the PRR merged with their arch-rival, the New York Central railroad, to form the Penn Central
Penn Central Transportation

The Penn Central Transportation Company, commonly abbreviated to Penn Central, was an United States railroad company that operated from 1968 until 1976....
. The ICC required that the ailing New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad be added in 1969. A series of events including inflation, poor management, abnormally harsh weather conditions and the withdrawal of a government-guaranteed 200-million-dollar operating loan forced the Penn Central to file for bankruptcy protection on June 21, 1970. The Penn Central
Penn Central Transportation

The Penn Central Transportation Company, commonly abbreviated to Penn Central, was an United States railroad company that operated from 1968 until 1976....
 rail lines were split between Amtrak
Amtrak

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide Inter-city rail train#Passenger trains service in the United States....
 (Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor

The Northeast Corridor is the busiest passenger railroad line in the United States by ridership and service frequency. The route is fully electrified and serves a BosWash from Washington, D.C., in the south through Baltimore, Maryland, Wilmington, Delaware, Philadelphia, Trenton, New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, New York City, New Haven, Con...
 and Keystone Corridor
Keystone Corridor

The Keystone Corridor is a Federal Railroad Administration "designated high speed corridor" with a 349-mile railroad line between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a top speed of 110 miles per hour ....
) 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
Norfolk Southern Railway

The Norfolk Southern Railway is a major Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. The company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada....
.

Timeline

  • 1846 The Pennsylvania Railroad is chartered to construct a rail line from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh.
  • 1850 Construction started on repair shop at Altoona.
  • 1860–1890 PRR expands throughout the U.S.
  • 1885 The "Congressional Limited Express" from New York City to Washington D.C. is introduced.
  • 1887 The Pennsylvania Limited was inaugurated, running between New York and Chicago. It is the first vestibuled train
    Vestibuled train

    A vestibuled train is a passenger train whose Passenger car have enclosed vestibules at their ends, in contrast to the open platforms on early cars....
    .
  • 1894 The Pennsylvania Pacific Corporation is formed by the PRR.
  • 1902 The Pennsylvania Special was inaugurated, replacing the Pennsylvania Limited between New York and Chicago.
  • 1910 New York terminal and tunnels are electrified.
  • 1912 The Broadway Limited was inaugurated, replacing the Pennsylvania Special.
  • 1915 PRR electrifies its suburban Philadelphia lines between Central Philadelphia and Paoli.
  • 1916 PRR adopts new motto, "Standard Railroad of the World". The first I1s
    PRR I1s

    The Pennsylvania Railroad's class I1s steam locomotives were the largest class of 2-10-0 "Decapods" built in the United States, with 598 built 1916–1923 ....
     "Decapod" locomotive is completed, and switching locomotives of the A5s and B6sb
    PRR B6

    The Pennsylvania Railroad's class B6 was its most successful class of switcher, or as the PRR termed them, "shifter". The PRR preferred the 0-6-0 wheel arrangement for larger switchers, whereas on other roads the 0-8-0 gained preference....
     class are introduced.
  • 1918 PRR stock bottoms at $40¼, the lowest since 1877, due largely to Federal railroad control. Emergency freight is routed through New York Penn Station and the Hudson tunnels by the USRA
    United States Railroad Administration

    The United States Railroad Administration was the name of the nationalisation railroad system of the United States between 1917 and 1920. It was possibly the largest American experiment with nationalization, and was undertaken against a background of war emergency....
     to relieve congestion. Locomotive class N1s
    PRR N1s

    The Pennsylvania Railroad's N1s was a class of steam locomotive built for PRR Lines West. They were of 2-10-2 "Santa Fe" wheel arrangement, ten driving wheels with a two-wheel leading truck and a two-wheel cast KW-pattern trailing truck under a giant firebox....
     is introduced for PRR's western lines. The PRR electrifies the suburban Philadelphia commuter line between Central Philadelphia and Chestnut Hill
    Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Chestnut Hill is an affluent neighbourhood in the Northwest Philadelphia section of the United States city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
    .
  • 1928–1938 PRR electrified its New York–Washington main line, the Chicago–Philadelphia main line between Harrisburg and Paoli, several Philadelphia and New York area commuter lines, and major through freight lines.
  • 1946 The PRR reported a net loss for the first time in its history.
  • 1957 Steam locomotives are removed from active service in the PRR fleet.
  • 1968 Pennsylvania Railroad merges with New York Central to form the Penn Central.
  • 1970 The Penn Central files for bankruptcy protection on June 21, 1970.


Equipment


Standard Railroad of the World

Pennsylvania Railroad Logo
In 1916 the PRR began using the slogan Standard Railroad of the World. This meant that it was perceived as the standard to which all other railroads aspired. For a long time this was true. It was the first railroad to completely replace wooden-bodied passenger cars with steel-bodied cars, and the first to introduce the vestibuled train
Vestibuled train

A vestibuled train is a passenger train whose Passenger car have enclosed vestibules at their ends, in contrast to the open platforms on early cars....
. Over its history it led the way in many safety and efficiency improvements. In later years the PRR abandoned the use of the slogan.

The Pennsylvania Railroad was "standard" in another way. It was an early proponent of standardization. While other railroads used whatever was available, the PRR tested and experimented with equipment designs. When they found the right design, it became standard across the whole company. This gave the railroad a feel of uniformity, and it also reduced costs. This was unlike other railroads who purchased locomotive
Locomotive

A locomotive is a Rail transport vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin language loco - "from a place", Ablative case of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine,....
s and railroad car
Railroad car

A railroad car or railway carriage is a vehicle on a rail transport that is used for the carrying of cargo or passengers. Cars can be coupled together into a train and hauled by one or more locomotive....
s in small lots, taking whatever was available from manufacturers at the time. The PRR was also an early adopter of standard color schemes for their equipment.

Equipment colors and painting

As noted above, the PRR colors and paint schemes were standardized. Locomotive
Locomotive

A locomotive is a Rail transport vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin language loco - "from a place", Ablative case of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine,....
s were painted in a shade of green so dark it seemed almost black. The official name for this color was DGLE (Dark Green Locomotive Enamel). Often it was referred to as "Brunswick Green". The undercarriage of the locomotives were painted in black referred to as True Black. The passenger cars of the Pennsylvania Railroad were painted Tuscan Red. This is a brick colored shade of red. Some electric locomotive
Electric locomotive

An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from an external source. Sources include overhead lines, third rail, or an on-board electricity storage device such as a battery or flywheel energy storage system....
s and most passenger-hauling diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive

A Diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a Diesel engine. Several types of Diesel locomotive have been developed, the principal distinction being in the means by which the prime mover's mechanical power is conveyed to the driving wheels ....
s were also painted in Tuscan Red. Freight cars of the PRR had their own color. It was known as Freight Car Color which was an iron-oxide shade of red. On passenger locomotives and cars, the lettering and out-lining was originally done in real gold leaf. After World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
 the lettering was done in a light shade of yellow called Buff Yellow.

Signaling

The Pennsylvania Railroad was one of the first railroads to use position-light signals trackside. The signals were designed to replace semaphore signals
Railway signal

A signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to Railroad engineer....
. Visibility in foggy conditions was one of the factors for the development of this type of signal. A position-light signal used a large round target (sign) with an array of up to nine lights. Eight lights are arranged in a circle near the edge of the target with another light positioned in the center. The lights in position-light signals used amber-colored lenses, which could penetrate fog. With a position signal light, the positioning of the light display determined the meaning of the message. The design also allowed train personnel to recognize the signal aspect
Railway signal

A signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to Railroad engineer....
 even when one light in a row was inoperative.

Signal aspects were displayed as rows of three lit lights. These signal aspects corresponded with upper-quadrant semaphore signal positions: vertical display for proceed, a 45° angle display for approach, and horizontal display for stop. Additionally, a row of lights at a 45° angle leaning left of vertical (perpendicular to the approach aspect) was also used for a restricting aspect. A "X" shape was a "take siding" aspect (message) and a full circle was a "raise pantograph" aspect in electrified territory. Additional aspects were conveyed with a second target head below the first, either a single light, a partial target, or a full target, depending on the location.

In later years, the two outside lights in the horizontal "stop" row were often given red lenses, and the center lamp would be extinguished when the signal displayed a stop aspect.

Steam locomotives

Prr K4s Aberdeen
For most of its existence, the PRR was conservative in its locomotive power choices and pursued a path of standardization, both in locomotive types and their component parts. Almost alone among American railroads, the PRR designed most of its steam locomotive
Steam locomotive

A steam locomotive is a locomotive powered by steam. The term usually refers to its use on railways, but can also refer to a "road locomotive" such as a traction engine or steamroller....
 classes itself and built a proportion of them in its Altoona Works. The PRR is believed to have been the 4th-most prolific U.S. builder of steam locomotives.

Outside builders were used due to the sheer number of locomotives the PRR ordered. The number required exceeded the capacity that its own shops could produce. PRR used a commercial builder as a subcontractor, building exact replicas of an existing PRR design. This was unlike most railroads who gave only a broad specification, thereby leaving the majority of the decision making and design to the locomotive builder.

When it needed to use a commercial locomotive builder, the PRR favored Philadelphia's
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population city in the United States. It is the fifth-largest metropolitan area and fourth-largest urban area by population in the United States, the nation's fourth-largest consumer media market as ranked by the Nielsen Media Research, and the 49th-most...
 Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin Locomotive Works

The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an United States builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania....
. Baldwin was a major PRR customer, receiving its raw materials and shipping out its finished products on PRR lines. Moreover, the two companies were headquartered in the same city, with PRR and Baldwin management, along with the engineers, knowing each other well. When both the PRR and Baldwin shops were at capacity, orders went to the Lima Locomotive Works
Lima Locomotive Works

Lima Locomotive Works was an American firm that manufactured railroad locomotives from the 1870s through the 1950s. The company took the most distinctive part of its name from its main shops location in Lima, Ohio....
 in Lima, Ohio. Only as a last resort would the PRR use the American Locomotive Company
American Locomotive Company

The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States....
 (ALCO) based in Schenectady, New York. This may have been due to the fact that Alco was serviced by, as well as the favorite locomotive supplier to, the PRR's arch-rival: the New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad

The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States....
.

The PRR had a design style that it favored in its locomotives. One example is the square-shouldered Belpaire firebox
Belpaire firebox

The Belpaire firebox is a type of Firebox used on steam locomotives. It was invented by Alfred Belpaire of Belgium. It has a greater surface area at the top of the firebox, improving heat transfer and steam production....
. This British style firebox was a PRR trademark that was rarely used by other locomotive builders in the United States. Also, the PRR used track pan
Track pan

A track pan or water trough is a device to enable a steam railway locomotive to replenish its water supply while in motion. It consist of a long trough filled with water, lying along a stretch of rail tracks between the rails....
s extensively to pick up water, for the locomotive, while on the move. Using this system meant that the tenders of their locomotives had a comparatively large proportion of coal (which could not be taken on board while running) compared to water capacity. Locomotives of the PRR had a clean look to them. Only necessary devices were used and they were mounted neatly on the locomotive. Smoke box fronts bore a round locomotive number board denoting a freight locomotive or a keystone number board denoting a passenger locomotive. Otherwise, the smoke box was uncluttered with the exception of a headlamp mounted at the top and a steam-driven turbo-generator behind it. In later years the positions of the two were reversed, since the generator needs more maintenance than the lamp.

Each class of steam locomotive was assigned a class designation. Early on, this was simply an alphabetical letter, but when these began to run out, the scheme was changed so that each wheel arrangement
Wheel arrangement

In rail transport a wheel arrangement is a system of classifying the arrangement of the bogie of a locomotive by type, position, and connections....
 had its own letter, and different types of the same arrangement were defined by a subsequent number. Subtypes were in turn indicated by a lower-case letter; superheating was designated by an "s" until the mid 1920s, by which time all new locomotives were superheated. Thus, for example, a K4sa class was a 4-6-2
4-6-2

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, a 4-6-2 locomotive has four leading wheels , six coupled driving wheels and two trailing wheels ....
 "Pacific" type (K) and of the fourth class of Pacifics designed by the PRR. It was superheated (s) and was of the first variant type (a) after the original (unlettered). Steam locomotives remained part of the PRR fleet until 1957 when they were retired from active service.

It should be noted that the PRR's reliance on steam locomotives in the mid 20th century was a factor contributing to its downfall. Steam locomotives require more maintenance than diesel locomotives, are less cost efficient, and requires more personnel to operate. Also, the PRR was unable to update its fleet during the World War II years, and by the end of the war their fleet was in rough shape. The PRR's competitors managed this period better with their diesel locomotive fleets. The PRR was historically-minded when it voluntarily preserved a roundhouse-full of representative steam locomotives at Northumberland, Pennsylvania
Northumberland, Pennsylvania

Northumberland is a borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,714 at the 2000 census....
 in 1957, and kept them there for several decades. These locomotives are now at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pennsylvania
Strasburg, Pennsylvania

Strasburg is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States. It was named by its early settlers in memory of the Strasbourg in Alsace from which they had come....
. In sharp contrast, the New York Central's Alfred E. Perlman deliberately scrapped all but two large NYC steam locomotives, and these survived only by accident.

On December 18, 1987 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania designated the Pennsylvania Railroad's K4s as the official State Steam Locomotive. The two surviving Locomotives can be seen on display at Strasburg and Altoona.

Electric locomotives

Prr Gg1 4890 At Nrm, Green Bay, 20040426
Prr Ff1
When the work on the Hudson River
Hudson River

The Hudson River, called Muh-he-kun-ne-tuk , the Great Mohegan by the Iroquois, or as the Lenape Native Americans called it in Unami, Muhheakantuck, is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York....
 tunnels and Pennsylvania Station
Pennsylvania Station (New York City)

Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City....
 was in progress, the type of electric locomotives to be used was an important consideration. At that time just a few electric locomotives had been built anywhere. Several experimental locomotives were designed by railroad and Westinghouse engineers and tried on the West Jersey track. From these tests the DD1
PRR DD1

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class DD1 were semi-permanently coupled pairs of third rail direct current electric locomotives built for the railroad's initial New York-area electrification....
 class was developed. The DD1
PRR DD1

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class DD1 were semi-permanently coupled pairs of third rail direct current electric locomotives built for the railroad's initial New York-area electrification....
s were used in pairs (back to back). Thirty-three of these engines having Westinghouse equipment were built at Altoona. They were capable of speeds up to 85 miles per hour. Placed in service in 1910, they proved to be very efficient.

Various types of locomotives were being designed for the long-range electrification program. The first equipment to be put into service consisted of 93 motor cars, and by 1924 there were 286 cars of this type in use. By 1935 the motor and trailer equipment totaled 43 units, with the number eventually reaching 524 units.

The most powerful single-unit electric locomotive ever built was tried in 1917 and used experimentally for a number of years. This engine was classed the FF1
PRR FF1

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class FF1 of electric locomotive comprised a single prototype, numbered #3931 and nicknamed "Big Liz" by its crews....
 and had a side-rod drive. This class developed a tractive force of 140,000 pounds.

In 1924 another type of side-rod locomotive was designed (the L5
PRR L5

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class L5 were the railroad's second generation of production electric locomotives after the PRR DD1, and the last to use a jackshaft and side rods to drive the wheels....
 class), and three engines were built. Two were DC engines for use in the New York electrified zone and the third, road number 3930, was AC-equipped and put in service at Philadelphia. Later, 21 more L-5 locomotives were built for the New York service. A six-wheeled switching engine was the next electric motive power designed, being classified as B1
PRR B1

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class B1 comprised 42 switcher-type electric locomotives built between 1926 in rail transport and 1935 in rail transport....
. Of the first 16 AC engines, two were used at Philadelphia and 14 on the Bay Ridge line, while 12 DC-equipped engines were assigned to Sunnyside Yard
Sunnyside Yard

Sunnyside Yard is a large railroad yard in Sunnyside, Queens in New York City.When built by the Pennsylvania Railroad at the beginning of the 20th century, the yard was the largest passenger rail yard in the world....
.

The O1
PRR O1

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class O1 comprised eight experimental boxcab electric locomotivesbuilt in 1930 and 1931.They had the wheel arrangement classified as 4-4-4 in the Whyte notation ....
 class was a light passenger type. Eight of these engines were built from June 1930 to December 1931. The P5
PRR P5

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class P5 comprised 92 mixed-traffic electric locomotives constructed 1931?1935 by the PRR, Westinghouse and General Electric....
 class was also introduced, with two of this class being placed in service during July and August 1931. Following these came the P5A
PRR P5

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class P5 comprised 92 mixed-traffic electric locomotives constructed 1931?1935 by the PRR, Westinghouse and General Electric....
, a slightly heavier design capable of traveling 80 miles per hour
Miles per hour

The mile per hour is a physical unit of speed, expressing the number of Mile covered per hour.It is currently the Unit of measurement used for speed limits, and speeds, on roads in the United Kingdom and United States....
 and with a tractive force of 56,250 pounds. In all, 89 of these locomotives were built. The first had a box cab design and were placed in service in 1932. The following year, the last 28 under construction were redesigned to have a streamlined type of cab. Some of these engines underwent regearing for freight service.

In 1933 two entirely new locomotives were being planned. These were the R1
PRR R1

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class R1 comprised a single prototype electric locomotive constructed in 1934 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America, with the electrical equipment by Westinghouse....
 and the GG1
PRR GG1

The Pennsylvania Railroad's GG1 class of electric locomotives were built between 1934 to 1943 at the PRR shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania, with a total of 139 units constructed....
 class. The R-1 had a rigid frame for its four driving axles, while the GG-1 had two frames which were articulated. Both of these prototypes, along with an O-1
PRR O1

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class O1 comprised eight experimental boxcab electric locomotivesbuilt in 1930 and 1931.They had the wheel arrangement classified as 4-4-4 in the Whyte notation ....
, a P5A
PRR P5

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class P5 comprised 92 mixed-traffic electric locomotives constructed 1931?1935 by the PRR, Westinghouse and General Electric....
 and a K4s
PRR K4s

The Pennsylvania Railroad's K4s 4-6-2 "Pacific" was their premier passenger-hauling steam locomotive from 1914 through the end of steam on the PRR in 1957....
 steam locomotive underwent exhaustive testing. Testing was conducted over a special section of test track near Claymont, Delaware
Claymont, Delaware

Claymont is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, Delaware, United States. The population was 9,220 at the United States Census, 2000....
 and lasted for nearly two years. As a result of these experiments, the GG1
PRR GG1

The Pennsylvania Railroad's GG1 class of electric locomotives were built between 1934 to 1943 at the PRR shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania, with a total of 139 units constructed....
 type was chosen and the construction of 57 locomotives was authorized. The first GG1
PRR GG1

The Pennsylvania Railroad's GG1 class of electric locomotives were built between 1934 to 1943 at the PRR shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania, with a total of 139 units constructed....
 was finished in April, and by August 1935 all 57 were completed. These first GG1
PRR GG1

The Pennsylvania Railroad's GG1 class of electric locomotives were built between 1934 to 1943 at the PRR shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania, with a total of 139 units constructed....
 engines were designated for passenger service, while most of the P5A type were made available for freight service. Some of the later-built GG1
PRR GG1

The Pennsylvania Railroad's GG1 class of electric locomotives were built between 1934 to 1943 at the PRR shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania, with a total of 139 units constructed....
s were assigned to freight service as well. The total number of GG1
PRR GG1

The Pennsylvania Railroad's GG1 class of electric locomotives were built between 1934 to 1943 at the PRR shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania, with a total of 139 units constructed....
s built was 139. They are rated at at speeds of an hour.

On August 26, 1999, The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service

The United States Postal Service is an Independent agencies of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States....
 issued commemorative 33-cent All Aboard! 20th Century American Trains
All Aboard! 20th Century American Trains

In August 1999, the United States Postal Service issued a set of 33? postage stamps entitled All Aboard! 20th Century American Trains to "pay tribute to American industry and design, and specifically to the heritage of our railroads." Artist Ted Rose created five watercolor images depicting the following celebrated American List of n...
 stamps. These commemorative stamps featured 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 Limited Express." The official Pennsylvania State Electric Locomotive is the GG-1 #4859. It received this designation on December 18, 1987 and is currently on display in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Diesel locomotives

Prr Bh50 X2
Rock Island Locomotive 652
In the mid 1940s, the PRR began to add diesel locomotives to their fleet. From 1945 through 1949 it purchased 74 E7
E7

E7, E07 or E-7 may mean:* E7 liquid crystal mixture a liquid crystal mixture based on cyanobiphenyls* E7 Lie group in mathematics...
 class locomotives from General Motors EMD
EMD

EMD may refer to:...
 (Electro-Motive Division). These units were given the classification EP20 by the PRR. Sixty of this number were designated "A" units, meaning that they had a cab for the train crew. The remaining 14 were designated "B" units; these were cabless booster units that were controlled by an "A" unit.

Another addition to the PRR diesel locomotive fleet was the Baldwin DR-12-8-1500/2
Baldwin DR-12-8-1500/2

The Baldwin DR-12-8-1500/2 was the Baldwin Locomotive Works' first serious attempt at a production Main line diesel locomotive. The Baldwin type designation was DR-12-8-1500/2 meaning Diesel Road locomotive, with 12 axles , and two engines of 1,500 horsepower each....
, referred to as the "Centipede." Twenty-four of these units were purchased, and PRR classified them as BP60. These units had reliability problems and were soon obsolete. They were relegated to helper service.

In 1948 the PRR purchased twenty-seven DR-6 locomotives from Baldwin Locomotive Works. These units were given the PRR classification BP20. Originally for the passenger service fleet, these locomotive proved troublesome, and some were reclassified as BF16z freight locomotives.

From 1950 to 1952, the PRR purchased another group of 74 locomotives from EMD. These were EMD's E8
EMD E8

The EMD E8 was a , AAR wheel arrangement#A1A-A1A passenger train locomotive manufactured by General Motors Corporation' Electro-Motive Diesel of La Grange, Illinois....
 locomotives (successor to the E7). All of this group were "A" units. The PRR gave these units the classification EP22s.

Major passenger stations


The PRR built several grand railroad passenger stations in major cities, either alone or in conjunction with other railroads. These architectural marvels served as the hubs for the PRR's extensive passenger service. Many of these stations are still in use today, served by Amtrak
Amtrak

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide Inter-city rail train#Passenger trains service in the United States....
 as well as regional passenger carriers. See also Pennsylvania Station
Pennsylvania Station

Pennsylvania Station is a label first applied by the Pennsylvania Railroad to several of its grand passenger terminals....
, the name given to many of them.

Broad Street Station - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Broad Street Station was the first of the great passenger stations built by the PRR. Opened in 1881, the station was dramatically expanded in the early 1890s by famed Philadelphia architect Frank Furness
Frank Furness

Frank Heyling Furness was an acclaimed American architect of the Victorian era. He designed more than 600 buildings, most in the Philadelphia area, and is remembered for his eclectic, muscular, often idiosyncratically-scaled buildings, and for his influence on the Chicago architect Louis Sullivan....
, and for most of its existence served with City Hall as arguably one of the crown jewels of Philadelphia's architecture, and for thirty years had the largest train shed in the world (a 91 m span). It was the terminal station for the PRR service into Philadelphia, bringing trains right into the center of the city. It was demolished in 1953 after the PRR moved all its hub service to 30th Street Station.

Union Station - Washington, D.C. Union Station, built jointly with the B&O, served as a hub for PRR passenger services in the nation's capital, with connections to the B&O, and Southern Railway (US). The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad

The Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad was a railroad connecting Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, DC. It is now a portion of the CSX Transportation system....
 provided a link to Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is the Capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. Like all Virginia municipalities incorporated as cities, it is an independent city and not part of any county....
, about to the south, where major north–south lines of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad

The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was an United States railroad that existed between 1898 and July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, its long-time rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad....
 and Seaboard Air Line Railroad
Seaboard Air Line Railroad

The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an United States railroad whose corporate existence extended from April 14, 1900 until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad....
 provided service to the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Penn Station - New York, New York The original Pennsylvania Station was modeled on the Roman Baths of Caracalla
Baths of Caracalla

The Baths of Caracalla were Ancient Rome public baths, or thermae, built in Rome between AD 212 and 216, during the reign of the Caracalla....
; it was notable for its enormous rail shed and the spectacular architecture of the high vaulted ceilings in the passenger terminal. It was infamous for being demolished for redevelopment in the railroad's waning years. The station was built in 1910 to provide direct access to Manhattan from New Jersey without having to use a ferry, and was served by the PRR's own trains as well as those of the PRR's subsidiary the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road

The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York that has been classified as a Class II railroad by the Surface Transportation Board....
. Its 1963 demolition did not extend to the platforms, the tracks, or even some of the staircases.
P7140087
Penn Station - Newark, New Jersey This recently refurbished station was built in the 1930s as part of the PRR's Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor

The Northeast Corridor is the busiest passenger railroad line in the United States by ridership and service frequency. The route is fully electrified and serves a BosWash from Washington, D.C., in the south through Baltimore, Maryland, Wilmington, Delaware, Philadelphia, Trenton, New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, New York City, New Haven, Con...
 infrastructure. Its style is a mixture of Art Deco and Neo-Classical. Amtrak still makes stops here, however this station mainly serves as a stop for three commuter lines.
Philly 30th St
30th Street Station - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania In classical grandeur, the 30th Street Station displays its majestic—and traditional—architectural style with its enormous waiting room and its vestibules. The station, in spite of its apparent architectural classicism, was constructed in the 1930s, when modern and art deco
Art Deco

Art Deco was a popular international design movement from 1925 until 1939, affecting the decorative arts such as architecture, interior design, and industrial design, as well as the visual arts such as fashion, painting, the graphic arts and film....
 styles were more popular. Its construction was needed to accommodate increased intercity and suburban traffic. It replaced the Broad Street Station. It is now the primary rail station in Philadelphia.
Unionstation2
Union Station - Chicago, Illinois The Pennsylvania Railroad, along with the Milwaukee Road and the Burlington Route, built Chicago's Union Station, the only one of Chicago's old stations to exist as a train station (the rest of Chicago's operating passenger stations have been substantially remodeled). It was designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White
Graham, Anderson, Probst & White

Graham, Anderson, Probst & White is a Chicago, Illinois List of architecture firms that was founded in 1912 originally as Graham, Burnham & Co. This firm was the successor to D....
 in the Beaux-Arts style
Beaux-Arts architecture

Beaux-Arts architecture denotes the academic Neoclassical architecture architectural style that was taught at the ?cole des Beaux-Arts in Paris....
.

Corporate officers

Presidents of the Pennsylvania Railroad:

  • Samuel V. Merrick (1847–1849)
  • William C. Patterson (1849–1852)
  • J. Edgar Thomson (1852–1874)
  • Thomas A. Scott (1874–1880)
  • George B. Roberts (1880–1896)
  • Frank Thomson (1897–1899)
  • Alexander J. Cassatt (1899–1906)
  • James McCrea (1907–1912)
  • Samuel Rea
    Samuel Rea

    Samuel Rea was an American engineer.His parents were James D. Rea and Ruth Blair Moore. His paternal grandfather General John Rea was in the United States Congress from Bedford and Franklin, Pennsylvania, during the terms of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison....
     (1913–1925)
  • William W. Atterbury
    William W. Atterbury

    William Wallace Atterbury was a Brigadier General during World War I. He was instrumental in reorganizing railroad traffic during the war for more efficient transportation of troops and supplies for the Allied forces....
     (1925–1935)
  • Martin W. Clement (1935–1948)
  • Walter S. Franklin (1948–1954)
  • James M. Symes (1954–1960)
  • Allen J. Greenough (1960–1968)


Chief Executive Officers of the Pennsylvania Railroad:
  • James M. Symes (1960–1963)
  • Stuart T. Saunders(1963–1968)


See also

  • List of Pennsylvania Railroad lines east of Pittsburgh
    List of Pennsylvania Railroad lines east of Pittsburgh

    The following lines were owned or operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad east of Pittsburgh, PA and Erie, PA....
  • List of Pennsylvania Railroad lines west of Pittsburgh
    List of Pennsylvania Railroad lines west of Pittsburgh

    The following lines were owned or operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad west of Pittsburgh, PA and Erie, PA....
  • Horseshoe Curve (Pennsylvania)
    Horseshoe Curve (Pennsylvania)

    Horseshoe Curve is a famous railroad curve in central Pennsylvania, near Altoona, Pennsylvania in the United States .It was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad and later used by the Penn Central, then Conrail....
  • List of Pennsylvania Railroad passenger trains
    List of Pennsylvania Railroad passenger trains

    The Pennsylvania Railroad operated several dozen named passenger trains. They include:* The Admiral serving Chicago, Illinois - Washington, D.C....
  • List of Pennsylvania Railroad predecessor railroads
    List of Pennsylvania Railroad predecessor railroads

    The following railroads merged to form the Pennsylvania Railroad . On February 1, 1968 the PRR merged into Pennsylvania New York Central Transportation....
  • New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
    New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

    The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968. Commonly referred to as the New Haven, the railroad served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts....
     — long time partner in run-through trains, also became part of Penn Central
  • New York Central Railroad
    New York Central Railroad

    The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States....
     — long time adversary, eventual merger partner
  • Penn Central Transportation
    Penn Central Transportation

    The Penn Central Transportation Company, commonly abbreviated to Penn Central, was an United States railroad company that operated from 1968 until 1976....
     — successor to the PRR and NYC in 1968
  • Conrail - successor to Penn Central from 1976
  • Pennsylvania Lines LLC
    Pennsylvania Lines LLC

    Pennsylvania Lines LLC was a limited liability company that owned railroad lines in the United States that are owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway....
     - Conrail subsidiary that owned ex-PRR trackage and PRR reporting mark
  • Norfolk Southern Railway
    Norfolk Southern Railway

    The Norfolk Southern Railway is a major Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. The company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada....
     — successor to Conrail in former PRR territory
  • Pennsylvania Company
    Pennsylvania Company

    The Pennsylvania Company was a major holding company, owning and operating much of the Lines West territory of the Pennsylvania Railroad, including the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway, the PRR's main route to Chicago....
    , holding company
    Holding company

    A holding company is a company that owns other companies' outstanding stock stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself, rather its only purpose is owning shares of other companies....
     incorporated in 1870 to own and operate much of the Lines West of Pittsburgh
  • Pennsylvania Station
    Pennsylvania Station

    Pennsylvania Station is a label first applied by the Pennsylvania Railroad to several of its grand passenger terminals....
    , the name for several major stations
  • Monopoly (game)
    Monopoly (game)

    Monopoly is a board game published by Parker Brothers, a subsidiary of Hasbro. Players compete to acquire wealth through stylized economics activity involving the buying, renting, and trading of property using play money, as players take turns moving around the board according to the roll of the dice....
     - One of the railroads in the Atlantic City themed version of the game is the PRR.


External links

  • — comprehensive PRR facts and history site, comprising multiple individual websites.
  • — contains a lot of PRR information, including equipment diagrams, freight car info.
  • Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, vol. LXVIII, Sept. 1910, by B.F. Cresson, Jr, from Project Gutenberg
    Project Gutenberg

    Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to digitize, archive and distribute cultural works, as founder Michael Hart said "To encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks."....
  • Orr, John W. , Penn State Press, 2001 ISBN 0-271-02056-3