Philadelphia and Baltimore Central Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Philadelphia and Baltimore Central Railroad (P&BC) was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania
and Maryland
in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It operated approximately 110 miles (177 km) of track, consisting of a 63 miles (101.4 km) main line between West Philadelphia
and Octoraro Junction, Maryland (near Port Deposit
), and several branch lines.
(WC&P) at Wawa, Pennsylvania
(formerly called "Grubb's Bridge"), southwest for 78 miles (125.5 km) to a junction with the Northern Central Railway
, north of Baltimore
. (The WC&P line from Philadelphia reached Wawa in 1856.) However, the ultimate terminus of the line was close to the northern bank of the Susquehanna River
, in Cecil County, Maryland
near Port Deposit.
. The first section of the line, between Wawa Junction (also called West Chester Junction) and Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania opened in 1859, and the line reached Oxford, Pennsylvania
in 1860. The first train entered Oxford on December 22, 1860.
The P&BC line reached Rising Sun, Maryland
in 1865 and Rowlandsville (4 miles (6.4 km) north of Port Deposit, along Octoraro Creek
) in December 1868, connecting with the Columbia and Port Deposit Railroad
(C&PD). The total length of the line was 46 miles (74 km). By this time some journals reported that it was unlikely that the P&BC would build its own bridge over the Susquehanna and continue toward Baltimore. To get to Baltimore, it was easier for the P&BC to lease the C&PD line for a few miles to Perryville
, where trains could proceed south over the new PW&B bridge
built by the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad
(PW&B).
, purchased the P&BC in 1916. All of these lines were controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad
(PRR). Subsequently the line from Wawa south to Rowlandsville was called the Octoraro Branch. Passenger train service on the line ended in 1935.
in 1961. The Wawa and Concordville Railroad
, a tourist railroad, operated between Concordville and Wawa during 1967 and 1968, leasing the line from PRR. Floods in the Wawa area during 1971-72 made the line unusable north of Brandywine Creek
.
The PRR merged into Penn Central in 1968, and after the Penn Central bankruptcy
in 1970, ownership of the line went to Conrail. Following the Conrail breakup in 1989, the Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) took over the Octoraro Branch, and leased it to short-line freight railroad companies. Octoraro Railroad
operated freight train
s between Chadds Ford and the Pennsylvania-Maryland state line in the 1980s to 1994. The Morristown and Erie Railway
provided freight service on the line in 2003 and 2004. The East Penn Railroad
currently operates the line and connects at Chadds Ford to the former Wilmington and Northern Railroad line and the Brandywine Valley Railroad
, which connects to the national rail network. The portion of the line north of Brandywine Creek remains washed out, however the right-of-way is still owned by SEPTA.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It operated approximately 110 miles (177 km) of track, consisting of a 63 miles (101.4 km) main line between West Philadelphia
West Philadelphia
West Philadelphia, nicknamed West Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Though there is no official definition of its boundaries, it is generally considered to reach from the western shore of the Schuylkill River, to City Line Avenue to the northwest, Cobbs Creek to the southwest, and...
and Octoraro Junction, Maryland (near Port Deposit
Port Deposit, Maryland
Port Deposit is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. It is located on the north bank of the Susquehanna River near its discharge into the Chesapeake Bay...
), and several branch lines.
Charter and planning
The P&BC was chartered in Pennsylvania in 1854, and that same year it consolidated with the Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad, chartered in Maryland in 1852. The initial plan for the road was to build from a connection with the West Chester and Philadelphia RailroadWest Chester and Philadelphia Railroad
The West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad operated in the greater Philadelphia area in the 19th century. It later became the West Chester Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad , and is now called the Media/Elwyn Line on the SEPTA system....
(WC&P) at Wawa, Pennsylvania
Wawa, Pennsylvania
Wawa is an unincorporated community located in Middletown Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Named for the Ojibwe word for "goose" ,Wawa was originally known as Grubb's Bridge...
(formerly called "Grubb's Bridge"), southwest for 78 miles (125.5 km) to a junction with the Northern Central Railway
Northern Central Railway
The Northern Central Railway was a Class I Railroad connecting Baltimore, Maryland with Sunbury, Pennsylvania. Completed in 1858, the line came under the control of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1861, when the PRR acquired a controlling interest in the Northern Central's stock to compete with the...
, north of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
. (The WC&P line from Philadelphia reached Wawa in 1856.) However, the ultimate terminus of the line was close to the northern bank of the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
, in Cecil County, Maryland
Cecil County, Maryland
Cecil County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is part of the Delaware Valley. It was named for Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore , who was the first Proprietary Governor of the colony of Maryland from 1632 until his death in 1675. The county seat is Elkton. The newspaper...
near Port Deposit.
Construction and operation
Construction on the P&BC began in 1855 at Concordville, PennsylvaniaConcordville, Pennsylvania
Concordville is an unincorporated community in Concord Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located 20 miles west-southwest of Philadelphia, at the junction of U.S. Routes 1 and 322. This intersection can be traced back to two of the earliest roads in Pennsylvania,...
. The first section of the line, between Wawa Junction (also called West Chester Junction) and Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania opened in 1859, and the line reached Oxford, Pennsylvania
Oxford, Pennsylvania
Oxford is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. Oxford is the closest town to Lincoln University. The population was 4,315 at the 2000 census.-History:The borough was once called Oxford Crossing and Oxford Village....
in 1860. The first train entered Oxford on December 22, 1860.
The P&BC line reached Rising Sun, Maryland
Rising Sun, Maryland
Rising Sun is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,702 at the 2000 census.-Overview:Rising Sun is located at ....
in 1865 and Rowlandsville (4 miles (6.4 km) north of Port Deposit, along Octoraro Creek
Octoraro Creek
Octoraro Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, joining it above the Susquehanna's mouth at Chesapeake Bay. The Octoraro rises as an East and West Branch in Pennsylvania. The East Branch and Octoraro Creek form the southern half of the border between Lancaster and Chester counties until...
) in December 1868, connecting with the Columbia and Port Deposit Railroad
Columbia and Port Deposit Railroad
The Columbia and Port Deposit Railroad was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania and Maryland in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It operated a main line between Columbia, Pennsylvania and Port Deposit, Maryland, generally along the eastern shore of the Susquehanna River. It later acquired...
(C&PD). The total length of the line was 46 miles (74 km). By this time some journals reported that it was unlikely that the P&BC would build its own bridge over the Susquehanna and continue toward Baltimore. To get to Baltimore, it was easier for the P&BC to lease the C&PD line for a few miles to Perryville
Perryville, Maryland
Perryville is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 3,672 at the 2000 census. The town is located off Interstate 95, on the north side of the mouth of the Susquehanna River.-History:...
, where trains could proceed south over the new PW&B bridge
P.W. & B. Railroad Bridge
The P.W. & B. Railroad Bridge was the first bridge over the Susquehanna River built by the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad in 1866 as part of the first mainline railroad between Philadelphia and Baltimore...
built by 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 in the 19th and early 20th centuries...
(PW&B).
Consolidation
In 1881, the West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad was consolidated into the P&BC, and the merged lines were controlled by the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad. The PW&B's successor company, the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington RailroadPhiladelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad
The Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia in the 20th century was a key component of the Pennsylvania Railroad system. Its 131 mile main line ran from Philadelphia to Washington...
, purchased the P&BC in 1916. All of these lines were controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(PRR). Subsequently the line from Wawa south to Rowlandsville was called the Octoraro Branch. Passenger train service on the line ended in 1935.
Successor lines: Late 20th century to present
The PRR abandoned the Octoraro Branch south of Colora, MarylandColora, Maryland
Colora is an unincorporated community in western Cecil County, Maryland in the United States, near Conowingo and Port Deposit.The zip code of this area is 21917, and has some historic houses and also some new ones, such as some development neighborhoods....
in 1961. The Wawa and Concordville Railroad
Wawa and Concordville Railroad
The Wawa and Concordville Railroad was a steam tourist and recreational railroad in the US state of Pennsylvania during the late 1960s. Although it has been defunct since 1968, it continues to have a lasting effect on the steam tourist industry....
, a tourist railroad, operated between Concordville and Wawa during 1967 and 1968, leasing the line from PRR. Floods in the Wawa area during 1971-72 made the line unusable north of Brandywine Creek
Brandywine Creek
Brandywine Creek is a tributary of the Christina River in southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware in the United States. The Lower Brandywine is long and is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River with several tributary streams...
.
The PRR merged into Penn Central in 1968, and after the Penn Central bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in 1970, ownership of the line went to Conrail. Following the Conrail breakup in 1989, the Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) took over the Octoraro Branch, and leased it to short-line freight railroad companies. Octoraro Railroad
Octoraro Railroad
The Octoraro Railroad was a shortline railroad that operated in Pennsylvania in the 1980s and 1990s.The company was formed in the 1980s and operated freight trains took on the Octoraro Branch, a former Pennsylvania Railroad branch line that ran from Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania to the state line near...
operated freight train
Freight train
A freight train or goods train is a group of freight cars or goods wagons hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, ultimately transporting cargo between two points as part of the logistics chain...
s between Chadds Ford and the Pennsylvania-Maryland state line in the 1980s to 1994. The Morristown and Erie Railway
Morristown and Erie Railway
The Morristown and Erie Railway is a freight short line railroad based in Morristown, New Jersey. It operates freight rail service five days a week in Morris County, New Jersey and surrounding areas...
provided freight service on the line in 2003 and 2004. The East Penn Railroad
East Penn Railroad
The East Penn Railroad is a short-line railroad that operates a number of mostly-unconnected lines in the U.S. states of Pennsylvania and Delaware...
currently operates the line and connects at Chadds Ford to the former Wilmington and Northern Railroad line and the Brandywine Valley Railroad
Brandywine Valley Railroad
The Brandywine Valley Railroad is a class III railroad operating in Pennsylvania.It was established in 1981 by the Lukens Steel Company to operate trackage at Coatesville, Pennsylvania and the neighboring town of Modena...
, which connects to the national rail network. The portion of the line north of Brandywine Creek remains washed out, however the right-of-way is still owned by SEPTA.
See also
- List of defunct Maryland railroads
- List of defunct Pennsylvania railroads
- Wawa (SEPTA station)Wawa (SEPTA station)Wawa is an abandoned train station adjacent to U.S. Route 1 in Chester Heights, Pennsylvania. The station was a stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad's West Chester Branch...