Sunbury Line
Encyclopedia
The Sunbury Line is a rail line once owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad
connecting its core system with the other anthracite rail lines in and around Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
. It is presently jointly-owned and operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway
and the Norfolk Southern Railway
.
The original line ran from downtown Wilkes-Barre southwest to Sunbury along tracks on the east (left) shore of the North Branch Susquehanna River. Today the line from Wilkes-Barre to Hanover Township
is owned by Luzerne County and operated by the Luzerne Susquehanna Railway
. The original line now runs Sunbury to Hanover Township in what was the Buttonwood Yard of the PRR. There it connects with CP's line north on the former Wilkes-Barre Connecting Railroad trackage to Hudson, PA. and the former Delaware and Hudson Railway
mainline north to Scranton and beyond.
At Sunbury, the line meets the Norfolk Southern Railway's Buffalo Line
, along which CP has trackage rights south to Harrisburg.
to Tomhicken
in 1871. The North and West Branch Railway opened the line from Catawissa to Wilkes-Barre in the early 1880s, completing the current Sunbury Line. The line became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad
through leases and mergers. In 1976, the line was taken over by Conrail, with trackage rights
assigned to the Delaware and Hudson Railway. The D&H acquired the line in the early 1980s, and is now part of CP.
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....
connecting its core system with the other anthracite rail lines in and around Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
. It is presently jointly-owned and operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
and the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
.
The original line ran from downtown Wilkes-Barre southwest to Sunbury along tracks on the east (left) shore of the North Branch Susquehanna River. Today the line from Wilkes-Barre to Hanover Township
Hanover Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Hanover Township is a township in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 11,488 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which of it is land and is water. The Susquehanna River drains it and...
is owned by Luzerne County and operated by the Luzerne Susquehanna Railway
Luzerne Susquehanna Railway
The Luzerne Susquehanna Railway is a shortline railroad in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It serves both local traffic and connects to the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad in Pittston and to the Canadian Pacific Railway at three separate junctions...
. The original line now runs Sunbury to Hanover Township in what was the Buttonwood Yard of the PRR. There it connects with CP's line north on the former Wilkes-Barre Connecting Railroad trackage to Hudson, PA. and the former Delaware and Hudson Railway
Delaware and Hudson Railway
The Delaware and Hudson Railway is a railroad that operates in the northeastern United States. Since 1991 it has been a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway, although CPR has assumed all operations and the D&H does not maintain any locomotives or rolling stock.It was formerly an important...
mainline north to Scranton and beyond.
At Sunbury, the line meets the Norfolk Southern Railway's Buffalo Line
Buffalo Line
The Buffalo Line is a railroad line owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway in the U.S. states of New York and Pennsylvania. The line runs from Buffalo, New York southeast to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania along a former Pennsylvania Railroad line...
, along which CP has trackage rights south to Harrisburg.
History
The Danville, Hazelton and Wilkes-Barre Railroad opened from Sunbury to South Danville in 1869 and past CatawissaCatawissa, Pennsylvania
Catawissa is a borough in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,589 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bloomsburg–Berwick Micropolitan Statistical Area....
to Tomhicken
Tomhicken, Pennsylvania
Tomhicken is an unincorporated community in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. Tomhicken is notable for being a junction point between the Lehigh Valley Railroad's Tomhicken Branch and the Pennsylvania Rail Road's Catawissa Branch. Tomhicken is part of the Greater Hazleton region....
in 1871. The North and West Branch Railway opened the line from Catawissa to Wilkes-Barre in the early 1880s, completing the current Sunbury Line. The line became part of 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....
through leases and mergers. In 1976, the line was taken over by Conrail, with trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
assigned to the Delaware and Hudson Railway. The D&H acquired the line in the early 1980s, and is now part of CP.