Forum Host- Joined
- Nov 27, 2018
- Location
- Chattanooga, Tennessee
These old maps are truly works of art.
Lubliner.
-
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Railroad Acronyms
- Thread starter Southern Unionist
- Start date
Lubliner.
USS ALASKA
Major
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2016
WM
Western Maryland
Wild Mary
Can't even spell Pittsburgh correctly...
The Western Maryland Railway was an American Class I railroad (1852–1983) that operated in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It was primarily a coal hauling and freight railroad, with a small passenger train operation. The WM became a property of the Chessie System holding company in 1973, although it continued independent operations until May 1975 after which its lines were abandoned in favor of parallel Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) lines. In 1983, it was fully merged into the B&O, which later was also merged with the former Chesapeake and Ohio Railway into the Chessie System in 1987, which then merged with the Seaboard System to form CSX Transportation. The railroad was headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.
The original main line began with the chartering of the Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick Railroad in 1852, with the intent of building a rail line from Baltimore west to Washington County, Maryland. The Maryland General Assembly changed the name of the company to the Western Maryland Rail Road Company in 1853, and construction began from Owings Mills in 1857. An existing Northern Central Railway branch line terminating at Owings Mills was used to connect into Baltimore. The railroad was completed to Westminster in 1861 and Union Bridge in 1862. Further expansion was delayed because of the Civil War. Westward construction resumed in 1868 under Chief Engineer Joseph S. Gitt, and the line was completed to Hagerstown in 1872. This section became the East Subdivision. The company's first major car shops were established at Union Bridge.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Maryland_Railway
Cheers,
USS ALASKA
Western Maryland
Wild Mary
Can't even spell Pittsburgh correctly...
The Western Maryland Railway was an American Class I railroad (1852–1983) that operated in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It was primarily a coal hauling and freight railroad, with a small passenger train operation. The WM became a property of the Chessie System holding company in 1973, although it continued independent operations until May 1975 after which its lines were abandoned in favor of parallel Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) lines. In 1983, it was fully merged into the B&O, which later was also merged with the former Chesapeake and Ohio Railway into the Chessie System in 1987, which then merged with the Seaboard System to form CSX Transportation. The railroad was headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.
The original main line began with the chartering of the Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick Railroad in 1852, with the intent of building a rail line from Baltimore west to Washington County, Maryland. The Maryland General Assembly changed the name of the company to the Western Maryland Rail Road Company in 1853, and construction began from Owings Mills in 1857. An existing Northern Central Railway branch line terminating at Owings Mills was used to connect into Baltimore. The railroad was completed to Westminster in 1861 and Union Bridge in 1862. Further expansion was delayed because of the Civil War. Westward construction resumed in 1868 under Chief Engineer Joseph S. Gitt, and the line was completed to Hagerstown in 1872. This section became the East Subdivision. The company's first major car shops were established at Union Bridge.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Maryland_Railway
Cheers,
USS ALASKA
USS ALASKA
Major
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2016
For our overseas friends like @rebelatsea , @Waterloo50 , @Old Soldier , @rebel brit and that lot...
GWR
Great Western Railway
Gas Works Railway
Gee Whiz
Go When Ready
God's Wonderful Railway
Gone With Regret
Goods Wagon
Great Way Round
Holiday Line
The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling act of Parliament on 31 August 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838 with the initial route completed between London and Bristol in 1841. It was engineered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who chose a broad gauge of 7 ft (2,134 mm)—later slightly widened to 7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm)—but, from 1854, a series of amalgamations saw it also operate 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard-gauge trains; the last broad-gauge services were operated in 1892.
The GWR was the only company to keep its identity through the Railways Act 1921, which amalgamated it with the remaining independent railways within its territory, and it was finally merged at the end of 1947 when it was nationalised and became the Western Region of British Railways.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Western_Railway
Route of the Great Western Railway on Cheffin's Map, 1850.
Cheers,
USS ALASKA
GWR
Great Western Railway
Gas Works Railway
Gee Whiz
Go When Ready
God's Wonderful Railway
Gone With Regret
Goods Wagon
Great Way Round
Holiday Line
The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling act of Parliament on 31 August 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838 with the initial route completed between London and Bristol in 1841. It was engineered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who chose a broad gauge of 7 ft (2,134 mm)—later slightly widened to 7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm)—but, from 1854, a series of amalgamations saw it also operate 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard-gauge trains; the last broad-gauge services were operated in 1892.
The GWR was the only company to keep its identity through the Railways Act 1921, which amalgamated it with the remaining independent railways within its territory, and it was finally merged at the end of 1947 when it was nationalised and became the Western Region of British Railways.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Western_Railway
Route of the Great Western Railway on Cheffin's Map, 1850.
Cheers,
USS ALASKA
Old Soldier
1st Lieutenant
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2022
- Location
- Yorkshire
Ah, the GWR, the last of the 7-foot wide gauge railways in Britain. It did not turn 'standard' until 1892. I am NER (North Eastern Railway) myself. The GWR was the only one of the Big Four to retain its name after the 1921 grouping. The NER became part of the LNER.
Waterloo50
Major
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2015
- Location
- England
The GWR is quite a big deal in the West Country even today, in my neck of the woods we had the GWR and the S&D railway (Somerset and Dorset) in fact my grandmother's father was a driver on the S&D railway, here he is wearing his bowler hat whilst posing on his engine.
Old Soldier
1st Lieutenant
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2022
- Location
- Yorkshire
S&D up my way is the Stockton and Darlington Railway - the FIRST public railway. I live overlooking one of their branchlines - still going - all the way to Whitby.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2018
- Location
- Chattanooga, Tennessee
I am curious to know if these lines are used solely for freight, or are they available for passengers, or vice-versa? Thanks,
Lubliner.
Waterloo50
Major
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2015
- Location
- England
Your Stockton and Darlington Railway is famous for being the first railway to use steam trains to transport passengers, it pretty much paved the way for passenger traffic for the rest of the world. Very impressive piece of history.
USS ALASKA
Major
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2016
LIRR
Long Island Rail Road
Dashing Dan
Least Intelligent Railroad
Long Island Snail Road
Wrong Island
The Long Island Rail Road is a railroad owned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in the U.S. state of New York. It is the oldest United States railroad still operating under its original name and charter. It consolidated several other companies in the late 19th century. The Pennsylvania Railroad owned the Long Island Rail Road for the majority of the 20th century and sold it to the State in 1966.
en.wikipedia.org
Cheers,
USS ALASKA
Long Island Rail Road
Dashing Dan
Least Intelligent Railroad
Long Island Snail Road
Wrong Island
The Long Island Rail Road is a railroad owned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in the U.S. state of New York. It is the oldest United States railroad still operating under its original name and charter. It consolidated several other companies in the late 19th century. The Pennsylvania Railroad owned the Long Island Rail Road for the majority of the 20th century and sold it to the State in 1966.
History of the Long Island Rail Road - Wikipedia
Cheers,
USS ALASKA
DaveBrt
1st Lieutenant
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2010
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
My favorite Confederate railroader, Capt. Thomas R. Sharp, was the Receiver of the LIRR during is bankrupt proceedings in the 1880's.LIRR
Long Island Rail Road
Dashing Dan
Least Intelligent Railroad
Long Island Snail Road
Wrong Island
View attachment 531086
The Long Island Rail Road is a railroad owned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in the U.S. state of New York. It is the oldest United States railroad still operating under its original name and charter. It consolidated several other companies in the late 19th century. The Pennsylvania Railroad owned the Long Island Rail Road for the majority of the 20th century and sold it to the State in 1966.
History of the Long Island Rail Road - Wikipedia
Cheers,
USS ALASKA
My dad worked for The Ga.RR, when it became CSX in the eighties he and his buddies called it Chicken Sh** Express.
He worked the Social Circle and Monroe Depots for 30 years. The Monroe branch line was sold and became the Great Walton Railroad
The Great Walton Railroad (reporting markGRWR) is a class III railroad that operates 10 miles (16 km) of track in Georgia, United States. In addition to its own line between Monroe and Social Circle, Georgia, the railroad operates the Athens Line, LLC and the Hartwell Railroad.
Great Walton Railroad
Clay, feldspar, grain, machinery, fertilizer, woodchips, plastics, pulpwood, and silica are carried by the railroad, generating around 3,650 annual carloads.[1]
The railroad between Social Circle and Monroe was originally constructed by the Walton Railroad beginning in 1880. In March 1884 the railroad was consolidated with the Gainesville, Jefferson and Southern Railroadand later leased to the Georgia Railroad.[2]
Following acquisition by the Georgia Railroadthe line continued to operate as a separate division, the Monroe Railroad, until 1917. The Georgia Railroad was merged into the Seaboard System Railroad in 1983, and CSX Transportation in 1986.
The branch from Social Circle to Monroe was sold to the Georgia Eastern Railroad in February 1987. On March 30, 1987, the Georgia Eastern sold the line to the Great Walton Railroad.
In addition to the Monroe branch, Norfolk Southern Railway leased a 25 miles (40 km) branch from Covington to Shady Dale under the Thoroughbred Shortline Program to the Great Walton on April 10, 1989.[3] The Covington line was transferred to the Squaw Creek Southern Railroad in 2008.
Social Circle depot built in 1913 .
He worked the Social Circle and Monroe Depots for 30 years. The Monroe branch line was sold and became the Great Walton Railroad
The Great Walton Railroad (reporting markGRWR) is a class III railroad that operates 10 miles (16 km) of track in Georgia, United States. In addition to its own line between Monroe and Social Circle, Georgia, the railroad operates the Athens Line, LLC and the Hartwell Railroad.
Great Walton Railroad
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Technical | |
| Other | |
Great Walton Railroad GP9 6580 rests in Covington, Georgia wearing the GWR's sharp white, yellow, and green paint scheme in 2004. | |
| Headquarters | Social Circle, Georgia |
| Reporting mark | GRWR |
| Locale | Eastern Georgia, United States |
| Dates of operation | 1987–Present |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Length | 10 mi (16 km) |
| Website | Official website |
History
editThe railroad between Social Circle and Monroe was originally constructed by the Walton Railroad beginning in 1880. In March 1884 the railroad was consolidated with the Gainesville, Jefferson and Southern Railroadand later leased to the Georgia Railroad.[2]
Following acquisition by the Georgia Railroadthe line continued to operate as a separate division, the Monroe Railroad, until 1917. The Georgia Railroad was merged into the Seaboard System Railroad in 1983, and CSX Transportation in 1986.
The branch from Social Circle to Monroe was sold to the Georgia Eastern Railroad in February 1987. On March 30, 1987, the Georgia Eastern sold the line to the Great Walton Railroad.
In addition to the Monroe branch, Norfolk Southern Railway leased a 25 miles (40 km) branch from Covington to Shady Dale under the Thoroughbred Shortline Program to the Great Walton on April 10, 1989.[3] The Covington line was transferred to the Squaw Creek Southern Railroad in 2008.
Social Circle depot built in 1913 .
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2018
- Location
- Chattanooga, Tennessee
Hi, this report on Georgia's railroads was uploaded recently which should help you in learning more about the importance of rails in this State.
Civil War Railroad Papers | Railroads & Steam Locomotives
My web site Confederate Railroads (www.csa-railroads.com) was created to provide the public with the data and documentation behind Black's book. In the process of creating the site, I found many errors in Black's work, at least somewhat due to scattered documents located in old newspapers and...
civilwartalk.com
See Post #216.
Lubliner.
rebelatsea
Captain
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2013
- Location
- Kent ,England.
Your old line, the EBT is being partially restored.
RebelWeber
Corporal
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2018
- Location
- Pittsgrove,NJ
I have been reading about that. We are going to be moving soon, so I might have to see if the wife would enjoy Mount Union PA ... Spending my retirement working on the road sounds like heaven.
rebelatsea
Captain
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2013
- Location
- Kent ,England.
It's what I did, I was already volunteering on one line at weekends and holidays but needed something to do on at least one weekday so went into the workshop on a local line and worked on the rolling stock.
rebelatsea
Captain
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2013
- Location
- Kent ,England.
USS ALASKA
Major
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2016
PRR
Pennsylvania Railroad
Poor Ragged Rascal
The Big Red Subway
The Substandard Railroad of the World
The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company, also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At its peak in 1882, the Pennsylvania Railroad was the largest railroad (by traffic and revenue), the largest transportation enterprise, and the largest corporation in the world, on par with the London & North Western Railway. Over its existence, Pennsylvania Railroad acquired, merged with, or owned part of at least 800 other rail lines and companies. At the end of 1926, it operated 11,640.66 miles (18,733.83 kilometers) of rail line; in the 1920s, it carried nearly three times the traffic as other railroads of comparable length, such as the Union Pacific and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroads. Its only formidable rival was the New York Central Railroad (NYC), which carried around three-quarters of the Pennsy's ton-miles.
History
With the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 and the beginnings of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in 1828, Philadelphia business interests became concerned that the port of Philadelphia would lose traffic. The state legislature was pressed to build a canal across Pennsylvania and thus the Main Line of Public Works was commissioned in 1826. It soon became evident that a single canal would not be practical and a series of railroads, inclined planes, and canals was proposed. The route consisted of the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad, canals up the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers, an inclined plane railroad called the Allegheny Portage Railroad, a tunnel across the Allegheny Mountains, and canals down the Conemaugh and Allegheny rivers to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on the Ohio River; it was completed in 1834. Because freight and passengers had to change conveyances several times along the route and canals froze in winter, it soon became apparent that the system was cumbersome and a better way was needed. There were two applications made to the Pennsylvania legislature in 1846. The first was for a new railroad called The Pennsylvania Railroad Company to build a line between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The second was the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), which wanted to build to Pittsburgh from Cumberland, Maryland. Both applications were granted with conditions. If the Pennsylvania Railroad did not raise enough capital and contract to build enough railroad within a year, then the B&O bill would become effective and the Pennsy's void, thereby allowing the B&O to build into Pennsylvania and on to Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvania Railroad fulfilled the requirements and Letters Patent were issued by the Pennsylvania governor on February 25, 1847. The governor declared the B&O's rights void the following August.
Early years
In 1847, the Pennsy's directors chose J. Edgar Thomson, an engineer from the Georgia Railroad, to survey and construct the line. He chose a route that followed the west bank of the Susquehanna River northward to the confluence with the Juniata River, following its banks until the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains were reached at a point that would become Altoona, Pennsylvania. To traverse the mountains, the line would climb a moderate grade for 10 miles (16 km) until it reached a split of two mountain ravines which were cleverly crossed by building a fill and having the tracks ascend a 220-degree curve known as Horseshoe Curve that limited the grade to less than 2 percent. The crest of the mountain would be penetrated by the 3,612 ft (1,101 m) Gallitzin Tunnels, from which the route descended by a more moderate grade to Johnstown. The western end of the line was simultaneously built from Pittsburgh, eastward along the Allegheny and Conemaugh rivers to Johnstown, while the eastern end was built from Harrisburg to Altoona. In 1848, the Pennsy contracted with the Harrisburg, Portsmouth, Mountjoy and Lancaster Railroad (HPMtJ&L) to buy and use equipment over both roads, providing service from Harrisburg east to Lancaster. In 1851, tracks were completed between Pittsburgh and Johnstown. In 1852, a continuous railroad line ran between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh over the tracks of several entities including the Pennsylvania Railroad. In 1853, the Pennsy was granted trackage rights over the Philadelphia and Columbia, providing a connection between the two cities and connecting with the HPMtJ&L at Lancaster and Columbia. By 1854, the Pennsy completed its line from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh, eliminating the use of the inclined planes of the Allegheny Portage Railroad.
In 1857, the PRR purchased the Main Line of Public Works from the state of Pennsylvania. This purchase included 275 miles (443 km) of canal, the Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad, and the New Portage Railroad (which replaced the now abandoned Allegheny Portage Railroad). The Pennsy abandoned most of the New Portage Railroad in 1857 as it was now redundant with the Pennsylvania Railroad's own line. In 1861, the Pennsy leased the HPMtJ&L to bring the entire stretch of road between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia under its control. The Johnstown to Pittsburgh stretch of canal was abandoned in 1865 and the rest of the canals sold to the Pennsylvania Canal Company in 1866.
Expansion
The Pennsy's charter was supplemented on March 23, 1853, to allow it to purchase stock and guarantee bonds of railroads in other states, up to a percentage of its capital stock. Several lines were then aided by the Pennsy in hopes to secure additional traffic. By the end of 1854, the Pennsy purchased stock in the Ohio & Pennsylvania, Ohio & Indiana, Marietta & Cincinnati, Maysville & Big Sandy, and Springfield, Mt. Vernon & Pittsburgh railroads, totalling $1,450,000 (equivalent to $49.2 million in 2023). The Steubenville & Indiana was assisted by the Pennsy in the form of a guarantee of $500,000 worth of bonds. In 1856, a controlling interest was purchased in the Cumberland Valley Railroad and the Pennsy constructed additional lines in Philadelphia. In 1857, the aforementioned Main Line of Public Works was purchased for $7,500,000 ($245 million in 2023).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Railroad
Please also see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pennsylvania_Railroad_predecessor_railroads
Cheers,
USS ALASKA
Pennsylvania Railroad
Poor Ragged Rascal
The Big Red Subway
The Substandard Railroad of the World
Pennsylvania rail road and its connections. Office of the Pennsylvania railroad company Philadelphia, November 3d, 1857.
Transportation. Page Order: Leaflet Available also through the Library of Congress web site in two forms: as facsimile page images and as full text in SGML. Printed Ephemera Collection; Portfolio 156, Folder 30.
www.loc.gov
The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company, also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At its peak in 1882, the Pennsylvania Railroad was the largest railroad (by traffic and revenue), the largest transportation enterprise, and the largest corporation in the world, on par with the London & North Western Railway. Over its existence, Pennsylvania Railroad acquired, merged with, or owned part of at least 800 other rail lines and companies. At the end of 1926, it operated 11,640.66 miles (18,733.83 kilometers) of rail line; in the 1920s, it carried nearly three times the traffic as other railroads of comparable length, such as the Union Pacific and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroads. Its only formidable rival was the New York Central Railroad (NYC), which carried around three-quarters of the Pennsy's ton-miles.
History
With the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 and the beginnings of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in 1828, Philadelphia business interests became concerned that the port of Philadelphia would lose traffic. The state legislature was pressed to build a canal across Pennsylvania and thus the Main Line of Public Works was commissioned in 1826. It soon became evident that a single canal would not be practical and a series of railroads, inclined planes, and canals was proposed. The route consisted of the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad, canals up the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers, an inclined plane railroad called the Allegheny Portage Railroad, a tunnel across the Allegheny Mountains, and canals down the Conemaugh and Allegheny rivers to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on the Ohio River; it was completed in 1834. Because freight and passengers had to change conveyances several times along the route and canals froze in winter, it soon became apparent that the system was cumbersome and a better way was needed. There were two applications made to the Pennsylvania legislature in 1846. The first was for a new railroad called The Pennsylvania Railroad Company to build a line between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The second was the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), which wanted to build to Pittsburgh from Cumberland, Maryland. Both applications were granted with conditions. If the Pennsylvania Railroad did not raise enough capital and contract to build enough railroad within a year, then the B&O bill would become effective and the Pennsy's void, thereby allowing the B&O to build into Pennsylvania and on to Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvania Railroad fulfilled the requirements and Letters Patent were issued by the Pennsylvania governor on February 25, 1847. The governor declared the B&O's rights void the following August.
Early years
In 1847, the Pennsy's directors chose J. Edgar Thomson, an engineer from the Georgia Railroad, to survey and construct the line. He chose a route that followed the west bank of the Susquehanna River northward to the confluence with the Juniata River, following its banks until the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains were reached at a point that would become Altoona, Pennsylvania. To traverse the mountains, the line would climb a moderate grade for 10 miles (16 km) until it reached a split of two mountain ravines which were cleverly crossed by building a fill and having the tracks ascend a 220-degree curve known as Horseshoe Curve that limited the grade to less than 2 percent. The crest of the mountain would be penetrated by the 3,612 ft (1,101 m) Gallitzin Tunnels, from which the route descended by a more moderate grade to Johnstown. The western end of the line was simultaneously built from Pittsburgh, eastward along the Allegheny and Conemaugh rivers to Johnstown, while the eastern end was built from Harrisburg to Altoona. In 1848, the Pennsy contracted with the Harrisburg, Portsmouth, Mountjoy and Lancaster Railroad (HPMtJ&L) to buy and use equipment over both roads, providing service from Harrisburg east to Lancaster. In 1851, tracks were completed between Pittsburgh and Johnstown. In 1852, a continuous railroad line ran between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh over the tracks of several entities including the Pennsylvania Railroad. In 1853, the Pennsy was granted trackage rights over the Philadelphia and Columbia, providing a connection between the two cities and connecting with the HPMtJ&L at Lancaster and Columbia. By 1854, the Pennsy completed its line from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh, eliminating the use of the inclined planes of the Allegheny Portage Railroad.
In 1857, the PRR purchased the Main Line of Public Works from the state of Pennsylvania. This purchase included 275 miles (443 km) of canal, the Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad, and the New Portage Railroad (which replaced the now abandoned Allegheny Portage Railroad). The Pennsy abandoned most of the New Portage Railroad in 1857 as it was now redundant with the Pennsylvania Railroad's own line. In 1861, the Pennsy leased the HPMtJ&L to bring the entire stretch of road between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia under its control. The Johnstown to Pittsburgh stretch of canal was abandoned in 1865 and the rest of the canals sold to the Pennsylvania Canal Company in 1866.
Expansion
The Pennsy's charter was supplemented on March 23, 1853, to allow it to purchase stock and guarantee bonds of railroads in other states, up to a percentage of its capital stock. Several lines were then aided by the Pennsy in hopes to secure additional traffic. By the end of 1854, the Pennsy purchased stock in the Ohio & Pennsylvania, Ohio & Indiana, Marietta & Cincinnati, Maysville & Big Sandy, and Springfield, Mt. Vernon & Pittsburgh railroads, totalling $1,450,000 (equivalent to $49.2 million in 2023). The Steubenville & Indiana was assisted by the Pennsy in the form of a guarantee of $500,000 worth of bonds. In 1856, a controlling interest was purchased in the Cumberland Valley Railroad and the Pennsy constructed additional lines in Philadelphia. In 1857, the aforementioned Main Line of Public Works was purchased for $7,500,000 ($245 million in 2023).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Railroad
Please also see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pennsylvania_Railroad_predecessor_railroads
Cheers,
USS ALASKA
Reconstructed Rebel
Captain
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2021
This is fascinating. I had never heard of an inclined plane railroad before reading your post, and have been looking for photos and more information. They were quite a feat of engineering!
As Charles Dickens described his travels on it in 1842-
It was amusing, too, when we had dined, and rattled down a steep pass, having no other moving power than the weight of the carriages themselves, to see the engine, released long after us, come buzzing down alone, like a great insect, its back of green and gold so shining in the sun . . .
Photo Source:
Reconstructed Rebel
Captain
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2021
One more photo from the LOC with a better view of the type of cables used to hoist the cars up the incline.
Source:
Source:
View from the Inclined Plane, near Philadelphia.
This circa 1840 print shows the view looking east down the inclined plane cut into Belmont Hill (Fairmount Park) for hauling railroad cars from the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia to Columbia on the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad. Two men watch the cars being hauled by cables from within...
www.loc.gov
USS ALASKA
Major
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2016
Before the Allegheny Portage Railroad became predominantly used by railroad cars, it was used to transport river boats and barges...
Cheers,
USS ALASKA
Cheers,
USS ALASKA
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