I've known about Reading & Northern, but just recently discovered one based in Boyertown called Colebrookdale. Are there any others I've yet to learn of?
Regards - Steve
Oh yeah, quite a few! Prepare to be staggered, I was!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pennsylvania_railroads
I recently looked that up before traveling to PA, and I too was flabbergasted!
steve-in-kville...many only lasted a few years...
Most early railroads started out as a group of small railroads - locals wanted a railroad between their town and the next, and so was born the Podunk and East Podunk Railroad. And so on, and so on.
As you note, these railroads were usually eventually merged. Witness the New York Central.
With everyone wanting their own railroad, however, came the overbuilding that in some cases carried over into the modern era and was the reason for significant abandonments - there were just too many to support the need.
Some railroads were intended to go places they never reached, too.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
tree68 steve-in-kville ...many only lasted a few years... Most early railroads started out as a group of small railroads - locals wanted a railroad between their town and the next, and so was born the Podunk and East Podunk Railroad. And so on, and so on. As you note, these railroads were usually eventually merged. Witness the New York Central. With everyone wanting their own railroad, however, came the overbuilding that in some cases carried over into the modern era and was the reason for significant abandonments - there were just too many to support the need. Some railroads were intended to go places they never reached, too.
steve-in-kville ...many only lasted a few years...
When I was working I stumbled across a documents that listed the 'transactions' that were involved in forming the predecessor companies that formed CSX - Chessie System (B&O, C&O, WM et.al.), Seaboard System (ACL, L&N, SAL et.al.) - wll over 1000 named companies were listed with the who bought who to form the next entity that was bought and/or merged into the surviving company.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
the Cleveland and Pittsburgh is on at least its fourth owner, currently NS. I believe the Powhattan secondary of that railroad is under lease to Ohio Rail.
The line is mostly intact from it's original version, some stretches are now double track and others have been singled but, basically the way it was.
Modeling the Cleveland and Pittsburgh during the PennCentral era starting on the Cleveland lakefront and ending in Mingo junction
Flintlock76 Oh yeah, quite a few! Prepare to be staggered, I was! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pennsylvania_railroads
Others are short lines? Are all on the list common carriers, or are some shipper and/or receiver owned? Terminal raiilroads or are those also short lines?
Isn't Conrail, with its Philadelphia-area operations, a regional? Owned by two biggies but still a railroad in its own right?
The rest are Class 1, shortlines or terminal railroads. CSAO is basically a terminal road.
daveklepperIsn't Conrail, with its Philadelphia-area operations, a regional? Owned by two biggies but still a railroad in its own right?
To my knowledge, CSAO has three operations - all "terminal" type operations.
BackshopThe rest are Class 1, shortlines or terminal railroads. CSAO is basically a terminal road.
They do operate into the Southern areas of New Jersey around Vineland and Millville. They are not what one would consider a 'line haul' carriers but they have some long 'local freight' runs to service customers.
thanks
Perhaps the most fascinating is one that none of you has likely heard of: the Philadelphia and Erie. Which was complete between Philadelphia and Lake Erie a decade before the Civil War.
The East Penn Railroad operates nine former Reading or Pennsylvania RR lines in southeastern PA. One is close to where you live. The Lancaster Northern follows the northern portion of the former Reading & Columbia branch from Sinking Spring to the Denver area, just north of Ephrata. It also has trackage rights on the Norfolk Southern Harrisburg Line from Sinking Spring into Reading.
If you are an Alco fan, you must see Delaware-Lackawanna RR in Scranton. All Alcos, all the time.
steve-in-kvilleI think the East Penn would serve both Lititz and Manheim and then into Mt. Joy.
That's all NS.
East Penn also runs on the old Mt. Hope Industrial from their interchange with NS in Manheim to the propane dealer, well, just up the tracks in Manheim.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
steve-in-kville I've known about Reading & Northern, but just recently discovered one based in Boyertown called Colebrookdale. Are there any others I've yet to learn of?
pennaneal I recently visited Strasburg around the corner from you and they occasionally haul freight.
Occaasionally? Pretty much every day. Their freight business is huge.
How many freight customers does Strasburg Rail Road have?
I noticed that they are handling some covered hoppers for someone.
I didn't actively try to find all the tracks, but I personally didn't notice any companies Strasburg serves. I have trouble picturing where they are located; my impression was that the tracks did not go very far, toward the town, beyond the passenger station.
They do transloading near their station. Bunch of customers - no clue how many. But they've been getting hundreds of cars this year.
If that keeps up then pretty soon the Strasburg will be making more money off the freight than off the passengers . . .
More seriously, how does stopping to drop off cars at the Strasburg every couple days fit in with the NS version of PSR? You know, getting rid of all the little carload customers?
- PDN.
Paul_D_North_JrIf that keeps up then pretty soon the Strasburg will be making more money off the freight than off the passengers . . . More seriously, how does stopping to drop off cars at the Strasburg every couple days fit in with the NS version of PSR? You know, getting rid of all the little carload customers? - PDN.
NS isn't going through the WORK of servicing the customer. They are just setting off and picking up cars at a interchange location.
"Pennsylvania has 65 operating railroads, more than any other state in the country, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation." from:
https://www.timesleader.com/news/765707/luzerne-county-redevelopment-authority-awarded-state-funds-for-rail-freight-improvements
rtands.com/railroad-news/pa-railroads-receive-millions-in-grant-money-for-construction-upgrades/ for 26 different projects. Usually there's a PR release that lists them in some detail, but I can't find one right now.
Lithonia Operator How many freight customers does Strasburg Rail Road have? I noticed that they are handling some covered hoppers for someone. I didn't actively try to find all the tracks, but I personally didn't notice any companies Strasburg serves. I have trouble picturing where they are located; my impression was that the tracks did not go very far, toward the town, beyond the passenger station.
https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/strasburg-rail-road-to-build-freight-yard-near-route-with/article_b8dcdbd2-2055-11ea-a829-a775a968b9a7.html?fbclid=IwAR28DYVIESbZWSkWKq9EYZxnJ0UsuxviLTcrkDyWC-AdqNMHw0BBPtG3-RI
Wow, had no idea there were that many. We are taking our annual railfan trip to PA next June and we will do Strasburg and see some stuff along the way, like Gallitzin Tunnel and Rockville bridge, and ride Amtrak around Horseshoe Curve, have to see what else we are near. A FB friend volunteers at some RR in southern PA will have to check who that is.
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