Pennsylvania Railroad

Pennsylvania System redirects here. For the prison system, see Philadelphia System, Separate system, and the Eastern State Penitentiary.

Pennsylvania Railroad

Pennsylvania system as of 1918
Overview
Headquarters	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Reporting mark	PRR
Locale	Chicago and St. Louis to New York City and Washington, D.C.
Dates of operation	1846–1968
Successor	Penn Central

Pennsylvania Railroad M1a locomotive on display at the 1939 New York World's Fair

Pennsylvania Railroad S1 locomotive also displayed at the 1939 New York World's Fair

The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR) was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy," the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The PRR was the largest railroad by traffic and revenue in the U.S. for the first half of the twentieth century and was at one time the largest publicly traded corporation in the world. At the end of 1925 it operated 10,515 miles of rail line; in the 1920s it carried about three times the traffic (measured by ton-miles of freight) as other railroads of comparable length, such as Union Pacific or Santa Fe. The only rival was New York Central, which carried around three-quarters of PRR's ton-miles.

During its history the PRR merged with or had an interest in at least 800 other rail lines and companies. The 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. At one point the budget for the PRR was larger than that of the U.S. government; at its peak it employed about 250,000 workers.

In 1968 the Pennsylvania Railroad merged with its rival, the New York Central Railroad, to form the Penn Central Transportation Company. The Interstate Commerce Commission required that the ailing New York, New Haven and 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 operating loan forced the Penn Central to file for bankruptcy protection on June 21, 1970. The viable parts of the Penn Central system were transferred in 1976 to Conrail, which began earning a profit in 1981. The Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX Transportation acquired Conrail in approximately equal portions in 1999, with Norfolk Southern now owning most of the former Pennsylvania Railroad, including the old Pennsy Main Line across Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Railroad's corporate symbol was the keystone, which is Pennsylvania's state symbol, with the letters PRR intertwined inside. When colored, it was bright red with a silver-grey inline and lettering.

History

Main Line

Main article: Main Line (Pennsylvania Railroad)

Amtrak's "Pennsylvanian" operates daily runs between New York and Pittsburgh over the former PRR Main Line.

Background

With the opening of the Erie Canal (1825) and the beginnings of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (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, incline planes, and canals was proposed. The route consisting of the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad, canals up the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers, an inclined plane railroad and tunnel across the Allegheny Mountains, and canals down the Conemaugh and Allegheny rivers to Pittsburgh on the Ohio River was completed in 1834. Because freight and passengers had to change cars several times along the route and canals froze during the winter, it soon became apparent that the system was cumbersome and a better way was needed.

Early history

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania granted a charter to the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1846 to build a private rail line that would connect Harrisburg to Pittsburgh. The Directors chose John Edgar Thomson, an engineer from the Georgia Railroad, to survey and construct the line. He choose a route that followed the east bank of the Susquehanna River northward to the confluence with the Juniata River following its banks until the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains was reached a point that would become Altoona, Pennsylvania. In order to traverse the mountains the line climbed a moderate grade for 10 miles 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 (Horseshoe Curve) that limited the grade to less than 2 percent. The crest of the mountain was penetrated by the 3,612 feet long Gallitzin Tunnels and then descended by a more moderate grade to Johnstown. The western end of the line was simultaneously built from Pittsburgh east along the banks of the Allegheny and Conemaugh rivers to Johnstown. PRR was granted trackage rights over the Philadelphia and Columbus and gained control of the three short lines connecting Lancaster and Harrisburg instituting an all rail link between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh by1854. In 1857 the PRR purchased the Main Line of Public Works from the State of Pennsylvania and the canals and incline plains were mostly abandoned. The line was double track from its inception and by the end of the century a third and fourth track was added. Over the next 50 years PRR would expand by gaining control of other railroads by stock purchases and acquiring 999 year leases. This line is still an important cross-state corridor, carrying Amtrak's Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line and the Norfolk Southern Railway's Pittsburgh Subdivision.

John Edgar Thomson

John Edgar Thomson (1808–1874) was the entrepreneur who led the PRR from 1852 to his death in 1874, making it the largest business enterprise in the world and a world-class model for technological and managerial innovation. He served as PRR's first Chief Engineer and third President. Thomson's sober, technical, methodical, and non-ideological personality had an important influence on the Pennsylvania Railroad, which in the mid-19th century was on the technical cutting edge of rail development, while nonetheless reflecting Thomson's personality in its conservatism and its steady growth while avoiding financial risks. His Pennsylvania Railroad was in his day the largest railroad in the world, with 6,000 miles of track, and was famous for steady financial dividends, for high quality construction, constantly improving equipment, technological advances (such as replacing wood with coal), and innovation in management techniques for a large complex organization.

New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington lines

Main article: Northeast Corridor

Pennsylvania Railroad map
November 3, 1857

1893 PRR territory map

1899 map of "Lines East" territory

PRR Phila/NY coach ticket (c.1955)

In 1861 the PRR gained control of the Northern Central Railway, giving it access to Baltimore, Maryland, as well as points along the Susquehanna River via connections at Columbia, Pennsylvania or Harrisburg.

On December 1, 1871, the PRR leased the United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Company, which included the original Camden and Amboy Railroad from Camden, New Jersey (across the Delaware River from Philadelphia) to South Amboy, New Jersey (across Raritan Bay from New York City), as well as a newer line from Philadelphia to Jersey City, New Jersey, much closer to New York, via Trenton, New Jersey. Track connection in Philadelphia was made via the PRR's Connecting Railway and the jointly owned Junction Railroad (Philadelphia).

The PRR's Baltimore and Potomac Rail Road opened on July 2, 1872, between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. 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 through Baltimore was completed. The PRR started 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) 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 (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 (B&O) to build the Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad to keep its Philadelphia access, where it connected with the Reading Railroad for its competing Royal Blue Line passenger trains to reach New York.

In 1885, the PRR began passenger train service from New York City via Philadelphia 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, Philadelphia and Washington. In the early 1950s, 18-car stainless steel 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 July 1, 1869, the Pennsylvania Railroad formally leased the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway, in which it had previously been an investor. This lease gave the PRR complete control of that line's direct route through northern Ohio and Indiana as well as entry into the then-emerging rail hub city of Chicago, Illinois. Acquisitions along the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway: Erie and Pittsburgh Railroad, Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad, Toledo, Columbus and Ohio River Railroad, and Pittsburgh, Youngstown and Ashtabula Railway gave the PRR access to the iron ore traffic on Lake Erie.

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

New York-St. Louis

In 1890 the PRR gained control of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad commonly called the Panhandle Route a line that ran west from Pittsburgh to Bradford, Ohio, where it split, with one line to Chicago and the other to East St. Louis, Illinois via Indianapolis, Indiana. This railroad company was the result of the merger of numerous smaller lines in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. The last line to be added was the Vandalia Railroad which Gave the PRR access to St. Louis, Missouri.

The line was double-tracked for much of its length serving the coal region of southern Illinois and as a passenger route for the Pennsylvania Railroad’s Blue Ribbon named trains The St Louisan, the Jeffersonian, and the Spirit of St. Louis.

"Low-grade" lines

See also: Category:Pennsylvania Railroad Through-freight Lines

Around 1900, the PRR built several low-grade lines for freight to bypass areas of steep grade (slope). These included:

• 1892: Trenton Branch (PRR) and Trenton Cut-Off Railroad from Glen Loch, Pennsylvania east to Morrisville, Pennsylvania (not only a low-grade line but a long-distance bypass of Philadelphia and shortcut)
• 1892: Waverly and Passaic Railroad (finished by the New York Bay Railroad) from Waverly, New Jersey to Kearny, New Jersey
• 1904: Reopening of the New Portage Railroad from the Gallitzin Tunnels east to New Portage Junction (abandoned), then continuing north over the Hollidaysburg Branch to Altoona
• 1906: Philadelphia and Thorndale Branch from Thorndale, Pennsylvania 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 (the latter 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 electrification

Main article: Railway electrification system

See also: Amtrak's 25 Hz traction power system

Close-up view of catenary on the Northeast Corridor.

Early in the 20th century the PRR tried electric power for its trains. First was the New York terminal area, where tunnels precluded steam locomotives; a direct current (DC) 650-volt third rail powered PRR locomotives (and LIRR passenger cars). The system was put into service in 1910.

The next area to be electrified was the Philadelphia terminal area, where PRR officials decided to use overhead lines to supply power to the suburban trains running out of Broad Street Station. Unlike the New York terminal system, overhead wires would carry 11,000-volt 25-Hertz alternating current (AC) power, the system used for all future installations. In 1915, electrification of the line from Philadelphia to Paoli, Pennsylvania was completed. Other Philadelphia lines electrified were the Chestnut Hill Branch (1918), White Marsh (1924), West Chester (1928), the main line to Wilmington, Delaware, and in 1930 the Schuylkill Branch to Norristown, along with the rest of the main line to Trenton.

The former PRR electrified Main Line west of Philadelphia is now owned and operated by Amtrak and shared with SEPTA as far as Paoli and Thorndale.

PRR's president William Wallace Atterbury announced in 1928 plans to electrify the lines between New York, Philadelphia, Washington and Harrisburg. In January 1933, through main-line service between New York and Philadelphia/Wilmington/Paoli 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-type locomotives. All regular passenger trains between these cities were electrified by March 15.

To complete the electrification project initiated in 1928, work was started January 27, 1937, on the main line from Paoli to Harrisburg; the low-grade freight line from Morrisville through Columbia to Enola Yard in Pennsylvania; the Port Road Branch from Perryville, Maryland to Columbia; the Jamesburg Branch and Amboy Secondary freight line from Monmouth Junction to South Amboy; and the Landover-South End freight line from Landover, Maryland through Washington to Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Virginia (now called the Landover Subdivision and RF&P Subdivision of CSX). 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 2,677 miles (4,308 km) of track electrified—41 percent of the total electrically operated standard railroad trackage of the United States. Portions of the electrified trackage are still in use, owned and operated by Amtrak as the Northeast Corridor and Keystone Corridor high-speed rail routes.

Railroad shops

Main article: Altoona Works

In 1849, PRR officials developed plans to construct a repair facility at Altoona. Construction was started in 1850, and soon a long building was completed that housed a machine shop, woodworking shop, blacksmith shop, locomotive repair shop and foundry. 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 sent two assistants to the Altoona shops in 1875 to study the feasibility of installing telephone lines. In May 1877, telephone lines were installed for various departments to communicate with one another.

Fort Wayne, 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. 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 was discontinued in 1968 and many of the structures were demolished.

Map of the Altoona Works circa 1931

Penn Central merger and Conrail

Main article: Penn Central Transportation

Revenue freight traffic, in millions of net ton-miles

Year	Traffic
1925	48,890
1933	26,818
1944	71,249
1960	42,775
1967	50,730

Revenue passenger traffic, in millions of passenger-miles

Year	Traffic
1925	4,518
1933	2,017
1944	13,047
1960	2,463
1967	1,757

On February 1, 1968 the PRR merged with its arch-rival, the New York Central railroad, to form the Penn Central. The Interstate Commerce Commission (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 rail lines were split between Amtrak (Northeast Corridor and Keystone Corridor) and Conrail in the 1970s.

After the breakup of Conrail in 1999, the portion which had been PRR territory largely became part of the Norfolk Southern Railway. The few parts of the PRR that went to CSX after the Conrail split are (1) the western end of the Fort Wayne Line across western Ohio and northern Indiana, (2) the Pope's Creek Secondary in Maryland just to the east of Washington, and (3) the Landover Subdivision, a former Pennsy freight line in DC which connects to Amtrak's ex Pennsy Northeast Corridor and CSX's ex B&O Alexandria Extension on the north end, and CSX's RF&P Subdivision on the south end via the ex Pennsy "Long Bridge" across the Potomac River.

Timeline

• 1846 The PRR 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 eastern U.S.
  • 1869 PPR leases the Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago, formally giving it control of a direct route into the heart of the Midwest.
• 1885 The "Congressional Limited Express" from New York City to Washington, DC is introduced.
• 1887 The Pennsylvania Limited was inaugurated, running between New York and Chicago. It is the first vestibuled train.
• 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.
• 1906 An accident in Atlantic City kills 53 people
• 1910 Completion of the North River Tunnels under the Hudson River, providing direct service from New Jersey to Manhattan on electrified lines, terminating at the massive new Penn Station
• 1912 The Broadway Limited was inaugurated, replacing the Pennsylvania Special.
• 1915 PRR electrifies its suburban Philadelphia lines between Central Philly and Paoli (PA).
• 1916 PRR adopts new motto, "Standard Railroad of the World". The first I1s "Decapod" locomotive is completed, and switching locomotives of the A5s and B6sb class are introduced.
• 1918 PRR stock bottoms at $40¼ (equal to $815.33 today), the lowest since 1877, due largely to Federal railroad control. Emergency freight is routed through New York Penn Station and the Hudson River tunnels by the USRA to relieve congestion. Locomotive class N1s is introduced for PRR's western lines. The PRR electrifies the suburban commuter line between Central Philadelphia and Chestnut Hill.
• 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.
• 1943 An accident at Frankford Junction, Pennsylvania kills 79.
• 1946 The PRR reported a net loss for the first time in its history.
• 1951 An accident in Woodbridge, New Jersey kills 85 people.
• 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 Transportation Company (Penn Central).

Post PRR-era Timeline

• 1970 Penn Central files for bankruptcy protection on June 21, 1970.
• 1976 The United States federal government forms Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) from the remnants of Penn Central and other bankrupt northeastern & Midwest railroads. Amtrak acquires the majority of the Northeast Corridor line.
• 1986 Conrail is privatized.
• 1998-1999 The U.S. government allows Conrail to be split between and sold to CSX Transportation (CSX) and Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), with CSX getting 42% and NS 58% (including most of the former PRR lines).

Equipment

Standard Railroad of the World

The Pennsylvania Railroad, as the "standard railroad of the world", also strove for an air of permanence, decorating its railroad stations with symbols of itself such as the Pennsylvania Herald, shown above at Newark Penn Station.

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. 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 locomotives and railroad cars 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. Locomotives 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 locomotives and most passenger-hauling diesel locomotives 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 outlining was originally done in real gold leaf. After World War II the lettering was done in a light shade of yellow called Buff Yellow.

Signaling

Main article: Railway signal

Position light signals

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

Starting in the late 1920s the Pennsylvania Railroad installed Pulse code cab signaling over much of its eastern system from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, New York and Washington where the higher speeds of passenger trains made cab signalling desirable. In this system, signal information is transmitted through the rails using track circuits and picked up by a sensor on the locomotive, where the signal is displayed in the engineer's cab. This technology was subsequently adopted by several other US railroads, especially on lines with passenger trains. When first installed by the PRR this was an advanced technology, and is still in use today by Amtrak.

Steam locomotives

Main article: Steam locomotive

PRR I1sa #4483 on display at Hamburg, New York.

K4s at Aberdeen, Maryland April 26, 1944.

PRR engine #1223 in operation on the Strasburg Rail Road (1989)

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 classes itself and built them in its Altoona Works. The PRR is believed to have been the fourth 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 Baldwin Locomotive Works. 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 in Lima, Ohio. Only as a last resort would the PRR use the American Locomotive Company (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.

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

Main article: PRR locomotive classification

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 require more personnel to operate. Also, the PRR was unable to update its roster during the World War II years, and by the end of the war their roster was in rough shape. In addition, during World War II and immediately thereafter, the PRR was saddled with unsuccessful experimental steam locomotives such as the Q1, S1, and T1 "Duplex Drive" locomotives, and the S2 turbine locomotive. Unlike most of their competition, the PRR did not acquire any 4-8-4 locomotives, which those other roads used with great success.

The PRR's competitors managed this period better with their diesel locomotive rosters. The PRR was historically minded when it voluntarily preserved a roundhouse-full of representative steam locomotives at Northumberland, Pennsylvania in 1957, and kept them there for several decades. These locomotives, with the exception of I1sa #4483 which is on display at Hamburg, New York, are now at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pennsylvania. 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

Main article: Electric locomotive

PRR FF1 experimental engine.

When the work on the Hudson River tunnels and Pennsylvania Station 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 and Seashore Railroad track. From these tests the DD1 class was developed. The DD1s 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 (137 km/h) . Placed in service in 1910, they proved to be very efficient.

Steel suburban passenger cars capable of being electrified for MU operation were designed due to the need for such cars in service to Penn Station through its associated tunnels and were designated MP54. Designs for corresponding cars accommodating baggage and mail were produced also. Eight of these cars were electrified with DC equipment to provide shuttle service fromm Penn Station to Manhattan Transfer between 1910 and 1922. More extensive electrification plans required AC electrification, starting with 93 cars for the Paoli Line in 1915. With the expansion of the AC electrification, additional MP54 cars were electrified or purchased new until a total of 481 cars was reached in 1951. Replacement with newer types of cars began in 1958 and the last MP54 cars were retired in 1980.

The single FF1 appeared in 1917 and ran experimentally for a number of years in preparation for electrification over the Allegheny Mountains that never came to fruition. Its AC induction motors and side-rod drive powered six axles. It developed a starting tractive force of 140,000 pounds, which was capable of ripping couplers out of the fragile wooden freight cars in use at the time.

In 1924 another side-rod locomotive was designed: (the L5 class). Two DC engines were built for the New York electrified zone and a 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. 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 in New York City.

The O1 class was a light passenger type. Eight of these engines were built from June 1930 to December 1931. The P5 class was also introduced, with two of this class being placed in service during July and August 1931. Following these came the P5A, a slightly heavier design capable of traveling 80 miles per hour (130 km/h) 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.

PRR GG1 #4890 at the National Railroad Museum Green Bay, Wisconsin

In 1933 two entirely new locomotives were being planned: the R1 and the GG1 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, a P5A and a K4s steam locomotive underwent exhaustive testing. Testing was conducted over a special section of test track near Claymont, Delaware and lasted for nearly two years. As a result of these experiments, the GG1 type was chosen and the construction of 57 locomotives was authorized. The first GG1 was finished in April and by August 1935 all 57 were completed. These first GG1 engines were designated for passenger service, while most of the P5A type were made available for freight service. Some of the later-built GG1s were assigned to freight service as well. The total number of GG1s built was 139. They are rated at 4,620 horsepower (3,450 kW) at speeds of 100 mph (160 km/h).

On August 26, 1999, The United States Postal Service issued commemorative 33-cent All Aboard! 20th Century American Trains 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

Main article: Diesel locomotives

Pennsylvania Railroad, EMD E8, #5809

In the mid 1940s, the PRR began to add diesel locomotives to their fleet. From 1945 through 1949 it purchased 74 E7 class locomotives from General Motors EMD (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, 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 locomotives (successor to the E7). All of this group were "A" units. The PRR gave these units the classification EP22s. In 1956, the Pennsy retired the rest of the steam fleet and opened bidding for a large order of diesel replacement locomotives. GM/ EMD gave the road an exceptional deal on new, reliable GP9s, so the entire bid went to EMD. Baldwin Locomotive Works was counting on the Pennsy (BLW's lifelong loyal customer) to keep the struggling Baldwin in the locomotive business, by buying at least some Baldwin diesels. When that did not happen, the 126 year old Baldwin closed most of its Eddystone, Pa. plant and never built another locomotive. A victim of poor foresight and missed opportunities- as the Pennsy itself became in the late 1960s.

Major passenger stations

Main article: Pennsylvania Station

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 as well as regional passenger carriers. See also Pennsylvania Station, the name given to many of them.

Broad Street Station, Philadelphia

Broad Street Station - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Main article: Broad Street Station (Philadelphia)

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, 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.

Baltimore Penn Station

Penn Station - Baltimore, Maryland

Main article: Pennsylvania Station (Baltimore)

The main train station of Baltimore, this Beaux-Arts building was built in 1911 from a design by architect Kenneth MacKenzie Murchison. It is served by Amtrak and MARC Train commuter service. Notably, both approaches to the station are via tunnels, the B&P Tunnel to the south and the Union Tunnel to the north.

Chicago's Union Station

Union Station - Chicago, Illinois

Main article: Union Station (Chicago)

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 continue to be used as a train station (the rest of Chicago's six passenger stations have either been demolished, substantially remodeled or repurposed). It was designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White in the Beaux-Arts style.

Penn Station Newark, NJ

Penn Station - Newark, New Jersey

Main article: Pennsylvania Station (Newark)

Newark's Pennsylvania Station was designed by McKim, Mead and White and is considered an architectural jewel. It opened in 1935 as part of the PRR's Northeast Corridor infrastructure, and was refurbished in 2007. Its style is a mixture of Art Deco and Neo-Classical. All Amtrak trains stop here, and the station serves three commuter lines, PATH rapid transit to Jersey City and Manhattan, and the Newark City Subway.

The main entrance to Penn Station New York City

Penn Station - New York, New York

Main article: Pennsylvania Station (New York City)

The original Pennsylvania Station was designed by the noted architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White and was modeled on the Roman Baths of 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. Its 1963 demolition did not extend to the platforms, the tracks, or even some of the staircases. The station continues as a completely underground operation (serving Amtrak, New Jersey Transit and LIRR) and is the busiest intercity railroad station in the United States.

Philadelphia's 30th Street Station.

30th Street Station - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Main article: 30th Street Station

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, opened in 1933, when modern and Art Deco styles were more popular. Its construction was needed to accommodate increased intercity and suburban traffic. It replaced the 32nd Street Station geographically, and replaced the Broad Street Station functionally. It is now the primary rail station in Philadelphia, serving both long-distance and commuter trains.

Union Station Washington D.C.

Union Station - Washington, D.C.

Main article: Union Station (Washington, DC)

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 station was designed by architect Daniel Burnham and opened in 1908. The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad provided a link to Richmond, Virginia, about 100 miles (160 km) to the south, where major north–south lines of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and Seaboard Air Line Railroad provided service to the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida.

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 Brooke Roberts (1880–1896)
• Frank Thomson (1897–1899)
• Alexander J. Cassatt (1899–1906)
• James McCrea (1907–1912)
• Samuel Rea (1913–1925)
• William W. Atterbury (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)

The controlling non-institutional shareholders of the Pennsylvania Railroad were, during the early 1960s, Henry Stryker Taylor, who was a part of the Jacob Bunn business dynasty of Illinois, and Howard Butcher, a principal in the Philadelphia brokerage house of Butcher & Singer (formerly Butcher & Sherrerd).

See also

• Conrail - successor to Penn Central from 1976
• Horseshoe Curve (Altoona, Pennsylvania)
• List of Pennsylvania Railroad lines east of Pittsburgh
• List of Pennsylvania Railroad lines west of Pittsburgh
• List of Pennsylvania Railroad passenger trains
• List of Pennsylvania Railroad predecessor railroads
• PRR locomotive classification
• New York Central Railroad — longtime adversary, eventual merger partner
• New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad — longtime partner in run-through trains, also became part of Penn Central
• Norfolk Southern Railway — successor to Conrail in former PRR territory
• Penn Central Transportation — successor to the PRR and NYC in 1968
• Pennsylvania Company, holding company incorporated in 1870 to own and operate much of the Lines West of Pittsburgh
• Pennsylvania Lines LLC - Conrail subsidiary that owned ex-PRR trackage and PRR reporting mark
• Pennsylvania Station, the name for several major stations
• Monopoly (game) - One of the railroads in the Atlantic City themed version of the game is the PRR.

References

• Alexander, Edwin P. (1967). The Pennsylvania Railroad. (New York: Bonanza Books).
• Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum (2000), General Atterbury. Retrieved February 21, 2005.
• Martinez, Peter (1960). The Children's Illustrated Guide to the Pennsylvania Railroad.
• President and Fellows of Harvard College (2004), 20th century great American business leaders — Martin W. Clement. Retrieved February 23, 2005.
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2005). RPI: Alumni hall of fame: Alexander J. Cassatt. Retrieved February 22, 2005.
• Thomas, William G. "The Countryside Transformed: The Eastern Shore of Virginia, the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Creation of the Modern Landscape" Southern Spaces July 31, 2007.
• White, John H., Jr. (Spring (season) 1986). "America's most noteworthy railroaders." Railroad History, Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, 154, pp. 9–15.

External links

• Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical Society
• Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania Strasburg, Pennsylvania
• PRR Chronology — in depth
• PRR Corporate History
• PennsyRR.com — comprehensive PRR facts and history site, comprising multiple individual websites.
• prr.railfan.net — contains significant PRR information, including diagrams of passenger and freight cars as well as locomotives
• The New York tunnel extension of the Pennsylvania Railroad Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, vol. LXVIII, Sept. 1910, by B.F. Cresson, Jr, from Project Gutenberg
• Orr, John W. Set Up Running: The Life of a Pennsylvania Railroad Engineman, 1904–1949, Penn State Press, 2001 ISBN 0-271-02056-3
• Pennsylvania Railroad GG-1 p. 1 of 2: Stan's Railpix
• 1/16/1904;Sectional view Of Pennsylvania Railroad Tunnel Now Under Construction Beneath the Hudson River
• William G. Thomas "The Countryside Transformed:The Eastern Shore of Virginia, the Pennsylvania Railroad, and the Creation of a Modern Landscape Southern Spaces July 31, 2007.
• Bridge of the Pennsylvania Rail Road Company Crossing the Schuylkill River at Filbert Street, Philadelphia, October, 18, 1890 by D.J. Kennedy, Historical Society of Pennsylvania