The Pennsylvania Company , later known publicly as the Pennsylvania Lines (west of
Pittsburgh ) was a major
holding company . It included the
Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway , the PRR's main route to
Chicago . It also owned but did not operate the
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (Pan Handle Route), another line to Chicago. It merged back into the
Pennsylvania Railroad in 1918.
History
The Pennsylvania Company was incorporated April 7, 1870 in
Pennsylvania as a
holding company with a broad
charter .
[1] It was organized June 1, with president
William Thaw of the PRR.
Tom Scott replaced Thaw as the president January 20, 1871. On April 1 of that year the company began operating several railroads; others were acquired later.
April 1, 1871:
Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway - main line direct from
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania , to
Chicago
April 1, 1871:
Erie and Pittsburgh Railroad - main line from Pittsburgh north to
Erie, Pennsylvania
April 1, 1871:
Indianapolis and Vincennes Railroad (merged into the
Vandalia Railroad , PRR-owned but not Pennsylvania Company operated, January 1, 1905)
April 1, 1871:
Lawrence Railroad (merged into the
YL&P June 1, 1887)
April 1, 1871:
New Castle and Beaver Valley Railroad (merged into the
PY&A January 1, 1906)
December 1, 1871:
Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad - branch of
PFW&C to
Cleveland, Ohio
January 1, 1873:
Columbus and Shelby Railroad (merged into the
JM&I November 18, 1881)
January 1, 1873:
Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis Railroad (merged into the
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway , PRR-owned but not Pennsylvania Company operated, October 1, 1890)
January 1, 1873:
Lake Erie and Louisville Railroad (merged into the
JM&I June 26, 1890)
January 1, 1873:
Louisville Bridge Company (began operating itself October 1, 1890)
January 1, 1873:
Shelby and Rush Railroad (merged into the
JM&I April 10, 1882)
May 1, 1873:
Ashtabula, Youngstown and Pittsburg Rail Road ;
Ashtabula and Pittsburgh Railway (merged into the
AN&Y June 16, 1887)
May 1, 1873:
Mansfield, Coldwater and Lake Michigan Rail Road (merged into the
NWO November 28, 1877)
May 1, 1873:
Toledo, Tiffin and Eastern Rail Road ;
Toledo and Woodville Railroad ;
Northwestern Ohio Railway (merged into the
TWV&O May 23, 1891)
November 10, 1873:
Toledo and State Line Railroad (merged into the
TT&E May 1, 1878?)
September 28, 1880:
Massillon and Cleveland Railroad
October 3, 1881:
Meadville Railway (reorganized February 1, 1884 as the non-PRR
Meadville and Linesville Railroad )
August 7, 1882:
Alliance, Niles and Ashtabula Railroad (merged into the
AN&Y June 16, 1887)
January 8, 1884:
Ohio Valley Railway ;
Pittsburgh, Ohio Valley and Cincinnati Railroad
August 18, 1884:
New Brighton and New Castle Rail Road (merged into the
YL&P June 1, 1887)
June 1, 1887:
Youngstown, Lawrence and Pittsburgh Railroad (merged into the
PY&A August 1, 1887)
June 16, 1887:
Ashtabula, Niles and Youngstown Railroad (merged into the
PY&A August 1, 1887)
August 1, 1887:
Pittsburgh, Youngstown and Ashtabula Railroad ;
Pittsburgh, Youngstown and Ashtabula Railway
October 15, 1887:
South Chicago and Southern Railroad
October 15, 1888:
State Line and Indiana City Railway (merged into the
SC&S February 5, 1901)
May 23, 1891:
Toledo, Walhonding Valley and Ohio Railroad (merged into the
TC&OR July 1, 1911)
January 1892:
Rolling Mill Railroad (merged into the
TWV&O January 1, 1904)
January 8, 1892:
Salineville Railroad (merged into the
C&P January 1, 1899)
September 16, 1895:
Calumet River Railway (merged into the
SC&S February 5, 1901)
January 1, 1900:
Cleveland and Marietta Railway (merged into the
TC&OR July 1, 1911)
August 1, 1900:
Western New York and Pennsylvania Railway (only 51.492 miles (83 km), formerly the
New Castle and Franklin Railroad from
New Castle, Pennsylvania to
Stoneboro, Pennsylvania plus branches)
July 1, 1910:
Youngstown and Ravenna Railroad
July 1, 1911:
Toledo, Columbus and Ohio River Railroad
July 1, 1912:
Cleveland, Akron and Cincinnati Railway
The Pennsylvania Company operated the
Erie Canal of Pennsylvania from September 16, 1870, to February 4, 1871.
On January 1, 1918, soon after the
United States Railroad Administration took over all U.S. railroads, all Pennsylvania Company leases were transferred to the PRR. On March 1, 1920, when the lines were returned to the PRR, they were separated into four regions - the
Eastern Region ,
Central Region ,
Northwestern Region and
Southwestern Region .
The Pennsylvania Company, however, stayed around as a
holding company , and was re
incorporated in Delaware on December 12, 1958, and reorganized on December 16. Its new purpose was to diversify into
real estate and other fields, and the company lasted through the 1968 PRR merger into
Penn Central Transportation .
In 1973 or 1974 several subsidiaries were created - the Pennrec Company for
theme park investments (including
Six Flags Great Adventure and
Stars Hall of Fame ), the Penn Orlando Company , and Penn Arlington, Inc. (which bought
Six Flags Over Texas from the
Great Southwest Corporation ).
References
External links
Current
Former
Timeline Railroads in italics meet the revenue specifications for Class I status, but are not technically Class I railroads due to being passenger-only railroads with no freight component.