Cornwall Railroad
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railroad |
| Predecessor | North Lebanon Railroad |
| Founded | May 25, 1850 in Pennsylvania, United States |
| Fate | Acquired by Reading Company in 1968; later absorbed into Conrail in 1976; line discontinued |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Rail transport services (iron ore transportation) |
| Parent | Bethlehem Steel (from 1923), Reading Company (from 1968), Conrail (from 1976) |
The Cornwall Railroad, initially known as the North Lebanon Railroad, was a railroad enterprise founded in Pennsylvania in 1850. Its first segment, a 6-mile stretch linking Lebanon to Cornwall, commenced operations in 1854. This route primarily served to move iron ore extracted from Cornwall mines to Lebanon, where it connected with the Union Canal. In 1968, ownership of the Cornwall Railroad passed to the Reading Company. After Reading declared bankruptcy, control of the line shifted to Conrail in 1976, and it was ultimately discontinued. The Cornwall Railroad's track ran alongside the Cornwall and Lebanon Railroad, which later became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad network.
History
The North Lebanon Railroad was established on May 25, 1850, with the purpose of transporting iron ore from Cornwall to Lebanon. The railroad began service in 1854, around the same time as the Lebanon Valley Railroad, which by 1858 connected Reading and Harrisburg through Lebanon.
On April 5, 1870, the company adopted the name Cornwall Railroad. A parallel competitor, the Cornwall and Lebanon Railroad, started operations in 1883. The Cornwall Railroad grew its network by acquiring the Cornwall and Mount Hope Railroad in 1886, extending its line roughly 5 miles to Mount Hope, Pennsylvania, where it linked with the Reading and Columbia Railroad.
Passenger rail service was discontinued on January 29, 1929; prior to that date, trains operated out of the Reading station in Lebanon. Bethlehem Steel became the railroad’s owner on December 1, 1923. The Reading Company leased the line from Bethlehem Steel starting in 1964 and simultaneously ceased operations on the Cornwall–Mount Hope section. Reading fully absorbed the railroad in 1968, renaming it the Cornwall Branch. Following Reading’s bankruptcy, management transferred to Conrail in 1976.
In 1997, R.J. Corman Railroad Group purchased the remaining segment but abandoned it during the early 2000s. Presently, much of this former rail corridor constitutes the northern portion of the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail.