National Railway
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1869 |
| Founder | Henry Martyn Hamilton |
| Fate | Assets acquired by Delaware and Bound Brook Railroad |
Area served | Northeastern United States |
The National Railway, also known as the National Air Line Railroad, was a proposed air-line railroad intended to connect New York City and Washington, D.C. around 1870. A segment extending from New York City to Philadelphia was constructed by the Delaware and Bound Brook Railroad along with the Delaware River Branch of the North Pennsylvania Railroad, which was leased by the Philadelphia and Reading Railway in 1879, eventually becoming its New York Branch. This route was designed to challenge monopolistic control, such as that held by the United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Companies and their Camden and Amboy Railroad, but encountered extensive obstacles throughout its development.
Planning
In early 1867, Henry Martyn Hamilton initiated plans for a railway connecting New York City and Philadelphia, aiming to compete with the dominant United Companies by chartering a series of short lines to be linked end-to-end. The initial two segments were chartered on April 3, 1867, in New Jersey under the names Hamilton Land Improvement Company and Millstone and Trenton Railroad, together comprising half of the New Jersey portion without alerting the United Companies. The Millstone and Trenton Railroad received authorization to construct a line from Trenton northeastward to Millstone, while Hamilton Land Improvement was permitted to build up to six miles anywhere within New Jersey, sufficient to connect Millstone with the Central Railroad of New Jersey at Bound Brook.
On March 22, 1867, the Elizabeth and New Providence Railroad was incorporated in New Jersey as part of this corridor. Later that year, on November 27, the Millstone and Trenton Railroad was formally organized; its shareholders agreed to transfer their shares to Hamilton contingent upon his securing commitments from major railroads such as the Pennsylvania Railroad, Reading Company, or others to ensure project completion.
Federal proposals first appeared in 1868 advocating a route between New York and Washington passing through Pennsylvania cities including Easton, Reading, and Lancaster. Subsequent efforts concentrated more narrowly on establishing a connection between New York and Philadelphia at both federal and state levels.
On September 21, 1868, Hamilton acquired control of the Attleborough Railroad—chartered in 1856 within Bucks County, Pennsylvania—and rebranded it as National Railway to serve as a component of the through line. He assumed presidency of the Millstone and Trenton Railroad on November 11, transferring direct control to National Railway. The venture was publicly announced in December.
Although the monopoly held by the Camden and Amboy Rail Road over New York-Philadelphia rail traffic in New Jersey expired on January 1, 1869, it continued to resist National Railway through lobbying efforts and legal challenges. National Railway was incorporated in Pennsylvania on September 17, 1869; shortly after, on September 28, Hamilton transferred Millstone and Trenton stock to this entity. By that time, Hamilton had obtained essential charters enabling competition against Camden and Amboy.
Legislative attempts in New Jersey during 1870 to consolidate short lines into Millstone and Trenton did not succeed.
In early 1871, renewed National Railway bills were introduced by John W. Garrett of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad—who was concerned about the Pennsylvania Railroad's proposed lease of United Companies—but these legislative efforts were defeated. Subsequently, on May 15, 1871, PRR secured control over United Companies.
On March 30, 1871, the German Valley Railroad was chartered in New Jersey with covert intentions ("Trojan Horse") aligned with National Railway; despite refusal from the governor to approve it, organization proceeded regardless. A comparable approach occurred with the Stanhope Railroad on March 19, 1872. Following revelations of legislative corruption involving bribery connected with these maneuvers, National Railway faced fraud litigation; on February 2, 1873, New Jersey’s Court of Chancery ruled that it held no authority to construct there.
On January 11, 1873, Excelsior Enterprise Company—a holding entity—was renamed National Company and soon acquired National Railway of Pennsylvania. National Railway took control of Stanhope Railroad on January 18 but found it lacked value.
On March 19, 1873, New Jersey’s House rejected a bill sponsored by PRR opposing a competing railway on land chosen by National Railway. Subsequently, PRR and National Railway agreed to back a general incorporation law that had long been blocked by Camden and Amboy; this legislation passed on April 2. Soon after, PRR's company was chartered on April 8 near National Railway’s planned alignment. Additionally, National Railway of New Jersey was incorporated on April 17 as a supplementary entity. However, investor confidence declined amid scandals when contracts were awarded on May 31.
Formation of the Delaware and Bound Brook Railroad
The Delaware and Bound Brook Railroad (D&BB) was officially established in New Jersey on May 12, 1874, with the objective of constructing a rail line connecting the Delaware River to the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) at Bound Brook, New Jersey. The North Pennsylvania Railroad assumed control of the National Railway initiative from Hamilton, endorsing the development of the Delaware River Branch on May 14. This branch diverged from its main route at Jenkintown, Pennsylvania and extended to the Delaware River at Yardley, Pennsylvania. Subsequently, on May 16, ownership of the National Railway’s assets—including the Stanhope Railroad and National Company—was transferred to the D&BB.
Both the D&BB and Delaware River Branch commenced operations on May 1, 1876, establishing a link between the North Pennsylvania Railroad and CNJ. The D&BB obtained trackage rights over CNJ tracks to reach their terminal in Jersey City, New Jersey, thereby launching passenger services between Jersey City and Philadelphia. The ticket price was set at $2.65, which was ten cents less than the fare charged by the PRR. In reaction, PRR lowered its excursion fares to remain competitive. Additionally, the D&BB inaugurated its Trenton Branch in 1877.
Initially, the National Railway envisioned a route extending northeast beyond Bound Brook, crossing the New Jersey Rail Road at Waverly, Pennsylvania, aiming for CNJ’s terminal. In Pennsylvania, plans included a southeastern trajectory toward the northern section of Philadelphia’s Junction Railroad. A segment of this vision was realized with the completion of the New York Short Line in 1906, linking Oakford southwestward to the Reading Company’s Philadelphia, Newtown and New York Railroad at Cheltenham Township.
On May 14, 1879, control shifted when the Philadelphia and Reading Railway leased both the North Pennsylvania Railroad and D&BB, acquiring authority over two-thirds of the Bound Brook Route. The charter of the National Company subsequently became the foundation for establishing the Reading Company, which functioned as a holding entity for Reading.
The East Trenton Railroad was incorporated in 1884 and later integrated into D&BB as a branch within Trenton. This line included freight services derived from an interurban streetcar operation—the Trenton, Lawrenceville and Princeton Railroad. Furthermore, in 1892, the Port Reading Railroad was launched as a D&BB branch extending service to Port Reading on the Arthur Kill waterway.
Obstacles Encountered
The United Companies secured a charter for the Mercer and Somerset Railway in New Jersey on March 17, 1870, primarily aiming to compete against the National Railway. Track construction began on January 20, 1871, near where it intersected with the National Railway’s planned route in Hopewell. This led to a frog war in January 1876 at this junction—a conflict ultimately resolved in favor of the National Railway—rendering the Mercer and Somerset Railway unnecessary. Consequently, this line was abandoned on January 21, 1880.
On October 22, 1873, PRR leased control over the Philadelphia, Newtown & New York Railroad—originally chartered in 1860 as a strategic move to obstruct the National Railway. This line opened as an extension of the Connecting Railroad, running from Fox Chase to Newtown on February 2, 1878. Initially serving two excursion trains before beginning regular revenue operations on February 4.
By November 22, 1879, operational control shifted to North Pennsylvania Railroad since PRR no longer considered this line strategically vital. Passenger service was redirected from PRR's West Philadelphia station to that of Philadelphia and Reading Railway located at 3rd Street and Berks Street. Legal disputes also emerged regarding construction efforts for a bridge spanning the Delaware River.