North Pennsylvania Railroad
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1852 |
| Defunct | 1976 |
| Fate | Merged into Conrail |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, and Northampton counties, Pennsylvania |
North Pennsylvania Railroad operated across Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania. Established in 1852 and commencing operations by 1855, it was leased in 1879 by the Philadelphia and Reading Railway, the forerunner of the Reading Company. In 1976, its rail lines were transferred to Conrail and SEPTA.
History
Originally chartered as the Philadelphia, Easton and Water Gap on April 8, 1852, the company adopted the name North Pennsylvania Railroad on October 3, 1853, signaling its intention to extend service to Waverly, New York, where it would connect with the Erie Railroad. The initial segment between Front and Willow Streets in Philadelphia and Gwynedd opened on July 2, 1855, spanning 18½ miles. The Doylestown Branch was inaugurated on October 7, reaching Doylestown through Lansdale. Passenger operations were centered at the depot located at Third and Berks Streets in Philadelphia, while freight activities were managed at Willow and Front Streets.
In 1856, the railroad was involved in the Great Train Wreck of 1856, recognized at that time as the deadliest rail disaster worldwide. Expansion proceeded northward; by July 7, 1857, the main line extended to Bethlehem along Bethlehem Pike, providing an interchange with the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The Shimersville Branch opened on January 1, 1857, connecting Iron Hill to Shimersville; however, it saw limited traffic and was subsequently leased within the same year to the Lehigh Valley and Delaware Water Gap Railroad as part of an unfulfilled plan to create a route through Easton linking to the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. By the time of the Reading lease, this branch had been abandoned.
Together with the Delaware and Bound Brook Railroad, North Pennsylvania constructed a line from Jenkintown to Bound Brook, New Jersey, establishing a connection between Philadelphia and New York City. The Delaware River Branch commenced operations on May 1, 1876, coinciding with the Centennial Exposition.
Reading control
On May 14, 1879, the Philadelphia & Reading Railway leased control of the North Pennsylvania Railroad. The North Pennsylvania continued as a corporate entity until its merger into Conrail in 1976 following the Reading Company's bankruptcy. Many of its routes remain operational today:
- The main line was redesignated as the Reading Company's Bethlehem Branch; passenger service via SEPTA continued until 1981. The portion north of Quakertown has been converted into a recreational trail, while services south of Fern Rock have been discontinued. SEPTA currently runs commuter trains along the Lansdale/Doylestown Line to Doylestown. Freight operations between Lansdale and Quakertown are managed by the Pennsylvania Northeastern Railroad and East Penn Railroad.
- Renamed as the New York Branch, the Delaware River Branch was leased alongside the Delaware and Bound Brook Railroad by Reading. Following implementation of the 1967 Aldene Plan, passenger routes formerly terminating in Jersey City, New Jersey were redirected to Newark, New Jersey, continuing until service ended in 1981. SEPTA operates commuter trains on the West Trenton Line up to West Trenton; NJ Transit provided service from West Trenton to Newark until 1982. Freight traffic remains active under CSX Transportation on its Trenton Subdivision.
- The former North East Pennsylvania Railroad line became known as the New Hope Branch. SEPTA runs commuter rail service on the Warminster Line extending to Warminster, Pennsylvania, while from Warminster to New Hope ownership and operations are managed by the New Hope Railroad.
- The Stony Creek Railroad was absorbed as the Stony Creek Branch. SEPTA provides commuter service via the Manayunk/Norristown Line between Norristown Transit Center and Elm Street Station. CSX retains rights for freight operations over this segment.
External links
- Archival guide to the North Pennsylvania Railroad Company documents held at the Hagley Museum and Library