Stone Harbor Railroad

Atlantic City Railroad

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Railroad transportation
Predecessor	Various Southern New Jersey railroads consolidated under Atlantic City Railroad banner
Founded	April 1, 1889 (1889-04-01)
Defunct	July 15, 1933 (1933-07-15)
Fate	Consolidated into Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines
Headquarters	Camden, New Jersey , United States
Area served	Southern New Jersey
Parent	Philadelphia and Reading Railway (subsidiary)

The Atlantic City Railroad functioned as a subsidiary of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway before its consolidation into the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines in 1933. By the close of 1925, it managed of mainline track across of total track length, reporting freight traffic amounting to 43 million ton-miles and passenger travel totaling 204 million passenger-miles for that year.

History

On April 1, 1889, the Philadelphia and Reading Railway unified its Southern New Jersey rail assets under the Atlantic City Railroad banner.

Speed records

On July 20, 1904, train number 25 traveling from Kaighn's Point (Camden) to Atlantic City achieved a notable speed milestone. Pulled by the Philadelphia and Reading Railway's class P-4c 4-4-2 locomotive No.334 with five passenger coaches, it traversed in just 43 minutes, averaging . The stretch between Winslow Junction and Meadows Tower was completed in 20 minutes at an average speed of , with peak velocities reaching between Egg Harbor and Brigantine Junction.

Camden, Gloucester and Mount Ephraim Railway

Founded on June 17, 1873, by interests from Gloucester City, this railway aimed to link the ferry terminal at Kaighn's Point (Camden) to Gloucester City's industrial district located away, subsequently extending another to Mount Ephraim Borough.

Constructed as a narrow gauge line due to the tight curves along city streets serving as its right of way, building commenced in January 1874. The segment connecting Kaighn's Point to Gloucester City opened on February 14, 1874, followed by the extension reaching Mount Ephraim in May 1876. Control transferred to the Philadelphia and Reading Railway in November 1884, which then converted the track to standard gauge in 1885.

Philadelphia and Atlantic City Railway

In 1875, a group of four directors from the Camden and Atlantic Railroad (C&A), led by Samuel Richards, initiated the creation of a second rail line from Camden to Atlantic City passing through Clementon. Incorporated on March 24, 1876, this railway employed a 3 ft 6 in narrow gauge to minimize operational expenses. Construction began in April 1877 and was completed within approximately three months. The entire route spanning 54.67 miles opened on July 7, 1877; however, it declared bankruptcy by July 12, 1878. On September 20, 1883, ownership was transferred jointly to the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) and Philadelphia and Reading Railway for $1 million. Renamed Philadelphia and Atlantic City Railroad on December 4, 1883, it was converted to standard gauge by October 5, 1884. Full ownership passed exclusively to the Philadelphia and Reading Railway on December 4, 1885.

Williamstown and Delaware River Railroad

Established in 1883 to reorganize the insolvent Williamstown Railroad—which operated between Williamstown and Atco, New Jersey—this company extended its Williamstown Branch first to Glassboro (1883–1884) and later to Mullica Hill (1888), resulting in a total length of approximately 22 miles.

Cultural context

At the dawn of the twentieth century, railroads played an essential role in ferrying vacationers from Philadelphia and Camden to coastal destinations along the New Jersey shore.

Railroads acquired in 1901

The Atlantic City Railroad was reestablished on June 14, 1901 through a merger involving several other railroads...

Camden County Railroad

The Camden County Railroad was established on 17 September 1889 to extend the Atlantic City Railroad's Gloucester Branch from Mount Ephraim Borough to Spring Mills, the location of Bateman Manufacturing's agricultural machinery facilities. By late 1890, five miles of track had been laid south of Mount Ephraim, with the final 2.19 miles completed by May 1891. The inaugural train arrived at Spring Mills in March, and outbound freight shipments commenced the following month. Stations were set up at Bellmawr, Runnemede, Glendora, Chews Landing (previously known as South Glendora), Blenheim, Blackwood, and Spring Mills—which was renamed Grenloch upon the line’s completion. Following construction, the Camden County Railroad was leased to the Atlantic City Railroad. The Gloucester Branch timetable No. 3 of the ACRR (effective 14 April 1892) first documented services running between Mount Ephraim and Grenloch.

• ACRR Gloucester Branch
• P-RSL Grenloch Branch

Cape May, Delaware Bay and Sewell's Point Railroad

This railroad operated from 1863 through the 1920s, linking Sunset Beach in Lower Township, New Jersey, with South Cape May (currently South Meadows), Cape May City, Sewell's Point (now the Coast Guard Training Center), and Schellenger's Landing. At Schellenger's Landing, passengers could transfer to trains heading toward Philadelphia.

Ocean City Railroad

This line provided service from Ocean City Junction directly to Ocean City, New Jersey.

Seacoast Railroad

The Seacoast Railroad connected Winslow Junction with Tuckahoe, Sea Isle City, and Cape May.

Stone Harbor Railroad

Purchased in April 1932, the Stone Harbor Railroad operated between Cape May Court House and Stone Harbor before merging with the PRSL in 1936.

Wildwood and Delaware Bay Short Line Railroad

Acquired in July 1930, this route ran from Wildwood Junction to Wildwood and was integrated into the ACRR (later PRSL) by 1934.

Pleasantville & Ocean City Railroad

Founded on 9 June 1880 under President William Massey, this narrow-gauge railroad began operations on 26 October between Pleasantville and Somers Point and was managed by the Philadelphia & Atlantic City Railway. The Ocean City Association facilitated steamboat connections to Ocean City. In May 1882, Massey sold the railroad to West Jersey and Atlantic Railroad, which leased it starting 1 June and initiated conversion to standard gauge on 4 June.

Brigantine Railroads

The Brigantine Beach Railroad was incorporated on 7 August 1889 to construct a line from Pomona on the Camden and Atlantic Railroad to Brigantine Island. Subsequently, on 21 April 1890, the Pomona Beach Railroad was formed to link the Brigantine Beach Railroad with the Atlantic City Railroad at Pomona. Both lines were leased by Atlantic City Railroad on 18 August 1890 and merged on 27 January 1891 into a continuous 13.9-mile route spanning from Brigantine Beach to Brigantine Junction.

In 1893, the Brigantine Transit Company introduced a 6.25-mile electric trolley system along Brigantine Beach. George H. Cook acquired the Brigantine Beach Railroad through foreclosure on 27 June 1895 and reestablished it as Philadelphia & Brigantine Railroad on 1 April 1896 while leasing the transit company. The Atlantic City Railroad terminated its lease of Philadelphia & Brigantine Railroad on 30 September 1897.

A storm destroyed the trestle connecting to Brigantine Island on 12 September 1903, prompting Philadelphia & Brigantine Railroad to cease all operations by 9 October.

Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines

On November 2, 1932, the southern New Jersey rail networks of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Reading Company were consolidated to form the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines, with ownership divided as two-thirds by the Pennsylvania Railroad and one-third by the Reading Company.

Subsequently, on July 15, 1933, the Atlantic City Railroad entered into a lease agreement for the West Jersey & Seashore Railroad and adopted the name Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines.

See also

• Central Railroad of New Jersey
• New Jersey Southern Railroad
• Pennsylvania Railroad
• Reading Company
• 1896 Atlantic City rail crash
• 1922 Winslow Junction Train Derailment

External links

• The Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines Historical Society
• The West Jersey Chapter of the NRHS