Stony Creek Railroad
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | April 14, 1868 |
| Fate | Merged into Reading Company |
| Successor | Reading Company |
| Headquarters | Lansdale, Pennsylvania , United States |
Area served | Montgomery County, Pennsylvania |
| Owner | SEPTA (current owner) |
| Parent | North Pennsylvania Railroad (original operator) |
The Stony Creek Branch is a railroad route situated in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, extending from Lansdale, Pennsylvania to Norristown, Pennsylvania. This line serves as a link between the Bethlehem and Doylestown Branch lines and the Norristown Branch. Owned by SEPTA, it operates exclusively for freight purposes, with trackage rights granted to CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and the Pennsylvania Northeastern Railroad.
History
The Stony Creek Railroad was incorporated on April 14, 1868, with the purpose of constructing a southern extension from the North Pennsylvania Railroad main line at Lansdale following Stony Creek down to Norristown. The line commenced operations on December 30, 1873, under the control of the North Pennsylvania Railroad. The Norristown station was originally positioned at Main and Markley streets, a location that is currently occupied by .
On May 14, 1879, the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad leased the North Pennsylvania Railroad. A year later, in 1880, the Reading built a connecting track via the Norristown Junction Railroad, linking the Norristown Branch with the Stony Creek Railroad. With management under Reading, the division point moved northward, resulting in the Stony Creek Branch being shortened to , while the Norristown Branch was extended to encompass Norristown–Main Street and stations.
The Stony Creek Railroad was merged into the Reading Company on December 31, 1945. After Reading's bankruptcy in 1976, ownership of the line passed to SEPTA, although Conrail maintained trackage rights. Today, freight operations on this branch continue under CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and the Pennsylvania Northeastern Railroad.