Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad was the Pennsylvania Railroad
's main line from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
southwest to Baltimore, Maryland in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is now part of Amtrak
's Northeast Corridor
; freight is handled by Norfolk Southern.
Chapter 296 of the 1831 Session Laws of Maryland, passed March 14, 1832, chartered the Delaware and Maryland Rail Road Company to build from Port Deposit or any other point on the Susquehanna River
to the Delaware state line. The Wilmington and Susquehanna Rail Road Company was chartered January 18, 1832 in Delaware to continue the line to Wilmington, and the two companies merged April 18, 1836 to form the Wilmington and Susquehanna Railroad Company.
The rest of the line to Baltimore, the Baltimore and Port Deposite Rail Road Company, was chartered in Maryland by Chapter 188 of the 1831 Session Laws of Maryland, passed March 5, 1832. On February 12, 1838, the three companies merged to form a new Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Company, authorized to build a continuous line from Philadelphia to Baltimore.
The first section of line opened in 1836, forming part of the line in Pennsylvania; the rest of the line was completed in 1837. In Philadelphia, the line ended at Broad Street and Washington Avenue {Prime}, where it connected with the Southwark Rail-Road (built in 1835), which was used to reach the Delaware River
. In Baltimore, the PW&B ended at President Street. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
, which ended in Baltimore, worked closely with the PW&B to compete with the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad (Pennsylvania Railroad
after 1857) for travel west from Philadelphia, hauling coaches by horse down Pratt Street to reach the PW&B station (the need for this transfer occasioned the Pratt Street Riot at the start of the American Civil War
). By 1853 the Camden and Amboy Railroad and New Jersey Railroad were also part of this agreement, providing through service from New York City
to the west.
On March 15, 1839 the PW&B bought the New Castle and Frenchtown Turnpike and Rail Road
running from New Castle, Delaware
to Frenchtown, Maryland. The New Castle and Wilmington Railroad was chartered to connect the two railroads, but was not constructed until 1852. This provided a connection with the Delaware Railroad, which the PW&B began to operate on January 1, 1857. In 1859, the NC&F was abandoned west of Rodney, the junction with the Delaware Railroad.
The PW&B Bridge
over the Susquehanna River, a 3,269 feet (996 m) wooden truss bridge
, opened in November 1866.
The Darby Improvement, a new alignment from Philadelphia to Eddystone (just outside Chester), opened on November 18, 1872, avoiding the old route through swamp
s and serving more populated areas. On July 1, 1873 the old alignment was leased to the Philadelphia and Reading Railway for 999 years. The Reading originally used the Junction Railroad
to reach this branch and the connecting Chester and Delaware River Railroad, but later obtained trackage rights
over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
's Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad
(opened 1886).
The Pennsylvania Railroad
(PRR) began running over the PW&B in 1873 with the opening of its Baltimore and Potomac Rail Road
. On May 15, 1877, the New Castle & Frenchtown and New Castle & Wilmington were merged into the PW&B, forming a branch line from Wilmington to Rodney. On May 21, 1877, the Southwark RR was merged in, extending the main line to the Delaware River waterfront.
and traveled over the Junction Railroad
(jointly controlled by PW&B, Reading, and PRR) to Belmont, where they reached Reading rails. However, a mile of the Junction Railroad's track through Philadelphia was owned and used by the PRR, as well, and the PRR showed great ingenuity in arranging delays to B&O trains passing over this section of track.
The irate John W. Garrett
, president of the B&O, decided to counter-attack by quietly buying out the PW&B, cutting off the PRR from its Baltimore & Potomac subsidiary. However, his agent encountered unexpected difficulties in buying up a majority of the stock at the price specified. Meanwhile, the secret of Garrett's maneuver became known to the PRR, which quickly bought out a majority of the stock at a somewhat higher price and took control of the PW&B instead. Garrett was forced to charter the Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad
and construct an independent line to Philadelphia, while paying the PRR substantial fees to continue New York service over their lines.
. The old line would become sidings for Claymont Steel.
The PRR's Baltimore and Potomac Rail Road
was formally leased to the PW&B on November 1, 1891.
The Elkton and Middletown Railroad, opened in 1895, was originally intended as a cutoff between the main line at Elkton, Maryland
and the Delaware Railroad at Middletown, Delaware
. However, only a short piece of track serving industries in Elkton was ever constructed. It was consolidated into the PB&W on September 15, 1916.
.
60th Street/Chester
South Chester
Edgemoor
Augustine Mill
The Augustine Mill Branch or Brandywine Branch was built in 1882 from Landlith
north along the Brandywine Creek to reach the Augustine Mills of the Jessup & Moore Paper Company, and was later extended further north to serve the Kentmere and Rockford Mills of Joseph Bancroft & Sons.
Shellpot
The Shellpot Branch
or Shellpot Cutoff was built in 1888 from Edgemoor
(near the crossing of the Shellpot Creek
) around the south side of Wilmington to a point on the main line between Wilmington and Newport
. It served as a freight bypass, to avoid what was then street running
on the main line through Wilmington.
Delaware Branch
This branch was formed from the old New Castle & Frenchtown and New Castle & Wilmington trackage between Wilmington and Rodney, via New Castle. It was sold to the Delaware Railroad in 1891.
New Castle Cut-off
The New Castle Cut-off was built in 1888 from a point on the Shellpot Branch just across the Christina River
from Cherry Island, south to New Castle and a connection with the Delaware Branch. It was sold with the Delaware Branch to the Delaware Railroad in 1891.
Delaware City
This line was sold by the Newark and Delaware City Railroad to the PW&B in 1881. It ran south and east from the main line at Newark
to Delaware City
.
Port Deposit
The Port Deposit Branch was built in 1866 up the Susquehanna River
from Perryville
to the river town of Port Deposit
. In 1893, it was sold to the Columbia and Port Deposit Railway, also PRR-controlled, which connected with it at Port Deposit.
Baltimore Union
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
's main line from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
southwest to Baltimore, Maryland in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is now part of Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
; freight is handled by Norfolk Southern.
Independent Operation
The Philadelphia and Delaware County Rail-Road Company was chartered in Pennsylvania on April 2, 1831. It changed its name on March 14, 1836 to the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Company.Chapter 296 of the 1831 Session Laws of Maryland, passed March 14, 1832, chartered the Delaware and Maryland Rail Road Company to build from Port Deposit or any other point on the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
to the Delaware state line. The Wilmington and Susquehanna Rail Road Company was chartered January 18, 1832 in Delaware to continue the line to Wilmington, and the two companies merged April 18, 1836 to form the Wilmington and Susquehanna Railroad Company.
The rest of the line to Baltimore, the Baltimore and Port Deposite Rail Road Company, was chartered in Maryland by Chapter 188 of the 1831 Session Laws of Maryland, passed March 5, 1832. On February 12, 1838, the three companies merged to form a new Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Company, authorized to build a continuous line from Philadelphia to Baltimore.
The first section of line opened in 1836, forming part of the line in Pennsylvania; the rest of the line was completed in 1837. In Philadelphia, the line ended at Broad Street and Washington Avenue {Prime}, where it connected with the Southwark Rail-Road (built in 1835), which was used to reach the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
. In Baltimore, the PW&B ended at President Street. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
, which ended in Baltimore, worked closely with the PW&B to compete with the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad (Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
after 1857) for travel west from Philadelphia, hauling coaches by horse down Pratt Street to reach the PW&B station (the need for this transfer occasioned the Pratt Street Riot at the start of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
). By 1853 the Camden and Amboy Railroad and New Jersey Railroad were also part of this agreement, providing through service from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to the west.
On March 15, 1839 the PW&B bought the New Castle and Frenchtown Turnpike and Rail Road
New Castle and Frenchtown Turnpike and Rail Road
When New Castle's prosperity was threatened by the building of a canal connecting the Delaware River to the Chesapeake Bay, merchants and other businessmen constructed a railroad to cover the route from New Castle to the Chesapeake. Known as the New Castle-Frenchtown Railroad, it opened in 1828,...
running from New Castle, Delaware
New Castle, Delaware
New Castle is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, six miles south of Wilmington, situated on the Delaware River. In 1900, 3,380 people lived here; in 1910, 3,351...
to Frenchtown, Maryland. The New Castle and Wilmington Railroad was chartered to connect the two railroads, but was not constructed until 1852. This provided a connection with the Delaware Railroad, which the PW&B began to operate on January 1, 1857. In 1859, the NC&F was abandoned west of Rodney, the junction with the Delaware Railroad.
The PW&B Bridge
P.W. & B. Railroad Bridge
The P.W. & B. Railroad Bridge was the first bridge over the Susquehanna River built by the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad in 1866 as part of the first mainline railroad between Philadelphia and Baltimore...
over the Susquehanna River, a 3,269 feet (996 m) wooden truss bridge
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
, opened in November 1866.
The Darby Improvement, a new alignment from Philadelphia to Eddystone (just outside Chester), opened on November 18, 1872, avoiding the old route through swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s and serving more populated areas. On July 1, 1873 the old alignment was leased to the Philadelphia and Reading Railway for 999 years. The Reading originally used the Junction Railroad
Junction Railroad (Philadelphia)
The Junction Railroad was a railroad in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, connecting lines west of downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It came under Pennsylvania Railroad control in 1881, and was eliminated by merger in 1908.-History:...
to reach this branch and the connecting Chester and Delaware River Railroad, but later obtained trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
's Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad
Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad
The Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad was a railroad line built by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Baltimore, Maryland. It was built in the 1880s after the B&O lost access to its previous route to Philadelphia, the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad...
(opened 1886).
The Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(PRR) began running over the PW&B in 1873 with the opening of its Baltimore and Potomac Rail Road
Baltimore and Potomac Rail Road
The Baltimore and Potomac Railroad operated from Baltimore, Maryland, southwest to Washington, DC, from 1872 to 1902. The company was controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad. It was the second railroad company to provide railroad service from Washington to the northeastern states, and became a...
. On May 15, 1877, the New Castle & Frenchtown and New Castle & Wilmington were merged into the PW&B, forming a branch line from Wilmington to Rodney. On May 21, 1877, the Southwark RR was merged in, extending the main line to the Delaware River waterfront.
Fight for control
In 1880 a major conflict began between the PRR and the B&O, both of which operated over the PW&B. The B&O arranged to divert its New York-bound trains away from the PRR route to the new Reading-controlled "Bound Brook Route," which had recently broken the PRR's New Jersey monopoly on Philadelphia-New York rail travel. B&O trains now left the PW&B at Gray's FerryGrays Ferry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Grays Ferry, also known as Gray's Ferry, is a neighborhood in South Philadelphia bounded by 25th Street on the east, the Schuylkill River on the west, Vare Avenue on the south, and Grays Ferry Avenue on the north. The section of this neighborhood west of 34th Street is also known as The Forgotten...
and traveled over the Junction Railroad
Junction Railroad (Philadelphia)
The Junction Railroad was a railroad in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, connecting lines west of downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It came under Pennsylvania Railroad control in 1881, and was eliminated by merger in 1908.-History:...
(jointly controlled by PW&B, Reading, and PRR) to Belmont, where they reached Reading rails. However, a mile of the Junction Railroad's track through Philadelphia was owned and used by the PRR, as well, and the PRR showed great ingenuity in arranging delays to B&O trains passing over this section of track.
The irate John W. Garrett
John W. Garrett
John Work Garrett was an American banker, philanthropist, and president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad ....
, president of the B&O, decided to counter-attack by quietly buying out the PW&B, cutting off the PRR from its Baltimore & Potomac subsidiary. However, his agent encountered unexpected difficulties in buying up a majority of the stock at the price specified. Meanwhile, the secret of Garrett's maneuver became known to the PRR, which quickly bought out a majority of the stock at a somewhat higher price and took control of the PW&B instead. Garrett was forced to charter the Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad
Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad
The Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad was a railroad line built by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Baltimore, Maryland. It was built in the 1880s after the B&O lost access to its previous route to Philadelphia, the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad...
and construct an independent line to Philadelphia, while paying the PRR substantial fees to continue New York service over their lines.
PRR subsidiaries
A number of branches were built, bought and sold from 1881–1891, as described below. In 1895, the main line was realigned and straightened at Naaman's CreekNaaman's Creek
Naamans Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in northeast New Castle County, Delaware and southeast Delaware County, Pennsylvania The stream rises near the intersection of Foulk Road and Naamans Creek Road at in Bethel Township, Pennsylvania, flows through Arden, Delaware, and discharges...
. The old line would become sidings for Claymont Steel.
The PRR's Baltimore and Potomac Rail Road
Baltimore and Potomac Rail Road
The Baltimore and Potomac Railroad operated from Baltimore, Maryland, southwest to Washington, DC, from 1872 to 1902. The company was controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad. It was the second railroad company to provide railroad service from Washington to the northeastern states, and became a...
was formally leased to the PW&B on November 1, 1891.
The Elkton and Middletown Railroad, opened in 1895, was originally intended as a cutoff between the main line at Elkton, Maryland
Elkton, Maryland
The town of Elkton is the county seat of Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,893 as of the 2000 census and 14,842 according to current July 2008 census estimates. It is the county seat of Cecil County...
and the Delaware Railroad at Middletown, Delaware
Middletown, Delaware
Middletown is a town in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the town is 18,871.-Geography:Middletown is located at with an elevation of ....
. However, only a short piece of track serving industries in Elkton was ever constructed. It was consolidated into the PB&W on September 15, 1916.
Merger
The PW&B merged with the Baltimore and Potomac on November 1, 1902 to form the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington RailroadPhiladelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad
The Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia in the 20th century was a key component of the Pennsylvania Railroad system. Its 131 mile main line ran from Philadelphia to Washington...
.
Branches
Southwark60th Street/Chester
South Chester
Edgemoor
Augustine Mill
The Augustine Mill Branch or Brandywine Branch was built in 1882 from Landlith
Landlith, Delaware
Landlith is an unincorporated community in New Castle County, Delaware, United States.- References :...
north along the Brandywine Creek to reach the Augustine Mills of the Jessup & Moore Paper Company, and was later extended further north to serve the Kentmere and Rockford Mills of Joseph Bancroft & Sons.
Shellpot
The Shellpot Branch
Shellpot Branch
The Shellpot Branch is a former Pennsylvania Railroad/Penn Central through-freight railroad owned and operated by Norfolk Southern since its acquisition, along with CSX Transportation, of Conrail in 1999...
or Shellpot Cutoff was built in 1888 from Edgemoor
Edgemoor, Delaware
Edgemoor is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 5,992 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Edgemoor is located at ....
(near the crossing of the Shellpot Creek
Shellpot Creek
Shellpot Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in northeast New Castle County, Delaware. The stream rises between Grubb Road and Shipley Road, south of Naaman's Road at in Brandywine Hundred and discharges into the Delaware River at near Edgemoor...
) around the south side of Wilmington to a point on the main line between Wilmington and Newport
Newport, Delaware
Newport is a town in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. It is located on the Christina River. It is best known for being the home of colonial inventor Oliver Evans. The population was 1,055 at the 2010 census...
. It served as a freight bypass, to avoid what was then street running
Street running
On-street running or street running is when a railroad track or tramway track runs directly along city streets, without any separation. The rails are embedded in the road....
on the main line through Wilmington.
Delaware Branch
This branch was formed from the old New Castle & Frenchtown and New Castle & Wilmington trackage between Wilmington and Rodney, via New Castle. It was sold to the Delaware Railroad in 1891.
New Castle Cut-off
The New Castle Cut-off was built in 1888 from a point on the Shellpot Branch just across the Christina River
Christina River
The Christina River is a tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles long, in northern Delaware in the United States, also flowing through small areas of southeastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Maryland. Near its mouth the river flows past downtown Wilmington, Delaware,...
from Cherry Island, south to New Castle and a connection with the Delaware Branch. It was sold with the Delaware Branch to the Delaware Railroad in 1891.
Delaware City
This line was sold by the Newark and Delaware City Railroad to the PW&B in 1881. It ran south and east from the main line at Newark
Newark, Delaware
Newark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
to Delaware City
Delaware City, Delaware
Delaware City is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2010 census. It is a small port town on the eastern terminus of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal and is the location of the ferry to Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island.-Geography:Delaware City is...
.
Port Deposit
The Port Deposit Branch was built in 1866 up the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
from Perryville
Perryville, Maryland
Perryville is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 3,672 at the 2000 census. The town is located off Interstate 95, on the north side of the mouth of the Susquehanna River.-History:...
to the river town of Port Deposit
Port Deposit, Maryland
Port Deposit is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. It is located on the north bank of the Susquehanna River near its discharge into the Chesapeake Bay...
. In 1893, it was sold to the Columbia and Port Deposit Railway, also PRR-controlled, which connected with it at Port Deposit.
Baltimore Union