Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) History Timeline

Home » Appalachian Railroads » Pennsylvania Railroad – PRR » Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) History Timeline

History Timeline of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR)

1840s: Founding and early growth

  • April 13, 1846: The Pennsylvania Railroad Company (PRR) is chartered by the Pennsylvania state legislature to build a rail line connecting Harrisburg to Pittsburgh.
  • 1847: Samuel Vaughan Merrick becomes the PRR’s first president.
  • 1850s: The PRR expands its network, focusing on linking Philadelphia to the Midwest. 

1850s–1890s: Expansion and industrial powerhouse

  • 1854: The Horseshoe Curve is completed, a major engineering achievement that allows the PRR to cross the Allegheny Mountains.
  • 1857: The PRR buys the state-owned Main Line of Public Works, gaining a wholly-owned route across Pennsylvania.
  • 1869: President J. Edgar Thomson directs the acquisition of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago lines, giving the PRR its own direct access to Chicago.
  • 1870: The PRR reaches its westernmost terminus in St. Louis through acquiring the “Pan Handle” route (Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis).
  • 1870s: The PRR expands east into New Jersey and gains entry into New York City through the United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Company.
  • 1880: The PRR wins a battle for control of the important Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore line against its rival, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O).
  • Late 1800s: Under leaders like Thomas A. Scott and George B. Roberts, the PRR expands its network to include Washington, D.C., and areas in Virginia and Michigan.
  • 1880–1897: George B. Roberts serves as president, a period of continued system expansion.
  • Financial Performance: The PRR develops a reputation for stable and profitable management, paying consistent dividends for decades. 

Turn of the century: Infrastructure and electrification

  • 1899–1906: President Alexander J. Cassatt focuses on major system improvements and new terminal projects.
  • Technological Upgrades:
    • Introduces block signals for safety and efficiency.
    • Begins electrifying portions of its system, starting with suburban lines.
  • 1906: Federal court cases lead the PRR to sell off large holdings in competing railroads, like the B&O and Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O).
  • 1907–1913: James McCrea serves as president, overseeing the final stages of the New York terminal project.
  • 1910: The massive Pennsylvania Station opens in New York City, connecting Manhattan to New Jersey and Long Island via tunnels under the Hudson River.
  • 1915: Electrification is expanded on the eastern network.
  • 1925–1935: William W. Atterbury serves as president.
  • 1935: The iconic GG1 electric locomotive is introduced.
  • Late 1930s: Electrification is extended from New York City to Washington, D.C., and west to Harrisburg. 

Post-war decline and merger era

  • Post-WWII: The PRR, like other U.S. railroads, suffers from declining passenger traffic and shrinking freight business due to the rise of commercial air travel, interstate highways, and a contracting manufacturing base in the Northeast.
  • 1949–1959: The railroad’s final years under President James M. Symes see ongoing cost reduction efforts amid financial struggles.
  • 1960s: Numerous branch and secondary lines are closed due to low profitability.
  • February 1, 1968: The PRR merges with its longtime rival, the New York Central Railroad (NYC), to form the Penn Central Transportation Company (PC).
    • Strategy Change: This was a desperate merger of two ailing companies intended to survive declining fortunes.
    • Acquisition: The government forces the bankrupt New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad (NH) into the merger in 1969.
  • Integration Problems: The merger is plagued by corporate culture clashes, incompatible operating systems, and duplicated routes. 

Bankruptcy, government intervention, and Conrail

  • June 21, 1970: Penn Central files for bankruptcy, the largest in U.S. history at the time.
  • 1971: The newly created National Railway Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) takes over intercity passenger service from Penn Central and other railroads.
  • April 1, 1976: The federal government creates the Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) to acquire the freight rail assets of Penn Central and other bankrupt Northeastern railroads.
    • Government Takeover: This is a government-funded attempt to save rail freight service in the region.
    • Line Upgrades: Conrail overhauls the rail system, abandoning redundant lines and upgrading key routes to modern standards.
    • Passenger Transfer: The Northeast Corridor (the main PRR electrified line from Washington, D.C., to New York) is transferred to Amtrak. 

Late 20th century: Privatization and breakup

  • 1987: Conrail is privatized through a massive initial public offering (IPO), becoming a profitable and well-regarded freight railroad.
  • 1997: Following a bidding war, CSX and Norfolk Southern (NS) agree to a joint purchase of Conrail.
  • June 1, 1999: The acquisition is completed, and Conrail’s assets are split between CSX (42%) and Norfolk Southern (58%).
    • CSX: Acquires most of the former New York Central routes.
    • Norfolk Southern: Acquires nearly all of the former Pennsylvania Railroad main lines.
  • Conrail Shared Assets: Conrail is maintained as a shared terminal and switching company in the industrial hubs of Philadelphia, Detroit, and Northern New Jersey to ensure competition. 

Today: Legacy of the PRR

  • Norfolk Southern (NS): Continues to operate most of the former PRR freight routes, with upgrades to track and signaling.
  • Amtrak: Maintains the electrified Northeast Corridor, a showcase of passenger rail in the U.S.
  • Commuter Rail: Regional transit authorities like SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) now operate former PRR commuter rail lines.
  • Penn Central Corporation: After shedding its rail assets, the corporation survives as a separate, diversified company, American Premier Underwriters, an insurance firm. 

For More Information – Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the history and operation of the Appalachian Railroads. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Appalachian-Railroads.org. Much of the collective railroad history data points on this website are verified across multiple sources.

Contact Us

Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the railroads or model railroading.

Go back

Your message has been sent

3Cs Websites

Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org