Table of Contents
Quick Facts
| Year Founded | 1846 |
| Year of Demise | 1968 Merged with NYC to form Penn Central |
| Total Track Mileage | 11,640 |
| Number of States was located in | 11 |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
History
The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) was one of the most influential American railroads of the 19th and 20th centuries. From its beginnings as a small company operating in the coal-rich Appalachian Mountains of eastern Pennsylvania, the PRR rose to become one of the largest and most powerful railroads in the world. Employing thousands of people and serving hundreds of communities, the PRR was an integral part of the development of commerce and industry in the northeastern United States. The PRR originated in 1846 as the Philadelphia and Columbia Railway Company, which was dedicated to connecting the coal fields of Pennsylvania with the coal-poor cities of Philadelphia and New York. In 1857, the company merged with the Pennsylvania Railroad and Newport Railroad to become the Pennsylvania Railroad.
From that time, the PRR expanded its reach, eventually servicing the states of Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington D.C., Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and New York.
Its lines connected major cities on the Eastern seaboard, including Philadelphia, New York City, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
The PRR was renowned for its innovation and engineering feats, including the creation of the world’s first electric railway, which ran from Philadelphia to Lebanon, Pennsylvania in 1895. Other PRR achievements include the first concrete highway, constructed in 1905 and the first railroad tunnel, dug beneath the Hudson River in 1910.
The PRR also played an instrumental role in the development of the lavish Pullman sleeping car, which made passenger train travel much more comfortable.
During the 1920’s and 30’s, the PRR adopted the slogan “America’s Standard Railroad,” indicating the company’s commitment to the highest standards of service.
The PRR owned and operated several major properties, including the Pennsylvania Station in New York City, a grand building that unified several rail lines, forming the hub of the PRR network. The PRR also standardized its locomotives and cars during this time, allowing it to move more freight and passengers more efficiently and increasing its profits.
The PRR’s success was cut short, however, by various forces, including the Great Depression and increasing competition from automobiles and the airline industry. The PRR declared bankruptcy in 1970, and was taken over by the new Penn Central Transportation Company.
After a few tumultuous years, the PRR was eventually merged with several other railroads to form the Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail). The Conrail era, however, marked the end of the PRR’s significant importance to the American landscape.
The Pennsylvania Railroad was a major force in the industrialization of the northeastern United States, making train travel faster and more efficient, providing employment opportunities to thousands, and setting the standard for excellence in the railroad industry. For over a century, its trains traveled the length and breadth of the northeast, bringing energy and prosperity to the nation.
Surviving Steam Locomotives
| Locomotive | Type | Builder | Location | Notes |
| 1361 | 4-6-2 K4s | PRR 1918 | Railroaders Memorial Museum, Altoona, PA | Previously placed on display at Horseshoe Curve. Operated in excursion service from 1987 to 1988. Restoration back to operation ceased in 2008, then resumed again in 2015 |
| 643 | 0-6-0 B4a | PRR 1901 | Williams Grove Historical Steam Engine Association, Dillsburg, PA | Currently the only operational PRR steam locomotive. |
| 4483 | 2-10-0 I1sa | Baldwin 1923 | Western NY Railway Hist Soc, Hamburg, NY | Possible candidate for restoration to operation with the proper funding. May be moved to the Heritage Discovery Center. |
| 60 | 0-6-0 B6sa | PRR 1913 | Wilmington & Western Railroad Hockessin siding, Hockessin, DE | Private owner. Stored |
| 94 | 0-4-0 A5s | PRR 1917 | Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, PA | Display |
| 1670 | 0-6-0 B6sb | PRR 1916 | Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, PA | Display |
| 7688 | 2-8-0 H10s | Lima 1915 | Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, PA | Display |
| 1187 | 2-8-0 RH3 | PRR 1888 | Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, PA | Display |
| 2846 | 2-8-0 | Baldwin 1905 | Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, PA | Display |
| 520 | 2-8-2 L1s | Baldwin 1916 | Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, PA | Display |
| 1223 | 4-4-0 D16sb | PRR 1905 | Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, PA | Display. Leased to the Strasburg Railroad from 1963 to 1989 for excursion service. |
| 460 | 4-4-2 E6s | PRR 1914 | Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, PA | Display. Nicknamed the “Lindbergh Engine.” |
| 7002 | 4-4-2 E-7s | PRR 1902 | Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, PA | Display. Leased to the Strasburg Railroad from 1983 to 1989 for excursion service |
| 5741 | 4-6-0 G-5s | PRR 1924 | Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, PA | Display |
| 3750 | 4-6-2 K4s | PRR 1920 | Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, PA | Display |
| 6755 | 4-8-2 M1b | PRR 1930 | Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, PA | Display. Largest surviving PRR steam locomotive. |
Surviving GG1 Electric Locomotives
In addition to the Steam Locomotives there are 16 GG1 electric locomotives that have survived.
| Number | Location |
| 4800 | Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, PA |
| 4859 | Transportation Center, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |
| 4876 | B&O Railroad Museum, Baltimore, Maryland |
| 4877 | United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey, Boonton, New Jersey |
| 4879 | United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey, Boonton, New Jersey |
| 4882 | National New York Central Railroad Museum, Elkhart, Indiana |
| 4890 | National Railroad Museum, Green Bay, Wisconsin |
| 4903 | Museum of the American Railroad, Frisco, Texas |
| 4909 | Leatherstocking Railway Museum, Cooperstown Junction, New York |
| 4913 | Railroaders Memorial Museum, Altoona, Pennsylvania |
| 4917 | Leatherstocking Railway Museum, Cooperstown Junction, New York |
| 4918 | National Museum of Transportation, St Louis, Missouri |
| 4919 | Virginia Museum of Transportation, Roanoke, Virginia |
| 4927 | Illinois Railway Museum, Union, Illinois |
| 4933 | Central New York Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society, Syracuse, New York. |
| 4935 | Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg, PA |
Significant Remnants And Places to Visit
There are several remnants and places to visit regarding the Pennsylvania Railroad.
The Railroad Museum Of Pennsylvania, Strasburg Pennsylvania. This is where the bulk of the surviving Pennsylvania Railroad surviving steam locomotives are located.
https://www.rrmuseumpa.org/
Horseshoe Curve. Located just west of Altoona Pennsylvania, this is the site of the famous curve.
Altoona, Pennsylvania. Two significant things are located here:
The Railroaders Memorial Museum
https://www.railroadcity.org/
And the remnants of the Pennsylvania Railroads Juniata site, which is still in use today.
http://www.nscorp.com/content/nscorp/en/about-ns/sustainability/juniata-locomotive-shop.html
Riding the Line Today
There are a couple of routes that Amtrak travels along ex-Pennsylvania Railroad Lines
The first is the electrified “Northeast Corridor” between New York City and Washington DC.
There are literally trains scheduled to ride this line all the time.
The line between Philadelphia and Cleveland is also in use.
Trains that run these routes include:
The Pennsylvanian,
Northeast Regional
Capital Limited
Keystone Service
Acela
amtrak.com
