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Malvern. Built with public funding, the double-track railroad originally operated on a turnpike basis which opened it to all comers, with shippers supplying their own rail carriages, wagons, horse power, and drivers. The railroad soon decided also to offer the option of new-fangled steam locomotives to haul the carriages and wagons assembled into trains, which ran interspersed between horse-hauled traffic. By 1844, horse-hauled movements were banned for through traffic and schedules enforced.
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outside diameter of tubes, 2 inches; length of tubes, 7 feet; diameter of driving wheels, 4 feet; and diameter of truck wheels, 30 inches. Although the rails at the time of the test were "wet with dew," the locomotive had no rail sander for increasing adhesion of the drivers. So remarkable was this accomplishment that reports in engineering journals doubted its occurrence. Nine days later, the engine repeated the feat in a more formal trial with an even greater load.
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The
Philadelphia & Columbia became operational on September 20, 1832, using flanged-wheeled carriages and wagons dragged by horse power atop iron-capped wooden rails over a 20-mile section between Broad and Vine Streets in Philadelphia and the Green Tree Inn, located between present-day Paoli and
318:
during a time when
America's main coastal cities were vying to become the most important and influential port from the mid-1820s, it was an attempt by business interests to position their own port city to be the principal supplier and beneficiary of the economic boom expected from the new markets and
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in support of a far sighted plan to link the whole state by canals. With an engineering study reporting back a finding that obtaining sufficient waters to flood the intended 80+ mile canal from
Philadelphia to Columbia, the Canal Commission and legislature authorized the railway on the right of way
544:
steam pressure was less than eighty pounds to the square inch, and the time to make the run was 2 minutes, 24 seconds representing a speed of 13.25 mph. The dimensions of the "Washington" were: diameter of cylinders, 10 1/4 inches; length of stroke, 17 5/8 inches; number of boiler tubes, 78;
515:
The
Belmont Plane ran from the Schuylkill River to the top of the Belmont Plateau. The length of the plane was 2,800 feet and its grade 369 feet to the mile, or one foot rise in 14.3 feet, which was a much steeper grade than the planes on the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad which were one foot in 18,
285:
project in direct competition—legal capabilities, funding and construction was shifted to a railroad—it was expected to be far faster and cheaper to build above ground and make bridges than it was to dig a deep ditch and provide it with reliable water supplies to enable two way barge
266:, the branch was to be a continuation of the first funded river improvements and harder-to-construct engineering challenges farther west in less populated rural regions. The canal joining the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers in the initial planning was to run across the most populated expanse of
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drove up the Plane making it the first locomotive to climb an ascending grade while pulling a load. The weight of the engine with water was 14,930 pounds and the load drawn up the plane, including the tender with coal and water, two passenger cars, and 53 passengers, was 31,270 pounds. The
466:
In order to bypass the
Belmont Plane, the original Philadelphia & Columbia RR grade between its eastern terminus and Athensville (renamed Ardmore in 1873) was abandoned and replaced in 1850 with a new alignment roughly following the route of the
278:). As a canal section, its planning was overtaken by the growth of railroad technology, which by the mid-1830s had demonstrated sufficient promise to adopt the new technology for the easternmost leg of the overall planned transportation system.
585:. The state funded and built the rest of the line from 52nd Street east to downtown, but on a different alignment than the one originally planned; the new line, put into operation October 15, 1850, ended at the west end of the
627:
The
Columbia Plane, which lowered railway cars down to the Eastern Division Canal along the Susquehanna River, was bypassed in 1840 by a new track alignment allowed by more modern engines with greater power.
593:
continued east. The older planned line, was abandoned and became the route of present-day
Montgomery Avenue in Lower Merion Township running from the Schuylkill River up the Belmont Plane to Ardmore.
427:
and Vine
Streets, ran north on Broad and west on Pennsylvania Avenue (a segment later taken over and submerged/tunneled over by the Reading Railroad), then headed northwest across the
605:('The Reading Railroad') as part of its main line. The Reading also acquired the Northern Liberties and Penn Township Railroad in 1870, giving it access to the Delaware River.
574:
472:
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to provide clean burning
Anthracite to eastern cities that were increasingly having trouble finding heating fuels as eastern forests had become scarce and logged over.
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451:. At that point, the eastern division of the canal was joined to the railroad, allowing transhipment of traffic heading north along the river and then west.
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on the
Delaware estuary westwards across the great plain of southern Pennsylvania (goal of connecting the Susquehanna to New York City via canals) through
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resources, all resulting from the great wave of post revolutionary war immigration taking place westwards to the Ohio Country and
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496:
220:. Hence, the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad became a key integral part of what grew to be the largest railroad in the world.
196:, with rapidly improving railroad technology driving rapid changes in capabilities, the Railroad was sold along with most of the
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with the proviso that the Railroad had to link Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. At the time, the PRR had begun building its famous
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577:, which had been incorporated in 1835 to bypass the Belmont Plane and failed after completing only the section from
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which the state purchased from the railroad's private owners. This realignment is still in use as the four track "
609:
415:
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128:(1834) was one of the earliest commercial railroads in the United States, running 82 miles (132 km) from
874:
Minor, D.K. (ed) "Excursion to Philadelphia, and Remarkable Performance of the Locomotive George Washington"
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343:
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making an ascent of 196 feet in 2,800. Steam-driven cables dragged the railway cars to the top of the hill.
152:. The Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad's western terminus was located near the former ferry site known as
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which operated the railroad under the various enabling acts of the Pennsylvania legislature known as the
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Despite the relatively untried and unproven nature of the railroad technologies with the example of the
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The canals reduced travel time between Philadelphia to Pittsburgh from at least 23 days to just four.
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Eastern Division Canal: 43 miles (69 km) from Columbia to Duncan's Island at the mouth of the
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was conceived in the mid-1820s by Philadelphia merchants inspired by the obvious impact of the
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Carter, Charles F. "When Railroads Were New" New York:Henry Holt & Co. (1909) pp. 128-133
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Western Division Canal: 103 miles (166 km) from Johnstown to the terminus in Pittsburgh.
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and the emerging markets of the three decades of steady emigration into the near west, the
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counties and, by extension, the western suburbs of Philadelphia, is still known as the
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The Pennsylvania Auditor General's Report for the fiscal year ending November 30, 1850
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204:(PRR) which acquired properties of the Pennsylvania Canal Commission as far west as
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The section of the Pennsylvania Railroad running from Philadelphia west through
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was incorporated in 1829 to build a branch continuing east on Noble Street and
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366:. It consisted of the following principal sections, moving from east to west:
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region (and so was delayed politically in part by local land concerns and the
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The Columbia Bridge and line east to Broad and Vine Streets were sold to the
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opened in 1834 under the Pennsylvania Canal Commission and was sold to the
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regions in the 19th century. It was also a plan to enable the newly opened
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Juniata Division Canal: 127 miles (204 km) from Duncan's Island to
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435:. Just after crossing the river, it traveled up the Belmont Plane, an
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876:
The American Railroad Journal, and Advocate of Internal Improvements
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The Pennsylvania Railroad: Volume I, Building an Empire, 1846–1917
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with surveys for the best route over the barrier of the northern
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423:
The Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad began in Philadelphia at
688:. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Archived from
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at the behest of Philadelphia city fathers to compete with the
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937:
180:. Most of its right-of-way was obtained by the actions of the
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479:" as far as Ardmore (MP 8.5) and is shared by trains of both
443:, and continued west across the eastern part of the state to
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259:
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758:, Philadelphia: The Pennsylvania Railroad Company. p. 10, 96
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in the late 1820s conception as the easternmost leg of the
878:
Vol. V, No. 30, p. 465. New York, Saturday, July 30, 1836
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east bank approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) south of
849:
The History of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Vol. 1
715:. Baltimore: Barnard, Roberts, and Company. p. 34.
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In 1857 as one of the properties legally denoted as the
756:
Centennial History of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
736:"Sale of the Main Line of Public Works of Pennsylvania"
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462:"View of the Inclined Plane, near Philadelphia" (1838).
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Railroads in Philadelphia that became a part of the
471:(now Lancaster Avenue) and including the existing
216:cutting across several of the streams forming the
754:Burgess, George H. and Kennedy, Miles C. (1949),
1038:
1013:Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad
1007:Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad
851:, Philadelphia: Henry T. Coates Co., 1895 p. 15
447:, where the Columbia Plane headed down to the
386:: 36 miles (58 km) from Hollidaysburg to
1009:terminal (Broad Street and Washington Avenue)
923:
573:In 1850, the state bought the remnant of the
497:Northern Liberties and Penn Township Railroad
491:Northern Liberties and Penn Township Railroad
126:Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad (P&CR)
938:Historical train terminals in Philadelphia
930:
916:
870:
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362:and connected with other divisions of the
26:
1047:Predecessors of the Pennsylvania Railroad
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531:On July 10, 1836, the Philadelphia-based
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156:, in the town once of that name, but now
144:. It is currently owned and operated by
1057:Railway companies disestablished in 1857
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785:The Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad
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254:trade with near-west settlements in the
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976:West Philadelphia Station (replaced by
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1067:American companies established in 1834
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881:
745:
638:List of defunct Pennsylvania railroads
557:Plan of the West-Philadelphia Railroad
1052:Railway companies established in 1834
989:Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Station
911:
549:West Philadelphia and City Railroads
1021:terminal (Front and Willow Streets)
997:terminal (Willow and Front Streets)
469:Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike
13:
1025:Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad
674:Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad
411:Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad
404:on June 25, 1857 for $ 7,500,000.
164:. There the P&CR met with the
17:Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad
14:
1078:
1027:terminal (Broad and Vine Streets)
1001:Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad
603:Philadelphia and Reading Railroad
596:
507:. This shortline opened in 1834.
1015:terminal (9th and Green Streets)
1003:terminal (B and Cambria Streets)
806:University of Pennsylvania Press
787:, Lower Merion Historic Society"
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439:in the current location of West
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854:
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533:William Norris Locomotive Works
1062:Defunct Pennsylvania railroads
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775:
761:
729:
704:
678:
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350:, the system in time ran from
246:Originally planned during the
1:
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327:and the initial mines in the
242:P&CRR schedule from 1851.
182:Pennsylvania Canal Commission
800:Churella, Albert J. (2013).
769:"Allegheny Portage Railroad"
711:Roberts, Charles S. (1997).
419:P&CRR Philadelphia depot
344:West Fork of the Susquehanna
316:Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7:
995:North Pennsylvania Railroad
631:
283:Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
268:Pennsylvania's Great Valley
10:
1083:
663:Allegheny Portage Railroad
575:West Philadelphia Railroad
473:West Philadelphia Railroad
384:Allegheny Portage Railroad
227:
210:Allegheny Portage Railroad
969:
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581:west to the main line at
264:Pennsylvania Canal System
234:Main Line of Public Works
194:Main Line of Public Works
186:Main Line of Public Works
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105:
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82:
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37:
32:P&CRR schedule (1837)
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483:(its current owner) and
358:and across the state to
189:intended for the canal.
178:Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
172:and improvements on the
119:82 miles (132.0 km)
338:construction along the
310:and other lands of the
1019:Willow Street Railroad
570:
558:
528:
463:
420:
290:The Pennsylvania Canal
243:
76:Columbia, Pennsylvania
771:. WQED Multimedia TV.
686:"Pennsylvania Canals"
564:
556:
522:
461:
418:
402:Pennsylvania Railroad
314:(1803). Built by the
258:and expected to be a
256:Northwest Territories
241:
224:Historical background
218:gaps of the Allegheny
202:Pennsylvania Railroad
200:system, to the young
142:Pennsylvania Railroad
95:Pennsylvania Railroad
984:Broad Street Station
900:PRR Chronology, 1836
861:PRR Chronology, 1834
587:Market Street Bridge
978:30th Street Station
537:"George Washington"
535:4-2-0 steam engine
348:Allegheny Mountains
321:Northwest Territory
308:Northwest Territory
148:as its electrified
18:
808:. pp. 51–54.
692:on August 18, 2007
571:
559:
529:
464:
421:
398:Pennsylvania Canal
364:Pennsylvania Canal
312:Louisiana Purchase
296:Pennsylvania Canal
244:
230:Pennsylvania Canal
198:Pennsylvania Canal
166:Pennsylvania Canal
83:Dates of operation
16:
1034:
1033:
955:Jefferson Station
815:978-0-8122-4348-2
589:, from which the
477:Keystone Corridor
449:Susquehanna River
208:and included the
174:Susquehanna River
150:Keystone Corridor
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961:Suburban Station
951:Reading Terminal
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847:Wilson, William
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162:Lancaster County
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742:, June 26, 1857
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214:Horseshoe Curve
86:1832–1857
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441:Fairmount Park
437:inclined plane
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329:Wyoming Valley
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372:Juniata River
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694:. Retrieved
690:the original
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525:"Washington"
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352:Philadelphia
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304:Ohio Country
300:Lehigh Canal
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280:
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138:Pennsylvania
130:Philadelphia
125:
124:
72:Philadelphia
51:Pennsylvania
47:Philadelphia
43:Headquarters
643:Duffy's Cut
579:52nd Street
340:Susquehanna
336:Navigations
334:Begun with
325:Coal Region
272:due-process
170:navigations
107:Track gauge
1041:Categories
649:References
610:Montgomery
360:Pittsburgh
356:Harrisburg
252:Erie Canal
206:Pittsburgh
824:759594295
713:Triumph I
696:August 7,
622:Main Line
431:over the
388:Johnstown
286:traffic.
274:needs of
248:Canal Age
101:Technical
91:Successor
63:P&CRR
632:See also
614:Delaware
445:Columbia
342:and the
158:Columbia
134:Columbia
111:standard
38:Overview
970:Defunct
618:Chester
583:Ardmore
503:to the
168:—
944:Extant
822:
812:
719:
616:, and
527:(1836)
481:Amtrak
146:Amtrak
116:Length
78:, U.S.
68:Locale
53:, U.S.
740:Times
661:e.g.
485:SEPTA
425:Broad
260:canal
820:OCLC
810:ISBN
717:ISBN
698:2007
523:The
495:The
396:The
306:and
294:The
232:and
567:PRR
160:in
132:to
74:to
1043::
883:^
867:^
818:.
747:^
624:.
612:,
487:.
136:,
49:,
980:)
957:)
931:e
924:t
917:v
826:.
789:.
783:"
725:.
700:.
569:.
374:.
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