- Source: Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad
The Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad (PB&W) was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia in the 20th century, and was a key component of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) system. Its 131-mile (211 km) main line ran between Philadelphia and Washington.: 228 The PB&W main line is now part of the Northeast Corridor, owned by Amtrak.
History
The railroad was formed in 1902 when the Pennsylvania Railroad merged two of its southern subsidiaries, the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad and the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad.: 226
In 1907, the PB&W became a co-owner of the new Washington Terminal Company, which operated the new Washington Union Station, the marble structure dubbed the "Transportation Temple of America".
In 1916, the PB&W operated 717 miles (1,154 km) of road, including 9 miles (14 km) of trackage rights.: 226–227
= Acquisitions
=
The PB&W acquired six railroad companies:
1906: South Chester Railroad
1913: Baltimore and Sparrow's Point Railroad, which provided freight service to Bethlehem Steel Corporation's Sparrows Point steel mill
1916: Philadelphia and Baltimore Central Railroad
1916: Columbia and Port Deposit Railway
1916: Elkton and Middletown Railroad
1956: Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (Pan Handle Route)
= Improvements
=
In 1928, the PRR began to electrify the main line between New York City and Washington, D.C., using catenary. Electrification of the PB&W portion was completed in 1935. Amtrak still uses the 25 Hz traction power system.
= Dissolution
=
In 1968, the Pennsylvania Railroad and its longtime rival New York Central Railroad merged to form the Penn Central Railroad. The PB&W remained a separate legal entity, although controlled and operated by the new company. The Penn Central declared bankruptcy in 1970 but continued to operate trains until 1976, when the company's railroad assets were sold under the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act. Under the new law, Congress authorized the sale of the PB&W right-of-way between Philadelphia and Washington, and related assets (such as the Washington Terminal Company), to Amtrak. Other PB&W assets, including almost all of the PCC&StL (Pan Handle), were sold to the new Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail).: 122
In popular culture
Flip Wilson's "Ugly Baby" (1965) routine is set on the Pennsylvania Railroad, outbound from Baltimore.
See also
List of defunct Pennsylvania railroads
List of Delaware railroads
List of defunct Maryland railroads
List of Washington, D.C., railroads
References
External links
Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington Railroad Company (1903). First Annual Report.
Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington Railroad Company (1904). Annual Report.
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