The was a major
Holding Company , owning and operating much of the
Lines West territory (west of
Pittsburgh and
Erie, Pennsylvania ) of the
Pennsylvania Railroad , including the
Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne And Chicago Railway , the PRR's main route to
Chicago, Illinois . It also owned but did not operate the
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago And St. Louis Railroad (Pan Handle Route), another line to Chicago.
The Pennsylvania Company was incorporated
April 7 ,
1870 in
Pennsylvania as a
Holding Company with a broad
Charter . It was organized
June 1 , with president
William Thaw of the PRR.
Tom Scott replaced Thaw as the president
January 20 ,
1871 . On
April 1 of that year the company began operating several railroads; others were acquired later.
- - main line direct from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Chicago, Illinois
- - main line from Pittsburgh north to Erie, Pennsylvania
- (merged into the Vandalia Railroad , PRR-owned but not Pennsylvania Company operated, January 1 , 1905 )
- (merged into the YL&P June 1 , 1887 )
- (merged into the PY&A January 1 , 1906 )
- - branch of PFW&C to Cleveland, Ohio
- (merged into the JM&I November 18 , 1881 )
- (merged into the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago And St. Louis Railway , PRR-owned but not Pennsylvania Company operated, October 1 , 1890 )
- (merged into the JM&I June 26 , 1890 )
- (began operating itself October 1 , 1890 )
- (merged into the JM&I April 10 , 1882 )
- ; Ashtabula And Pittsburgh Railway (merged into the AN&Y June 16 , 1887 )
- (merged into the NWO November 28 , 1877 )
- ; Toledo And Woodville Railroad ; Northwestern Ohio Railway (merged into the TWV&O May 23 , 1891 )
- (merged into the TT&E May 1 , 1878 ?)
- (reorganized February 1 , 1884 as the non-PRR Meadville And Linesville Railroad )
- (merged into the AN&Y June 16 , 1887 )
- ; Pittsburgh, Ohio Valley And Cincinnati Railroad
- (merged into the YL&P June 1 , 1887 )
- (merged into the PY&A August 1 , 1887 )
- (merged into the PY&A August 1 , 1887 )
- ; Pittsburgh, Youngstown And Ashtabula Railway
- (merged into the SC&S February 5 , 1901 )
- (merged into the TC&OR July 1 , 1911 )
- (merged into the TWV&O January 1 , 1904 )
- (merged into the C&P January 1 , 1899 )
- (merged into the SC&S February 5 , 1901 )
- (merged into the TC&OR July 1 , 1911 )
- (only 51.492 miles (83 km), formerly the New Castle And Franklin Railroad from New Castle, Pennsylvania to Stoneboro, Pennsylvania plus branches)
]]
The Pennsylvania Company operated the
Erie Canal Of Pennsylvania from
September 16 ,
1870 to
February 4 ,
1871 .
On
January 1 ,
1918 , soon after the
United States Railroad Administration took over all U.S. railroads, all Pennsylvania Company leases were transferred to the PRR. On
March 1 ,
1920 , when the lines were returned to the PRR, they were separated into four regions - the
Eastern Region ,
Central Region ,
Northwestern Region and
Southwestern Region .
The Pennsylvania Company however stayed around as a
Holding Company , and was re
Incorporated In Delaware on
December 12 ,
1958 and reorganized
December 16 . Its new purpose was to
Diversify into
Real Estate and other fields, and the company lasted through the
1968 PRR merger into
Penn Central Transportation .
In
1973 or
1974 several subsidiaries were created - the for
Theme Park investments (including
Six Flags Great Adventure and
Stars Hall Of Fame ), the '''Penn Orlando Company''', and '''Penn Arlington, Inc.''' (which bought
Six Flags Over Texas from the
Great Southwest Corporation ).
