Skip to main content

Replies sorted oldest to newest

I was able to stop by the Museum on Sunday (sorry I didn't get to meet you, Francine!) and was able to talk to a couple guys there, as well as exchange phone numbers.

I'm most likely going to stop by in Lansdale this Saturday with my Black Diamond passenger set to give it a try on the outer loop!

Looks like you'll have a new member!  It was fun talking Flyer and being able to put aside the ton of sad stuff in my life going on for a little while!

Hope to see you Saturday!

Francine posted:

Congratulations Ed, we were beginning to think you were a mirage.  I think you will like the group and trains are always fun.

Welcome!

No, not a mirage!  Just had a lot of family things all happen at once, and things to take care of after my father passed in January that have been taking more time than we thought!

As long as that Flyer loop is there, I'll have a lot to bring to run on it!  I had Flyer S trains anyway, but with inheriting more, I've got quite a collection now!  Can't wait to run some and share with the group, as well as people who come to see the trains run!

Francine posted:

I have been corrected, the F units are painted in "North Penn Railroad" which was absorbed by the Reading at the turn of the century.  As such it is a fictional paint scheme.

 

Fyi....as far as I'm aware the North Pennsylvania Railroad was never referred to as the 'North Penn' Railroad and from the pictures I've seen the engines appear to be all black - I've never seen a color pic of any piece of equipment.  

If you are from the area like myself and have a general interest in the railroad history of the area I can recommend two sources:

The Lansdale Historical Society put out a small booklet on the history of the North Pennsylvania RR - they may still have copies for sale - was only a few dollars.

History of the North Pennsylvania Railroad by Jay V Hare - this was written in 1944 and you can sometimes find originals on eBay anywhere from $20 - $50.   I'm not sure if any publisher has transferred the text to a more modern format.

If you are a hardcore historian as of 2000 or so, the Hagley Museum had all the corporate records and you could make arrangements to view.    Here's a synopsis from that time period:

North Pennsylvania Railroad Company records

Accession 1999

Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library


PO Box 3630
Wilmington, Delaware, 19807
302-658-2400
research@hagley.org

This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2013-10-24T16:00-0400

Finding aid prepared using best local practices and Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Cite items for this collection in the following format:
[Description and dates], Box/folder number, North Pennsylvania Railroad Company records (Accession 1999), Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807

icon

Descriptive Summary

Title:North Pennsylvania Railroad Company records
Dates:1836-1982
Accession Number:1999
Creator:North Pennsylvania Railroad Company
Extent:14 linear feet
Language of Material:English
Repository:Hagley Museum and Library: Manuscripts and Archives Department
Abstract:The Philadelphia, Easton and Water-Gap Railroad Company was incorporated in Pennsylvania on April 6, 1852, and renamed the North Pennsylvania Railroad Company on October 3, 1853. Their records consist of basic corporate records such as minute books, annual reports, account books and statements.
icon

Historical Note

The Philadelphia, Easton and Water-Gap Railroad Company was incorporated in Pennsylvania on April 6, 1852, and renamed the North Pennsylvania Railroad Company on October 3, 1853.

The company's object was to link Philadelphia with northeastern Pennsylvania and central and western New York, but it was only able to construct a line as far as Bethlehem (1853-1857) with a branch to Doylestown (1856), relying on connections with the Lehigh Valley Railroad at Bethlehem. As it occupied a minor traffic corridor, the North Penn was a relatively weak road until 1874, when it built a branch from Jenkintown to the Delaware River at Yardley which became a link in a second route between New York and Philadelphia. The so-called "New Line" opened on May 1, 1876, in time for traffic to the Centennial.

The New Line made the North Penn a more attractive property. The Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company negotiated a long term lease on May 14, 1879, and the road was thereafter operated as part of the Reading system. This situtation lasted until the Reading entered bankruptcy in 1971. After several failed attempts to reorganize, the viable portions of the Reading lines were conveyed to Conrail on April 1, 1976. The North Penn then began selling off its remaining real estate and was finally liquidated between 1982 and 1990.

icon

Scope and Content

The records of the North Pennsylvania Railroad Company consist of basic corporate records such as minute books, annual reports, account books and statements. They give a good overview of the company's planning, construction and operation down to the Reading lease of 1879, the dull middle period when the firm was a passive lessor (1879-1971), and the complex negotiations connected with the bankruptcy and conveyance to Conrail (1971-1981).

Among the more interesting series are the board papers, which consist of inbound letters and reports directed to the president and board. They include notes on earnings and finances, committee reports, reports of surveys and construction, lists of officers and petitions from patrons. There are many letters from Tom Scott and A.J. Cassatt of the Pennsylvania Railroad regarding arrangements for direct service to the Centennial and use of the New Line. A circular includes a map of the Centennial grounds showing the temporary tracks used to deliver exhibits and construction materials.

The reorganization papers document the company's attempts to find a solvent merger partner, the plan for a Middle Atlantic Rail Corp. (MARC), disputes with SEPTA over the commuter service and subsidy, and the valuation of property conveyed to Conrail.

There are center-line maps of the entire railroad, and track and property maps of most important points. There are also profiles of all the bridges over the Delaware River between Easton and Taylorsville (1875) and of the company's own bridge at Yardley.

Records of other companies include a copy of the charter of the Kensington and Oxford Turnpike Road Company (1836) and records of the associated East Trenton and Delaware & Bound Brook Railroad companies. The latter includes a small selection of president's inbound letters and notices (1878) and a short history of the 1875 Hopewell, N.J., "Frog War" between the forces of the D&BB and Pennsylvania Railroad.

icon
icon

Series Descriptions and Inventory

            
I. Organization papers, 1852-1869
 
 
 
 
Box 
1 Charter and Supplements, 1852-1869
Box 
1 Bylaws, 1854
            
II. Annual reports, 1853-1980
 
 
 
 
Box 
1 Printed Annual Reports, 1853-1855
Box 
1 Printed Annual Reports, 1857
Box 
1 Printed Annual Reports, 1860-1866
Box 
1 Printed Annual Reports, 1868
Box 
1 Printed Annual Reports, 1872
Box 
1 Printed Annual Reports, 1847-1878
Box 
1 Manuscript Annual Reports, 1854
Box 
1 Manuscript Annual Reports, 1871
Box 
1 Manuscript Annual Reports, 1872
Box 
1 Manuscript Annual Reports, 1874
Box 
1 Manuscript Annual Reports, 1880-1957
Box 
1 Manuscript Annual Reports, 1959-1964
Box 
1 Manuscript Annual Reports, 1966
Box 
1 Manuscript Annual Reports, 1967
Box 
1 Manuscript Annual Reports, 1969-1980
            
III. Reports and prospectuses, 1852-1855
 
 
 
 
Box 
1 "Philadelphia and her western railroad connections," 1852
Box 
1 "Address of the committee appointed as a mass meeting held by the friends of the Philadelphia, Easton and Water-Gap Railroad," 1852
Box 
1 "Philadelphia's great north route: North Pennsylvania Railroad to conneect Philadelphia with North Pennsylvania, Western New York, the Lakes and Canada West," 1853
Box 
1 "Report of Edward Miller, chief engineer," 1853
Box 
1 "North Pennsylvania Rail Road Company: Letters of he president and chief engineer," 1853
Box 
1 "Philadelphia's great north and lake route," February 1854
Box 
1 "Memorial of the North Pennsylvania Rail Road Company to the councils of Philadelphia," 1854
Box 
1 "Reports of Edward Miller, chief engineer," 1854
Box 
1 "Surveyed route from Philadelphia to the New York State line at Waverely," 1855
            
IV. Minute books, 1852-1982
 
 
 
 
Volume 
1 Stockholders' Vol. 1, 1853 January 10-1951 January 8
Volume 
2 Directors' Vol. 1, 1852-August 17-1860 January 6
Volume 
3 Directors' Vol. 2, 1860 January 11-1876 January 31
Volume 
4 Directors' Vol. 3, 1876 February 16-1896 April 4
Volume 
5 Directors' Vol. 4, 1896 May 12-1916 December 18
Volume 
6 Directors' Vol. 5, 1917 February 13-1934 November 13
Volume 
7 Directors' Vol. 6, 1935 February 13=1949 February 3
Volume 
8 Directors' & Stockholders' Vol. 7, 1949 May 3-1959 August 4
Box 
1 Directors' & Stockholders' Vol. 8, 1959 November 2-1971 January 11
Box 
1 Directors' & Stockholders' Vol. 9, 1971 February 2-1974 November 6
Volume 
9 Directors' & Stockholders' Vol. 10, 1975 Feburary 3-1978 September 28
Volume 
10 Directors' & Stockholders' Vol. 11, 1978 November 29-1981 November 24
Volume 
11 Directors' & Stockholders' Vol. 12, 1981 December 15-1982 November 18
Box 
1 Finance Committee, 1855 January 29-1941 July 24
            
V. Board papers, 1852-1967
 
 
 
 
Box 
1 Correspondence and Statements, 1852-1858
Box 
2 Correspondence and Statements, 1870-1898
Box 
2 President's Scrapbook and Journal, 1857-1867
Box 
2 President's Scrapbook and Diary, 1874-1967
            
VI. Securities records, 1853-1883
 
 
 
 
Box 
2 Subscription Books, 1853-1858
Volume 
12 Installments Cash Book, 1853-1863
Box 
2 List of Scrip Unconverted, 1879-1883
            
VII. Contracts and Agreements, 1855-1976
 
 
 
 
Box 
2 1855-1976
            
VIII. Mortgages, 1855-1952
 
 
 
 
Box 
2 1855-1952
            
IX. Statements, 1856-1878
 
 
 
 
Box 
2 Treasurer's Annual Statements, 1856, 1881-1922
Box 
2 Tonnage Statements, 1877-1878
Box 
2 Delaware River Branch Balance Sheet, 1874
Box 
2 Expentidures, 1877-1878
Box 
2 Expenses - Stony Creek Rail Road Co., 1877-1878
Box 
2 Salaries, 1878
            
X. Tax Records, 1862-1877
 
 
 
 
Box 
2 Federal tax papers, 1862-1877
            
XI. Legal Case Records, 1853-1943
 
 
 
 
Box 
2 Argument of George M. Dallas before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in the case of Sharpless and others vs. the City of Philadelphia, circa 1853
Box 
2 Charge of Hon. M. Russell Thayer to the jury in the case of Canty vs. North Penn Railroad Co. (wrongful death), 1867
Box 
2 Collector of Internal Revenue vs. The North Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Brief and Appendix, 1943
            
XII. Reorganization Papers, 1970-1981
 
 
 
 
Box 
3 Agreements with Reading Company, 1976-1977
Box 
3 Day & Zimmerman - Valuation of Reading, 1973
Box 
3 Lehigh Valley bankruptcy, 1973-1976
Box 
3 List of non-operating properties, 1978
Box 
3 Marketability study of property, 1970
Box 
3 Miscellaneous correspondence, 1972-1980
Box 
3 Reading final reorganization plan, 1979
Box 
3 Regional rail reorganization, 1970-1974
Box 
4 Regional rail reorganization, 1974-1976
Box 
4 SEPTA memorandum of understanding, 1972-1976
Box 
4 Valuation case, 1976-1978
Box 
5 Valuation case, 1979-1981
            
XIII. Account Books, 1853-1982
 
 
 
 
 A. General Journals, 1853-1982
  
 Volume 
 13 Vol. 1, 1853 May 1-1895 October 31
 Volume 
 14 Vol. 2, 1895 November 25-1928 December 31
 Volume 
 15 Vol. 3, 1929 january 31-1937 July 31
 Volume 
 16 Vol. 4, 1937 August 31-1943 June 30
 Box 
 10 Vol. 5, 1943 June 30-1957 December 31
 10 Vol. 6, 1958 January 1-1976 December 31
 10 Vol. 7, 1977 January 1-1982 December 2
 Box 
 9 Annual reports to I.C.C., 1950-1952, 1955-1960
 Box 
 5 Annual report, 1877-1878
 5 History of 1875 "Frog War" at Hopewell, N.J., undated
 5 President's inbound letters, 1878
 B. General Cash Book, 1853-1859
  
 Volume 
 27 Vol. 1, February 1853-November 1859
 Box 
 9 Annual reports to I.C.C., 1950-1955
 C. Construction & Equipment Accounts, 1853-1879
  
 Volume 
 17 Engineering Dept. Journal, Vol. A, 1853 May 20-1858 December 14
 Volume 
 18 Engineering Dept. Journal, Vol. 1, 1853 June 7-1858 December 14
 Volume 
 19 Engineering Dept. Ledger, Vol. A, May 1853-December 1858
 Volume 
 20 Engineering Dept. ledger, Vol. 1, June 1853-December 1858
 Volume 
 21 Construction & Equipment Ledger, Vol. 1, 1859-1871
 Volume 
 22 Construction Ledger, Vol. 2, 1871-1879
 Volume 
 23 Construction Voucher Book, 1859-1879
 Volume 
 24 Equipment Ledger, Vol. 2, 1871-1879
 Volume 
 25 Equipment Voucher Book, 1859-1878
 Volume 
 26 Engineering Ledger, Delaware River Branch, 1874-1876
 Box 
 5 Charter and Supplements, 1836
            
XIV. Miscellaneous Reports, 1878-1879
 
 
 
 
Box 
5 Passengers carried on New Line Trains, April 1879
Box 
5 Performance of engines, 1878-1879
            
XV Employee Timetables, 1855-1878
 
 
 
 
Drawer 
14 #24-26, #9, 1875-1878
Box 
5 1855-1876
            
XVI. Maps and Drawings, 1875-1951
 
 
 
 
Box 
5 Profiles of bridges over the Delaware River from Easton to Taylorsville, 1875
Box 
5 Profile of Delaware River Bridge, 1875
Box 
5 Property maps - Ambler
Box 
5 Property maps - Doylestown
Box 
5 Property maps - Elkins Park
Box 
5 Property maps - Glenside
Box 
5 Property maps - Jenkintown
Box 
5 Proprety maps - Neshaminy Falls
Box 
5 Property maps - Philadelphia
Box 
5 Property maps - Quakertown
Box 
5 Property maps - South Bethlehem
Box 
5 Property maps - Trevose
Box 
5 Property maps - Yardley
Box 
6 Real estate atlas, Main Line, 1888
Box 
6 Real estate atlas, Delaware River Branch, 1888
Box 
6 Philadelphia
Box 
6 Right of way index map, undated
Box 
6 Plan and profile of proposed Morrisville Branch, 1951
            
XVII. Annual Report to I.C.C., 1888-1976
 
 
 
 
Box 
7 1888-1919
Box 
8 1920-1949
Box 
9 1951-1973, 1975-1976
            
XVIII. Miscellaneous Records of Other Companies, 1836-1960
 
 
 
 
 A. Delaware and Bound Brook Railroad Company, 1877-1960
  
 Box 
 9 Annual reports to I.C.C., 1950-1952, 1955-1960
 Box 
 5 Annual report, 1877-1878
 5 History of 1875 "Frog War" at Hopewell, N.J., undated
 5 President's inbound letters, 1878
 B. East Trenton Railroad Company
  
 Box 
 9 Annual reports to I.C.C., 1950-1955
 C. Kensington and Oxford Turnpike Road Company
  
 Box 
 5 Charter and Supplements, 1836

 

Back to the original topic - it sure looks like everyone had a good time at the museum.  Congrats on being able to display your layout and run trains in a great spot!

-Greg

The Railroad museum of PA is a great museum and I also do a display there in November during their Trains & Troops showing militaria. The Flyer New Haven cars that were painted and one modified into a observation was interesting.  They are very short however and the lack of length is very apparent when running more prototypical length passenger cars. 

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×