Philadelphia: A Railroad History

by Edward W. Duffy

A Railroad History describes the remarkable development of the railroad industry in Philadelphia and the intense competition that pitted the Pennsylvania Railroad against the Reading Railroad, and those two titans against the formidable Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to dominate the regional market. The book details the impact of the rail industry in the region s economy, the Philadelphia waterfront, and its port. It also highlights the key roles of the city s industrial giants during this colorful era, including Steven Girard, Matthias Baldwin, William Sellers, Franklin Gowen, John W. Garrett, George Roberts, and Edward G. Budd.

Genres: Local History, History

176 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2012

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duffy writes a fast reading basic history of some of the ghosts of Philadelphia's past that still remain with us today: it's time as a major railroad road hub. In chapters detailing how the powerful railroad industry rose and fell when Philadelphia was known as "the workshop of the world", which required major rails to distribute its products, he shows how some major Philly landmarks came to be, even if the best known parts of the history have long since faded. There are chapters staking out former titans of Philly (and beyond) rails in the Reading Railroad and Pennsylvania Railroad and a host of others, moving both freight and people before consolidating several times over and eventually ending up as the modern CSX (freight) and Amtrak (people). Duffy goes onto discuss in further chapters on the background of places like Reading Terminal (which far outlasted its namesake), 30th Street Station, the former Broad Street Station ("the Chinese Wall"), or the waterfront rails. 

While a good primer, at points I get a little lost in the level of rail corporation building projects. I would have liked to see a little more on social history, such as lives of the people who worked for the rails or impacts on the neighborhoods or when the rails left. Still, it does give some background on places in Philadelphia that one sees everyday and the incredible extent these mass transportation operated all over the metropolitan area, connecting it to the larger world.

[Fionna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written, immaculately researched book about the Pennsylvania Railroad vs. the Reading Railroad vs. the B&O Railroad!