Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad

Last updated
Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad
Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad
Overview
Dates of operation1902–1918
PredecessorWilkes-Barre and Western Railroad
SuccessorPennsylvania Railroad
Technical
Length39.22 miles

The Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad, also known as the SB&B Railroad or the Weak and Weary Railroad, which referred to the fact that it was not a financial success, [1] was a railroad in northeastern Pennsylvania until 1918. The route ran from Watsontown, Pennsylvania to Berwick, Pennsylvania. [2] The railroad was 39.22 miles long, with 3.51 miles of branches, totaling 42.83 miles. [3] The railroad was also known as the "Sweet By and By". [4] Trains typically ran along the railroad six days a week. [5] What remains of it is currently a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. [6]

Contents

Predecessors

The Susquehanna, Bloomsburg and Berwick began as the Wilkes-Barre and Western Railway, incorporated on June 22, 1886 to build from Watsontown to Shickshinny. It opened 22 miles (35 km) of line from Watsontown to Millville in 1887, and in 1891, opened an additional 9 miles (14 km) from Millville Junction, just south of Millville, to Orangeville. [7]

The promoters of the Wilkes-Barre and Western envisioned it as part of a trunk line which would move bituminous coal east from the Clearfield Coalfield and anthracite west from Wilkes-Barre. Two affiliated railroads were chartered to help build these connections: the Turbotville and Williamsport Railroad was incorporated on November 18, 1892 to build from Turbotville to Williamsport, [8] while the Orangeville and Lehigh Railroad was incorporated on December 12, 1892 to build 70 miles (110 km) north from Orangeville to Hauser's Mills, now Pocono Lake, on the line of the Wilkes-Barre and Eastern Railroad. [9] Neither of these two roads were constructed and they were consolidated with the Wilkes-Barre and Western on March 1, 1893 to form the Central Pennsylvania and Western Railroad. This railroad was reorganized on July 31, 1902 as the Susquehanna, Bloomsburrg and Berwick Railroad. [10]

History

The Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad was originally called the Wilkes-Barre and Western Railroad, but renamed when its ownership was passed to a different company. Under this name, it was formed in 1885 and carried the first trains in 1887. [11] The railroad was mostly constructed using manual labor. The laborers consisted of locals, Italian workers, and Hungarian workers. [12] By 1891, the road extended as far east as Orangeville, but this course was abandoned in favor of routing the railroad to Berwick via Lightstreet. [11] The Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad originally only ran from Watsontown to Lightstreet, Pennsylvania. However, in 1903 the railroad was extended from Berwick to Eyers Grove. [1] In that year, the railroad company discontinued its branch line from Eyers Grove to Orangeville due to a lack of business. However, it retained its branch line from Eyers Grove to Millville. [1] By 1911, the Pennsylvania Railroad owned nearly all of the Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad Company's stock. [13] The Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick railroad was absorbed by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1918. It carried passengers for some years longer, although by 1940, passenger trains stopped running along the Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad. [2] However, the rail line continued to be used for other purposes until the late 1960s, when the American Car and Foundry plant in Berwick closed. After the closing of the plant, the railroad's use was negligible and the tracks entered a state of disrepair. By the beginning of the 1980s, the tracks east of Washingtonville had been removed. However, as of 2009, the railroad tracks from Washingtonville to Watsontown are still used. [5]

There were once plans to extend the railroad as far east as Shickshinny, but these plans were never put into practice. Additionally, there were plans to extend the railroad west from Watsontown to merge with railroads carrying coal from Clearfield County. [5]

Stations and Intersections

The Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad intersected the Bloomsburg and Sullivan Railroad near Lightstreet. [4] The Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad intersected another railroad in Eyers Grove. [14] The railroad had stations in Watsontown, McEwensville, Warrior Run, Turbotville, Schuyler, Ottawa, Washingtonville, Derry, Jerseytown, Eyers Grove, Millville, Buckhorn, Paper Mill, Lightstreet, Bloomsburg, Cabin Run, Fowlersville, Dennis Mills, and Berwick. [5] [14]

Financial information

In 1908, the total assets of the Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad company were $1,826,856.48. [3] The Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad, then known as the Wilkes-Barre and Western Railroad was sold in 1902. Some months later in 1902 the railroad was sold again, and this time renamed the Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick railroad. [5]

In 1905, the total cost of the Susquehanna, Bloomsburg and Berwick Railroad was $1,672,118.13. [15] Between 1910 and 1916, the net income of the railroad ranged from $7342 in 1915 to $159,159 in 1916. Their gross revenue between 1910 and 1916 ranged from $108,687 in 1915 to $320,072 in 1916. The company's capital stock consisted of $1,000,000 in the form of $50 shares. [16]

Course

The Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad started in Watsontown, and, passing through Jerseytown, Mordansville. [17] From Mordansville, the railroad went down the Little Fishing Creek river valley, then turned east to cross Fishing Creek. The route also passed through Lightstreet and Briar Creek before terminating in Berwick. [11] The Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad had two branch lines. One of them went from Eyers Grove to Millville and the other went from Eyers Grove to Orangeville. [1]

Uses

When the Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad was first built in 1887, it was intended to be used for the anthracite fields on the North Branch and West Branch Susquehanna River. [13] Starting in 1902, the Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick Railroad carried most of the cars manufactured by Berwick's American Car and Foundry Company to their owners. [11] Despite usually running only six days a week, trains would sometimes go along the railroad on Sundays to the Bloomsburg fairgrounds and picnic grounds at Eyers Grove. These runnings of trains were termed "Special Sunday excursions". In the 21st century, the remaining part of the railroad is used to provide service to the PPL Corporation plant. [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northumberland County, Pennsylvania</span> County in Pennsylvania, United States

Northumberland County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 91,647. Its county seat is Sunbury. The county is part of the Central Pennsylvania region of the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montour County, Pennsylvania</span> County in Pennsylvania, United States

Montour County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,136. Its county seat is Danville. The county is named for Andrew Montour, a prominent Métis interpreter who served with George Washington during the French and Indian War. It encompasses 132 sq mi, making it the smallest county by land area in the state. The county is part of the Central Pennsylvania region of the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbia County, Pennsylvania</span> County in Pennsylvania, United States

Columbia County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 64,727. Its county seat is Bloomsburg. The county was created on March 22, 1813, from part of Northumberland County. It was named Columbia, alluding to the United States and Christopher Columbus. The county is part of the Central Pennsylvania region of the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berwick, Pennsylvania</span> Borough in Pennsylvania, United States

Berwick is a borough in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania and is located 28 miles (45 km) southwest of Wilkes-Barre. As of the 2020 census, Berwick had a population of 10,355. It is one of the two principal communities of the Bloomsburg–Berwick metropolitan area, which covers Columbia and Montour counties, and had a combined population of 85,562 at the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania</span> Town in Pennsylvania, United States

Bloomsburg is a town and the county seat of Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania and is located 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Wilkes-Barre along the Susquehanna River. It is the only Pennsylvania municipality incorporated as a town. As of the 2010 census, Bloomsburg had a population of 14,855, with an estimated population of 13,811 in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerseytown, Pennsylvania</span> Census-designated place in Pennsylvania, United States

Jerseytown is a census-designated place (CDP) that is located in Madison Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania and of the Bloomsburg-Berwick micropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millville, Pennsylvania</span> Borough in Pennsylvania, United States

Millville is a borough in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 976. It is part of the Bloomsburg-Berwick micropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rohrsburg, Pennsylvania</span> Census-designated place in Pennsylvania, United States

Rohrsburg is a census-designated place (CDP) in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The population was 150 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bloomsburg-Berwick micropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susquehanna River</span> Major river in the Northeastern United States

The Susquehanna River is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, crossing three lower Northeast states. At 444 miles (715 km) long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the United States. By watershed area, it is the 16th-largest river in the United States, and also the longest river in the early 21st-century continental United States without commercial boat traffic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fishing Creek (North Branch Susquehanna River tributary)</span> Tributary of river in Pennsylvania

Fishing Creek is a 29.98-mile (48.25 km) long tributary of the Susquehanna River in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It joins the Susquehanna River near the census-designated place of Rupert and the town of Bloomsburg. The watershed has an area of 385 square miles (1,000 km2).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Fishing Creek</span> Creek in Columbia County, Pennsylvania

Little Fishing Creek is a tributary of Fishing Creek in Sullivan County, Lycoming County, and Columbia County, in Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 23.5 miles (37.8 km) long and flows through eight townships. The watershed of the creek has an area of 68.1 square miles (176 km2). The creek has six named tributaries, of which the largest are Spruce Run and West Branch Run.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Canal (North Branch Division)</span>

The North Branch Division of the Pennsylvania Canal was a historic waterway that ran 169 miles (272 km) along the North Branch Susquehanna River between southern New York and north-central Pennsylvania. At its southern end, the canal connected with the West Branch Canal and the Susquehanna Division Canal at Northumberland, while on the north it connected with the Junction Canal and the New York canal system. Built between 1828 and 1856, the North Branch Canal was part of a large transportation network that included Pennsylvania's Main Line of Public Works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 11 in Pennsylvania</span> Highway in Pennsylvania

U.S. Route 11 (US 11) roughly parallels Interstate 81 (I-81) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route runs from the Maryland state line in Antrim Township, Franklin County, northeast to the New York state line in Great Bend Township, Susquehanna County. US 11 serves Harrisburg, Wilkes-Barre, and Scranton. Between Harrisburg and Scranton, US 11 follows the Susquehanna River, while I-81 follows a shorter route over the mountains further to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lackawanna and Bloomsburg Railroad</span>

The Lackawanna and Bloomsburg Railroad (LBR) was an 80-mile (130 km) long 19th century railroad that ran between Scranton and Northumberland in Pennsylvania in the United States. Incorporated in 1852, the railroad began operation in 1856 and was taken over by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad in 1873. The western end of the line, from Northumberland to Beach Haven, is still in operation as the shortline North Shore Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bloomsburg–Berwick metropolitan area</span> Metropolitan area in Pennsylvania, United States

The Bloomsburg–Berwick Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in Pennsylvania, anchored by the town of Bloomsburg and the borough of Berwick. As of the 2010 census, the MSA had a population of 85,562.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susquehanna Warrior Trail</span> Rail trail in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

The Susquehanna Warrior Trail is a 12.21-mile (19.65 km) rail trail for bicyclists and pedestrians that runs along the west bank of the Susquehanna River in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The trail was created in 2005, and opened to the public in 2007. The Susquehanna Warrior Trail has not yet been dedicated. The trail is part of a plan to create a trail network covering all of Luzerne County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bloomsburg and Sullivan Railroad</span>

The Bloomsburg and Sullivan Railroad, (e.1888-d.1972) also called the B & S Railroad, was a long-lived independent shortline railroad that existed under that name operating independently from 1888 to 1928 in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, when it was made a subsidiary of the Reading Company, which closed it in 1972. The shortline railroad was 29 miles long, running from south of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania past the town, then northwards to Jamison City, Pennsylvania, with 4.45 miles of yard tracks. The Bloomsburg and Sullivan Railroad was one of five railroads serving Bloomsburg near the turn of the 20th century. The Bloomsburg and Sullivan Railroad Company's headquarters was in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and the managers of the company were James Corcoran and Thomas Wheeler. The Bloomsburg and Sullivan Railroad owned five locomotives and seven cars in 1917.

The Danville, Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre Railroad, also called the D.H. & W.B. Railroad, was a railroad in northeastern Pennsylvania. It ran from Sunbury to Tomhicken, a total of 43.44 miles plus 10.1 miles of branch lines, making the whole railroad 53.54 miles long. The railroad was completed in 1870. As of 2010, the Danville, Hazleton and Willkes-Barre Railroad tracks belong to the Pennsylvania Railroad. The railroad's gauge was 4 ft 9 in.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Jewett Waller Sr.</span> Pennsylvanian minister and civic leader

David Jewett Waller Sr. was an American Presbyterian minister, entrepreneur, landowner and civic leader who lived in the American state of Pennsylvania. He also helped build several local railroads, such as the North and West Branch Railway and also owned many coal mines. By the time of his death, he was one of the most well-known people in northeastern Pennsylvania. He helped increasing the population and industrialization of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. He also organized and created a number of churches in Pennsylvania.

Fort Bosley was a fort fortified in 1777 in the Susquehanna Valley frontier to protect settlers. It was one of roughly a dozen frontier forts in the immediate Susquehanna Valley region. It was located near a grist mill built by John Bosley in 1773.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "A new railroad comes to Berwick" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-12-09. Retrieved 2013-04-21.
  2. 1 2 William M. Ballie (2002), Discovering Bloomsburg: a bicentennial history
  3. 1 2 Pennsylvania. Dept. of Internal Affairs (1908), Annual Report, archived from the original on October 20, 2022, retrieved March 21, 2013
  4. 1 2 Nathan M. McKenzie (1975), Bloomsburg & Sullivan Railroad Tour, archived from the original on October 20, 2022, retrieved February 27, 2013
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The WILKES-BARRE & WESTERN and The SUSQUEHANNA BLOOMSBURG & BERWICK Railroads, archived from the original on April 12, 2013, retrieved March 21, 2013
  6. ↑ Archival Resources - Railroads, archived from the original on September 27, 2006, retrieved March 21, 2013
  7. ↑ Taber 1987, p. 431.
  8. ↑ Taber 1987, p. 425.
  9. ↑ Taber 1987, p. 412.
  10. ↑ Taber 1987, p. 392.
  11. 1 2 3 4 J.H. Beers (1915), Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, archived from the original on October 20, 2022, retrieved February 27, 2013
  12. ↑ Mount Pleasant Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, Bits of Historic Interest of Mt. Pleasant, archived from the original on October 20, 2022, retrieved June 8, 2014{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. 1 2 "The Rea Administration" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-10-20.
  14. 1 2 Berwick to Watsontown, 1916, archived from the original on April 12, 2013, retrieved March 21, 2013
  15. ↑ Pennsylvania. Dept. of Internal Affairs (1905), Annual Report of the Secretary of Internal Affairs: Railroad, canal ..., Part 4, archived from the original on October 20, 2022, retrieved March 21, 2013
  16. ↑ John Moody (1917), Moody's Manual of Investments: American and Foreign: Transportation, archived from the original on October 20, 2022, retrieved March 21, 2013
  17. ↑ Columbia County Historical & Genealogical Society (2009), Early Columbia County, ISBN   9780738572017, archived from the original on October 20, 2022, retrieved March 21, 2013

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.