Philadelphia Belt Line Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Philadelphia Belt Line Railroad owns a 2.66 miles (4.28 km) long railroad line running along the Delaware River
waterfront in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. It was created in 1889 to allow any Philadelphia railroad to access the waterfront. The railroad, which does not operate any trains itself, is currently maintained by Conrail Shared Assets Operations
and used by CSX Transportation
, Norfolk Southern Railway
, and Canadian Pacific Railway
.
. The trackage of the railroad is used by CSX Transportation
, Norfolk Southern Railway
, and Canadian Pacific Railway
to access the Philadelphia waterfront. PBL’s tracks are leased to Conrail Shared Assets Operations
, who provides maintenance to the line. North of South Street
, Conrail, which serves as a switching company for CSX and Norfolk Southern, has exclusive use of the line.
The Philadelphia Belt Line Railroad was created in 1889 with the purpose of allowing any Philadelphia railroad to have access to the Port of Philadelphia. From 1982 to 1995, a heritage trolley
using historic cars ran along the tracks in the Penn's Landing
area between the Ben Franklin Bridge and Pier 51. The trolley used newly-installed overhead wires and poles and was operated by the Buckingham Valley Trolley Association. After the trolley service ceased, the wires and poles were removed. In 2009, the Philadelphia Belt Line Railroad sued the developer of the proposed SugarHouse Casino
for building on property the city had given to the Philadelphia Belt Line Railroad in 1890.
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
waterfront in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. It was created in 1889 to allow any Philadelphia railroad to access the waterfront. The railroad, which does not operate any trains itself, is currently maintained by Conrail Shared Assets Operations
Conrail Shared Assets Operations
Conrail Shared Assets Operations is an American railroad company. It operates three networks—the North Jersey, South Jersey/Philadelphia, and Detroit Shared Assets Areas, where it serves as a local carrier and switching company for CSX Transportation and the Norfolk Southern Railway...
and used by CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
, Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
, and Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
.
Operations
The Philadelphia Belt Line Railroad is a non-operating railroad and simply exists as a real estate holding companyHolding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
. The trackage of the railroad is used by CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
, Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
, and Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
to access the Philadelphia waterfront. PBL’s tracks are leased to Conrail Shared Assets Operations
Conrail Shared Assets Operations
Conrail Shared Assets Operations is an American railroad company. It operates three networks—the North Jersey, South Jersey/Philadelphia, and Detroit Shared Assets Areas, where it serves as a local carrier and switching company for CSX Transportation and the Norfolk Southern Railway...
, who provides maintenance to the line. North of South Street
South Street (Philadelphia)
South Street is an east-west street forming the southern border of the Center City neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the northern border for the neighborhoods of South Philadelphia. The stretch of South Street between Front Street and Seventh Street is known for its "bohemian"...
, Conrail, which serves as a switching company for CSX and Norfolk Southern, has exclusive use of the line.
History
Heritage streetcar
Heritage streetcars or heritage trams are a development of the heritage railways that are becoming popular across the world. As with modern streetcar systems, the vehicles are referred to as trams or tramcars in the United Kingdom, Australasia and certain other places , but as streetcars or...
using historic cars ran along the tracks in the Penn's Landing
Penn's Landing
Penn's Landing is the waterfront area of the Center City along the Delaware River section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is so named because the founder of Pennsylvania, William Penn, docked near here in 1682, along the now paved over Dock Creek, after landing first in New...
area between the Ben Franklin Bridge and Pier 51. The trolley used newly-installed overhead wires and poles and was operated by the Buckingham Valley Trolley Association. After the trolley service ceased, the wires and poles were removed. In 2009, the Philadelphia Belt Line Railroad sued the developer of the proposed SugarHouse Casino
SugarHouse Casino
SugarHouse Casino is a casino entertainment development along the Delaware River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Fishtown neighborhood. It was one of five stand-alone casinos awarded a gaming license on December 20, 2006 by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board...
for building on property the city had given to the Philadelphia Belt Line Railroad in 1890.