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The Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines

The Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines was a partnership between (awe, you peeked) The Pennsylvania and the Reading Railroad. Throughout the latter part of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century, these two railroads competed for the Philadelphia to Atlantic City passenger business. As with the rest of the state, this business started to falloff and the two railroad joined forces and eliminate duplicate trackage. This marriage of convenience began in 1933.

During its life, the PRSL operated both passenger and freight service. Its mainline extended from Philly to Atlantic City. It also operated secondary trackage throughout south jersey. It extended as far south as Cape May, which is about as far south as you can go in New Jersey.

The road's power consisted of the same mix as its parents. It operated everything from K4s to GP38s and pretty much everything in between.

It had junctions with its parents in Pennsylvania. It also interchanged with the Jersey Central at several places.

The PRSL joined its parents in bankruptcy and was included in the Conrail Merger in 1976 along with its Parents: The Penn-Central and the Reading.

Its trackage from Cape May to Tuckahoe has recently been acquired for operation by the Cape May Seashore Lines. Most of the stations and facilities of the PRSL have been spared the torch due to the sparsely populated areas through which it passed.

The Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines: 1933-1976