The West Jersey and Seashore Railroad (WJ&S) was a

Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...

subsidiary in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

with a connection to

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

. It was formed through the merger of several smaller roads in May 1896. At the end of 1925 it operated of road on of track; that year it reported 166 million ton-miles of revenue freight and 332 million passenger-miles. The railroad became part of

Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines The Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines was a railroad that operated in South Jersey in the 20th century. It was created in 1933 as a joint consolidation venture between two competing railroads in the region: the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Rea ...

in 1933.

History

On May 4, 1896, the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) consolidated all its railroads and several smaller properties in southern New Jersey into the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad (WJ&S). This included the West Jersey Railroad, the Alloway and Quinton Railroad, the Camden and Atlantic Railroad, the Chelsea Branch Railroad, and the Philadelphia, Marlton and Medford Railroad. The consolidation was originally scheduled to occur in March 1896. But at a meeting held on March 21, it was agreed that there was not enough time given for proxy votes to arrive from stockholders who were not local to New Jersey; the deadline for proxies was then extended to April 6, 1896. Representatives of each of the constituent lines met on May 2, 1896, and all agreed to the merger, to become effective as soon as paperwork could be filed in Trenton. The WJ&S, as a subsidiary of the PRR, had two lines coming from its Federal Street Terminal in Camden: *The Main Line to

Atlantic City Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

and other shore points via Winslow Junction using trackage rights on ACRR's Cape May Branch to Woodbine Junction and its Cape May line to Ocean City, Wildwood, and

Cape May Cape May consists of a peninsula and barrier island system in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is roughly coterminous with Cape May County and runs southwards from the New Jersey mainland, separating Delaware Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. The so ...

. *The Millville Line via Woodbury to Milville and splitting off at Newfield to Atlantic City was

electrified Electrification is the process of powering by electricity and, in many contexts, the introduction of such power by changing over from an earlier power source. The broad meaning of the term, such as in the history of technology, economic history ...

with 650 V DC third rail, and overhead wire. *A line branching off at Millville *Branches going to Salem and Deep Water Point from Woodbury and Bridgeton from Glassboro. On October 28, 1906, an accident in Atlantic City killed 53 people when a three-car train plunged off an open swing bridge.

Predecessor railroads

Camden and Atlantic Railroad

Amerikaanse stoomlocomotief, RP-F-2001-7-998-15 (cropped)

This railroad was granted its charter by the state of

on March 19, 1852. The line was built from Camden to

via

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitu ...

. In late June 1854, it was completed sans the drawbridge over the thoroughfare outside of Atlantic City; regular passenger service started on July 4, with more than 3,000 people carried on the first day. The line proved so popular that the rival

gauge Gauge ( or ) may refer to: Measurement * Gauge (instrument), any of a variety of measuring instruments * Gauge (firearms) * Wire gauge, a measure of the size of a wire ** American wire gauge, a common measure of nonferrous wire diameter, es ...

Philadelphia and Atlantic City Railway The Atlantic City Railroad was a Philadelphia and Reading Railway subsidiary that became part of Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines in 1933. At the end of 1925 it operated of road on of track; that year it reported 43 million ton-miles of rev ...

, which was chartered in 1876, paralleled its mainline between Camden and Atlantic City. The railroad sent gangs of men to help fight a massive forest fire, that is estimated to have caused more than $200,000 () in damages, in May 1880 with the goal of preventing the fire from reaching Atlantic City. After some financial dealings in 1882 that may have involved bribery of a C&A clerk to obtain a list of stockholders, the PRR gained control of the Camden and Atlantic Railroad through its subsidiary

West Jersey Railroad The West Jersey and Seashore Railroad (WJ&S) was a Pennsylvania Railroad subsidiary in the U.S. state of New Jersey with a connection to Philadelphia. It was formed through the merger of several smaller roads in May 1896. At the end of 1925 it ...

on January 1, 1883. The main line built and operated by the C&A remains in use in the 21st century for passenger service by PATCO and

NJ Transit New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit, and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey, along with portions of New York State and Pennsylvania. It operates bu ...

Atlantic City Line The Atlantic City Line (ACL) is a commuter rail line operated by NJ Transit (NJT) in the United States between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey, operating along the corridor of the White Horse Pike. It runs over trackage ...

West Jersey Railroad

The West Jersey Railroad (WJ) opened its books on March 29, 1853, subscribing $250,000 in capital. It was granted its charter by the state of

on February 5, 1853, to build a line from Camden,

. An additional stock subscription of 1,000 shares by one director amounting to $200,000 was made at the company's meeting on May 17, bringing the total subscriptions to $450,000. Surveys of possible routes were made fairly quickly, and the directors of the company met on July 15, 1853, to select the route on which they would build. The line was then built in stages with the backing of the C&A from Camden to Glassboro. The first of the line using the abandoned right-of-way built by the

Camden and Woodbury Railroad The West Jersey and Seashore Railroad (WJ&S) was a Pennsylvania Railroad subsidiary in the U.S. state of New Jersey with a connection to Philadelphia. It was formed through the merger of several smaller roads in May 1896. At the end of 1925 it ...

was opened on April 15, 1857; then the extension to Glassboro opened on April 1, 1861, and to Bridgeton on July 25, 1861. The line was completed in 1863. In that year the WJ directors decided to build a line to Bridgeton, New Jersey, and later build the line from Glassboro to Millville and

. The right of way is now South Jersey/Philadelphia Shared Assets Operations Vineland Secondary freight rail line. The northern section is slated to become the light-rail

Glassboro–Camden Line The Glassboro–Camden Line (GCL) is a planned diesel multiple unit (DMU) light rail system to be located in South Jersey. At the northern terminus, the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden, it will connect with the River Line with w ...

Millville and Glassboro Railroad

The Millville and Glassboro Railroad (M&G) was built by a group of Millville businessmen independently of the West Jersey Railroad. Chartered on March 9, 1859, and incorporated in March 1859, the M&G was completed and opened in October 1860. The M&G started to build a line from Millville to Cape May, but funds dried up and the line was not completed. It was merged into the West Jersey railroad on April 1, 1868.

Cape May and Millville Railroad

In 1863, a group of Cape May County investors was granted a charter by the state of New Jersey on March 9, 1863, to build the Cape May & Millville Railroad (CM&M). The first trains ran on August 23, 1863. Construction was completed in 1867, with the full line extending . It was leased to the WJ in 1869; and fully merged into the WJ on August 27, 1879.

Salem Railroad

The Salem Railroad, chartered and incorporated on March 14, 1856, stretching from Elmer to Salem, New Jersey. Construction was completed in 1863, and the Salem Railroad was leased to the WJ on January 1, 1868. The line was fully merged into the WJ on January 1, 1888.

Swedesboro Railroad

The Swedesboro Railroad, chartered on February 23, 1866, was built from Woodbury to Swedesboro by the WJ. Construction started in 1867, was leased to the WJ on August 17, 1869, opened on September 11, 1869, and was completed in October 1869. It was fully merged into the WJ on January 1, 1888.

Woodstown and Swedesboro Railroad

The Woodstown and Swedesboro Railroad was chartered on March 21, 1871, opened on February 23, 1873, leased to the WJ on January 1, 1883, and fully merged on January 1, 1888. On January 21, 1882, the WJ built a line from the end of the Swedesboro Railroad to

Riddleton Junction The West Jersey and Seashore Railroad (WJ&S) was a Pennsylvania Railroad subsidiary in the U.S. state of New Jersey with a connection to Philadelphia. It was formed through the merger of several smaller roads in May 1896. At the end of 1925 it ...

on the Salem Railroad upon request of agricultural interests in Woodstown. Construction was in February 1883. This effectively gave the WJ two different routes into Salem.

Maurice River Railroad

The Maurice River Railroad was built by the WJ to obtain a share of the lucrative Delaware Bay oyster business. Incorporated on June 17, 1887, the long line stretched from Manumuskin to Maurice River. It was completed on November 1, 1887. The company was very soon merged into the WJ on January 1, 1888.

West Jersey and Atlantic Railroad

In 1879, the PRR directed the WJ to build a line from Newfield to

via

Mays Landing, New Jersey Mays Landing is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

. After surveys were completed, it was incorporated on November 6, 1879, with construction starting the same month. Capital stock was valued at $500,000 () at $50 per share. The line was completed on June 16, 1880. This railroad was ultimately leased to the WJ. The line was abandoned from Newfield to Mays Landing on December 31, 1958. The segment from Mays Landing to McKee City followed on August 18, 1966. p. 275 In 2003, a portion of the line from Egg Harbor Township to Mays Landing was converted to a

rail trail A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetc ...

as part of the Atlantic County Bikeway.

Philadelphia Marlton and Medford Railroad

This railroad was chartered on January 7, 1880, and incorporated in January 1880, and construction began in April 1880. Trains began operating from

Haddonfield :''Not the fictional Illinois town from the Halloween film series.'' Haddonfield is a borough located in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 11,593,

to Marlton by July 1881, and began service to Medford on October 11, 1881. In January 1885 it was operated by the Camden and Atlantic, and later as the Medford Branch of the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad. The last passenger train ran on September 24, 1927. The Medford Branch was officially taken out of service on November 2, 1931. The PM&M had stops at Haddonfield, Freeman, Orchard, Springdale, Locust Grove, Cropwell, Marlton, Elmwood Road, Melrose, and Medford. All except Haddonfield, Marlton, and Medford were

flag stop In public transport, a request stop, flag stop, or whistle stop is a stop or station at which buses or trains, respectively, stop only on request; that is, only if there are passengers or freight to be picked up or dropped off. In this way, s ...

Delaware River Railroad

The Delaware River Railroad (DRR) was incorporated on February 20, 1873, as the

Delaware Shore Railroad The West Jersey and Seashore Railroad (WJ&S) was a Pennsylvania Railroad subsidiary in the U.S. state of New Jersey with a connection to Philadelphia. It was formed through the merger of several smaller roads in May 1896. At the end of 1925 it ...

to build a line from Woodbury to Penns Grove. The line was opened in July 1876, but declared bankruptcy in January 1879 and reincorporated as the DRR. On April 30, 1900, the WJ&S acquired the DRR. Conrail's Penns Grove Secondary operates along the right of way.

Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines

On November 2, 1932, the PRR and

Reading Company The Reading Company ( ) was a Philadelphia-headquartered railroad that provided passenger and commercial rail transport in eastern Pennsylvania and neighboring states that operated from 1924 until its 1976 acquisition by Conrail. Commonly called ...

(RDG) merged their southern New Jersey railroad lines into one company, the

(PRSL). Duplicative lines were abandoned as part of the consolidation. The PRR had a two-thirds ownership, and the RDG maintained one-third ownership. On July 15, 1933, the Atlantic City Railroad (a subsidy of the RDG) leased the WJ&S railroad and joined the PRSL.

Notes

References

Bibliography

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External links

The Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines Historical Society

The West Jersey Chapter of the NRHS
{{DEFAULTSORT:West Jersey Seashore Railroad Companies affiliated with the Pennsylvania Railroad Defunct New Jersey railroads Predecessors of the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines Former Class I railroads in the United States Railroads transferred to Conrail Railway companies established in 1896 Railway companies disestablished in 1976 1896 establishments in New Jersey