Pennsy electrified some lines as early as 1910.....
Electrification of rail lines
Main article: Railway electrification system
Electrification structure used in American Northeast
The electrified part of the Pennsylvania railroad
Early in the 20th century, the PRR began construction to electrify some of their rail lines. The initial construction was in the New York terminal area, including some of the tunnels. This was a
direct current (DC) low-voltage system that supplied power through a third rail. The system was put into service in 1910.
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The next area to be electrified was the Philadelphia terminal area. After researching and experimenting with different power systems, PRR officials decided to use overhead trolley wires to supply power to the trains. Unlike the New York terminal system, the overhead wires would carry high-voltage
alternating current (AC) power. This became the type of system used for all future installations. In 1915, electrification of the line from Philadelphia's Broad Street Station to Paoli, Pennsylvania was completed. Other Philadelphia lines electrified were the Chestnut Hill Branch (1918), White Marsh (1924), West Chester (1928), and in 1930 the Norristown branch along with the main line to Trenton, New Jersey.
PRR's president William Atterbury announced in 1928 plans to electrify the lines between New York, Philadelphia, Washington and Harrisburg. In January 1933, through main-line service between the principal cities was placed in operation. The first test run of an electric train between Philadelphia and Washington occurred on
January 28,
1935. On February 1 the Congressional Limiteds in both directions were the first trains in regular electric operation between New York and Washington, drawn by the first of the
GG1 type locomotives. All regular passenger trains between these cities were electrified by March 15, and shortly thereafter through trains to the west were electrically operated from New York City to
Paoli, Pennsylvania.
To complete the electrification project initiated in 1928, work was started
January 27,
1937, on the main line from Paoli, Pennsylvania to Harrisburg; the low-grade freight line from Morrisville through Columbia to
Enola, Pennsylvania Yard; the freight line from
Perryville to Columbia; and the freight line from Monmouth Junction to South Amboy. In less than a year—on the following January 15—the first passenger train, the Metropolitan, went into operation over the newly electrified line from Philadelphia to Harrisburg. On April 15 the electrified freight service from Harrisburg and Enola Yard east was inaugurated, thus completing the Pennsy's eastern seaboard electrification program with a total of 2,677 miles (4,308 km) of track electrified—41 percent of the total electrically operated standard railroad trackage of the United States.
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