History of rail transport in Philadelphia

At the end of 1833, the state-built Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad, part of the Main Line of Public Works, opened for travel to the west, built to avoid loss of travel through Pennsylvania due to projects such as the Erie Canal.

The Northern Liberties and Penn Township Railroad opened in 1834, connecting the Philadelphia and Columbia to the Delaware River north of downtown, and later that year the Southwark Rail-Road opened, connecting the south end of the City Railroad to the river.

The Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad also opened in late 1834, running north to Trenton, New Jersey, as did the Camden and Amboy Railroad, running from Camden, New Jersey, across the Delaware River, to South Amboy with connections across Raritan Bay to New York City.

In 1851, the old route closed, and the eastern section, used only by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, was sold to them.

In 1863 and 1866 the Junction Railroad opened, connecting the lines west of downtown.