Baltimore & Eastern Railroad Company 1923 - 1983
June 13, 1923 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad incorporated as PRR subsidiary for purpose of operating viable
portions of Maryland, Delaware & Virginia Railway, Love Point to West
Denton. (filed 7/15)
June 24, 1923 - Maryland,
Delaware & Virginia Railway operates last passenger train between
Greenwood, Md., and Lewes, Delaware; substitutes mixed train three times a week.
(AJC)
July 15, 1923 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad incorporated in Maryland to operate viable portions of Maryland,
Delaware & Virginia Railway between Love Point and West Denton, plus
Centreville Branch. (MB)
July 18, 1923 - Baltimore &
Virginia Steamboat Company incorporated to conduct steamboat lines on
Chesapeake Bay and tributaries formerly operated by Maryland, Delaware &
Virginia Railway. (MB)
July 20, 1923 - Rail franchises
and property of Maryland, Delaware & Virginia Railway conveyed by Girard
Trust, trustees, by deed to E.B. Leaf Company for $225,000. (AJC)
October 2, 1923 - Baltimore &
Virginia Steamboat Company organized; Turnbull Murdoch Pres. & General
Manager; A.H. Seth Superintendent of Steamer Lines; acquires steamers Anne
Arundel, Calvert, Middlesex, Northumberland, Potomac, and Three Rivers, plus
two scows, from Maryland, Delaware & Virginia Railway. (MB)
November 1, 1923 - Steamboats
Northumberland, Three Rivers, Middlesex, Potomac, Anne Arundel and Calvert and
docks of former Maryland, Delaware & Virginia Railway conveyed to Baltimore
& Virginia Steamboat Company by William B. Skelton.
December 12, 1923 - Baltimore
& Eastern Railroad organized; controlled by Baltimore, Chesapeake &
Atlantic Railway. (MB)
January 2, 1924 - Rail assets of
former Maryland, Delaware & Virginia Railway from Love Point to West
Denton, Md., and Centreville Branch transferred by E.B. Leaf Company to
Baltimore & Eastern Railroad Company.
January 4, 1924 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad Company formally organized; Turnbull Murdoch, Pres. (MB says
org. 12/12/23 - Murdoch elected Pres. 3/28/1924!)
February 2, 1924 - Baltimore
& Eastern Railroad Company assumes operation of former Maryland, Delaware
& Virginia line between Love Point and Denton, Md. Baltimore-Ocean City
service rerouted via Love Point. (or 11/28/28 or later?? - must be at least
5/1924)
March 4, 1924 - E.B. Leaf Company
gives option to Jesse Rosenfeld to purchase former Maryland, Delaware &
Virginia Railway between West Denton and Lewes for $70,000; to be reopened in
45 days.
March 28, 1924 - Turnbull Murdoch
(1869-1927) elected Pres. of Baltimore & Eastern Railroad (MB); also Pres.
& General Manager of Baltimore & Virginia Steamboat Company. (MB)
May 14, 1924 - Maryland &
Delaware Coast Railway acquires former Maryland, Delaware & Virginia line
between West Denton, Maryland, and Lewes, Delaware; will operate Hillsboro-West Denton
and Lewes-Rehoboth by trackage rights over Baltimore & Eastern and PRR.
April 27, 1928 - Baltimore & Virginia Steamboat Company approves purchase of Baltimore, Chesapeake & Atlantic Railway steamer and wharf properties for $350,000; Baltimore & Eastern Railroad approves purchase of rail properties. (MB)
April 27, 1928 - W. Miller
Wardrop appointed General Superintendent of Baltimore & Eastern Railroad
and Baltimore & Virginia Steamboat Company; J.G. Sheaffer Superintendent of
Baltimore & Eastern Railroad; C.S. Krick Pres. of Baltimore & Virginia
Steamboat Company; G.M. Smith Superintendent of Baltimore & Virginia
Steamboat Company, replacing A.H. Seth.. (MB)
May 1, 1928 - Rail lines of
Baltimore, Chesapeake & Atlantic Railway plus Love Point ferry conveyed to
Baltimore & Eastern Railroad under Superintendent of Delaware Division;
water lines, consisting of Potomac, Choptank, Patuxent/Piankatank, Wicomico,
Pocomoke, Occohannock and Rappahannock lines, conveyed to Baltimore &
Virginia Steamboat Company under PRR's General Agent at Baltimore. (LC)
June 13, 1928 - R.P. Graham named
Superintendent of Baltimore & Eastern Railroad, replacing J.G. Sheaffer.
(MB)
September 26, 1928 - Baltimore
& Eastern discontinues passenger service between Claiborne and Easton, Md.
November 28, 1928 - Baltimore
& Eastern Railroad acquires properties of former Baltimore, Chesapeake
& Atlantic Railway between Claiborne and Ocean City, Md., plus Claiborne
pier (and ferry?) from Trustees; other steamboats and certain docks of BC&A
sold to Baltimore & Virginia Steamboat Company. (C&C)
April 4, 1929 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad agrees with Baltimore Transfer Company for three trucks to
operate in freight service on Eastern Shore in connection with Love Point
ferry. (BdF)
May 29, 1929 - Headquarters of
Baltimore & Virginia Steamboat Company moved from Leonardtown, Md., to
Salisbury, same as Baltimore & Eastern Railroad. (MB)
June 16, 1929 - C.E. Whitlock
appointed General Superintendent of Baltimore & Eastern Railroad, replacing
W. Miller Wardrop, resigned. (MB)
June 26, 1929 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad appoints W.R. Davis Superintendent, replacing R.P. Graham;
authorizes abandonments, including block signals west of Easton and motor car
house at Claiborne. (MB)
August 1, 1929 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad joins PRR Pension and Voluntary Relief Depts. (MB)
April 7, 1931 - Maryland Ferry
Company incorporated to operate between Baltimore and Love Point; the company
is formed to protect against a court challenge of the Baltimore & Eastern
Railroad’s right to operate a vehicular ferry; a bill is pending in the
Maryland Legislature that would require the Mayor of Baltimore and the Maryland
Road Commissioner to approve any vehicular ferry between Baltimore and the
Eastern Shore; the PRR is planning to substitute trucks for much local freight
service on the Eastern Shore and considers that it may dispose of the
money-losing B&E in the future; as it happens, the bill does not pass, and
the Maryland Ferry Company remains a paper charter. (MB, ChCorpWk)
May 26, 1931 - PRR begins
experimental "demountable truck body" container service between
Baltimore and points on Delmarva Peninsula; 20-foot containers can be carried
on truck chassis or railroad cars; are carried by ferry to Love Point and rail
to Salisbury, from which they are distributed by road; New York ferryboat
Philadelphia placed on Baltimore-Love Point ferry, replacing steamer New York,
to facilitate movement of vehicles and eliminated two transfers of containers
necessary with the lighter Bucyrus; Philadelphia is leased to Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad; new slips built at Pier 5, Light Street, and at Love Point,
to accommodate the New York type of double-end, double-deck ferry; the
Philadelphia is designed to operate in ice and is never locked in by freezes.
(PaNews, Mutual, MB, Burgess)
November 1, 1931 - Baltimore
& Eastern cuts Baltimore-Love Point ferry service from five to four round
trips. (A-sheet)
November 19, 1931 - Salisbury
Shops of Baltimore & Eastern Railroad destroyed by fire and not replaced.
(MB)
December 30, 1931 - ICC
authorizes Baltimore & Eastern Railroad to abandon 0.8 mile at Vienna, Md.,
including the bridge over the Nanticoke River; the War Dept. had demanded the
draw span be lengthened from 57 to 80 feet by January 1, 1932; freight and
passenger service is to be rerouted over the PRR between Hurlock and Salisbury
via Seaford. (ICC)
January 31, 1932 - Baltimore
& Eastern abandons Nanticoke River bridge at Vienna, Md., and discontinues
passenger service between Hurlock and Salisbury, Md.; trains rerouted over PRR
between Hurlock and Salisbury via Seaford; (eff. Feb. 1, 1932! - Mon.); bridge
was abandoned rather than comply with War Dept. order to enlarge the draw to 80
feet clear on each side. (from MB)
February 29, 1932 - Baltimore
& Virginia Steamboat Company discontinues all remaining steamer lines on
Chesapeake Bay: last boats for Baltimore leave Washington on Potomac River Line
(Anne Arundel), Norfolk and Tappahannock on Rappahannock River Line (Potomac),
Davis Wharf on the Pocomoke-Occohannock River Line (Eastern Shore), plus last
Baltimore-Cambridge round trip on Choptank River Line (Calvert) (this from
labor chronical - otherwise: Choptank River Line to Choptank and Easton, Lower
Eastern Shore Line to Shields, Va., Great Wicomico/Piankatank Line to
Fitchetts, Va.); leaves only the Baltimore-Love Point vehicle ferry operated by
Baltimore & Eastern Railroad. (LbrChron)
June 1, 1932 - K.R. Vought named
Superintendent of Baltimore & Eastern Railroad, replacing W.R. Davis. (MB)
January 6, 1933 - Maryland &
Delaware Seacoast Railroad requests Baltimore & Eastern Railroad to assume
operation of its line between West Denton and Lewes. (MB)
January 9, 1933 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad Board accepts offer to operate Maryland & Delaware
Seacoast Railroad. (MB)
August 23, 1933 - Category 2
hurricane makes landfall at Nags Head, N.C.; cuts a new channel between the
ocean and bay, separating Assateague Island from Ocean City; destroys the Ocean
City, Md., railroad bridge; Baltimore & Eastern abandons passenger service
between Salisbury and Ocean City; heavy flooding in the Lehigh, Delaware,
Schuylkill and lower Susquehanna watersheds; the low-lying Eastwick section of
Philadelphia is under 5-10 feet of water. (Schwartz, Hayman, A-sheet)
October 9, 1933 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad Board authorizes purchase of that portion of Maryland &
Delaware Seacoast Railroad between West Denton and Denton only, instead of
whole property; purchase not closed until January 8, 1935. (MB)
July 14, 1934 - Last run of
Baltimore & Eastern passenger service between Easton and Hurlock, Md. (ICC,
tt - or Salisbury?)
August 16, 1934 - ICC authorizes
Maryland & Delaware Seacoast Railroad to abandon its entire line between
West Denton and Lewes and sell 1.05 miles between Denton and West Denton to the
Baltimore & Eastern Railroad and the section between Ellendale and Milton
to the Delaware, Maryland & Virginia Railroad. (ICC, BdF)
January 8, 1935 - Bankrupt Maryland & Delaware Seacoast
Railroad sells former Maryland, Delaware & Virginia Railway line between
West Denton (Denton Jct.) and Denton, Maryland, (1.05 miles) to the Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad and the portion between Ellendale and Milton, Delaware, to Delaware,
Maryland & Virginia Railroad; Milton-Lewes and Ellendale-Greenwood portions
abandoned; Denton-Greenwood remains in service until B&E can rebuild the
Choptank River bridge and reestablish connection at West Denton. (C&C, BdF)
June 17, 1935 - Baltimore & Eastern Railroad Board
authorizes rebuilding of bridge over Choptank River between West Denton and
Denton, out of service for some time, to reestablish connection with customers
at Denton on line purchased from Maryland & Delaware Seacoast Railroad.
(BdF)
August 1937 - Baltimore & Eastern ends freight service
between Claiborne and McDaniel, Maryland. (ICC)
September 1937 - Baltimore & Eastern Railroad ends
operation between Queenstown and Centreville, Maryland. (ICC)
March 2, 1938 - Baltimore & Eastern Railroad ends
freight service between Easton Jct. and Preston, Maryland. (ICC)
March 29, 1938 - Last run of Baltimore & Eastern
passenger service between Love Point and Hillsboro, Maryland.
November 4, 1938 - ICC authorizes the Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad to abandon Vienna-Mardela Springs (2.95 miles), Easton
Jct.-Preston (9.62 miles), McDaniel-Claiborne (1.93 miles) and
Queenstown-Centreville (5.37 miles) and formalizes the abandonment of the
bridge to Ocean City. (ICC, MB)
December 8, 1938 - Baltimore & Eastern Railroad director
Cyrus E. Woods (1861-1938) dies at Clearfield, Pennsylvania. (MB)
March 7, 1939 - Baltimore,
Chesapeake & Atlantic Railway and Baltimore & Eastern Railroad director
William Purnell Jackson (1868-1939) dies at Salisbury, Maryland. (MB)
Apr. 1, 1939 - R.W. Sheffer to
Superintendent of Wilkes-Barre Division, replacing C.D. Merrill promoted to
Superintendent of Stations & Transfers, Eastern Region; K.R. Vought to
Assistant to the General Manager, Eastern Region; J.A. Schwab to Superintendent
of Delmarva Division and Baltimore & Eastern Railroad, replacing Vought;
H.H. Pevler to Superintendent of Logansport Division, replacing Schwab; M.L.
Long to acting Superintendent of Labor & Wage Bureau-Western Region,
replacing W.W. Burrell granted leave of absence. (MB)
June 5, 1939 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad Board authorizes the sale of company property in Ocean City,
Maryland. (MB)
July 16, 1941 - H.G. Hostetter
named Superintendent of the Baltimore & Eastern Railroad, replacing J.A.
Schwab. (MB)
July 30, 1941 - Pres. of the
Philadelphia Saving Fund Society and Baltimore & Eastern Railroad director
Stacy B. Lloyd ( -1941) dies. (MB)
December 18, 1941 - Maryland
& Delaware Telephone & Telegraph Company Board votes to dissolve and
sell all its property. (B&E MB)
February 16, 1942 - H.E. Newcomet
promoted to emeritus position of Vice President-Chicago, and James M. Symes
(1897-1976) promoted to Vice President-Western Region; H.L. Nancarrow (1897- )
to General Manager-Western Region, replacing Symes; Paul E. Feucht (1900- ) to
General Superintendent-Lake General Division, replacing Nancarrow; W.O. Teufel
to General Superintendent-Southwestern General Division, replacing Feucht;
James P. Newell (1902-1982) to Superintendent of St. Louis Division, replacing
Teufel; H.M. Wood to Superintendent of Logansport Division, replacing Newell;
W.W. Patchell (1897-1983) to Assistant to VP in Charge of Operations; H.H.
Pevler (1903-1978) to General Superintendent-Eastern Pennsylvania General
Division, replacing Patchell; E.C. Geggenheimer (1893-1964) to Superintendent
of Pennsylvania Terminal Division, replacing Pevler; H.C. Hostetter to
Superintendent of Middle Division, replacing Geggenheimer; Paul W. Triplett
(1904- ) to Superintendent of Delmarva Division and Baltimore & Eastern
Railroad, replacing Hostetter; Donald Y. Geddes (1885-1954) to Assistant to
General Manager-New York Zone; J. Benton Jones (1905-1986) to Superintendent of
New York Division, replacing Geddes; F.H. Krick to Superintendent of Cleveland
Division, replacing Jones; C.E. Walsh (1882- ) to Assistant to VP in Charge of
Real Estate, Purchases & Insurance; Elmer J. Lamneck (1887-1955) to General
Purchasing Agent, replacing Walsh; J.S. Fair (1905-1974) to acting Purchasing
Agent, replacing Lamneck. (MB)
April 1, 1943 - Lester E.
Gingerich named Superintendent of the Delmarva Division and Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad, replacing P.W. Triplett. (MB)
May 16, 1944 - L. K. Walker, Jr.,
named Superintendent of the Delmarva Division and Baltimore & Eastern
Railroad, replacing Lester E. Gingerich. (MB)
December 16, 1945 - R.W. Grigg
named Superintendent of the Delmarva Division and Baltimore & Eastern
Railroad, replacing L.G. Walker, Jr. (MB)
January 29, 1947 - Baltimore
& Eastern Railroad Board authorizes applying to abandon the Baltimore-Love
Point ferry. (MB)
July 1, 1948 - Thomas M.
Goodfellow named Superintendent of the Delmarva Division and Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad, replacing R.W. Grigg. (MB)
June 24, 1949 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad Board authorizes abandoning the line between Hebron and
Mardela Springs (4.8 miles). (MB)
May 31, 1950 - ICC authorizes
abandonment of Baltimore & Eastern Railroad between Mardela and Hebron, Maryland.
(ICC, RyAge)
June 1, 1951 - VP-Western Region
Paul E. Feucht (1900- ) resigns to become Executive VP of Chicago & North
Western Railway on Aug. 1; replaced by Herman H. Pevler (1903-1978); Howell T.
Cover promoted to Assistant VP in Charge of Operations as well as Chief of
Motive Power; James P. Newell named Assistant VP in Charge of Operations; J.B.
Jones appointed General Manager-Western Region replacing Newell; J.H. Schwab
named Assistant VP-Eastern Region; M.H. Lingenfelter to Superintendent of
Delmarva Division and Baltimore & Eastern Railroad, replacing Thomas M.
Goodfellow. (MB, Mutual - are other Superintendents.)
June 5, 1953 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad Board authorizes abandoning the line between Love Point and
Queenstown because of the construction of the new U.S. 50 approach to the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge. (MB)
1954 - Baltimore & Eastern
Railroad abandons line between Love Point and Queenstown, Maryland.
May 18, 1955 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad Board authorizes the abandonment of line, Love
Point-Queenstown and from east of Willards to west of Berlin (8.05 miles). (MB)
November 1, 1955 - W.G. Pfohl
replaces Baltimore & Eastern Railroad Superintendent M.H. Lingenfelter, and
title changed to Superintendent of Transportation. (MB - B&E Superintendent to be
same as Superintendent of Transportation of Chesapeake Region?)
1955 - Baltimore & Eastern
Railroad abandons line between Willards and Berlin, Maryland.
June 1956 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad abandoned between Love Point and Queenstown. (Guide)
October 3, 1957 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad agrees with County Commissioners of Queen Anne’s County to
transfer to them the westernmost 7 bents of the abandoned railroad bridge to
Kent Island. (MB)
May 18, 1959 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad Board authorizes abandoning line between Pittsville and
Willards. (MB)
June 16, 1959 - A.M. Schofield
named Superintendent of Transportation of the Baltimore & Eastern Railroad,
replacing W.G. Pfohl. (MB)
October 1, 1959 - ICC authorizes
the Baltimore & Eastern Railroad to abandon its line between Pittsville and
Willards, Maryland. (ICC)
May 22, 1961 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad Board authorizes abandoning all facilities in the 0.72 mile
east of Berlin by December 31, 1963. (MB)
February 1, 1962 - J.C. Sperry
named Superintendent of Transportation of the Baltimore & Eastern Railroad,
replacing A.M. Schofield. (MB)
May 14, 1962 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad Board authorizes abandoning all facilities in the 0.46 mile
west of Berlin. (MB)
April 1, 1963 - J.H. Burdakin
named Superintendent of Transportation of the Baltimore & Eastern Railroad,
replacing J.C. Sperry, resigned. (MB)
October 1, 1963 - J. M. McGuigan
(1927- ) named Superintendent of Transportation of the Baltimore & Eastern
Railroad, replacing J.H. Burdakin (1922- ), reassigned. (MB)
June 5, 1965 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad director George W. Elkins, Jr. (1914- 1965) dies. (MB)
February 1, 1966 - D.E. Pergrin
named Superintendent of Transportation of the Baltimore & Eastern Railroad,
replacing J.M. McGuigan. (MB)
October 1, 1967 - George C.
Vaughan named VP-Transportation & Maintenance, replacing R.E. Franklin;
A.M. Schofield named General Manager, Eastern Region; David E. Pergrin named
Director-Industrial Engineering; C.W. Owens named Superintendent of Transportation
of the Baltimore & Eastern Railroad, replacing Pergrin. (MB).
March 6, 1970 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad Board authorizes abandonment between Easton and McDaniel (12.8
miles). (MB)
April 2, 1971 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad Board authorizes abandonments of the Ocean City Running Track
between Berlin and West Ocean City (6.8 miles); Willard Track between
Parsonsburg and Pittsville (3.6 miles); Denton Track between Queenstown and
Denton (21.2 miles). (MB)
August 11, 1977 - Maryland &
Delaware Railroad Company (via MDOT) purchases Conrail’s Cambridge Branch
(Seaford-Cambridge, Md.) and Hurlock-Preston segment of Baltimore & Eastern
Railroad from Conrail and begins operating them. (Cinders)
October 1, 1977 - Maryland &
Delaware Railroad begins operating ex-PRR Centreville, Chestertown and Easton
Branches and portion of the Baltimore & Eastern Railroad between Queen Anne
and Denton, purchased by MDOT from Conrail. (Railpace, Cinders)
November 25, 1981 - United
Railroad Corp. incorporated in Delaware as vehicle for liquidating Penn Central
railroad subsidiaries. (DelCorp, MB)
December 1, 1981 - Beech Creek
Railroad Company merged into United Railroad Corp. (MB)
December 31, 1981 - United New
Jersey Railroad & Canal Company, Philadelphia & Trenton Railroad
Company, Union Railroad Company of Baltimore, Chicago, Kalamazoo & Saginaw
Railway, Chicago River & Indiana Railway, Fort Wayne & Jackson
Railroad, Beech Creek Railroad, Joliet & Northern Indiana Railroad, and
Greencar Corporation merged into United Railroad Corp. (MB)
June 15, 1982 - Kalamazoo,
Allegan & Grand Rapids Railroad merged into United Railroad Corp. (MB – or
was it August 12 below?)
August 12, 1982 - Kalamazoo,
Allegan & Grand Rapids Rail Road merged into United Railroad Corp. (MB – or
was it June 15 above?)
March 3, 1983 - Baltimore &
Eastern Railroad merged into United Railroad Corp. (MB – or was it June 30
below?)
June 30, 1983 - Penn Central
Park, Inc., Western Warehousing Company, Waynesburg & Washington Railroad
Company merged into United Railroad Corp., a vehicle for liquidating and
consolidating Penn Central subsidiaries. (MB)
June 30, 1983 - Boston Terminal Corporation, New England Transportation Company, Baltimore & Eastern Railroad, and Central Indiana Railway merged into United Railroad Corp. (MB – or was it March 3 above?)
