Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Lykens Valley Railroad and Coal Company

Interstate Commerce Commission, Volume 22, Valuation Reports

Lykens Valley Railroad and Coal Company

The railroad of the Lykens Valley Railroad and Coal Company, herein called the Lykens Valley Railroad, is located entirely within Pennsylvania and extends from Millersburg to Williamstown, 20.439 miles. With the exception of 0.010 mile of second main track the railroad is single track.

Introductory

The Lykens Valley Railroad is a corporation of the State of Pennsylvania, having its principal office at Philadelphia, Pa. No accounting records of the Lykens Valley Railroad covering the period from the date of its organization to December 31, 1845, were obtained. For that reason only partial information can be given from its accounts in connection with its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments. The records reviewed do not indicate that the Lykens Valley Railroad is controlled by any individual or corporation, nor, on the other hand, that it controls any common-carrier corporation.

The property of the Lykens Valley Railroad has been operated during its corporate life as indicated below.

By own organization. From completion to about 1845.

Operation suspended. From about 1845 to Oct. 31, 1848.

By own organization. From Nov. 1, 1848, to Jan. 31, 1865.

By Josiah Caldwell. From Feb. 1, 1865, to Jan. 31, 1866.

By Summit Branch Railroad Company. From Feb. 1, 1866, to June 30, 1880.

By The Northern Central Railway Company. From July 1, 1880, to Dec. 31, 1910.

By Pennsylvania Railroad. From Jan. 1, 1911, to Dec. 31, 1917.

On January 1, 1918, the common-carrier property of the Lykens Valley Railroad was taken over for operation by the United States Railroad Administration as a part of the operating system of the Pennsylvania Railroad and it is so operated on date of valuation.

Corporate History

The Lykens Valley Railroad was incorporated April 7, 1830, under special act of the State of Pennsylvania, for the purpose of constructing and operating a railroad between Millersburg and some point on Short Mountain, wholly within Dauphin County, Pa. The date of organization was January 19, 1831.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The owned mileage, 20.439 miles, was acquired partly by construction, partly by purchase, and partly without monetary consideration. The years when the various portions of the line were constructed and the manner in which the Lykens Valley Railroad acquired the property are indicated in the following statement:

Acquired by construction, Millersburg to Lykenstown, Pa., 1834, and reconstructed 1846-1849. 14.63

Acquired by purchase, from the Susquehanna Coal Company, June 6, 1917, at Williamstown, Pa. 1.10

Acquired without monetary consideration, from Josiah Caldwell, 1866; constructed by him, Lykenstown to Williamstown, Pa., 1865. 4.70

Total. 20.43

Difference between recorded mileage and mileage inventoried. 0.009

Mileage inventoried as of date of valuation. 20.439

The construction and reconstruction work of the Lykens Valley Railroad was performed by contract.

Leased Railway Property

The property of the Lykens Valley Railroad was operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad under lease from January 1,1911, to December 31,1917. From January 1, 1918, to date of valuation the common-carrier property of the Lykens Valley Railroad has been operated by the United States Railroad Administration as a part of the operating system of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Details with respect to the operations of this property are given under leased railway property in the report on the Pennsylvania Railroad.