New Castle Branch (Pennsylvania Railroad)

The New Castle Branch was a branch line of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) that connected the city of New Castle, Pennsylvania, to the PRR's mainline network. Primarily used for freight traffic, it served industries in and around New Castle, including steel mills, coal mines, and other manufacturing facilities. The branch line facilitated the transportation of raw materials and finished goods, contributing to the economic development of the region. Specific details regarding the branch's exact length, construction dates, and precise operational history are somewhat limited in commonly available sources, though the line clearly played a role in connecting New Castle's industrial output to the broader PRR system. The fate of the New Castle Branch following the decline of rail transport and the Penn Central merger is not widely documented, and it is presumed to have been abandoned or incorporated into successor rail operations.