History of Bloomsburg & Sullivan Railroad

The Bloomsburg and Sullivan Rail Road was a short line railroad than ran North - South route between Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania and Jamison City, Pennsylvania. The B&S company was established in 1883 and ran until it's sale to Reading Railroad in 1928. The B&S line ran as a subsidiary of the Reading Company, until it was closed down in 1972.

The railroad was 29 miles in length after final completion and had around 4.5 miles of yard tracks. At it's peak the B&S line serviced numerous passengers, freight and cargo from several mills and tanneries and lumber and lots from north of Benton to Jamison City.

The Bloomsburg and Sullivan Rail Road was chartered in 1883, right of ways and surveying completed soon after.

The first tracks we laid at Orangeville in 1886 and in 1887 tack laying at Bloomsburg started. By 1888 the tracks were finished and in November 1888 full track length service officially started. Around 3/4 miles of tract were laid a day, primarily by Irish workers.

The Bloomsburg and Sullivan Time Line

• August 1883 - Railroad discussion in Benton, PA

• November 1883 - Railroad Charter

• 1886 - Tracks Started in Orangeville, PA

• 1887 - Tracks started in Bloomsburg, PA

• 1887 - Tracks reach Benton, PA

• June 21, 1887 - First freight on the tracks

• September 1887 - First passenger service

• 1888 - Tracks reach Jamison City, PA

• November 30, 1888 - Full length track service begins

• November 1888 - Regular lumber haul from Jamison City to Bloomsburg