Erie Lackawanna Railway

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Erie Lackawanna Railway

An Erie Lackawanna train passes State Line Tower on the Indiana-Illinois border en route to Chicago in January, 1972
Overview
Headquarters	Cleveland, Ohio
Reporting mark	EL
Locale	New Jersey Pennsylvania New York Ohio Indiana Illinois
Dates of operation	1960–1976
Predecessor	Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Erie Railroad
Successor	Conrail (now Norfolk Southern and CSX)
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length	3,189 miles (5,132 kilometers)

The Erie Lackawanna Railway (reporting mark EL), known as the Erie Lackawanna Railroad until 1968, was formed from the 1960 merger of the Erie Railroad and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad. The official motto of the line was "The Friendly Service Route".

Like many railroads in the northeast already financially vulnerable from the expanding U.S. Interstate Highway System, the line was severely weakened fiscally by the extent, duration and record flood levels due to Hurricane Agnes in 1972. It would never recover. Most of the corporation's holdings became part of Conrail in 1976, ending its sixteen years as an independent operating railroad company.