Atlantic & Western

The Atlantic and Western Rail System was originally known as the Atlantic and Southern Pennsylvania Railway. The A&SP was charted in 1859 out of spite of the PRR, and partially owned by the New York Central. The railroad would reach Dayton, OH by 1864. In 1877 A&SP took control of the Columbus, Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad extending its reach to East St. Louis, IL. In 1910 the A&SP merged with CI&SL forming the Atlantic & Western Railway Company. In 1934, labor representative Fred C. Fisher reached a deal with the employees of A&W to buy the railroad. Fisher would end up with 30%, the employees with 51%. Going fourth, the employees would control the railroad.  The A&W reorganized as the A&W Railroad System in 1951 and formed the Ohio & Western Railroad Company to operate the western lines. The Atlantic & Western Railroad continued to operate the eastern lines. This was done for financial and tax reasons. In 1960, A&W renamed itself the Atlantic & Western Transportation Company, and purchased the Detroit Southern Railroad. DSRR operated as a 3rd and separate railroad. A&W consolidated operations of the 3 railroads in 1969. All 3 would be merged into the Atlantic & Western Railway Co. in 1980.  

Unlike the other railroads of the mid-20th century, A&W was employee owned and democratically controlled. They paid themselves well and re-invested the rest, with long-term thinking. While A&W didn't have the best route compared to it's competitors, it did have reliable service. Due to the politics around socialism at the time, some companies refused to ship with A&W.  Other railroads refused to work with A&W, often delaying interchange or pushing shippers away from their service. A&W was dependent of originating traffic or the shipper route with them.  During the Penn Central crisis of the 1970s, the A&W found themselves doing more business. In 1975, the government tried forcing A&W into Conrail as a way to appease capitalist. A&W would survive and as a policy did not agree to any merger or sale that would put the railroad back into hands of capital. 

Company Officers

Fred C. Fisher 1934-1948

Louis T. Dawson 1948-1955

Paul D. Quibbler 1955-1971

Alfred E. Pearlman 1971-1978

Robert O. Moore 1978-1983

James P. Langford 1983-1994

Edward W. Seddrics 1994-1997