Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/York, Hanover and Frederick Railway

Location and General Description of Property
The railroad of the York, Hanover and Frederick Railway Company, herein called the York, Hanover and Frederick, is a single-track, standard-gauge, steam railroad located in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The main line extends southwesterly from York, Pa., to Frederick, Md., 55.613 miles, with a branch line extending easterly from the main line at Keymar to Union Bridge, Md., aggregating 61.072 miles of main track. The company also owns 12.370 miles of yard tracks and sidings. Its road thus embraces 73.442 miles of all tracks owned and used, classified by States in the trackage table in Appendix 1.

The York, Hanover and Frederick forms a part of the Pennsylvania Railroad system, its line being a branch extending from the latter carrier's Harrisburg-Baltimore main line. The York, Hanover and Frederick does not maintain an operating organization, its property being operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad under agency agreement as shown in Appendix 2.

Economic Conditions Relating to Traffic
The surrounding country is well developed agriculturally, producing principally fruit, grain, and dairy products.

Physical Characteristics of Road
The grading is light, averaging about 18,400 cubic yards per mile, of which about 14 per cent is solid rock and 9 per cent loose rock. The bridges are of deck-plate girder and I-beam type. None is of unusual importance. The main track is laid principally with relay 100 and 85 pound rail upon oak, pine, and treated crossties. The tracks are ballasted with cinders and stone.

Introductory
The York, Hanover and Frederick is a corporation of the States of Pennsylvania and Maryland, having its principal office at Philadelphia, Pa.

It is controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad through ownership of the capital stock. The records reviewed did not indicate that it controls any common-carrier corporation. The property was operated from July 6, 1914, to December 31, 1917, by the Pennsylvania Railroad under an agency agreement. On January 1, 1918, its common-carrier property with that of the Pennsylvania Railroad was taken over for operation by the United States Railroad Administration, which operates it at date of valuation.

Corporate History
The York, Hanover and Frederick was incorporated under the general laws of Pennsylvania and Maryland through articles of consolidation dated April 27, 1914, filed in Pennsylvania June 13, 1914, and in Maryland July 6, 1914, for the purpose of acquiring the property, rights, and franchises of the York, Hanover and Frederick Railroad Company and the Central Railroad of Maryland. The company was organized July 6, 1914. Pursuant to the above purpose the York, Hanover and Frederick acquired at its organization the property, rights, and franchises of the two railroad corporations named. The following chart shows data on incorporation and succession.

Development of Fixed Physical Property
The owned mileage of the York, Hanover and Frederick, 61.072 miles, was acquired through the consolidation of July 6, 1914. Of the seven corporations that comprise the line of succession culminating in the York, Hanover and Frederick as at present constituted, two corporations did not construct any road or other common-carrier property. These companies were the York, Hanover and Frederick Railroad Company and Frederick and Northern Railroad Company.

The property constructed by the remaining corporations, the years when the various portions of the line were constructed, and the manner in which the York, Hanover and Frederick acquired the property are indicated in the following table.

Acquired in the consolidation of July 6, 1914:
 * From the York, Hanover and Frederick Railroad Company, constructed by—
 * Hanover and York Railroad Company, York to Hanover, Pa., 1874-75. 18.35
 * The Littlestown Rail Road Company (1866), Littlestown, Pa., to Pennsylvania-Maryland State line, 1870-71. 2.30
 * The Littlestown Rail Road Company (1854), Littlestown to Hanover, Pa., 1857-58. 7.00
 * Frederick and Pennsylvania line Rail Road Company, Frederick, Md., to Maryland-Pennsylvania State line, 1869-1872. 27.99
 * From the Central Railroad of Maryland, constructed by that company, Keymar to Union Bridge, Md., 1913-14. 5.50
 * Total recorded miles. 61.14
 * Difference between recorded mileage and mileage inventoried. 0.068
 * Mileage inventoried as of date of valuation. 61.072

Leased Railway Property
The entire property of the York, Hanover and Frederick is operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad, under the terms of an agreement effective July 6, 1914, between the York, Hanover and Frederick and The Northern Central Railway Company, which was assumed by the Pennsylvania Railroad under its lease of all of the property of The Northern Central Railway Company. The operating company collects the revenues and pays the cost of maintenance and operation and pays any remaining sum to the York, Hanover and Frederick. The agreement runs indefinitely and is terminable upon 30 days' notice by either party.