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The Pennsylvania Railroad was the dominant member of the American railroad family during its heyday. The heart of the Pennsylvania Railroad system ran from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh moving freight and passengers and was named the "Main Line."
In 1828 the Main Line of Public Works was chartered to build a railroad and canal linking Philadelphia with the Ohio River.
In l843, the PRR was chartered to build a link
to Pittsburgh, and in 1846, backed by the Philadelphia business community, the new company would build a rail line from Harrisbug to Pittsburgh west of Phila to Paoli the towns and villages along the track became known as the Main Line because of their juxtaposition to the Main Line of the PRR system. Because of the convenience and location of the railroad stations it was easy for people to locate in the towns along the tracks and commute to Philadelphia. Thus the emergence of the Main Line and the development of viable burgeoning communities along these tracks from Belmont Hlls to Paoli.
In l955, the Main Line consisted of 4 divisions. The Philadelphia Terminal Division covered the Main Line from center city to just west of Paoli. Philadelplia-Paoli traffic was dominated by the "Paoli Local" serving the posh suburbs that took their collective name from the Main Line itself.
