DELAWARE, LACKAWANNA AND WESTERN RAILROAD COMPANY, THE, operates 2,709 m. of track through New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. The main line extends from New York (Hoboken, N.J.) to Buffalo, N.Y.; branches from Scranton to Bloomsburg and Northumberland, Pa.; Binghamton to Syracuse, Oswego and Utica and Owego to Ithaca, New York. This system had its genesis in the incorporation of the Ligett's Gap railroad and in the construction of its railroad from Providence (now Scranton), Pa., to the Susquehanna river at Great Bend, Pa., to provide an outlet for the anthracite coal and the iron of the Lackawanna valley.
During its early history the road was mainly an anthracite coal carrier, but the inauguration of a comprehensive scheme of improvements subsequent to 1899 enabled the company to handle a larger volume and greater diversity of freight and passenger traffic. In 1899 anthracite coal comprised 53% of all freight traf fic ; in 1934 it represented but 3 2 %. Revenue in 1899 from trans portation of passengers was in The gross transportation revenue in 1934 was $44,592,530; the cap ital stock, $87,407,500. Over 6o,000 passengers are transported daily over the Lackawanna's New Jersey suburban lines in and out of New York City. Electrification between Hoboken and Dover, N.J. was completed in 1931. Through service is operated to Cleveland and Chicago via the Nickel Plate road, and to De troit and Chicago via the Michigan Central railroad. (J. M. D.)