Editing Pennsylvania Railroad (section)

== Philadelphia Headquarters ==

Philadelphia was the Pennsylvania Railroad's headquarters throughout its existence, and the relationship profoundly shaped both the company and the city. The PRR employed tens of thousands of Philadelphians in offices, shops, and operating positions. Its executives were prominent figures in civic and social life. The company's political influence extended throughout Pennsylvania state government; critics charged that the PRR effectively controlled the state legislature on matters affecting railroad interests. The physical infrastructure of the railroad—stations, yards, shops, and offices—shaped neighborhoods throughout the city.<ref name="weigley">{{cite book |last=Weigley |first=Russell F. |title=Philadelphia: A 300-Year History |year=1982 |publisher=W.W. Norton |location=New York}}</ref>

The PRR's stations became architectural landmarks. Broad Street Station, opened in 1881 and expanded in 1892-1894, dominated the western end of Center City with its massive train shed and headhouse. The station served as the hub of PRR passenger operations in Philadelphia and a symbol of the company's prominence. When the company decided to move its main passenger terminal, it built 30th Street Station (opened 1933), a monumental Beaux-Arts structure that remains one of Philadelphia's most impressive buildings and one of the busiest railroad stations in America. The station's grand waiting room, with its coffered ceiling and elegant materials, represents the PRR at the height of its ambition and resources.<ref name="gallery">{{cite book |last=Gallery |first=John Andrew |title=Philadelphia Architecture: A Guide to the City |year=1994 |publisher=Foundation for Architecture |location=Philadelphia}}</ref>