The Red Arrow Lines had its origin in 1848 as the Philadelphia & West Chester Turnpike Road Co., which operated a plank toll road between Philadelphia and West Chester. In 1859, the Delaware County Passsenger Railroad opened a horse car line from 39th Street and Market Street in Philadelphia west to Penrock Avenue, but the line closed in 1865.
in 1895, the Philadelphia & West Chester Traction Co. was incorporated, and acquired control of the Philadelphia & West Chester Turnpike Road Co., and the Philadelphia Castle Rock & West Chester Railway, which in that year opened a steam dummy line. In 1896 the line was electrified, and in 1899 was completed between Philadelphia and West Chester.
The Ardmore & Llanerch Street Railway opened in 1902 between those points. And in 1904, the first segment of the Philadelphia & Garrettford Street Railway Co. opened. The Philadelphia & Garrettford Street Railway Co. included lines to Sharon Hill and Media, the only Philadelphia & West Chester Traction Co. lines which continue to survive as electric railways.
In 1936, the Philadelphia & West Chester Traction Co. and all leased companies were all merged into the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Co. which became known as Red Arrow Lines. In 1951, the Philadelphia & Western Railroad Co. was acquired.
Delaware County Passsenger Railroad - incorporated 1859, controlled 1895 by Philadelphia & West Chester Traction Co.
Philadelphia Castle Rock & West Chester Railway - incorporated 1892, controlled 1895 by Philadelphia & West Chester Traction Co.
Ardmore & Llanerch Street Railway - incorporated 1901, leased 1902 to Philadelphia & West Chester Traction Co.
Philadelphia & Garrettford Street Railway Co. - incorporated 1904, leased 1906 to Philadelphia & West Chester Traction Co.
Philadelphia & Western Railway Co. - incorporated 1907, reorganized 1946 as Philadelphia & Western Railroad Co., sold 1954 to Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Co.
Aronimink Transportation Co. - incorporated 1923 as bus subsidiary.
SEPTA acquired the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Co. in 1970. Under SEPTA, the operations are known as the Victory Division.
In 1894, the Chester Traction Co. was incorporated, controlling four area street railway companies. In 1910, the Wilmington & Philadelphia Traction Co. was incorporated in neighboring Delaware, with a subsidiary Southern Pennsylvania Traction Co. to lease these and additional companies within Pennsylvania.
Union Railway Co. of Chester - incorporated 1890, controlled 1894 by Chester Traction Co., leased 1910 to Southern Pennsylvania Traction Co.
Chester Darby & Philadelphia Railway - incorporated 1892, leased 1893 to Union Railway Co. of Chester, leased 1910 to Southern Pennsylvania Traction Co.
Chester & Media Electric Passenger Railway - incorporated 1892, leased 1893 to Union Railway Co. of Chester, leased 1910 to Southern Pennsylvania Traction Co.
Chester Street Railway Co. - incorporated 1883, leased 1891 to Union Railway Co. of Chester, leased 1910 to Southern Pennsylvania Traction Co.
Chester & Delaware Street Railway - incorporated 1898, leased 1910 to Southern Pennsylvania Traction Co.
Delaware County & Philadelphia Electric Passenger Railway - incorporated 1892, leased 1910 to Southern Pennsylvania Traction Co.
Media Glen Riddle & Rockdale Electric Railway - incorporated 1901, operated by Delaware County & Philadelphia Electric Passenger Railway, leased 1910 to Southern Pennsylvania Traction Co.
Chester & Eddystone Street Railway Co. - incorporated 1916, leased 1916 to Southern Pennsylvania Traction Co.
Southern Pennsylvania Bus Co. - incorporated 1923 as bus subsidiary.
By 1940, with the replacement of all electric railways with buses, the leased electric railway companies were dissolved. In 1941, Wilmington & Philadelphia Traction Co. was renamed Delaware Coach Co. And in 1960, Southern Pennsylvania Bus Co. was acquired by the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Co., which in 1970 became the SEPTA Victory Division.
Incorporated 1893 as Norristown Bridgeport & Conshohoken Traction Co., renamed 1895 to Schuylkill Valley Traction Co..
Chestnut Hill & Norristown Passenger Railway Co. - incorporated 1893, sold 1895 to Roxborough Chestnut Hill & Norristown Railway Co., leased 1902 to Schuylkill Valley Traction Co.
Wissahickon Electric Railway - incorporated 1890, leased 1898 to Roxborough Chestnut Hill & Norristown Railway Co.
Trappe & Limerick Electric Street Railway - incorporated 1899, leased 1901 to Roxborough Chestnut Hill & Norristown Railway Co.
Citizens Passenger Railway - incorporated 1878, leased 1895 to Schuylkill Valley Traction Co.
Collegeville Electric Railway - incorporated 1897, leased 1897 to Schuylkill Valley Traction Co.
Conshohoken Railway - incorporated 1893, leased 1895 to Schuylkill Valley Traction Co.
Montgomery County Passenger Railway - incorporated 1893, leased 1893 to Schuylkill Valley Traction Co.
Norristown Passenger Railway - incorporated 1884, leased 1895 to Schuylkill Valley Traction Co.
Schuylkill Valley Traction Co. ceased operations in 1933, with replacement buses operated by Schuylkill Valley Lines, Inc. SEPTA acquired Schuylkill Valley Lines in 1976. Under SEPTA, the operations are known as the Frontier Division.
Trenton-Philadelphia Coach Co. - had been operating between those cities since 1931, primarily via US Highway 1. Trenton-Philadelphia Coach Co. had been reorganized from East Coast Coach Co., which had been operating over the route by 1930. In 1959, Trenton-Philadelphia Coach Co. became a subsidiary of Philadelphia Transportation Co., which in 1968 became SEPTA. In 1982, Trenton-Philadelphia Coach Co. was dissolved.
Coatesville Traction Co. - incorporated 1904. Ceased operations.
Montgomery & Chester Electric Railway - operated 1899 to 1910's between Phoenixville and Spring City.
Montgomery County Rapid Transit Co. - operated 1907 to 1925 between Norristown and Souderton.