▁of ▁rail ro ads ▁in ▁New ▁Jersey ▁with ▁the ▁le ase ▁of ▁United ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Rail road ▁and ▁Canal ▁Company ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 1 , ▁thereby ▁extending ▁its ▁rail ▁network ▁from ▁Philadelphia ▁north ward ▁to ▁Jersey ▁City . ▁Cross ing ▁the ▁Hudson ▁River , ▁however , ▁remained ▁a ▁major ▁obst acle . ▁To ▁the ▁east , ▁the ▁Long ▁Island ▁Rail ▁Road ▁( LI R R ) ▁ended ▁at ▁the ▁East ▁River . ▁In ▁both ▁situations , ▁passengers ▁had ▁to ▁transfer ▁to ▁fer ries ▁to ▁Manh attan . ▁This ▁put ▁the ▁PR R ▁at ▁a ▁dis adv antage ▁relative ▁to ▁its ▁arch ▁compet itor , ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Central ▁Rail road , ▁which ▁already ▁served ▁Manh attan . ▁ ▁After ▁un success fully ▁trying ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁bridge ▁over ▁the ▁Hudson ▁River , ▁the ▁PR R ▁and ▁the ▁L IR R ▁developed ▁several ▁propos als ▁for ▁improved ▁regional ▁rail ▁access ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁T unnel ▁Ext ension ▁project . ▁The ▁propos als ▁included ▁new ▁t unn els ▁between ▁Jersey ▁City ▁and ▁Manh attan , ▁and ▁possibly ▁one ▁to ▁Brook lyn ; ▁a ▁new ▁terminal ▁in ▁mid town ▁Manh attan ▁for ▁both ▁the ▁PR R ▁and ▁L IR R , ▁completion ▁of ▁the ▁Hudson ▁T ub es , ▁and ▁a ▁bridge ▁proposal . ▁These ▁propos als ▁finally ▁came ▁to ▁f ru ition ▁at ▁the ▁turn ▁of ▁the ▁century , ▁when ▁the ▁PR R ▁created ▁subs idi aries ▁to ▁manage ▁the ▁project . ▁The ▁Pennsylvania