▁the ▁mid - 1 8 6 0 s , ▁residents ▁of ▁S ny der ▁County ▁wanted ▁to ▁capital ize ▁on ▁the ▁transport ation ▁and ▁commerce ▁possibilities ▁of ▁the ▁recently ▁constructed ▁Northern ▁Central ▁Railway , ▁which ▁was ▁located ▁across ▁the ▁Sus que h anna ▁River ▁in ▁North umber land ▁County , ▁Pennsylvania . ▁The ▁Northern ▁Central , ▁completed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 5 0 s , ▁connected ▁Sun bury ▁to ▁Harris burg , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁York , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁and ▁Baltimore , ▁Maryland , ▁thus ▁giving ▁S ny der ▁County ▁a ▁better ▁connection ▁to ▁the ▁surrounding ▁region ▁and ▁beyond . ▁To ▁this ▁end , ▁the ▁Middle ▁Creek ▁Rail road ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁Sel ins gro ve ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 , ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁of ▁planning , ▁grad ing , ▁and ▁construct ing ▁a ▁route . ▁Without ▁any ▁t ies ▁to ▁a ▁major ▁rail road , ▁the ▁Middle ▁Creek ▁Rail road ▁only ▁got ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁choosing ▁the ▁route ▁and ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁some ▁grad ing ▁before ▁the ▁company ▁ran ▁out ▁of ▁money ▁and ▁fol ded . ▁The ▁assets ▁of ▁the ▁company ▁were ▁bought ▁up ▁and ▁re organ ized ▁as ▁the ▁" S un bury ▁and ▁Lew ist own ▁Rail road " ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 1 . ▁ ▁With ▁minimal ▁financial ▁backing ▁( initial ly ) ▁from ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁Rail road ▁and ▁Northern ▁Central ▁Railway , ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁nearly ▁ 5 0 - mile ▁line ▁continued ▁at ▁a ▁slow ▁pace ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁three ▁years , ▁with ▁work