▁share hold ers ▁of ▁the ▁M if fl in ▁& ▁Centre ▁County ▁Rail road ▁Company ▁and ▁the ▁Sun bury ▁& ▁Lew ist own ▁Railway ▁Company ▁approved ▁the ▁cons olid ation ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁companies ▁into ▁the ▁Sun bury ▁& ▁Lew ist own ▁Railway ▁Company . ▁The ▁Pennsylvania ▁Rail road ▁ ▁then ▁executed ▁a ▁new ▁ 7 9 - year ▁operating ▁le ase . ▁ ▁Effect ive ▁June ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁the ▁Sun bury ▁& ▁Lew ist own ▁Railway ▁Company ▁and ▁four ▁other ▁PR R - aff ili ated ▁rail ro ads ▁merged ▁into ▁a ▁new ▁entity , ▁the ▁Sch u yl kill ▁& ▁Juni ata ▁Rail road ▁Company . ▁It ▁was ▁immediately ▁le ased ▁to ▁the ▁Pen ns y ▁under ▁a ▁ 2 0 - year ▁operating ▁agreement . ▁ ▁Effect ive ▁April ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 0 2 , ▁the ▁Sch u yl kill ▁& ▁Juni ata ▁Rail road ▁Company ▁was ▁merged ▁into ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁Rail road ▁Company . ▁▁ ▁Under ▁PR R ▁control , ▁the ▁line ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁important ▁shortcut ▁for ▁moving ▁Wil kes - Bar re ▁anth rac ite ▁west ward ▁to ▁Pitts burgh ▁steel ▁mill s , ▁avoid ing ▁Harris burg , ▁and ▁for ▁moving ▁per ish ables ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁mark ets ▁via ▁an ▁inter change ▁with ▁the ▁Le high ▁Valley ▁Rail road ▁at ▁M t . ▁Car mel , ▁avoid ing ▁both ▁Harris burg ▁and ▁Philadelphia . ▁Fre ight ▁traffic ▁pe aked ▁on ▁the ▁line ▁between ▁ 1