Pennsylvania Canal

How feasible is the Pennsylvania Canal early enough to make the Erie Canal less important? in 1776, Philadelphia was far more important than New York City. Almost immediately after the construction of the Erie canal, the situation was reversed. I have always wondered what it would take to keep Philadelphia on top.
 
I don't think the Pennsylvania Canal would be enough. Even if it was completed before the Erie Canal it still has two portages along the route while the Erie has none. And the Erie has the terrain to expand the width and depth which is why it's still used for cargo occasionally even today. You'd have to keep the Erie from being built at all to prevent NYC's rise since the Erie Canal is just a better route.
 
in order to connect Philadelphia with the Great Lakes, you would have to figure out a way past the Appalachian mountain range that separates the two places. I am pretty sure that they didn't have shaped charges to build tunnels in the 1810s.
 

mowque

Banned
Where the heck would you put it? I used to live on the watershed there and the mountians are high, steep and extensive. Where did they plan to dig this canal?
 
Where the heck would you put it? I used to live on the watershed there and the mountians are high, steep and extensive. Where did they plan to dig this canal?

The Pennsylvania Canal was a real thing. It was completed in 1840 and stretched across the whole state.
 

mowque

Banned
The Pennsylvania Canal was a real thing. It was completed in 1840 and stretched across the whole state.

It wasn't a real canal though. It was a hodge-podge of private canals, portage ways and some rivers. I used to live right next to the old portage part. They had to lift the boats with giant steam engines to get people over the mountains. It was very inefficient and wasn't really a water connection between Pittsburgh and Philly. I mean, you can't put one there, not even with a giant system of locks.
 
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