Penn Central was a major American railroad company formed in 1968 through the merger of Pennsylvania Railroad and New York Central Railroad. It operated a vast network of rail services across the northeastern United States, providing both passenger and freight transportation. The company faced significant financial difficulties in the early 1970s, leading to its bankruptcy in 1970, which was one of the largest in U.S. history at that time. This event prompted the creation of the Conrail system in 1976, which aimed to reorganize and revitalize the struggling railroads in the region.