West Penn today

[Edward H. Lybarger]

I'll pick up at Republic with today's batch of unsolicited comments!

As mentioned, West Penn never quite got to Republic, but you can still find
the stop for the town to the east, where the car line came off the hill,
crossed the road (the old house is still there) and rolled onto the viaduct
across the Four Mile Run valley.  Then it was on to Cardale, etc.  Orient
Siding was to the south of the highway, just beyond the side road at the new
Post Office.  That side road went into Orient proper (up on the hill), of
which little is left.  I printed some MRy negs down by the RR, but town
detail is minimal.

The highway has been realigned at the north end of Filbert, and occupies
some of the R/W.  Basically, WP crossed to the south side, took what is now
the lower road through Fairbank, crossed the main road again and abruptly
went up on a trestle over Saltlick Run and the MRy into Newboro.  That R/W
is crystal clear (part of it's a street), and again crosses the highway to
Buffington, where it cuts the corner behind the Union Supply Co. Store, goes
up the creek valley and emerges out on the street again near the Greek
Church (there used to be two of those, but were so close to one another that
one trolley stop served both).  The it stays along the road and finally
crosses it to reach Brownsville Junction, a half mile west of Footedale.
The Madonna of Czestochowa church is at Cardale; PTM member Fr. Ron
Rutkowski is the pastor.

The valley where the trestle stood is best viewed from the upper end, though
some concrete stands behind the trees at the eastern end.  But from up on
the hill, just watch the power line and it's a natural.  I have no record of
any siding along the road out of Footedale to Lambert.  But Liley Siding
replaced Lambert Siding in 1944; the former was in the middle of the farm
and the latter was alongside the road from Lambert to McClellandtown (near
the "milk cans" shot by Frank Butts in CERA 110).  Lambert proper is north
of the intersection of the road from Footedale.

The car line then followed the stream valley down into McClellandtown,
entering town in the middle of two closely-spaced streets.  We have a nice
photo of an auto down on the tracks one Sunday morning!  South of
McClellandtown is perhaps the most desolate stretch of this line.  You will
be absolutely amazed when you see the MRy photos of what USED to be there,
though.  Both Plummer (Puritan) and Leckrone were busy places 90 years ago.
Austin stop was where the R/W intersected the loop of the loop.  It did come
straight down here.  Starting up the valley out of Leckrone, you pass the
Union Supply store on the left.  The brick building was not WP; I'm not
familiar with it but assume it would be part of Leckrone No. 1.  I have a
map of that facility in the back and will look to see if it's indicated.

Observation of line from here to Masontown is succinct and accurate.  Harvey
Avenue no longer goes through to 166, having given way to subsidized
housing.  Car line went past freight station after it crossed 166, stayed on
the hill above for about a half mile, then curved left and down a 6% grade
on Cats Run Viaduct to Grays Landing.  From there it was as described, to
the end of track short of the creek north of Martin.  Actually, the thru
alignment to Point Marion and Morgantown was farther up on the hill from
this point, but it would have been troublesome for patrons to get there.
Thus WP built to a more practical terminus.

I'm enjoying the trip, Fred!  You're doing a great job!!

Ed

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
[mailto:owner-pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org]On Behalf Of
Fredbruhn at aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, July 04, 2000 7:35 PM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Subject: West Penn today


Brownsville - Republic

To quickly recap -- take 40 from Brownsville towards Uniontown, exit right
onto PA166
Look for crossing near hospital (Thornton stop) then proceed to Davidson
Siding Road.  Turn left and look for 1st. house.  The concrete Davidson
bridge is there.
Continue on PA166 to road marked Allison.  Take this road and as you go down
the valley opens to your right with steel buildings in distance.  The WP
went
right through this valley.  At bottom of hill by Allison co. store, look to
left for cut and
Davidson bridge is just beyond, look for the railroad bridge (curved) that
Ed
mentioned.  According to the supt. from the company with the buildings you
are just about standing on the row as you enter their road.

Return to Rt.166 and go to Merrittstown (not far), take a 180 turn onto a
dirt road that
comes out at the intersection of PA166 and County 4020.  Drive down the dirt
road to where it ends.  This is the row (don't know if road was there in WP
days).  Walk a a bit further to Glencoe concrete bridge.

As Ed said as the line came up from this valley after crossing the Glencoe
bridge it
ran along side 166 and there was a siding (name?) for a short while and left
road to the left.  You drive into Republic, the WP made a big sweeping turn
east of town a good bit coming into Cardale which is a few streets, some
mobile homes and homes.  I believe the row was on "railroad St.."

Drive through Republic and turn left onto the Filbert-Orient Road.  The WP
crosses
this road at Cardale and you can see the line by the power pole line.  The
Orient siding was along here.  If you have the fabulous Frank Butts photo
from one of the calendars of car 714 looking back towards Cardale you can
recreate it by stopping at the sharp right turn in the road not far from
Cardale.  The house in the photo is still there and you can see the line
where it crossed the road and went behind a house.

>From here you can follow the line as it climbs the hill away from the road
and runs
parallel to the Filbert-Orient Road.  Roderick Road goes to the left.  Turn
onto this road and there are the piers for an overpass that the WP took over
Roderick.  A piece of track is left half buried.  I tried to chew off an end
to save but to no avail.  The line
runs behind some houses on a fill, easily seen towards Fairbank.  Don't stop
at the first house beyond Roderick as the owner is looking for whoever owns
the row today.
Wants it trimmed, cleaned up.

Ed is going to have to help us on the routing (when we take our tour)
through
Fairbank, Newboro, Buffington, and New Salem (you can go through all four
towns
in about 2 minutes) It appeared to me that the line in Newboro was well
above
the New Salem Rd. which is what Filbert-Orient Road turns into.  Drive up a
couple of city streets to the left and you can see a substantial bridge pier
in Newboro.

The line drops down from Buffington and I was told (a questionable "local"
source )
that the line ran along the road to a ticket office that was a gasoline
station.
The line goes from the New Salem Rd. to the right via prw to County 3023
which is like a city block.  Would like to know how this layout was.  You
drive to corner of
New Salem and Church, turn right on Church and go a block to 3023.  A great
building to model is there "New Salem Motors."  Turn left on 3023 and there
is the beautiful Church of the Madonna of Czestochowa, Polish Roman Catholic
church.  Good picture of this I think in CERA 89.  The car ran right in
front
of the church beside the road.  You follow 3023 and look to the right about
the 3rd. House and you will see small concrete piers from short bridge (real
short).  At some point just beyond this the line crosses 3023 and climbs to
Brownsville Jct.  I believe the Jct. is where a catholic church sits today
and a power substation.  This is Footedale.  Ed can correct me.

If you park on the elevated parking lot for the school and first look
towards
New Salem, then turn left about 30 degrees I think the long trestle taking
the Martin line
crossed the valley in front of you.

Since we are this far away from Uniontown, it is best to travel the Martin
line.
Take the road marked McClellandtown - Lambert which takes you across the
valley and you can stop and look back towards the Jct.  It looks like the
line along side this road some distance and just after you see it swing away
from the road and behind houses (was there a siding along this road) and
into
the woods, you come to a road jct..  Take a left and stay left as there is
sort of a wye, you want SR3013.  Take this road until you come to an open
field on your left (farming) and a white house with red shutters on your
right with a very distinct drive beside it.  Stop here and you are on the
row
where it made the "S" crossing as shown in a couple of shots in CERA 110.
If you have time go to the farm house just beyond and off to the left a ways
and get permission to drive the row.  Then go back and take it to the right
which is now a drive for 3 new houses.  You can drive the row a good
distance
to a couple of gas wells, and walk much further through some cuts and fills
and really typical WP row.
I suppose I walked half way back to where it left the road near Lambert (I
never found Lambert).  Retrace your route to 3013 and drive into
McClellandtown.

Take one of the cross streets (there are only a few) to find a neat old gas
station.
Don't go clear to PA21 where there is a light.  Take the cross street to the
next sort of through street which is road T374.  You will see a school.  The
line ran beside the
road and the school.  You turn right and head away from PA21 and you will
see
from the poles and grade where the line went As you get out of town watch on
your right and the row is well preserved including ballast.  I walked it and
found no spikes though.  I didn't go too far because of time but I assume
the
line joins that drive by the white house on 3013 a short distance from where
I quit walking.

Go back to McClellandtown and a turn onto the road in front (or side) of the
school.
Just beyond the school is the famous road crossing and you can see the
concrete retaining wall beside the road.  New PA21 goes by on your left on a
big fill so the comparison shot isn't quite possible today of the line
leaving McClellandtown

Find the traffic light at PA21 and 3013 in McClellandtown, cross PA21 and
continue on 3013 towards Leckrone.  At the town (6 people, 13 dogs) of
Puritan, turn right on T465 and take it to the next burg (1/2 mile) called
Austin.  T465 makes a loop to your right and you will see a couple of new
houses.  It appears the WP ran beside this road.  Where you reach the end
and
turn back towards Austin, you can look north and see the PA21 fill.  So I
assume the line came straight from McClellandtown to here.

Stay on T465 and watch the pole line as it lives Austin and appears to cross
the road just south of the town.  It looks like the WP ran along side this
road to Leckrone.
Not much of a town here either.  No main St. Where T465 makes a sharp drop
to
run into SR3012, you stop at the top of the drop.  If you walk to the edge
you can see in the weeds the North end pier of the long Leckrone steel
trestle.  Look in the outfield between right and center of the town ball
diamond and the center pier is standing.  You can also see the South pier
from your vantage point.

Drive down to SR3012, turn left and immediately right onto T710 and you can
pull up and park in front of the South pier.  Walk up and follow the line
through an S cut which was interesting.

Continue on T710 and the line runs along the hill to your right.  It looks
like a company store was to your Left.  Then just before you run into 3013
again where the line looks to drop down and cross at 90 degrees to the road
at grade, there is on your left the neatest substation (brick) you will
find.
 Ed, whose was it, as nothing I have lists it as WP.  It is neat.

It looks like the car line went through someone's side yard and then runs
cross country through farmers fields to Masontown.  You can follow the
current pole line.
Where it crosses 3013 is called Deffenbaugh.

Ed has told us the WP didn't like city street running (maintenance) and
Masontown is no exception.  On a cold night it was a long walk home from the
car stop to downtown Masontown.  The line enters to the south of town on
Smithfield Rd. (crosses it) It looks to have run behind houses on prw and
then along Harvey Avenue.  Today the row is about in the middle of the lawns
for these houses.  There is a photo I think in CERA89 of the line running
along Harvey.  It crossed SR166 and continues along Harvey to where it
crossed the tall trestle to be on the Southeast side of 166.  (166 makes a
big curve as it leaves town and the WP sort of went
straight).  We head on 166 towards Martin, first passing Grays Landing.  The
town
is on your left and all on a hill with the WP running along the top of the
hill (which it will do to Martin)  Take a minute and drive up to the top as
the row is very clear, and the houses are typical coal company houses.  They
are painted up a bit today, but they are all the same company house.   Next
town is Gallatin, and the same story.
Then someplace, where I do not know except for photos the line ended, just
ended.

None of these towns are far apart.  If you were in a time crunch you could
probably get this portion of the WP covered in a couple of hours,  but you
will only get a
flavor for it, not time to absorb anything.

Next time I'll try and get you to Uniontown.  I have no idea what changes or
additions have been made to the highway system since the WP left us and all
my notes and comments are based on the highways of today.


Fred