Various answers, corrections &c. ATTN: Jim Holland & John Swindler

[Donald Galt]

On 12 Sep 00, at 9:40, John Swindler wrote:

> Perhaps, as with turnpike, PRC took advantage of newer technology
> (ie streetcar in this case) to plot a more direct route and only
> partially used some existing railroad right-of-way - that is, if
> PCS&W even existed. 
> 
Possibly, but I don't think that is necessary to account for the 
distance, at least not if I read Jim correctly.

I only quoted bits from Hilton. The Pittsburgh Castle Shannon & 
Washington was only the intended name for what became the 
Pittsburgh Southern. It was, as stated, originally meant to connect 
with the Pittsburgh & Castle Shannon, but a change in directorship 
resulted in the new company's building its own line through Mount 
Lebanon to a connection with the Little Saw Mill Run RR at 
Banksville, and to a gauge of 3' 0" instead of the P&CS's 3' 4" (The 
LSMR was standard gauge, requiring dual gauge between 
Banksville and Temperanceville (West End) to accommodate the 
PS trains.)

Unfortunately, I haven't seen any maps showing the route of the PS 
through Finleyville. It is possible that it took the slightly longer 
route following Lick Run to Bruceton, thence overland to Castle 
Shannon. This, however, goes against the statement that the B&O 
built a new line instead of using the PS north of Finleyville (not 
Bruceton.) I'm betting that a railway that could build over the very 
consequential hill from Banksville to Castle Shannon would think 
nothing of tackling the hilly territory between CS and Mesta and 
between Library and Finleyville, the route later used by PRCo. 
Besides, anything else would mean that the only PS trackage 
used by the Charleroi line would have been that between Mt. 
Lebanon and Castle Shannon - hardly what we have been led to 
believe.

I'll bet, John, that you could locate Allegheny and Washington 
County maps from the 1890s in the State Library, that would show 
the route.

> 
> Allentown (PAT 52) was separate borough.  City took a chunck of
> it, and remainder incorporated as Beltzhoover (PRC 49). 
> 
But by 1908 Beltzhoover had likewise been swallowed up by 
Pittsburgh (1 Mar 1898, to be exact.)

> 
> State Library in Harrisburg has City of Pittsburgh map, dtd Sept.
> 1936 entitled:  "Incorporation of Boroughs and Townships now
> annexed to City."  Size is about 2x3 ft.  If Derrick would like to
> see what can be done with several zerox pages................. 

Hmmm. Don't know about Derrick, but I'd certainly like to see it.

The Bion Arnold report has a small sketch map showing Pgh's 
constituent boroughs and townships, meant to be read in 
conjunction with the list giving the dates of amalgamation which I 
have quoted from time to time. And, finally bothering to look at that 
map for the first time since entering this thread, I find - wonder of 
wonders! - Liberty Township. It takes up most of what was 
previously Peebles, i.e. bounded on the north by Penn Avenue, on 
the west by the line of the Pgh Junction Ry, on the east by the 
current city limit and on the south by a meandering line that I can't 
trace exactly. It included Shadyside, Homewood, also Schenley 
and Frick Parks and Squirrel Hill. What remained to Peebles 
Township was Hazelwood, Glenwood and perhaps part of 
Greenfield, as well as the narrow gore of Bloomfield wedged 
between the PRR and Penn Avenue as far west as 33d Street.

Don