Various answers, corrections &c. ATTN: Jim Holland & John Swindler
John Swindler
j_swindler at hotmail.com
Thu Sep 14 13:28:38 EDT 2000
>
> > >Donald Galt commented:
> > >
> > >Not necessarily the final word folks, but:
> > >
> > >PITTSBURGH SOUTHERN
> > >
> > >Eyeballing it on the map, I'd say the railway distance would easily be
>12 miles from Finleyville to Castle Shannon, with at least another four to
>the West End via Mt. Lebanon and Banksville.
> > >
> > >The following is extracted from Hilton's AMERICAN NARROW-
> > >GAUGE RAILROADS:
> > >
> > >"[The Pittsburgh, Castle Shannon & Washington Railroad] was originally
>planned as a southern extension of the ... Pittsburgh & Castle Shannon ...
>to reach a coal-producing area at Finleyville, 12 miles to the south [i.e.
>12 mi from Castle Shannon]."
> > >
> >
> > Thanks for the info. Jim mentioned hills south of Washington Jct. on
>Library line to about Mesta. 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.
> >
> >
Also not the final word, but perhaps, mercifully, maybe next to last comment
on Pittsburgh Southern.
When first saw reference that Pittsburgh Southern routing was Castle Shannon
to Library, assumption was made that it became Charleroi trolley line.
Wrong answer.
Went to library yesterday with thought that maybe it became Montour
Railroad, Bethel to Library, after looking at Topozone website and
considering trolley line grades south of Wash. Jct..
Again, wrong answer.
Then Russ Jackson mentioned that it partially followed Drake line, but that
seemed to be the wrong direction, and available maps were clueless as to PS
right-of-way, other then near Temperanceville. Frustrating, but
still........ maybe.......
Shall we just say that one should never underestimate the importance of
luck?
Plat map for Allegheny County, circa 1905, doesn't show any PS right-of-way
on Bethel page, but cover sheet is index that shows Pittsburgh and Southern
as dashed line south of Castle Shannon via Smithton (Washington Jct),
Upperman (Garvey/Melton-Highland Rd.), Bethel (adjacent to Bethel
Presbyterian Church and important key), Upper St. Clair (post office &
station near Drake Loop), Cowan (near Jewel on Montour)and then runs off
bottom of map.
If above is to be believed, from Jewel/Cowan the PS could follow Montour to
Library, or maybe went down Piney Creek to Charleroi line near Logan stop.
I don't know. There is a book on the Montour - there are also deeds in the
Allegheny County Court House.
For those who haven't had enough of the Pitts. Southern, also found a
webpage at geocities.com (might be liquala/pcs.html(?)-its "Archy's Train
Page")
which has pages for both Pittsburgh & Castle Shannon and Pittsburgh
Southern, with some photos and a timetable.
As of 12 August 1878, trains 3/4 and 7/8 were daily Pittsburgh-Finleyville,
while 1/2, 5/6, 9/10, and 11/12 were Pittsburgh-Castle Shannon only. The
following should settle any questions about mileage and station stops:
0.0 Pittsburgh
3.0 Banksville
3.4 Espy (Beechview area)
3.9 Long
5.0 Mt. Lebanon
------Cemetary
6.5 Arlington (Mt. Lebanon Shops)
6.8 Castle Shannon (probably only "known" location)
7.8 Smithton
8.2 Speigle
8.8 Upperman
10.0 Bethel (Ft. Couch Road)
11.0 Upper St. Clair (Drake Loop)
11.5 Cowan
13.0 Rocky Ridge
13.8 Norwood
14.8 Library
15.4 Simmons
16.8 Saulsbury
17.6 Boyer
19.2 Finleyville
Note: Transfer boat leaves 13th St. southside 30 minutes and Wood St., 20
minutes before leaving time all trains.
Note: Ticket office 45 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh
Finally, had been looking in Allegheny County and late 19th century history
books - never thought to see if any 20th century Washington County history
books were available until yesterday, which should provide sufficient
relavent links with this sites topic.
20th CENTURY HISTORY OF CITY OF WASHINGTON AND WASHINGTON COUNTY, by
McFarland, 1910
pp 223: Pittsburg (no “h”) Southern Railroad
The Pittsburg Southern Railroad connected Washington, Finleyville and
Pittsburg.
The Pittsburg, Castle Shannon and Washington Railroad Company was organized
in 1876 and construction commenced in July, 1877. In 1879 the name was
changed to the Pittsburg Southern Railroad, and the road completed. An
extension was planned to run from Virginia Junction east of Thomas Station
southward through Bentleyville and Hillsboro to Morgantown, W. Va. After
some work on this branch, construction was suspended and never recommenced.
This railroad was narrow gauge at first, but this part between Glenwood in
the 23rd ward of Pittsburg to Washington was changed to broad gauge. (note:
actually standard gauge)
The Pittsburg Southern was largely the result of efforts of George P.
Hayes, president of Washington and Jefferson College, and of Frank Kammerer.
President Hayes believed that such a road, especially the branch from
Virginia Junction across by Hillsboro into Virginia would be a great feeder
for Washington College and to bring business to Pittsburg. Today a branch
of the Pennsylvania Railroad lines crosses the National Pike where Dr. Hays
had projected his road 30 years before. The company met financial
difficulties and was soon sold to James H. Hopkins at sheriff’s sale. It
later passed into the hands of trustees.
The Pittsburg Southern Railroad company was sold to Thomas M. King, an
official of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, by trustees January 7,
1885, for a consideration of $50,000. This railway consisted of “all the
road of the late Pittsburg Southern Railway Company, extending from the
point of connection with the railroad of Little Saw Mill Run Railroad
Company at the town of Banksville, in Allegheny county, thence by way of
Library and Finleyville to and into the borough of Washington, to a point of
connection with the Wheeling, Pittsburg and Baltimore Railroad Company,
including the relocated portion thereof between Gilkeson Station and
Clockeyville in Washington County and also the Streets Run branch thereof
extending from a point on the said main line at or near Finleyville in
Washington County by way of the valleys of Peters Creek, Lick Run and
Streets Run to a point of connection with the Pittsburg and Connellsville
Railroad at or near Glenwood, in the 23rd Ward of Pittsburg, including the
standard track from Glenwood to Washington, a distance of 34.3 miles, and
the narrow gauge from Finleyville to West Pittsburg, a distance of 16.2
miles.”
The road soon passed from the hands of Thomas M. King to the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company, by whom it is now owned and operated as a standard
gauge road with many curves eliminated. The narrow gauge branch from
Finleyville to West Pittsburg has been out of operation for many years.
Pp 225: Westland Branch, etc.
The work (Chartiers Valley Railway double track from Mansfield (now
Carnegie) to Houston) was completed none too soon, for the Midand Coal
Company had opened mines on Plum Run, in the little Chartiers Valley;
extensive mines had also been opened at or near Meadowlands; and the single
track road would have been unable to handle the business.
Other branches have been built recently. One runs from the County Home to
No. 2 mine of the Meadowlands Coal Company (Arden Mines branch of PTM)
Pp 227: Pittsburg Railway Company’s lines – Washington Electric Street
Railway
The Washington Electric Street Railway Company was organized in 1889.
James B. Wilson was president of the company. The line originally ran from
Main Street depot of the Chartiers Valley Railroad up Main Street to Walnut,
thence by way of Highland and Locust Avenues to Wilson and thence to the
western end of Wilson Avenue. A branch line started down West Chestnut
Street and branched off that street and crossed the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad at grade at the east end of the railroad cut and ran around the
front of the Bellevue plot along Baltimore Avenue to near its southern end.
The company did not flourish and the road was taken over by the contractor
for its erection. The part of the line between the Main Street depot and
Maiden Street and the portion west of Jefferson Avenue and that north of
Chestnut Street were all abandoned and torn up and the line extended out
Maiden Street and Jefferson Avenue.
Washington and Canonsburg Railway Company
On June 2, 1902, the Washington Electric Street Railway Company had its
charter amended and the name of Canonsburg incorporated in the title. The
line between Washington and Canonsburg was first surveyed to Canonsburg in
1900, and the final surveys made the following year. W. C. Wiley, of
Washington, was the engineer in charge of the work.
Grading for the road was commenced early in 1902, and was pushed with
considerable vigor. The company had a number of difficulties to over come;
much trouble was encountered at different points over securing rights of way
at various places; the financing was no small task. But gradually all these
were overcome, and the construction of the road was carried on through the
entire year of 1902 and the spring and summer of 1903. Litigation over
securing the right of way thorough the county home property and through
other farms delayed the work for a time, but the company always managed to
gain the question in contention, so that the completion of the seven-mile
line from Tylerdale to Canonsburg became merely a question of time.
The steel viaduct 700 to 800 feet long was necessary at Houston in order to
carry the railway over the two railroad lines, a public highway and the west
branch of Chartiers Creek. The contract for the construction of this piece
of work, including the erection of the viaduct, was awarded to the Fort Pitt
Bridge Works of Canonsburg, which completed the structure in August of 1903.
The first car to enter Canonsburg was run over the line early in September,
1903, before the road had been entirely completed. Within a short time the
cars began running regularly between Washington and the East End of
Canonsburg. From the first the service was largely patronized, and business
on the steam railroad diminished correspondingly.
In 1905 the service was improved by placing on the Canonsburg end of the
line a local car, which ran between the East End of Canonsburg and Houston.
The franchise has been granted the Washington and Canonsburg Railway
Company, on May 20, 1901 by Canonsburg Borough, with the provision that the
road be completed and cars running within one year from that date. The
company later asked for an extension of six months, alleging that it was
impossible to complete the road within the year. The extension was granted
by the town council. By terms of the ordinance the railway company agreed
to pave Pike Street between the rails and one foot on either side. During
1902, after the railway company had begun to lay its rails in Pike Street,
the town council objected to the use of the T-shaped rails which the company
was using. The rails were ordered removed, on the ground that they would
prove a great detriment to vehicles in turning out of the railway tracks.
The railway company complied with the order of council and hauled the rails
to a point near the railroad station,.
However, the differences between council and the borough were adjusted
August 12, 1902, the railway company agreeing to pay the borough $3,000 for
the privilege of using these rails. This was only one of many delays
encountered by the railway in completing its line.
The first cars left Canonsburg and Washington at intervals of one hour and
twenty minutes, but later the service was made an hourly one, and has since
been so maintained.
November 1, 1906, the cars began running as far east as East College
Street. The work was completed in 1908, and the service extended as far as
East Canonsburg. At Washington much work was done during 1907. The
Washington and Canonsburg Railway company extended its line out West
Chestnut Street to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad crossing under a charter
granted to the Washington and Claysville Street Railway Company September
26, 1905. Another extension was made out East Beau Street to the terminus
of the paving, and up North College Street and out Locust Avenue to the end
of the street. These lines contain over four miles of new track and cost
$130,000.
In 1906 the Washington and Canonsburg Railway Company changed ownership,
the Pittsburg Railways Company securing a controlling interest in the local
company. The purchasing company soon made it know that plans for extending
the line to Pittsburg, or rather to Castle Shannon, there connecting with
the Charleroi line, would be carried out. The work of securing rights of
was commenced, and by the end of 1907., nearly all of these had been
secured.
The construction of the line through to Castle Shannon was begun in the
latter part of 1907 on the eastern end of the line, but on the western end
no work was done until January, 1908, when W. H. Murdoch, who secured the
contract of grading the Canonsburg section, put a force of men at work.
Everywhere along the line work was begun in earnest in the spring of 1908,
and the grading was practically completed at every point by the first of
October. However, there were numerous delays and the service did not begin
until February 15, 1909.
The building of the 12 mile link between Canonsburg and Castle Shannon puts
Canonsburg into direct communication with Pittsburg, and brings also the
Monongahela Valley into much closer connection.
The electric road to Pittsburg traverses a rich farming country. It nearly
parallels the old “clay road” which was the highway most generally used in
the days preceding the construction of the Chartiers Railway. The line
leaves the main Chartiers Valley beyond Murray Hill, and goes by way of
Thompsonville and Upper St. Clair, passing within sight of the latter
village. The road has opened up a section of country which was more or less
remote from a railroad, and affords the people an easy and cheap outlet to
neighboring cities and towns. Time from the center of Washington to the
center of Pittsburg is one hour and fifty minutes; to Monongahela City two
hours.
Pittsburg and Charleroi Street railway
The Pittsburg and Charleroi Street Railway company was organized April 14,
1901. The line, although contemplated for many years, was not built and
completed for running cars until 1903. The line was built by the Flinn and
Mellon interests, but after its completion was taken over by the Pittsburg
Railways Company. The line extends 14 miles from North Charleroi through
Monongahela City and numerous other smaller towns by way of Finleyville to
Pittsburgh.
Charleroi and Allenport Street Railway.
The Charleroi and Allenport Street Railway was built by the Mellons in 1899
and later taken over into the control of the Pittsburgh Railways Company.
This road is five miles in length and connecting with the Pittsburgh and
Charleroi line at North Charleroi extends to Allenport. This has been said
to be the best paying short line in the state.
Before the opening of the line it was necessary for the residents of along
the river, in order to reach Washington by rail, to go around by way of
Pittsburg. Now they can either go to Washington Junction and change from
the Pittsburgh and Charleroi line to the Washington and Canonsburg trolley
line, or go to Finleyville by street car and on to Washington over the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (that is, Pittsburgh Southern)
Allenport and Roscoe Electric Street Railway
The Allenport and Roscoe Electric Street Railway company was chartered
December 8, 1903, and built during the summer of 1906. It is three miles
long. It is operated by the Pittsburg Railways Company. This company now
operated the three railways between Pittsburg and Roscoe, making a
continuous trolley line of 37 miles, which is one of the longest continuous
trolley lines of Pittsburg. A street railway was built in the town of
Donora and is in operation there, but has not yet been connected with the
liens of the Pittsburg Railways company.
Pp 360: Union Township
The B & O Railroad follows Peters Creek though the northwestern corner of
the township. The stations on this road are Finleyville and Gastonville.
The B & O Railroad Company bought the Pittsburg Southern Railroad (narrow
Gauge) in 1885 and standardized the gauge. The railroad was first
constructed by the Pittsburg Southern Railroad Company in 1879, but its
course after leaving Finleyville was through Castle Shannon, reaching
Pittsburg by going down Sawmill Run.
The trolley line between Finleyville and Monongahela starts south from
Finleyville and follows Mingo Creek through Union Township. This line is a
part of the Pittsburg and Charleroi Street Railway, chartered in 1901. It
is operated by the Pittsburg Railways Company.
A project has been proposed for constructing a streetcar line between
Washington and Finleyville. The proposed line follows North Avenue in
Washington to the old excavations of the Pittsburg and Southern Railroad
Company to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and thence if follows that line
to Finleyville by way of Eighty-four, Wyland, Thomas and other smaller
towns. The only place it leaves this line is in the vicinity of Wyland to
Glikeson station to avoid the great loop of the B & O Railroad.
Pp 417: Charleroi
The Pittsburg, Virginia and Charleston Railroad, an affiliated line of the
Pennsylvania, the world’s greatest railroad, passes directly through the
city, while the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie traverses the opposite side of the
Monongahela River, but affording shipping facilities from Charleroi to any
point on the great Erie system or its outlets. To both these great
railroads and the river is due to a great extent the remarkable industrial
growth and ever increasing manufacturing development of Charleroi.
Probably the most important event of the year 1907 to the Monongahela Valley
was the growth of the trolley systems which connect the many towns and make
practically one big city of tem. During 1907 the link has been completed
that connects Charleroi and Monessen, Westmoreland County, and when Donora
is brought into direct communication with the other valley towns the chain
will be complete. The lines which have just been opened are up to date in
every particular and are operated on correct principles.
The new $320,000 bridge crossing the Monongahela River at North Charleroi,
has made possible this development. Heretofore the only means of crossing
the river was by bridge at Speers, or by ferrying., both means being
disagreeable in rough weather and consuming much time also. The new bridge
is provided with two tracks and affords direct trolley communication between
practically every town in the valley with the exception of Donora. The
Westside Electric Railway in now operating a regular schedule over the
bridge, and by this line direct connections are made between the trolley
lines of the west and east side of the river. The Westside line runs from
Charleroi to the eastern end of the bridge where the tracks of the Webster,
Monessen, Belle Vernon and Fayette City company, composed of the same
capitalists, are used. Cars are run direct to Monessen and to Arnold City
through Belle Vernon, Arnold City being two miles beyond Belle Vernon. On
the Washington County side of the river, Monessen and belle Vernon people
make connections with the Charleroi division of the Pittsburg Railways
Company which operates cars between Charleroi and Pittsburg on a half-hourly
schedule. Local cars are also run to Roscoe, seven miles south of
Charleroi, and as Monongahela is on the Pittsburg line, a complete network
joins these towns.
The developments west of Charleroi in this county will in time come to be a
benefit tot the valley, if present plans materialize. It has long been the
dream of capitalists to extend the Westside Electric Street Railway now
operating between Charleroi and Monessen, to Ellsworth and Bentleyville. It
is bound to come in time, for the immense coal developments in that region
make it imperative that some communication be established between these
towns. The surveys have been completed for some time for this extension and
numerous plans have also been on foot by capitalists of Monongahela to
establish trolley connects between that city and the Ellsworth region. All
these developments are yet in their infancy and when the future brings about
their accomplishment there is no doubt about the greatness of the big
industries that are sure to materialize. Altogether it is an alluring
spectacle.
-30-
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