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

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

	The *partial* Drake routing makes sense to avoid the grades - once at
Washington Jct. where does one go to avoid the grades?  Not present
Library line; what about Route-88 alignment - curves too tight.  But
Drake gets around the hills!
	Don Galt said::   "I don't for a moment believe that the PS ran by way
of Drake. It served Washington by way of Finleyville, over what became
the B&O route. And the route into Pgh by way of Street's Run was a later
construction, replacing the PS route which the B&O found
unsatisfactory."
	Don's logic makes sense, but Drake is not really that far out of the
way - it is well short of the county line whereas Library is right on
the line - and this with the county line heading somewhat northwest from
Library.  It would still be easy to make a swing thru Library from Drake
and then go on to Finleyville.  I am looking at the Pa Atlas and
Gazeeter by DeLorme and this makes sense.  Don't have a clue as to the
topography beyond Drake - been almost 40-years since leaving Pgh!
	There is a Boyer not far from Drake but that doesn't fit the stop
listing provided by John where Boyer proceeds Finleyville!

	More below::

John Swindler wrote:

> 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.......

> 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.

> 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.”

	Now this makes sense - from the quotes previously, it seemed as though
they were saying *16-miles Castle Shannon to Finleyville* but the above
includes all travel from W. Pgh to Finleyville.

> The narrow gauge branch from
> Finleyville to West Pittsburg has been out of operation for many years.

	But what is strange is that this is not mentioned in reference to
Charleroi or Washington lines - one would think that it would be - time
savings in grading for the interurbans would be significant.  Would
think this most significant for Washington line - seems doubtful now
that anything Charleroi followed the PS routing.

> 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.

	Interesting information to support the fact that wagon wheels were
PA-broad-gauge and girder rail was best for them to track in!

> Time from the center of Washington to the
> center of Pittsburg is one hour and fifty minutes; to Monongahela City two
> hours.

	Interesting - 	1-hour-50-minutes-in-1910!
			1-hour-49-minutes-in 1952!

> The lines which have just been opened are up to date in
> every particular and are operated on correct principles.

	Must have been written by a politician!  Interesting to see the word
*capitalists* to describe those who undertook building the lines!

	THANKS  AGAIN,  JOHN!!

James B. Holland

        Pittsburgh  Railways  Company  (PRCo),   1930  --  1950
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