West Penn "Orange"

[John Swindler]

This started out as a follow-up to Jim Holland's reference to PRMA/PTM 
calendar which contained reference that change from green to orange West 
Penn livery was due to accidents and improved visibility.  Which kind of 
begged the question to harass (sorry about that) Jim a bit: so what were the 
details of the accidents?.

We'll get to that later.

But comments elsewhere were also made about CERA's West Penn book.  It's one 
of my favorites, but as with most railfan publications, it skips from 
construction of the predecessor lines to final abandonment, leaving 
impression nothing happened in between.  (compare with C&LE book for 
instance)

Anyway, to provide specific information on why West Penn changed from olive 
green and gold to orange, that events did occur between 1905 and 1952, and 
just for general information on a favorite transit system, here's a 
selection of "what happened" in 1918.  Besides, how many of us were aware 
how fares were initially collected?

Oh yes, the accidents?  Major one occurred the previous year.  Guess we need 
a part II for 1917 articles next.

Enjoy

John






CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, Jan 23, 1918

LOCAL WOMEN’S CIGARETS ON CARS TOO MUCH FOR UNIONTOWN

Because of conduct unbecoming a traveler in a West Penn trolley car, Mrs. 
J.E. Shives and Miss Mary Lewis, alias Miss Mary Brady, of Connellsville, 
today languish in the county jail in Uniontown awaiting a hearing before 
Alderman John B. Reisinger.  State Policemen Dunlap and Dargess, who made 
the arrests, will be witnesses against the women.  They took them from the 
11.20 car from Masontown to the county seat last night.
Part of the way to the capital the women occupied seats in the main 
compartment.  Their language was hardly up to the standard to which the 
other occupants were accustomed and the conductor invited them to the 
smoking end.  Nonchalantly marching out they pulled forth cigarettes and 
lighted them and sat calmly smoking the remainder of the way.  When the car 
pulled into Uniontown the officers, who were passengers, took them in tow 
and marched them to the jail.  No time has been set for the hearing of the 
case.


CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, Feb 26, 1918

TROLLEY CAR CHASES AUTOMOBILE UP HILL AND THEM RAMS IT

Leisenring Avenue, West Side, Scene of Collision in Which Woman is Injured.

A big automobile belonging to Harry Dunn was damaged last night when a West 
Penn street car, bound for Uniontown, via the Phillips route, struck the 
auto just a short distance above Ninth Street, West Side.  Mrs. David Long, 
who was riding in the rear seat of the machine, was bruised about the head 
and thigh and the right rear wheel of the automobile was broken off.  A 
large dent was made in the machine where the street car struck it.
Mrs. Long was carried to the home of M. W. Alter where she was given medical 
attention.  She is resting easily at her Morrell Avenue home today.
The accident occurred about 5.25 o’clock.  The automobile, which was being 
driven by Mr. Dunn, was running south on Ninth Street.  Mr. Dunn saw the 
street car just as he reached the crossing and he turned the machine up the 
tracks, running ahead of he car to avoid a collision.  The street car was 
not stopped quickly enough and overtook the automobile about 80 feet up the 
tracks.
Traffic on the Phillips and Vanderbilt lines was delayed for more than an 
hour and a half.  It was necessary to drag the heavy machine from the rails. 
  The street car was in charge of Conductor Dave Pyle and Motorman O. B. 
Crawford, a Connellsville crew.  Crawford is a new man, having been on duty 
for not more than a month.


CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, March 5, 1918

NEW LINE ACQUIRED

West Penn Interests Take Over Wellsburg-Stubenville Link
By Associated Press

WHEELING, W.Va., March 5	The Wheeling Traction Company announced this 
morning the purchase of the Wellsburg, Weirton and Steubenville Traction 
line extending from Wellsburg, W. Va., to Steubenville, O.  This deal gives 
the Wheeling Traction Company a continuous line from Moundsville to 
Steubenville, a distance of 36 miles.
At the same time the traction company announced the placing orders for 52 
all steel pay-as-you-enter cars, to replace those recently burned when the 
company’s car barn here was partially destroyed by fire.
The Wheeling Traction company is a West Penn Power company interest.


CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, March 9, 1918

THREE SMALL BOYS WALKING ON TRACK KILLED BY TROLLEY

Distressing Accident Occurs on West Penn Line between Oliphant and 
Brownfield

Three children, two of them brothers were instantly killed yesterday 
afternoon at 4:45 o’clock when struck by a West Penn car between Brownfield 
and Oliphant.
THE DEAD
ROBERT ZEBLEY, aged 10, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Zebley, of near York Run, 
leg cut off; skull fractured.
JOHN ZEBLEY, aged 8, brother of Robert, skull fractured
STEVE KANAPKY, Aged 7, Son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Kanapky of near 
Fairchance.
The boys had been missing since in the morning and were apparently returning 
home, walking on the track.  On account of a passing freight train they 
evidently did not hear the trolley car.


CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, March 25, 1918

THROUGH FARE SYSTEM WILL BE INAUGURATED ON WEST PENN LINES

Connellsville Will Be the Central Point in New Fare Collecting Methods.

Beginning some time this week, probably about Wednesday, the West Penn 
Railways Company will inaugurate the through fare system on its whole 
system.
Every car will not be equipped with the through fare registers immediately 
but slowly the new system will be put into use until it is used on all lines 
excepting where there is a five cent fare limit.
Connellsville will be made the central point on the system, no fares will be 
collected beyond this place from either end of the lines.
Persons coming from Uniontown going through to Greensburg will pay as far as 
Connellsville and then the second fare will be collected from here to 
Greensburg.  The same system will be used on cars running from Greensburg to 
Uniontown.  In all instances fares will be collected as far as this city and 
then a second collection made for the remainder of the distance.  The 
registers that will be placed in the cars will record a fare from five cents 
to 35 cents.
The old system will be retained on cars running within a five cent fare 
limit.
Heretofore it has been necessary for a conductor to make four collections 
between here and Uniontown.  In collecting the war tax he has had to 
question passengers as to the distance they are going.  Under the new 
system, he will go through the car only once, and it will lessen the 
difficulty in picking out those who are traveling such a distance that war 
tax has to be paid.


CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, April 5, 1918

NEW SYSTEM IN EFFECT

West Penn Now Collects for Through Trip Instead of Nickel at a Time.

The through fare system on the West Penn Railways Company went into effect 
yesterday.  The fares are now being collected through from one point to 
another instead of the five cent fare every three miles.
Connellsville is the center of the through fare system.


CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, May 11, 1918

NEW FARE RATES ON WEST PENN BECOME EFFECTIVE SUNDAY

Strip Tickets at Six Cents Over Fare Limit Will Take the Place of Tickets

Beginning tomorrow morning the new fare rate of six cents will go into 
effect on the lines of the West Penn Railways company.  The new rate is 
effective at 11.55 tonight, but conductors will not collect the extra cent 
until the early trips on Sunday morning.  After today, all tickets, shipping 
tags and labels which have been issued by the company will be void for 
transportation on all lines of the system.
Conductors will be supplied with strip tickets, 17 in each strip, which they 
will sell for $1, a saving of two cents.  The tickets will carry all the 
privileges of full cash fares.  All commutation tickets issued to scholars 
and workingmen have been discontinued.  The baggage, package and express 
rates will also be accordingly increased, beginning tomorrow.
The new tickets, labels and shipping tags at the new rates are on sale at 
division headquarters.  The old labels, tickets and shipping tags may be 
redeemed at the same rate for which they were sold.
The application for permission to increase the rates was filed with the 
Public service Commission in April, and no protests were filed.  The 
application asked to have the new rate become effective on May 11, but it 
will not be started until the first trips tomorrow morning.


CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, May 13, 1918

PENNIES SCARCE

Increased Trolley Fare Creates New Demand for the Coppers

The one cent increase in the fares of the West Penn Railways Company went 
into effect yesterday morning and coke region travelers have found 
additional use for the old copper penny and conductors on the lines also 
realize just what a penny means.
The company was hard pressed at times yesterday for pennies.  Conductors 
were supplied with them when they started on their runs, but making change 
soon “ate up” the available supply.  The supply today is somewhat better.
At Connellsville, Greensburg and Uniontown about $125 in pennies is required 
each day.  The demand for approximately $400 in pennies each day is hard to 
fill.  The war tax is now collected beyond the sixth fare zone instead of 
the eighth as formerly when the five cent fare was in effect.  Conductors 
have been supplied with strips which show at a glance just what the fare and 
war tax amount to.


CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, July 3, 1918

WESTERN MARYLAND YARDS, ROUNDHOUSE AT FAYETTE TO BE COMPLETED IN 60 DAYS

TRESTLE FOR WEST PENN

Temporary Wooden Structure to Span railroad Tracks

Resumption of Work in Herd Bottom is for Purpose of Facilitating Movement of 
Coal from West Virginia Fields; Yards are Half Completed

In order to expedite handling of the coal traffic from West Virginia by way 
of Connellsville the Railroad Administration has ordered, according to 
reliable information received today, the immediate completion of the Western 
Maryland-Baltimore & Ohio yards at Fayette.
A thousand men will be put to work at once, it is stated, with a view to 
completing the yards within 60 days.
The task will include the erection of a roundhouse, as was planned 
originally.
To provide for traffic over the West Penn railways line, the administration 
will have erected a temporary wooden trestle crossing the Baltimore & Ohio 
and Western Maryland lines.  The plans provided for a new steel viaduct 
extending from the edge of the bluff at Morrell over all the railroad tracks 
in the valley.  Scarcity of steel was responsible largely for the delay in 
the construction of this work.  At this time it would be impossible to 
assemble the materials for a permanent structure in the time allotted for 
completion of the work, hence the temporary wooden structure.
The yard system at Fayette is about half complete.  The plans called for 
initial installation of six tracks on land purchased from the Herd estate.  
Three tracks have been completed and the grading is done for the others.  
Nothing has been done toward the erection of a roundhouse.


CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, July 9, 1918

HANG TRAFFIC SIGNS

Big Posters Tell Autoists Not to Pass Car being Loaded

Following a suggestion of M. B. Pryce, superintendent of the department of 
public safety, the West Penn Railways company this morning hung two signs 
over West Crawford Avenue in front of the station, warning automobile 
drivers not to pass cars while they are being loaded or unloaded.  It is a 
violation of the traffic law to pass a car when passengers are getting on 
and off, and many motorists here have been driving through the crowds.
The signs are a bright yellow with black letters, bearing the inscription 
“Do Not Drive by Cars While Unloading or Loading Passengers.”  Mr. Pryce 
this morning said:  “We do not want to have to arrest anyone, but this 
driving through the crowds boarding cars must be stopped.”


CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, July 6, 1918

WEST PENN WILL REDUCE CAR STOPS UNDER NEW RULING

Fuel Administration Orders Street Railways Companies to Curtail Some 
Stations

The West Penn Railways Company has received notice from the Pennsylvania 
Fuel Administration to adjust the schedule of stops so that a number of 
stations will be discontinued.  The order is to go into effect by July 15.  
The new schedule must be approved by the county chairman of the Fuel 
Administration.
The West Penn will not be effected by the new ruling as much as a city 
railway company.  With its interurban lines the West Penn does not have 
frequent stops and there are long distances between stations at most points.
In Connellsville, Uniontown, Greensburg and other communities on the system 
it may be necessary to cut a number of street stops but otherwise it is not 
likely that other changes will be necessary.  In some of the cities on the 
system stops are made at every other street.  Under the orders received 
today one out of two stops will be discontinued, switches excluded.  The new 
order is to conserve power which is used in starting a car after it has been 
stopped.


CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, July 12, 1918

SKIP-STOP SYSTEM IN CAR SERVICE WILL SAVE WEST PENN 15 TONS COAL DAILY

That is Estimate Made at Local Offices of Company

EFFECTIVE NEXT MONDAY

Schedule Has been Presented to the County Fuel Administrator

NUMBEROUS STOPS CUT OUT

Action to be taken at Behest of Federal fuel Administration as Means of 
Conserving Fuel; Order is Mandatory and Specific Date is Names

The new skip stop system which will go into effect on the West Penn Railways 
system Monday will save 15 tons of coal a day at the power station, 
according to an announcement made at the offices here today.  The revised 
schedule of stops has been drawn up by the company and presented to the 
county fuel administrators of Fayette and Westmoreland counties for 
approval.  Many stops have been eliminated and a few new ones created where 
a saving could be effected by cutting out two stops with the addition of a 
new one.
Signs have been placed at every old stop wh4ere the stations will be 
abandoned, and although some confusion is expected to result the company is 
making every effort to notify the public of the new stop order.  Crews will 
be given notice not to adhere too strictly to the order for the first few 
days, and not run past a person standing at an old stop, though by Wednesday 
the new ruling should be thoroughly understood by all.  The order will be 
effective on the West Penn from Trafford City to Brownsville.
In a communication to the West Penn Company the federal fuel administration 
says it is imperative that the inauguration of the skip-stop system be made 
effective not later than July 15, and that although the order may cause a 
great deal of inconvenience it is the wisest possible method that can be 
taken in transportation circles to save fuel.
The administration declares that the skip-stop system must become effective 
at once or a general reduction in the number of cars now operating will be 
the only alternative.  The company is required to furnish the administration 
with information concerning the number of stops eliminated, estimated 
monthly tonnage saved, and saving in running time of cars.


CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, July 13, 1918

HUNDRED FORTY-THREE STOPS ELIMINATED UNDER SYSTEM EIN EFFECT ON WEST PENN 
MONDAY
Connellsville Not Much Affected by the New Order

TWO CUT ON MAIN LINE

South Connellsville Line not So Fortunate, However

DOZEN ARE STRICKEN OFF

According to Officials of West Penn the Elimination of the So-called Useless 
Stops Will Save 15 Tons of Coal Daily at the Power Plant.

Stations which have been eliminated by the West Penn Railways company under 
the recent orders of the fuel Administration to put a skip-stop system into 
effect by July 15 number 143.  The company made a total cut of 146 stops but 
added three where several stops could be eliminated by creating a new one.  
The skip-stop system is effective Monday.  As announced yesterday the 
company figures the elimination of the 143 stops will cut the consumption of 
coal at the power station 15 tons a day.
On the main line starting from Uniontown and running through to Scottdale, 
the following stops have been eliminated:  Court House, Collins, Reisinger 
and O’Neil, Uniontown; Third Street, First Street, Connellsville; Norton, 
Chamberlain, East End, Fosbrink, Echards, Penn Avenue, Valley store; King 
Street, Everson and Grant Avenue, Scottdale.  In Uniontown the three stops, 
Collins, Reisinger and O’Neil have been combined into two stops at Douglas 
and John Streets.  In Connellsville the First and Third Street stops have 
been combined into one stop at Second Street.
On the Scottdale Meadow Mills line, three stops:  Church Street, Moyer 
Avenue and Fourth Street have been eliminated.
On the route from Leisenring No. 1 to  Uniontown via Phillips only three 
stops have been cut.  They are Crossland, Jordan and the Uniontown Brewery.
On the Connellsville to Dickerson Run line, Wood Avenue in this city has 
been eliminated, together with Sipes, Trotter halt, O’Hara’s McClintock’s, 
Work’s farm, Leighty’s farm, First and Maple streets, Vanderbilt.  The stops 
of Sipes and Trotter Hall, which are eliminated, are combined into one stop 
at Picket’s lane.  O’Hara’s and McClintock’s are combined in one stop at 
Work’s Lane.
On the South Connellsville line the following stops have been eliminated: 
Fairview Avenue, “D” office, Morton Avenue, Aetna Street, Green, Race and 
Cedar Avenues, Buffalo, Tippman, Crescent, Painter Street, South 
Connellsville; Cecil, Humbert and Dushane Avenue.  The Fairview Avenue and 
“D” office stops have been combined into a new stop at Newmyer Avenue.
On the Scottdale-Mt. Pleasant line via Hecla, the following stops have been 
cut out:  Urber’s stop, Swedetown; Whitlaw, Strawberry Avenue, Mount 
Pleasant.
On the Scottdale-Mount Pleasant line via Tarrs, the eliminated stops are 
Edwin Avenue, Scottdale, Miller’s Crossing, Louck’s farm, Louffer cut and 
Fox’s Garden.
On the crosstown route from Mount Pleasant to Tarrs, the following stops 
have been eliminated:  Shupe, McGee, St. Clair Church, Flagle and Hostetter 
Streets, Mount Pleasant; Cowan’s, Fox’s Lovers’ Lane and Power House Lane.


CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, August 15, 1918

WEST PENN TROLLEY CAR MAKES A WILD DASH DOWN GRADE

Car no. 604, due at the West Penn waiting room at 4.30 locked brakes and 
started on a wild dash down Crawford Avenue hill last evening, passing 
Brimstone corner and the West Penn waiting room at about 40 miles an hour.  
The car was finally stopped at First Street, West Side, just as car 710, due 
at the waiting room at 4.45 from Dickerson Run, was coming in .  The 
momentum of the car was so great that it slid all the way down the hill.  
The car swerved badly at the switch in front of the Yough house.  There were 
no serious injuries and only a few minor cuts being received by some small 
boys from flying glass.  One woman was cut on the arm.
A man by the name of Zane is reported to have jumped off at the dip 
beginning a the bridge and after turning a few somersaults he got up 
somewhat cut and bruised about the head.  Zane claims to have been jolted 
off.
The car was in charge of motorman R. A. McCampbell and Conductor J. B. 
Seips.  Both men stayed at their posts and probably saved many people from 
jumping off and being killed.
Motorman McCampbell, finding his car sliding at the Kilpatrick curve began 
ringing his bell and stayed on his job until he finally stopped his car at 
First Street, West Side.
Several windows were broken in the car and some baskets of alder berries, 
which had been picked by some people and put in the back of the car, were 
spilled all over the floor.


CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, August 24, 1918

TO BE ERECTED BY WEST PENN POWER

In the Allegheny valley to Overcome the Great Power Shortage

GOVERNMENT WILL AID

To the Extent of Providing $2 million of the Capital Necessary for the 
Improvement; Contracts for Two Big Generators Already Let, is Said.

Following the meeting of bankers in Pittsburg yesterday to consider an 
enlargement of the power producing facilities of the West Penn Power 
Company, the announcement has been made that assistance will be given by the 
government in the erection of a large generating station in the Allegheny 
Valley at a cost of $5 million to partially relieve the power shortage in 
the Pittsburg industrial district.
The generating plant will be erected within a year on a site as yet 
undetermined near a coal mine of the company.  Several sites are under 
consideration, including one in the Freeport district, says the Pittsburg 
Dispatch.  Of the $5 million necessary the government has offered to supply 
$2 million.
At the request of the company more than 90 bankers from parts of the United 
States as far west as Chicago arrived in Pittsburg yesterday for the purpose 
of inspecting the various plants of the company with the view of financing 
the company’s end of the proposition.  Yesterday they were taken to the 
Windsor power plant at Beechbottom, W. Va., and today they are on a tour of 
the Connellsville region, which will include an inspection of the generating 
station in the Herd bottom.  At a dinner last night the bankers listened to 
the arguments of the members of the company as to the desirability of 
certain sites.  No action was taken and will not be until the bankers fully 
acquaint themselves with all the various proposed sites, according to A. M. 
Lynn, president of the company.
It is understood that contracts have already been made with the Westinghouse 
Electric & Manufacturing company for two turbo generators of 20,000 
kilowatts each.  The plan provides for the erection of the necessary 
transmission system throughout the Connellsville coke region and the 
Pittsburg district, to make possible the furnishing of electric power in 
large quantities to industrial concerns which are now making or are about to 
make munitions and other vital war material.



CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, December 17, 1918

YELLOW CARS WITH A VIEW TO SAFETY

Believed to New Color Will Be Observable for Longer Distance then the Green 
Ones

The West Penn Railway company has added four new cars to its rolling stock 
here, one of which is already in operation.  The other three will be put 
into operation one each week.  The new cars are of the “700” type, the 
exclusive West Penn model.  They were built by the Cincinnati Car Company 
and arrived here only a short time ago.  All the other “700” cars now in use 
on the lines were built at the shops on the West Side.
The new cars are the exact type of the others being used by the west Penn 
with the exception that they are painted an orange color.  This color is 
being used with a view to determining whether some of the car accidents can 
be eliminated, it being thought that perhaps the color will make the 
approaching trolley more conspicuous to the automobile driver or pedestrian.
The four new cars were bought to take the place of two cars which were 
burned last year and to increase the number on hand.  No more additions are 
likely to be made in the near future.  The “700” type is considered the best 
for the kind of service necessary in this region.  They are light, have a 
good carrying capacity, and the automatic doors, closed except when the car 
is not in motion, eliminate unloading accidents.


CONNELLSVILLE COURIER, December 17, 1918

NEW WEST PENN RATES ALMOST DOUBLE OLD TRAVEL COSTS

FARE TO BE REDUCED BUT NUMBER OF ZONES TO BE GREATLY INCREASED

Will Cost 20 cents to Travel to Scottdale, 10 to Dunbar

LEISENRING NO. 1 A DIME

Company Makes Claim Advance of a Cent Last June Was Not Sufficient; New 
Rates Have Been Filed at Harrisburg; Two Cents for Transfer.

The West Penn Railway company has filed application with the public Service 
Commission for permission to readjust the fare zones now established, 
increasing them in number and returning to the five cent fare.  The new 
rates are to become effective January 27 (note: 1919)  The company points 
out that this change is necessary to increase the income to cover the high 
cost of labor and materials.  Although the return to the five-cent fare cuts 
the rate for the person riding a short distance, it nearly doubles the old 
fare for distant riding.  The new rate is established on a mileage basis 
being approximately two and a half cents per mile.
The change in rates follows the increase made by the company last June when 
the six cent fare was inaugurated.  The railways company declares that this 
increase has not shown up” at all as was expected and that it is going 
backwards and has been.
Information from the Pittsburg offices this morning in regard to the change 
was that the new tariffs were file principally to readjust the far limits so 
all would be made the same.  Some, it was stated, allowed longer hauls than 
others, and while some lines were nearly right, others should have been 
changed long ago.  Also it was stated the change is being made to get back 
to the nickel fare., both for the convenience of the public and conductor, 
doing away with the necessity of using the penny.
The readjustment of fare zones increases the number between here and 
Uniontown to seven, and with the five cent rate per zone, the fare to that 
city will be 35 cents.  The fare, since the increase last June, ahs been 24 
cents. I In addition to the new fare the war tax will be charged.
The new fare between Connellsville and Scottdale will be 20 cents.  This has 
been a 12 cent fare making four fare zones instead of two.  The first fare 
zone, which was formerly at Murphy Siding, is now at Popular Grove.  Murphy 
Siding is the second and Valley Siding the last.  The through fare system, 
which was installed some time ago, will still be in use.
Dunbar passengers will now pay a 10-cent fare instead of the nickel as 
previously.  Morrell Siding will be the new fare limit.  Between 
Connellsville and Greensburg the number of fare zones has been increased to 
13, making a fare of 65 cents.  This fare, when there were eight zones, was 
48 cents.
To Mount Pleasant the fare will be 35 cents instead of 24 cents.  The same 
fare zones will apply between here and Tarrs.
On the Phillips route the fare to Leisenring No. 1 will be 10 cents, this 
fare formerly being six cents.  On the Phillips route the fare to Uniontown 
will be 35 cents, the same as on the main line.  Formerly there was the 
additional fare zone on the Phillips route.
To Dickerson Run the fare will be 20 cents instead of 12.  On the south 
Connellsville line, a reduction of one cent has been made.  The fare on that 
line will be five cents, there being only one fare zone.  The fare was 
formally six cents.
Ticket strips of 20 tickets will be sold for $1 , each ticket have  the 
value of one five-cent fare.
For a transfer at junction points a charge of two cents will be made.  A 
transfer to the city limits, east of the city on the main line, will be 
issued o passengers coming in on the South Connellsville, Vanderbilt or 
Phillips routes on payment of two cents.  A new transfer point, Banning 
switch on the Phillips route, has been established.  Transfers to these 
point will be issued on payment of two cents.
Notices of the filing of the application for the increase have been posted 
in the street cars and in the West Penn buildings.

_________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at 
http://profiles.msn.com.