[PRCo] Re: Bethel Church Shoo--Fly and Other Shoo--Flys!!

[Bob Rathke]

There is a Bethel Church Road in Bethel Park, but it's nowhere near Mesta.  Bethel
Church Road begins at Drake Road (near the 36 loop), and runs northwest to Rt.
88.  A few hundred feet west of Rt. 88, Bethel Church Road crossed the 35 line on
a bridge - this location is a mile or more northwest of Mesta.  This entire Rt.
88/Bethel Church Rd. intersection was completely re-aligned starting in the early
1980s, and a new bridge was built over the 35 line.

I'm not sure if it's true, but I always thought that Bethel Church Road was named
for Bethel Presbyterian Church which is on the road near the intersection with Ft.
Couch Road.

Church Road is a shorter connecting road between Bethel Church Road and South Park
Road, adjacent to the Presbyterian church.  I lived within three blocks of Bethel
Church and Church Roads.

Bob 7/5/01

-------------------------------------

John Swindler wrote:

> The subject line identifies this location as the Bethel Church Shoo-fly, and
> elsewhere the stop south of Mesta was identified as Bethel Church.
>
> So where was the church????
>
> ans:  This isn't Bethel Church stop.  That stop (and the church) is on the
> Drake/Washington line.  It's the Bethel Presbyterian Church which is/was
> adjacent to the Bethel Station of the Pittsburgh Southern Railroad, (if one
> wishes to go back to the 1880s and a circa 1900 Plat map) near what is now
> Fort Couch Road.  (Church still exists, doesn't it?????)
>
> As for the Library line, let's try Bethel Road, and more recently South Park
> Road for the location of the shoo-fly.
>
> And speaking of the shoo-fly and bridge removal, had not stumbled across a
> PRC application to Public Utility Commission to remove this bridge.  That's
> because not a Pitts. Ry. initiated action.
>
> So why was the bridge removed???  Specifically, who initiated the action???
> As Jim notes, it was ordered removed by PUC, but did county, township or PUC
> initiate the action?
>
> John
>
> >From: Jim Holland <pghpcc at pacbell.net>
> >Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> >To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> >Subject: [PRCo] Re: Bethel  Church  Shoo--Fly  and  Other  Shoo--Flys!!
> >Date: Wed, 04 Jul 2001 13:31:46 -0700
> >
> >
> >Good Morning!!
> >
> > > Jim Holland wrote:
> >
> > > FOUND:::::::    The URL for this bridge  --
> > > photographer standing on it looking south down the prw:::::::!!!!!!!
> >
> >http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/wvp234.htm
> >
> >       The May--1960  *ERA--Headlights*  (pg.12) says this:::::::
> >
> >               "An 1,100' temporary shoo-fly single track was put
> >               into operation on April--22 on Rt. 35--Library near
> >               Mesta Stop to permit removal of trestle over South
> >               Park Road and installation of a grade crossing in its
> >               place, as ordered by the Penna. PUC."
> >
> >       THAT  is a little over 1/5th--mile!!  Grading was necessary on either
> >side of the trestle so maybe this shoo-fly length is not out of line!
> >
> >       Twould be nice to see more pictures of this.
> >
> >       ALSO  --  anyone have photos of the shoo-flys (if they might be called
> >that) at Smithfield and Water during the time the B&O was removed from
> >that location and a new ramp installed??
> >
> > >         Doesn't appear to be as long as I guessed (110--150--feet) but
> >the
> > > photo does appear to be telephoto which shortens apparent lengths!!
> >
>
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