[PRCo] Re: Neville Island

Tue Jun 12 10:06:24 EDT 2001

Gulf Oil used to have a refinery on the Island.  According to my dad,
who at one time worked for Gulf, that refinery served every gasoline
station in Pittsburgh during World War II because the fuel did not need
to be hauled far.  He remembered that the tanker operators simple
emptied a bottle of additives into the gas station's tanks according to
the specifications of that particular oil company.  For example, Sunoco
got a bottle of blue dye.  

Bob Schmidt wrote:
> 
> Greasings:
> Workcar Bob lives!
> 
> Neville Island specs based on company business having been conducted
> there....
> 
> Length of Island: approx 4.7 miles
> Width: .30 mile avg.
> Lifeforms: Industrial, few commercial, some residential.
> 
> Present Industry:
> East End of Island (McKees Rocks side): Aristech Chemical, Calgon, and
> Kosmos Cement
> Mid-Island: Neville Chemical
> West End of Island (Coraopolis Side): Residential, Tavern, Small
> Business, Route I-79 on/off ramp to the island.
> 
> Past Industry:
> In addition to the above, Dravo Corporation occupied approximately a
> mile of the Northwestern shore of the island during the World War II
> years-(1940's),where Naval landing barges, (LST's), were built,
> launched, and sent South for distribution. I believe the launching ramps
> are still in evidence.
> Residential then was ten times what it is today.
> 
> Bob S.
> 
> -- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
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> Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 18:10:16 -0700
> From: Jim Holland <pghpcc at pacbell.net>
> Subject: [PRCo] Neville  Island
> To: "-->- PRCo -- WP -- JTC -- The Big *3* -<--" <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
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> HI!
> 
>         This island must have been huge  --  and in the middle of a River to
> boot, Not a Lake, and certainly Not the Ocean!!
>         The photo on the top of pg.171 of  *PCC From Coast to Coast*  shows a
> 1500--series car on  side-of-the-road  prw on the Island on single
> track.  And quite a distance can be seen behind the car, all single
> track!
>         With a total of 5-sidings for PRCo trolleycars, one with a complete
> circle for a reverse loop so the siding is more than a couple
> car-lengths, another siding which appears sizeable, at least
> 6-RR-crossings, and a considerable stretch of double track on the east
> end of the island, this is quite an interesting operation in its own
> right!!
>         Do more detailed plans of the track layout for the island exist?
> 
>         How long was the island?
> 
>         How wide was it at the widest point?
> 
>         Is the Island strictly for Business,
>                 or were there homes as well?
> 
>         Can't recall ever being on the island.
> 
>         What is there today?
> 
>         Do people live there today?
> 
> --
> James B. Holland