[PRCo] Introduction

[Stephen Titchenal]

I just joined the Pittsburgh railways group and thought I would introduce
myself. I worked with Derrick more than 10 years ago on the project to scan
the historic topos now on the maptech website. I scanned most of Ohio at
600dpi. Has anyone scanned the PA 15' topos at that resolution? I have also
been scanning the first editions of the 7.5' topos which were done in 1953
for much of the Pittsburgh area. They show the rights of way of the in
operation or recently abandoned interurbans when they were not using
streets, plus now abandoned railroad lines. The 7.5' topos are done to a
more modern standard and easy to georeference.

 

I have recently begun tracing the railroads, trolleys and interurbans of
Ohio and Western PA very accurately using GIS tools. The GIS resource that
has helped me to put everything together is the LiDAR Digital Elevation data
that has recently become available for much of Ohio and Pennsylvania. This
is radar elevation data accurate to within a couple of feet even through
tree cover. It allows you to see long abandoned rights of way that do not
show up as easily on aerial photos.

 

I have attached a sample showing the Trafford - Irwin area.

 

Is anyone else using GIS tools (Google Earth is a consumer level example) to
trace historic transportation routes?

 

I am just starting my Pennsylvania research. I have been surprised at how
few historic maps (1890-1940) I can find once I leave Allegheny County and
the wonderful Historic Pittsbugh online collection. In Ohio there are a few
detailed county/township map sets state wide (1910,1919,1925,1940) and many
county atlases. I have mostly been looking online so far, but hope to get to
Pittsbugh later this fall for more research.

 

A couple of route questions to start out.

1. What route did the Webster, Monessen, Belle Vernon and Fayette City take
through Fayette City to Arnold? There was an old P&LE branch that Johnson
Hollow Road probably uses now. Did it use the same right of way? How far
down Schoonmaker Ave did it go into Monessen?

 

My website, railandtrails.com has resources for transportation history. Most
require you to install the free djvu plugin.

 

Stephen Titchenal

www.railsandtrails.com

www.titchenal.com

 




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