Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad is a Class II railroad
operating in New York
and Pennsylvania
.
The BPRR is owned by Genesee and Wyoming Industries
. Its main line runs between Buffalo
, New York
and Eidenau, Pennsylvania
, north of Pittsburgh
. Here, connections are made to the city center via the Allegheny Valley Railroad
. The system runs largely on former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
(B&O) lines. The entire BPRR system is 411 miles (661.4 km).
Major commodities carried include paper, petroleum products, chemicals, coal, steel, and sand.
, Johnsonburg, PA
, DuBois, PA
, Punxsutawney, PA
, and Butler, PA
, the location of the company's rail yard.
and Johnsonburg along the former Allegheny and Eastern Railroad
. Another is made up of former Pittsburg and Shawmut Railroad
tracks, running from the Armstrong Power Plant
in Reesedale to Freeport, Pennsylvania
. The B&P also operates on the Low Grade between DuBois and Driftwood
that was formerly used by the Pennsylvania Railroad
, then Conrail. A portion of the former B&O Northern Subdivision is used to provide access to Petrolia, PA
.
CSX Transportation
also leases the P&W Subdivision
to the B&P between Allison Park
and the New Castle Yard in West Pittsburg
, just outside of New Castle, PA
. Though the B&P ends in Allison Park, the railroad rarely traverses the line down to the borough. Instead, it transfers its goods to the AVR either in Evans City
or Bakerstown
depending on the amount of freight it has. Other owned and operated branch lines travel to Homer City
, St. Marys
, and Brookville, Pennsylvania
, as well as to the Buffalo suburb of Orchard Park, New York.
(ALY), Pittsburg and Shawmut Railroad
(PSR), and the Bradford Industrial Railroad (BR).
Around 2005 the Indiana Subdivision, which had been out of use, was rehabilitated to serve the Homer City Generating Station
. Shortly after this, the Ridge Subdivision, which had seen a Norfolk Southern Railway
coal train run-through to Shelocta
was sold off to NS.
In 2006, the railroad was honored as the Regional Railroad of the Year
by industry trade journal Railway Age
magazine.
Class II railroad
A Class II railroad in the United States is a mid-sized freight-hauling railroad, in terms of its operating revenue. , a railroad with revenues greater than $20.5 million but less than $277.7 million for at least three consecutive years is considered a Class II railroad...
operating in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
The BPRR is owned by Genesee and Wyoming Industries
Genesee and Wyoming Railroad
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. is a short-line railroad holding company that owns or maintains interests in 63 railroads throughout six countries , and operates more than of owned and leased track, with more than under additional track-access arrangements...
. Its main line runs between Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Eidenau, Pennsylvania
Eidenau, Pennsylvania
Eidenau is an unincorporated community in Jackson Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States.- Geography :Eidenau is located in the area where Breakneck Creek flows into the Connoquenessing Creek. Pennsylvania Route 68 is the main road in Eidenau....
, north of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. Here, connections are made to the city center via the Allegheny Valley Railroad
Allegheny Valley Railroad
The Allegheny Valley Railroad is a class III railroad that operates in Western Pennsylvania, and is owned by Carload Express, Inc.AVR acts as a feeder line connecting its many and varied customers to Class I railroads such as CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway , and regional lines...
. The system runs largely on former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
(B&O) lines. The entire BPRR system is 411 miles (661.4 km).
Major commodities carried include paper, petroleum products, chemicals, coal, steel, and sand.
Main line
The Buffalo-Eidenau main line passes through Salamanca, NY, Bradford, PABradford, Pennsylvania
Bradford is a small city located in rural McKean County, Pennsylvania, in the United States 78 miles south of Buffalo, New York. Settled in 1823, Bradford was chartered as a city in 1879 and emerged as a wild oil boomtown in the Pennsylvanian oil rush in the late 19th century...
, Johnsonburg, PA
Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania
Johnsonburg is a borough in Elk County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Pittsburgh and south of Buffalo, New York, in a productive farming and lumbering region. Paper mills were once common here, and Domtar still maintains a paper mill there today. In 1910, 4,334 people lived here...
, DuBois, PA
DuBois, Pennsylvania
DuBois is a city in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Pittsburgh. It is the principal city in the DuBois, Pa Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Punxsutawney, PA
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
Punxsutawney is a borough in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, United States, northeast of Pittsburgh. In 1907, Punxsutawney and Claysville boroughs were consolidated and incorporated as Greater Punxsutawney. A high-grade soft coal was mined in the surrounding region...
, and Butler, PA
Butler, Pennsylvania
The city of Butler is the county seat of Butler County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, situated north of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,121 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, the location of the company's rail yard.
Other lines
BPRR operates two key secondary lines. One runs between ErieErie
Erie is a city in Pennsylvania, United States.Erie may also refer to:*Erie , a tribe of Native Americans-Places:*Lake Erie, one of the five Great Lakes of North America*Erie Canal, a canal running from the Hudson River to Lake Erie...
and Johnsonburg along the former Allegheny and Eastern Railroad
Allegheny and Eastern Railroad
The Allegheny and Eastern Railroad was a shortline railroad operating in Pennsylvania, owned by Genesee & Wyoming Inc.. It is now operated by the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad....
. Another is made up of former Pittsburg and Shawmut Railroad
Pittsburg and Shawmut Railroad
The Pittsburg and Shawmut Railroad , also known as the Shawmut Line, was a short line railroad company operating passenger and freight service on standard gauge track in central and southwestern Pennsylvania...
tracks, running from the Armstrong Power Plant
Armstrong Power Plant
Armstrong Power Station is a thermal power station with 356 MW in Washington Township, Armstrong County, near Kittanning, Pennsylvania, USA at whose...
in Reesedale to Freeport, Pennsylvania
Freeport, Pennsylvania
Freeport is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States; it is situated along the Allegheny River in the southwest corner of the county. The population was 1,962 at the 2000 Census. Freeport received its name from David Todd, who declared it to be a free-port where no man would be...
. The B&P also operates on the Low Grade between DuBois and Driftwood
Driftwood, Pennsylvania
Driftwood is a borough in Cameron County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 103 at the 2000 census.-History:Driftwood was incorporated as the second and last borough in Cameron County on January 17, 1872. The tracks of the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad, however, had previously been...
that was formerly used by the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, then Conrail. A portion of the former B&O Northern Subdivision is used to provide access to Petrolia, PA
Petrolia, Pennsylvania
Petrolia is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 218 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Petrolia is located at ....
.
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
also leases the P&W Subdivision
P&W Subdivision
The P&W Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation, the Allegheny Valley Railroad , and the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania...
to the B&P between Allison Park
Allison Park, Pennsylvania
Allison Park is a census-designated place in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It is a suburb of Pittsburgh and is located within Hampton, Shaler and McCandless townships. It had a population of 21,552 at the 2010 census.-History:...
and the New Castle Yard in West Pittsburg
West Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
West Pittsburg is an unincorporated community in southern Taylor Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, along the banks of the Beaver River just 5 miles south of New Castle. Its main street is the north-south Pennsylvania Route 168, which crosses the river at the southern end of the community...
, just outside of New Castle, PA
New Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle is a city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, northwest of Pittsburgh and near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border just east of Youngstown, Ohio; in 1910, the total population was 36,280; in 1920, 44,938; and in 1940, 47,638. The population has fallen to 26,309 according to the...
. Though the B&P ends in Allison Park, the railroad rarely traverses the line down to the borough. Instead, it transfers its goods to the AVR either in Evans City
Evans City, Pennsylvania
Evans City is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,009 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Evans City is located at ....
or Bakerstown
Bakerstown, Pennsylvania
Bakerstown is a census-designated place within Richland Township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,761....
depending on the amount of freight it has. Other owned and operated branch lines travel to Homer City
Homer City, Pennsylvania
Homer City is a borough in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,844 at the 2000 census. The Homer City Generating Station is located outside of Homer City but it takes its name from the borough. Homer City is located in the Indiana metro area...
, St. Marys
St. Marys, Pennsylvania
St. Marys is a city in Elk County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 14,502 at the 2000 census. Originally a small, Bavarian Catholic town, St. Marys was founded December 8, 1842. It is home to Straub Brewery and the first Benedictine convent in the United States. In 1992, the...
, and Brookville, Pennsylvania
Brookville, Pennsylvania
Brookville is a borough in Jefferson County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, 100 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. 2,472 people lived in Brookville in 1900, and 3,003 people lived there in 1910. The population was 4,230 at the 2000 census...
, as well as to the Buffalo suburb of Orchard Park, New York.
History
Operations began in 1988 over mostly former Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (formerly Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh) lines. In the early 2000s, the BPRR merged other GWI railroads into it. These lines include the Allegheny and Eastern RailroadAllegheny and Eastern Railroad
The Allegheny and Eastern Railroad was a shortline railroad operating in Pennsylvania, owned by Genesee & Wyoming Inc.. It is now operated by the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad....
(ALY), Pittsburg and Shawmut Railroad
Pittsburg and Shawmut Railroad
The Pittsburg and Shawmut Railroad , also known as the Shawmut Line, was a short line railroad company operating passenger and freight service on standard gauge track in central and southwestern Pennsylvania...
(PSR), and the Bradford Industrial Railroad (BR).
Around 2005 the Indiana Subdivision, which had been out of use, was rehabilitated to serve the Homer City Generating Station
Homer City Generating Station
Homer City Generating Station is a 2-GW coal-burning power station near Homer City, in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, USA. It is owned by Edison International and operated by its subsidiary Midwest Generation. Units 1 and 2, rated at 660 MWe, were launched into operation in 1969. Unit 3, rated at...
. Shortly after this, the Ridge Subdivision, which had seen a Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
coal train run-through to Shelocta
Shelocta, Pennsylvania
Shelocta is a borough in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 127 at the 2000 census. The Keystone Generating Station is located to the west of the borough, in Plumcreek Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
was sold off to NS.
In 2006, the railroad was honored as the Regional Railroad of the Year
Regional Railroad of the Year
The Regional Railroad of the Year is an annual award given to exemplary North American regional railroads by rail transport industry publication Railway Age...
by industry trade journal Railway Age
Railway Age
Railway Age is an American trade journal for the rail transport industry. It was founded in 1856 in Chicago and is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation. The magazine's original title was the Western Railroad Gazette, and was renamed the Railroad Gazette in 1870...
magazine.