Ligonier Valley Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Ligonier Valley Railroad connected the communities of Latrobe
and Ligonier, Pennsylvania
, approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) apart, between 1877 and 1952. For much of its length, the railroad ran parallel to Loyalhanna Creek
in a scenic mountain gorge. In addition to the Latrobe-Ligonier line, there was an extension to the coal mining communities of Wilpen and Fort Palmer to the north of Ligonier, as well as several shorter spurs serving coal mines.
The railroad was owned and operated by the Mellon
family of banking fame. Freight included coal, coke
, lumber, and quarry stone.
passed the “Act of Incorporation for the Latrobe and Ligonier Rail Road Company.” The name was changed to the Ligonier Valley Rail Road Company in May 1871. Grading and construction were very slow owing to financial problems, and in August 1877 Thomas Mellon
, a Pittsburgh banking magnate, agreed to purchase the line. Service finally began on December 1, 1877.
The railroad was originally (narrow gauge), but was converted
to (standard gauge
) in 1882.
Another segment of the railroad has its roots in a 1903 venture known as the Westmoreland Central Railroad. This company proposed to build a railroad connecting Ligonier to Bolivar
, where it would connect with the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad
. In 1904, the Ligonier Valley Railroad purchased the partly constructed line. In 1908, this was opened as the Ligonier-Wilpen-Fort Palmer branch and was 5.7 miles (9.2 km) in length. The segment that would have linked Bolivar was never constructed, leaving the coal mining community of Fort Palmer as the northernmost extent of the Ligonier Valley Railroad.
A new headquarters building including station facilities was built 1909-1910 in Ligonier and is still standing.
Some sources show slightly different mileages. For example, a 1941 timetable shows Ligonier as 10.5 miles (16.9 km) from Latrobe.
Passenger service was quite frequent, considering the small populations of the communities along the line. The railroad-owned Idlewild Park was a substantial draw for passenger traffic, reflected in the fact that extra passenger trains were run on Sundays.
In 1941, there were five trains per day in each direction between Latrobe and Ligonier. Four of the five stopped at all stations, while one train per day served only Latrobe, Kingston, Darlington, and Ligonier. In addition, three extra trains ran Sunday only, and yet another train ran daily except Saturday.
The 1941 timetable shows no passenger service on the Wilpen branch. However, the June 1916 edition of the Official Guide of the Railways and Steam Navigation Lines of the United States shows two trains per day in each direction serving (in order from south to north) Ligonier, North Ligonier, Hannah’s Run, and Wilpen.
) on July 5, 1912, 2 miles (3.2 km) from Ligonier, on the Wilpen branch near the Wilpen Fair Grounds. A locomotive pushing a single wooden coach, northbound, collided head-on with a southbound freight train locomotive on a curve. The passenger coach, crowded with revelers returning from a holiday celebration, absorbed the brunt of the impact. In total, 26 people died and 29 were injured, including many children. The railroad relied on verbal orders to train crews, without signals, written orders, or written rules. According to the resulting investigation by the Interstate Commerce Commission
, the dispatcher and passenger train conductor disputed whether a verbal order had been issued to wait for the passage of the freight train. Investigators were shocked that the railroad had been relying solely on oral instructions to avoid collisions.
Much of the railroad’s right-of-way is occupied by the westbound lanes of U.S. Route 30
, parallel to Loyalhanna Creek
. Some of the stations are still standing, including those at Oakville and Ligonier. Both Idlewild stations (the original 1878 building and the replacement 1931 structure) stand within the park and function as park buildings. The Darlington station is also located on park property and was given to the Ligonier Valley Rail Road Association by the park, has been restored, and is home to the association's museum.
Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...
and Ligonier, Pennsylvania
Ligonier, Pennsylvania
Ligonier is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2000 census. Ligonier was settled in the 1760s. The borough is well known for nearby Idlewild Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, and nearby Seven Springs Mountain Resort...
, approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) apart, between 1877 and 1952. For much of its length, the railroad ran parallel to Loyalhanna Creek
Loyalhanna Creek
Loyalhanna Creek is a long tributary of the Kiskiminetas River in Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The stream is a popular destination for canoeing and recreational trout fishing.- Etymology :...
in a scenic mountain gorge. In addition to the Latrobe-Ligonier line, there was an extension to the coal mining communities of Wilpen and Fort Palmer to the north of Ligonier, as well as several shorter spurs serving coal mines.
The railroad was owned and operated by the Mellon
Thomas Mellon
Thomas Alexander Mellon was a Scotch-Irish American, entrepreneur, lawyer, and judge, best known as the founder of Mellon Bank and patriarch of the Mellon family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-Early life:...
family of banking fame. Freight included coal, coke
Coke (fuel)
Coke is the solid carbonaceous material derived from destructive distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal. Cokes from coal are grey, hard, and porous. While coke can be formed naturally, the commonly used form is man-made.- History :...
, lumber, and quarry stone.
History
The history of the railroad can be traced back to 1853, when the Pennsylvania General AssemblyPennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
passed the “Act of Incorporation for the Latrobe and Ligonier Rail Road Company.” The name was changed to the Ligonier Valley Rail Road Company in May 1871. Grading and construction were very slow owing to financial problems, and in August 1877 Thomas Mellon
Thomas Mellon
Thomas Alexander Mellon was a Scotch-Irish American, entrepreneur, lawyer, and judge, best known as the founder of Mellon Bank and patriarch of the Mellon family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-Early life:...
, a Pittsburgh banking magnate, agreed to purchase the line. Service finally began on December 1, 1877.
The railroad was originally (narrow gauge), but was converted
Gauge conversion
In rail transport, gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one rail gauge to another, through the alteration of the railway tracks...
to (standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
) in 1882.
Another segment of the railroad has its roots in a 1903 venture known as the Westmoreland Central Railroad. This company proposed to build a railroad connecting Ligonier to Bolivar
Bolivar, Pennsylvania
Bolivar is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 501 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bolivar is located at ....
, where it would connect with the main line of 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....
. In 1904, the Ligonier Valley Railroad purchased the partly constructed line. In 1908, this was opened as the Ligonier-Wilpen-Fort Palmer branch and was 5.7 miles (9.2 km) in length. The segment that would have linked Bolivar was never constructed, leaving the coal mining community of Fort Palmer as the northernmost extent of the Ligonier Valley Railroad.
A new headquarters building including station facilities was built 1909-1910 in Ligonier and is still standing.
Passenger Service
Passenger service was available between Latrobe and Ligonier up to the cessation of service in 1952. Stations in order from west to east were as follows. Distances shown are measured from Latrobe in miles:- Latrobe (0 miles): Connection with Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
- Oakville (1.5 miles (2.4 km))
- Osburn (2.1 miles (3.4 km))
- Kingston (3.2 miles (5.1 km))
- Long Bridge, Pennsylvania (6.5 miles (10.5 km))
- Idlewild (originally Idle Wild): Served the railroad-owned Idlewild Park, an amusement park.
- Darlington (7.4 miles (11.9 km))
- Milbank (8.2 miles (13.2 km)) (originally Coal Pit)
- Bells (9.1 miles (14.6 km))
- Ligonier (10.2 miles (16.4 km)): Headquarters, with connection to Pittsburgh, Westmoreland and Somerset RailroadPittsburgh, Westmoreland and Somerset RailroadThe Pittsburgh, Westmoreland, & Somerset Railroad was a short-lived railroad that connected the Pennsylvania communities of Ligonier and Somerset, running over a mountain known as Laurel Hill or Laurel Mountain....
. The old depot and headquarters building now serves as offices for the Ligonier Valley School DistrictLigonier Valley School DistrictLigonier Valley School District is a public school district in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The boroughs of Ligonier and Laurel Mountain, Bolivar, Seward, New Florence, Bolivar, as well as the townships of Cook, St. Clair and Ligonier, and Fairfield Township, Pennsylvania|Fairfield are within...
. - North Ligonier (on the Ligonier-Wilpen-Fort Palmer extension)
- Hannah’s Run (on the Ligonier-Wilpen-Fort Palmer extension)
- Wilpen (on the Ligonier-Wilpen-Fort Palmer extension)
Some sources show slightly different mileages. For example, a 1941 timetable shows Ligonier as 10.5 miles (16.9 km) from Latrobe.
Passenger service was quite frequent, considering the small populations of the communities along the line. The railroad-owned Idlewild Park was a substantial draw for passenger traffic, reflected in the fact that extra passenger trains were run on Sundays.
In 1941, there were five trains per day in each direction between Latrobe and Ligonier. Four of the five stopped at all stations, while one train per day served only Latrobe, Kingston, Darlington, and Ligonier. In addition, three extra trains ran Sunday only, and yet another train ran daily except Saturday.
The 1941 timetable shows no passenger service on the Wilpen branch. However, the June 1916 edition of the Official Guide of the Railways and Steam Navigation Lines of the United States shows two trains per day in each direction serving (in order from south to north) Ligonier, North Ligonier, Hannah’s Run, and Wilpen.
The Wilpen Disaster of 1912
The worst disaster on the Ligonier Valley occurred at 3:40 PM (ESTEastern Standard Time
Eastern Standard Time may refer to:*North American Eastern Time Zone, UTC-5*Australian Eastern Standard Time, UTC+10*An album by Hip Hop group Kooley High...
) on July 5, 1912, 2 miles (3.2 km) from Ligonier, on the Wilpen branch near the Wilpen Fair Grounds. A locomotive pushing a single wooden coach, northbound, collided head-on with a southbound freight train locomotive on a curve. The passenger coach, crowded with revelers returning from a holiday celebration, absorbed the brunt of the impact. In total, 26 people died and 29 were injured, including many children. The railroad relied on verbal orders to train crews, without signals, written orders, or written rules. According to the resulting investigation by the Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
, the dispatcher and passenger train conductor disputed whether a verbal order had been issued to wait for the passage of the freight train. Investigators were shocked that the railroad had been relying solely on oral instructions to avoid collisions.
Closure
Both freight and passenger service ended on August 31, 1952, except for the 3.5 miles (5.6 km) Latrobe-Kingston segment which was operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad as an industrial spur.Much of the railroad’s right-of-way is occupied by the westbound lanes of U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 in Pennsylvania
In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, U.S. Route 30 runs east–west across the southern part of the state, passing through Pittsburgh and Philadelphia on its way from the West Virginia state line east to the Benjamin Franklin Bridge over the Delaware River into New Jersey...
, parallel to Loyalhanna Creek
Loyalhanna Creek
Loyalhanna Creek is a long tributary of the Kiskiminetas River in Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The stream is a popular destination for canoeing and recreational trout fishing.- Etymology :...
. Some of the stations are still standing, including those at Oakville and Ligonier. Both Idlewild stations (the original 1878 building and the replacement 1931 structure) stand within the park and function as park buildings. The Darlington station is also located on park property and was given to the Ligonier Valley Rail Road Association by the park, has been restored, and is home to the association's museum.
See also
- Idlewild Park
- Ligonier, PennsylvaniaLigonier, PennsylvaniaLigonier is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2000 census. Ligonier was settled in the 1760s. The borough is well known for nearby Idlewild Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, and nearby Seven Springs Mountain Resort...
- Pittsburgh, Westmoreland and Somerset RailroadPittsburgh, Westmoreland and Somerset RailroadThe Pittsburgh, Westmoreland, & Somerset Railroad was a short-lived railroad that connected the Pennsylvania communities of Ligonier and Somerset, running over a mountain known as Laurel Hill or Laurel Mountain....