P&W Subdivision
Encyclopedia
The P&W Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation
, the Allegheny Valley Railroad
(AVR), and the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad
(BPRR) in the U.S. state
of Pennsylvania
. The line runs from Rankin north through Pittsburgh to West Pittsburg
(near New Castle) along a former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
line, once the Pittsburgh and Western Railroad.
The line begins in Rankin at the Pittsburgh Subdivision
, almost directly under the Rankin Bridge
, and runs along the east (right) shore of the Monongahela River
. It meets the AVR's
W&P Subdivision near the Glenwood Bridge
in Glenwood
, and continues near the river to near Greenfield
. There it turns north away from the river to Bloomfield
, where it crosses and junctions with the Norfolk Southern Railway
's Pittsburgh Line. CSX ownership ends and AVR ownership begins there; the line continues northwest, junctioning with the AVR's main line and then immediately crossing the Allegheny River
on the 33rd Street Railroad Bridge. It turns northeast along the west (right) bank of the river to Etna
, turning north there. The AVR owns the line until Glenshaw
, where BPRR ownership begins. The Northern Subdivision heads east from Harmony Junction in Eidenau
, and the P&W Subdivision continues northwest to the east (left) side of the Beaver River
near Ellwood City
. It then heads north near the river to West Pittsburg, where it merges with CSX's New Castle Terminal Subdivision near the Pennsylvania Route 168
overpass.
Amtrak
's Capitol Limited
uses the CSX portion of the line, switching to the NS Pittsburgh Line at Bloomfield.
, was opened by the Pittsburgh and Connellsville Railroad in 1857.
The Pittsburgh, New Castle and Lake Erie opened a line from Etna
north to Zelienople
in 1879. It became the Pittsburgh and Western Railroad that same year, and in 1880 it was extended north to Wurtemberg (near Ellwood City
) and southwest from Etna to Allegheny
(now part of Pittsburgh). It was soon extended north to New Castle, forming a line that includes today's P&W Subdivision from the 33rd Street Railroad Bridge to West Pittsburg.
The Pittsburgh Junction Railroad built a line connecting the two railroads through the east side of Pittsburgh and over the 33rd Street Railroad Bridge in 1884. The B&O acquired all three lines by leases and mergers, and they later passed to CSX.
In 1934, the B&O began operating through trains via trackage rights
over the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad
(now the Pittsburgh Subdivision
) between McKeesport
and New Castle
, leaving the P&W for local trains only. At some point, the line between McKeesport and Rankin was abandoned in favor of the adjacent P&LE. In 2003, CSX filed with the Surface Transportation Board
to abandon the line from Glenshaw north to Bakerstown
, which had not seen local traffic for at least two years. A month later, the Allegheny Valley Railroad
leased the piece from Bloomfield north to Glenshaw and acquired trackage rights
from Bloomfield south to the W&P Subdivision, which it leased simultaneously. Almost immediately after that, the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad
leased the line from Glenshaw north to West Pittsburg.
, 33rd St. Bridge, the Glenshaw Tunnels, Bakerstown Hill and cut, and the Mars Railroad Station
in Mars
. Other popular places along the line include Harmony Junction, Ellwood Tunnel, High Bridge over the Connoquenessing Creek
, and the New Castle Yard.
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...
, 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...
(AVR), and the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad
Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad
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...
(BPRR) in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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 line runs from Rankin north through Pittsburgh to 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...
(near New Castle) along a 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...
line, once the Pittsburgh and Western Railroad.
The line begins in Rankin at the Pittsburgh Subdivision
Pittsburgh Subdivision
The Pittsburgh Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The line runs from McKeesport northwest through Pittsburgh to West Pittsburg along a former Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad line...
, almost directly under the Rankin Bridge
Rankin Bridge
The George Rankin Jr. Memorial Bridge is a cantilever bridge that carries the Green Belt across the Monongahela River between Whitaker, Pennsylvania and Rankin, Pennsylvania. It carries four lanes of automobile traffic, plus pedestrian walkways, both paved with concrete. The bridge serves over...
, and runs along the east (right) shore of the Monongahela River
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
. It meets the AVR's
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...
W&P Subdivision near the Glenwood Bridge
Glenwood Bridge
The Glenwood Bridge is a cantilever bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which carries Pennsylvania Route 885 over the Monongahela River. It started construction on June 3, 1958 and was completed in 1966 to replace an old decayed unsafe iron bridge built in 1894 which carried Pittsburgh Railways...
in Glenwood
Glen Hazel (Pittsburgh)
Glen Hazel is a neighborhood on Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's east city area. It has both zip codes of 15207 and 15217, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by Douglas Shields....
, and continues near the river to near Greenfield
Greenfield (Pittsburgh)
Greenfield is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is represented on by Doug Shields.Greenfield is a member of Pittsburgh's 15th Ward, which includes the neighborhoods of Greenfield and Four Mile Run. Greenfield is adjacent to the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Hazelwood to...
. There it turns north away from the river to Bloomfield
Bloomfield (Pittsburgh)
Bloomfield is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh; it is located three miles from the Golden Triangle, which is the city's center, and is represented on Pittsburgh City Council by Patrick Dowd and Bill Peduto. Bloomfield is referred to as Pittsburgh's Little Italy...
, where it crosses and junctions with the 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...
's Pittsburgh Line. CSX ownership ends and AVR ownership begins there; the line continues northwest, junctioning with the AVR's main line and then immediately crossing the Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
on the 33rd Street Railroad Bridge. It turns northeast along the west (right) bank of the river to Etna
Etna, Pennsylvania
Etna is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on the Allegheny River, opposite Pittsburgh. It flourished in the past when it was the site of rolling mills, furnaces, steel mills, galvanized-pipe works, and other manufacturers. In 1900, 5,384 people lived in Etna. In 1910, 5,830 lived there,...
, turning north there. The AVR owns the line until Glenshaw
Glenshaw, Pennsylvania
Glenshaw is a census-designated place within Shaler and Ross townships in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 8,981....
, where BPRR ownership begins. The Northern Subdivision heads east from Harmony Junction in Eidenau
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....
, and the P&W Subdivision continues northwest to the east (left) side of the Beaver River
Beaver River (Pennsylvania)
The Beaver River is a tributary of the Ohio River in Western Pennsylvania in the United States with a length of approximately 21 mi . It flows through a historically important coal-producing region north of Pittsburgh...
near Ellwood City
Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
Ellwood City is a borough in Beaver and Lawrence counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Ellwood City is 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh and some 8 miles south by southeast of New Castle...
. It then heads north near the river to West Pittsburg, where it merges with CSX's New Castle Terminal Subdivision near the Pennsylvania Route 168
Pennsylvania Route 168
Pennsylvania Route 168 is a highway in Western Pennsylvania that runs for from Pennsylvania Route 18 in Frankfort Springs to Pennsylvania Route 208 in Volant...
overpass.
Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Capitol Limited
Capitol Limited (Amtrak)
Amtrak's Capitol Limited is one of the railroad's two routes connecting Washington, D.C. to Chicago, running via Cleveland, Ohio . Service began in 1981 and was named after the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's Capitol Limited which ended in 1971 upon the formation of Amtrak...
uses the CSX portion of the line, switching to the NS Pittsburgh Line at Bloomfield.
History
The oldest part of the P&W Subdivision, from Rankin to GreenfieldGreenfield (Pittsburgh)
Greenfield is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is represented on by Doug Shields.Greenfield is a member of Pittsburgh's 15th Ward, which includes the neighborhoods of Greenfield and Four Mile Run. Greenfield is adjacent to the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Hazelwood to...
, was opened by the Pittsburgh and Connellsville Railroad in 1857.
Etna, Pennsylvania
Etna is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on the Allegheny River, opposite Pittsburgh. It flourished in the past when it was the site of rolling mills, furnaces, steel mills, galvanized-pipe works, and other manufacturers. In 1900, 5,384 people lived in Etna. In 1910, 5,830 lived there,...
north to Zelienople
Zelienople, Pennsylvania
Zelienople is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, north of Pittsburgh. The population was 4,123 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , of which 98% is land and 1.35% is water....
in 1879. It became the Pittsburgh and Western Railroad that same year, and in 1880 it was extended north to Wurtemberg (near Ellwood City
Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
Ellwood City is a borough in Beaver and Lawrence counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Ellwood City is 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh and some 8 miles south by southeast of New Castle...
) and southwest from Etna to Allegheny
Allegheny, Pennsylvania
Allegheny City was a Pennsylvania municipality located on the north side of the junction of the Allegheny and Ohio rivers, across from downtown Pittsburgh. It was annexed by Pittsburgh in 1907...
(now part of Pittsburgh). It was soon extended north to New Castle, forming a line that includes today's P&W Subdivision from the 33rd Street Railroad Bridge to West Pittsburg.
The Pittsburgh Junction Railroad built a line connecting the two railroads through the east side of Pittsburgh and over the 33rd Street Railroad Bridge in 1884. The B&O acquired all three lines by leases and mergers, and they later passed to CSX.
In 1934, the B&O began operating through trains via trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
over the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad
Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad
The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad , also known as the "Little Giant", was formed on May 11, 1875. Company headquarters were located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The line connected Pittsburgh in the east with Youngstown, Ohio at nearby Haselton, Ohio in the west and Connellsville, ...
(now the Pittsburgh Subdivision
Pittsburgh Subdivision
The Pittsburgh Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The line runs from McKeesport northwest through Pittsburgh to West Pittsburg along a former Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad line...
) between McKeesport
McKeesport, Pennsylvania
McKeesport is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in the United States; it is located at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 19,731 at the 2010 census...
and New Castle
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...
, leaving the P&W for local trains only. At some point, the line between McKeesport and Rankin was abandoned in favor of the adjacent P&LE. In 2003, CSX filed with the Surface Transportation Board
Surface Transportation Board
The Surface Transportation Board of the United States is a bipartisan, decisionally-independent adjudicatory body organizationally housed within the U.S. Department of Transportation. The STB was established in 1996 to assume some of the regulatory functions that had been administered by the...
to abandon the line from Glenshaw north to 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....
, which had not seen local traffic for at least two years. A month later, 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...
leased the piece from Bloomfield north to Glenshaw and acquired trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
from Bloomfield south to the W&P Subdivision, which it leased simultaneously. Almost immediately after that, the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad
Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad
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...
leased the line from Glenshaw north to West Pittsburg.
Highlights of the line
Popular places along the line include the Glenwood Yard and Tower, Schenley TunnelSchenley Tunnel
Schenley Tunnel is a railroad tunnel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Alternate names are Neville Street Tunnel or Pittsburgh Junction Railroad Tunnel....
, 33rd St. Bridge, the Glenshaw Tunnels, Bakerstown Hill and cut, and the Mars Railroad Station
Mars Station
The Mars Station in Mars, Pennsylvania, was constructed in 1897 by the Pittsburgh and Western Railroad. For nearly fifty years, the station served the community by helping to transport freight and passengers in the area...
in Mars
Mars, Pennsylvania
Mars is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 1,746 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mars is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , all of it land....
. Other popular places along the line include Harmony Junction, Ellwood Tunnel, High Bridge over the Connoquenessing Creek
Connoquenessing Creek
Connoquenessing Creek is a tributary of the Beaver River, approximately 50 mi long, in Western Pennsylvania in the United States.-Course:...
, and the New Castle Yard.