Pittsburgh Light Rail
Encyclopedia
The Pittsburgh Light Rail (commonly known as The T) is a 25 miles (40.2 km) light rail
system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
; it functions as a subway
in Downtown Pittsburgh and largely as an at-grade light rail service in the suburbs. The system is owned and operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County
. It is the successor system to the streetcar network formerly operated by Pittsburgh Railways
.
, which began construction on that section on May 3, 1828. Rail lines (trolleys) had been a staple of the city and region since the late 1800's, the idea of a downtown to Oakland or East Liberty subway had been considered since at least the 1910's. A public referendum was passed to fund such a subway with an initial investment of $6 million on July 8, 1919, another $5.5 million subway plan was finalized at City Hall in meetings on March 28, 1932, and the public/private Allegheny Conference
presented detailed plans and funding for a subway system on June 4, 1947. The modern subway/lightrail system can be traced to the abandonment of the proposed "Skybus" system in the mid 1970's, and the subsequent $265 million federal grant on May 7, 1979 for construction of a downtown subway and modernization of suburban light rail. On December 10, 1980http://www.angelfire.com/ny/tramstop/history5.html, the Port Authority began construction on its first "modern" light rail/subway service, the "T", which used an old trolley route to connect Downtown Pittsburgh to the South Hills Village area. The first modern light rail cars began operation from South Hills Village to Castle Shannon on April 15, 1984 http://www.angelfire.com/ny/tramstop/history5.html with the downtown subway added to the system on July 3, 1985. The last leg of the modern suburban "Beechview" line was approved for funding May 8, 1985 with $20 million in federal grants and completed the modern system on May 22, 1987 at a total cost of $522 million. The suburban line in the south hills were former streetcar lines that had been rehabilitated to accommodate light rail vehicles. The Beechview line was reconstructed (being completely double tracked) and routed from the South Hills Junction
through the Mount Washington Transit Tunnel, emerging at a newly constructed station at Station Square before crossing the Monongahela river
on the Panhandle Bridge
(a former railway bridge), which then led into a newly built downtown (cut and cover tunnel) subway with four stations, which incorporated the nineteenth century Pittsburgh & Steubenville Extension Railroad Tunnel
. The original subway branched north of Steel Plaza, with one branch heading west to Wood Street and one branch heading east to Penn Station. Upon completion of the subway, all former streetcar lines were removed from the surface streets of Downtown Pittsburgh. The First Avenue station was added in 2001; service to Penn Station was suspended later that decade.
Mid-20th century PCC streetcar
s continued to run over the "Overbrook" line until 1993, when concerns about the safety of the line led PAT to suspend service there pending reconstruction. In June 2004, the Overbrook line re-opened as a fully rebuilt double-tracked line served by modern light rail vehicles. The "T" is most heavily used in four stations downtown (three of which are underground), where service is free of charge.
and Downtown Pittsburgh via the Beechview
neighborhood. Six stops serve Upper St. Clair and Bethel Park before merging with the Blue Line at Washington Junction
. The Red Line splits again before Overbrook Junction (PAT station)
and the Red Line heads toward the suburbs of Castle Shannon, Mt. Lebanon, and Dormont. After entering Pittsburgh city limits, the route features a variety of closely spaced stops through Beechview, where bus service is limited due to the hilly terrain, despite a dense population. Twenty stops occur between the split in the lines and their re-juncture at South Hills Junction
. The route then enters the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel. The remaining stations in Downtown are at Station Square
, First Avenue
, Steel Plaza
, and Wood Street (PAT station)
. In March 2007, the closure of the Palm Garden Bridge for refurbishment suspended the 42S for five months; it re-opened in September 2007.
neighborhood of South Park. Fifteen stops serve Library, Bethel Park, and South Park before merging with the Blue Line - South Hills Village line at Washington Junction. Some weekday, and all weekend trips end at Washington Junction, where a timed transfer to the Blue Line - South Hills Village will continue a trip to Overbrook and Downtown. For the trips that serve Downtown, the line splits again before Overbrook Junction station on the Red Line, as the Blue Line instead follows the Overbrook route. The line then makes eight well-spaced stops on its arc through the Overbrook, Brookline, Carrick, Beltzhoover, and Bon Air neighborhoods of southern Pittsburgh. The line merges with the Red Line at South Hills Junction before entering the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel. The remaining stations are at Station Square, First Avenue, Steel Plaza, and Wood Street.
station. The 47S line was established in an effort to relieve congestion on the Red Line for the additional traffic that the parking garage created. The Blue Line - South Hills Village route follows the South Hills Village leg of the Red Line and the common leg from Washington Junction to Willow Station, which is adjacent to Overbrook Junction, where it switches to the Blue Line - Library mainline. It follows the Blue Line - Library to South Hills Junction where it reunites with the Red Line before entering downtown.
On March 14th, 2010, shuttle service between Steel Plaza and Penn Park Station was used as a connection to the East Busway. Due to the St. Patrick's Day parade, the EBA bus (East Busway - All Stops) was unable to connect with the downtown portion of its route.
On July 4, 2008, the SL - Subway Local was used. This route provided service between Gateway Center and South Hills Junction Low Platform via Mt. Washington Transit tunnel.
When the Port Authority was testing automatic equipment on the Overbrook Line, the 42L - Library via Beechview was used as a replacement to the 47L.
Shuttle buses are also used when the T cannot operate, such as when construction or tree removal is taking place, during power outages, and derailments.
to Washington Junction
. The 44S ran between Overbrook Junction and Traymore. It was introduced when the closure of the Palm Garden Bridge cut off the Beechview line from the Downtown. The 44S was discontinued when the Palm Garden Bridge re-opened, in favor of the 42C.
low platform (except the first and last trips of each rush, which serve the high platform) over Mount Washington and across the Monongahela River
to downtown Pittsburgh, terminating at Wood Street
. It is the only downtown route that does not stop at Station Square nor use the Mount Washington tunnel. The line supplements the 46K bus, running 4 times each during the morning rush and 3 times during the evening rush. A throwback to the days of the streetcars, the 52 does not features stations or street-level boarding stops (which are generally designed like bus shelters in the suburbs, or are concrete island platforms in Beechview) but instead allows for boarding and unloading at designated 46K bus stops. Two inbound and two outbound trips (the first one in and the last one out of each rush) serve South Hills Village via the Blue Line. This service exists because the train is coming from the rail center located near South Hills Village Mall, and serves the entire length of the route. The steepest grade on the entire light rail system is on this line, about 10 percent.
This service was discontinued in the March 27, 2011 systemwide cuts.
Trains are generally run in a two car configuration. The routes have sections that have a dedicated right of way as well as mixed sections that run along roadways with automobile traffic. Generally, stations along roadways have low level platforms while stops along the dedicated rights of way have high level platforms. To allow easy boarding in both situations, the trains have two sets of doors at the front, with a low set and a staircase as well as a high set with level access from the platform to the train.
. All of the revenue light rail vehicles (LRVs) and some Maintenance of Way vehicles are stored there. All the old PCC cars were stored there as well prior to their retirement in 1999.
, planning, and construction of a light rail line to connect Pittsburgh's Downtown
and North Shore
. Federal funding was approved for the extension on February 6, 2004.
The main project involves twin bored tunnels below the Allegheny River
to connect a refurbished Gateway Station, which is the current Downtown terminus, to a "North Side Station", located just west of PNC Park
and an "Allegheny Station" located just North of Heinz Field
. The North Side Station will serve PNC Park
, the Andy Warhol Museum, Allegheny Center
and numerous office buildings in the vicinity. The Allegheny Station will serve Heinz Field
, the Carnegie Science Center
, the National Aviary
, the Community College of Allegheny County
, the Rivers Casino
, and other nearby businesses.
Unexpectedly high bids from construction companies had stalled construction, originally scheduled to begin in Fall 2005. The entire project is budgeted at $435 million, with approximately 80% ($348 million) coming from the Federal Transit Administration
. The Port Authority began construction in October 2006, with the first bore completed on July 10, 2008 and the second tunnel under the Allegheny river completed in early 2009. The North Shore Connector is expected to be completed and operational in early 2012.
, hopes to eventually extend the light-rail system east to Oakland
and west to Pittsburgh International Airport
. In 2009, Onorato along with Congressman
Mike Doyle
requested approximately $7 million in funding from the federal government
for preliminary planning of the extension.
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system in Pittsburgh, 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...
; it functions as a subway
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
in Downtown Pittsburgh and largely as an at-grade light rail service in the suburbs. The system is owned and operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County
Port Authority of Allegheny County
Port Authority of Allegheny County is the second-largest public transit agency in Pennsylvania and the 11th-largest in the United States. When considering that its service area is the 20th largest in the U.S...
. It is the successor system to the streetcar network formerly operated by Pittsburgh Railways
Pittsburgh Railways
Pittsburgh Railways was one of the predecessors of the Port Authority of Allegheny County. It had 666 PCC cars, the third largest fleet in North America. It had 68 street car routes, of which only three are used by the Port Authority as light rail routes...
.
History
The modern subway in downtown Pittsburgh between Steel Plaza and Firstside stations uses the tunnel of the historic Pennsylvania CanalPennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal refers generally to a complex system of canals, dams, locks, tow paths, aqueducts, and other infrastructure including, in some cases, railroads in Pennsylvania...
, which began construction on that section on May 3, 1828. Rail lines (trolleys) had been a staple of the city and region since the late 1800's, the idea of a downtown to Oakland or East Liberty subway had been considered since at least the 1910's. A public referendum was passed to fund such a subway with an initial investment of $6 million on July 8, 1919, another $5.5 million subway plan was finalized at City Hall in meetings on March 28, 1932, and the public/private Allegheny Conference
Allegheny Conference
The Allegheny Conference on Community Development is an nonprofit, private sector leadership organization dedicated to economic development and quality of life issues for the greater Pittsburgh region, Pennsylvania, United States....
presented detailed plans and funding for a subway system on June 4, 1947. The modern subway/lightrail system can be traced to the abandonment of the proposed "Skybus" system in the mid 1970's, and the subsequent $265 million federal grant on May 7, 1979 for construction of a downtown subway and modernization of suburban light rail. On December 10, 1980http://www.angelfire.com/ny/tramstop/history5.html, the Port Authority began construction on its first "modern" light rail/subway service, the "T", which used an old trolley route to connect Downtown Pittsburgh to the South Hills Village area. The first modern light rail cars began operation from South Hills Village to Castle Shannon on April 15, 1984 http://www.angelfire.com/ny/tramstop/history5.html with the downtown subway added to the system on July 3, 1985. The last leg of the modern suburban "Beechview" line was approved for funding May 8, 1985 with $20 million in federal grants and completed the modern system on May 22, 1987 at a total cost of $522 million. The suburban line in the south hills were former streetcar lines that had been rehabilitated to accommodate light rail vehicles. The Beechview line was reconstructed (being completely double tracked) and routed from the South Hills Junction
South Hills Junction (PAT station)
South Hills Junction is a station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network. This station served as the original "merge point" of the inbound Beechview and Overbrook branches of the light rail system, just before the run under Mount Washington through the Mount Washington...
through the Mount Washington Transit Tunnel, emerging at a newly constructed station at Station Square before crossing 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...
on the Panhandle Bridge
Panhandle Bridge
The Panhandle Bridge carries two rail lines of the Port Authority "T" line across the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The name comes from Pennsylvania Railroad subsidiary Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St...
(a former railway bridge), which then led into a newly built downtown (cut and cover tunnel) subway with four stations, which incorporated the nineteenth century Pittsburgh & Steubenville Extension Railroad Tunnel
Pittsburgh & Steubenville Extension Railroad Tunnel
The Pittsburgh & Steubenville Extension Railroad Tunnel, also known as the Panhandle Tunnel was originally built for the Pittsburgh and Steubenville Extension Railroad in Pittsburgh. It officially opened for rail traffic in 1865.-History:...
. The original subway branched north of Steel Plaza, with one branch heading west to Wood Street and one branch heading east to Penn Station. Upon completion of the subway, all former streetcar lines were removed from the surface streets of Downtown Pittsburgh. The First Avenue station was added in 2001; service to Penn Station was suspended later that decade.
Mid-20th century PCC streetcar
PCC streetcar
The PCC streetcar design was first built in the United States in the 1930s. The design proved successful in its native country, and after World War II was licensed for use elsewhere in the world...
s continued to run over the "Overbrook" line until 1993, when concerns about the safety of the line led PAT to suspend service there pending reconstruction. In June 2004, the Overbrook line re-opened as a fully rebuilt double-tracked line served by modern light rail vehicles. The "T" is most heavily used in four stations downtown (three of which are underground), where service is free of charge.
Red Line
Formerly 42S. The Red Line runs between South Hills VillageSouth Hills Village
South Hills Village is a two-level shopping mall located in the Pittsburgh suburbs of Bethel Park and Upper St. Clair. It was developed by the Oxford Development Co. as the first shopping complex to be built as a fully enclosed structure. The two-level complex is currently owned by Simon Property...
and Downtown Pittsburgh via the Beechview
Beechview (Pittsburgh)
Beechview is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's South Hills area. It has a zip code of 15216, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by both the council member for District 4 and for District 2 . Beechview was founded in 1905. It is Pittsburgh Fire Bureau Zone 4-10 and...
neighborhood. Six stops serve Upper St. Clair and Bethel Park before merging with the Blue Line at Washington Junction
Washington Junction (PAT station)
Washington Junction is a station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network. It is located in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. The facility is designed both as a transfer station for southbound travelers Washington Junction is a station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's...
. The Red Line splits again before Overbrook Junction (PAT station)
Overbrook Junction (PAT station)
Overbrook Junction is a station on the Beechview branch of the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network which serves Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania.-History:...
and the Red Line heads toward the suburbs of Castle Shannon, Mt. Lebanon, and Dormont. After entering Pittsburgh city limits, the route features a variety of closely spaced stops through Beechview, where bus service is limited due to the hilly terrain, despite a dense population. Twenty stops occur between the split in the lines and their re-juncture at South Hills Junction
South Hills Junction (PAT station)
South Hills Junction is a station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network. This station served as the original "merge point" of the inbound Beechview and Overbrook branches of the light rail system, just before the run under Mount Washington through the Mount Washington...
. The route then enters the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel. The remaining stations in Downtown are at Station Square
Station Square (PAT station)
Station Square is a Transit station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network. It is the last Transit station on the south side of the Monongahela River.This station is named for the nearby mixed-use development Station Square...
, First Avenue
First Avenue (PAT station)
First Avenue is a station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's Pittsburgh Light Rail network. The station is part of the light rail's Downtown Pittsburgh free zone, and passengers embarking here may travel for free to any of the other stations within the zone .The station was a new addition...
, Steel Plaza
Steel Plaza (PAT station)
Steel Plaza is a station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network. The station is located at Grant St and Oliver Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh. The station consists of an outbound side platform and an inbound island platform, with one track for trains to Wood Street and the...
, and Wood Street (PAT station)
Wood Street (PAT station)
Wood Street is a station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network. With the closure of Gateway Center, Wood Street is the northern terminus of the network. Passengers embarking at Wood Street may travel free to any of the other stations in the Downtown area– First Avenue...
. In March 2007, the closure of the Palm Garden Bridge for refurbishment suspended the 42S for five months; it re-opened in September 2007.
Blue Line - Library
Formerly 44L, 47L. Service begins near the Allegheny County line in the LibraryLibrary, Pennsylvania
Library, Pennsylvania is an unincorporated community in South Park Township, Pennsylvania along Brownsville Road. Originally known as Loafer's Hollow, it was re-named Library by its residents in honor of the first library in the area, founded by John Moore in 1833.South of Library, the original...
neighborhood of South Park. Fifteen stops serve Library, Bethel Park, and South Park before merging with the Blue Line - South Hills Village line at Washington Junction. Some weekday, and all weekend trips end at Washington Junction, where a timed transfer to the Blue Line - South Hills Village will continue a trip to Overbrook and Downtown. For the trips that serve Downtown, the line splits again before Overbrook Junction station on the Red Line, as the Blue Line instead follows the Overbrook route. The line then makes eight well-spaced stops on its arc through the Overbrook, Brookline, Carrick, Beltzhoover, and Bon Air neighborhoods of southern Pittsburgh. The line merges with the Red Line at South Hills Junction before entering the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel. The remaining stations are at Station Square, First Avenue, Steel Plaza, and Wood Street.
Blue Line - South Hills Village
Formerly 47S. In 2005, the Port Authority opened a new parking garage at the South Hills VillageSouth Hills Village
South Hills Village is a two-level shopping mall located in the Pittsburgh suburbs of Bethel Park and Upper St. Clair. It was developed by the Oxford Development Co. as the first shopping complex to be built as a fully enclosed structure. The two-level complex is currently owned by Simon Property...
station. The 47S line was established in an effort to relieve congestion on the Red Line for the additional traffic that the parking garage created. The Blue Line - South Hills Village route follows the South Hills Village leg of the Red Line and the common leg from Washington Junction to Willow Station, which is adjacent to Overbrook Junction, where it switches to the Blue Line - Library mainline. It follows the Blue Line - Library to South Hills Junction where it reunites with the Red Line before entering downtown.
Shuttle services
Occasionally, the Port Authority will use shuttle service for special occasions. For example:On March 14th, 2010, shuttle service between Steel Plaza and Penn Park Station was used as a connection to the East Busway. Due to the St. Patrick's Day parade, the EBA bus (East Busway - All Stops) was unable to connect with the downtown portion of its route.
On July 4, 2008, the SL - Subway Local was used. This route provided service between Gateway Center and South Hills Junction Low Platform via Mt. Washington Transit tunnel.
When the Port Authority was testing automatic equipment on the Overbrook Line, the 42L - Library via Beechview was used as a replacement to the 47L.
Shuttle buses are also used when the T cannot operate, such as when construction or tree removal is taking place, during power outages, and derailments.
Former services
The 44 Castle Shannon-Library (44L) and the 44 Castle Shannon-Beechview (44S) were truncated versions of the Blue Line - Library and Red Line, respectively. The 44L ran from LibraryLibrary (PAT station)
Library is a station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network, located in the Library neighborhood of South Park, Pennsylvania. It is the southern terminus of the Library branch of the Blue Line. A 430 space park and ride lot is located on the premises, drawing travelers from...
to Washington Junction
Washington Junction (PAT station)
Washington Junction is a station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network. It is located in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. The facility is designed both as a transfer station for southbound travelers Washington Junction is a station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's...
. The 44S ran between Overbrook Junction and Traymore. It was introduced when the closure of the Palm Garden Bridge cut off the Beechview line from the Downtown. The 44S was discontinued when the Palm Garden Bridge re-opened, in favor of the 42C.
Brown Line
Formerly 52. The Brown Line ran from South Hills JunctionSouth Hills Junction (PAT station)
South Hills Junction is a station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network. This station served as the original "merge point" of the inbound Beechview and Overbrook branches of the light rail system, just before the run under Mount Washington through the Mount Washington...
low platform (except the first and last trips of each rush, which serve the high platform) over Mount Washington and across 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...
to downtown Pittsburgh, terminating at Wood Street
Wood Street (PAT station)
Wood Street is a station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network. With the closure of Gateway Center, Wood Street is the northern terminus of the network. Passengers embarking at Wood Street may travel free to any of the other stations in the Downtown area– First Avenue...
. It is the only downtown route that does not stop at Station Square nor use the Mount Washington tunnel. The line supplements the 46K bus, running 4 times each during the morning rush and 3 times during the evening rush. A throwback to the days of the streetcars, the 52 does not features stations or street-level boarding stops (which are generally designed like bus shelters in the suburbs, or are concrete island platforms in Beechview) but instead allows for boarding and unloading at designated 46K bus stops. Two inbound and two outbound trips (the first one in and the last one out of each rush) serve South Hills Village via the Blue Line. This service exists because the train is coming from the rail center located near South Hills Village Mall, and serves the entire length of the route. The steepest grade on the entire light rail system is on this line, about 10 percent.
This service was discontinued in the March 27, 2011 systemwide cuts.
47 Drake
When light rail service began, PCC trolley service continued from Drake north through Castle Shannon along the Overbrook line to downtown. All downtown platforms incorporated both low- and high-level platforms enabling them to handle both types of vehicles. When safety concerns prompted the closure of the Overbrook line in 1993 the Drake line was cut back to Castle Shannon; service would later terminate at Washington Junction. In September of 1999, PAT withdrew the four remaining active-service PCCs from service and closed the Drake line altogether.47 Shannon
This was a PCC trolley line that led commuters either northbound (via Overbrook line) or southbound (via South Hills Junction, Drake or Library lines) to Castle Shannon station. The line's turnaround point, the Shannon Loop, was located just past the station at Mt. Lebanon Blvd. This loop no longer exists. Also removed from the Shannon route were the tracks surrounding the old Castle Shannon Municipal Building (which is also gone) at the intersection of Castle Shannon Blvd. and Willow Ave. At this Overbrook line connector, incoming trolleys ran in front of the building and outgoing trolleys ran behind the building and through the narrow passage between the building and Castle Shannon Blvd.Current fleet
Port Authority operates a fleet of 83 LRVs as of 2006:- 4201–4255: Siemens SD-400Siemens SD-400The Siemens SD-400 LRV is an electric light rail vehicle locomotive built by Siemens-Duewag AG. It is powered by four individual Siemens DC-IBGT electric motors with each one developing and creating a combined total power output of . Electric current is received via an overhead catenary wire...
s, built in 1985–87 as 4101–4155; rebuilt by CAFConstrucciones y Auxiliar de FerrocarrilesConstrucciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles is a rail equipment manufacturer based in Beasain in the Basque Country, Spain. Equipment manufactured by CAF includes light rail vehicles, rapid transit trains, railroad cars and locomotives, as well as variable gauge axles that can be fitted on any...
in 2005–2006 and renumbered - 4301–4328: CAFConstrucciones y Auxiliar de FerrocarrilesConstrucciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles is a rail equipment manufacturer based in Beasain in the Basque Country, Spain. Equipment manufactured by CAF includes light rail vehicles, rapid transit trains, railroad cars and locomotives, as well as variable gauge axles that can be fitted on any...
LRV, built in 2003–2004
Trains are generally run in a two car configuration. The routes have sections that have a dedicated right of way as well as mixed sections that run along roadways with automobile traffic. Generally, stations along roadways have low level platforms while stops along the dedicated rights of way have high level platforms. To allow easy boarding in both situations, the trains have two sets of doors at the front, with a low set and a staircase as well as a high set with level access from the platform to the train.
Retired PCC Fleet
The four remaining PCC cars were retired in 1999. These PCCs were from an original fleet of 12 "homebuilt" cars constructed in the 1980s in the Port Authority shops using a combination of new underframes, lower body panels, front and rear ends, interiors, wiring and controls, together with reconditioned components such as trucks, motors, and upper body parts and windows reused from original Pittsburgh PCCs numbered in the 1700 series. They avoided the breakers yard, along with some other trolleys from the later years of PAT ownership.Depot
The South Hills Village Rail Center (SHVRC) is located at the end of 42S and 47S lines at South Hills Village MallSouth Hills Village
South Hills Village is a two-level shopping mall located in the Pittsburgh suburbs of Bethel Park and Upper St. Clair. It was developed by the Oxford Development Co. as the first shopping complex to be built as a fully enclosed structure. The two-level complex is currently owned by Simon Property...
. All of the revenue light rail vehicles (LRVs) and some Maintenance of Way vehicles are stored there. All the old PCC cars were stored there as well prior to their retirement in 1999.
North Shore Connector Project
Since January 1999, the Port Authority of Allegheny County has undertaken environmental analysisEnvironmental impact statement
An environmental impact statement , under United States environmental law, is a document required by the National Environmental Policy Act for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment". An EIS is a tool for decision making...
, planning, and construction of a light rail line to connect Pittsburgh's Downtown
Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Downtown Pittsburgh, colloquially referred to as the Golden Triangle and officially the Central Business District, is the urban Downtown center of Pittsburgh. It is located at the confluence of the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River whose joining forms the Ohio River. The "triangle" is...
and North Shore
North Shore (Pittsburgh)
The North Shore is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's North Side. It has a zip code of 15212, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by both the council members for District 1 and 6...
. Federal funding was approved for the extension on February 6, 2004.
The main project involves twin bored tunnels below 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...
to connect a refurbished Gateway Station, which is the current Downtown terminus, to a "North Side Station", located just west of PNC Park
PNC Park
PNC Park is a baseball park located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the fifth home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the city's Major League Baseball franchise. It opened during the 2001 Major League Baseball season, after the controlled implosion of the Pirates' previous home, Three Rivers Stadium...
and an "Allegheny Station" located just North of Heinz Field
Heinz Field
Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...
. The North Side Station will serve PNC Park
PNC Park
PNC Park is a baseball park located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the fifth home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the city's Major League Baseball franchise. It opened during the 2001 Major League Baseball season, after the controlled implosion of the Pirates' previous home, Three Rivers Stadium...
, the Andy Warhol Museum, Allegheny Center
Allegheny Center (Pittsburgh)
Allegheny Center is a neighborhood on Pittsburgh's North Side. Its zip code is 15212, and it has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by both council members for District 6 and District 1 .-History:...
and numerous office buildings in the vicinity. The Allegheny Station will serve Heinz Field
Heinz Field
Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...
, the Carnegie Science Center
Carnegie Science Center
The Carnegie Science Center, located in the Chateau neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, opened in 1991.With a history that dates to October 24, 1939, the Carnegie Science Center is the most visited museum in Pittsburgh...
, the National Aviary
National Aviary
The National Aviary, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is America's only independent indoor nonprofit aviary. It is also America's largest aviary, and the only accorded honorary "National" status by the United States Congress.-Location and features:...
, the Community College of Allegheny County
Community College of Allegheny County
Community College of Allegheny County, or CCAC as it is officially abbreviated, is a community college in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With four campuses and six centers, the college offers associate's degrees, certificate and diploma programs....
, the Rivers Casino
Rivers Casino
The Rivers Casino is a casino in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. It is owned by Holdings Acquisition Co. L.P., a joint venture of Walton Street Capital LLC and High Pitt Gaming LP...
, and other nearby businesses.
Unexpectedly high bids from construction companies had stalled construction, originally scheduled to begin in Fall 2005. The entire project is budgeted at $435 million, with approximately 80% ($348 million) coming from the Federal Transit Administration
Federal Transit Administration
The Federal Transit Administration is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administrations within the DOT...
. The Port Authority began construction in October 2006, with the first bore completed on July 10, 2008 and the second tunnel under the Allegheny river completed in early 2009. The North Shore Connector is expected to be completed and operational in early 2012.
Other proposed extensions
The Chief Executive of Allegheny County, Dan OnoratoDan Onorato
Daniel "Dan" Onorato is the current Chief Executive of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. On Tuesday, May 18, 2010, Onorato won a crowded four-way primary to become the Democratic nominee for governor...
, hopes to eventually extend the light-rail system east to Oakland
Oakland (Pittsburgh)
Oakland is the academic, cultural, and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and is Pennsylvania's third largest "Downtown". Only Center City Philadelphia and Downtown Pittsburgh can claim more economic and social activity than Oakland...
and west to Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as Pittsburgh International, is a joint civil–military international airport located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Findlay Township, approximately west of...
. In 2009, Onorato along with Congressman
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Mike Doyle
Michael F. Doyle
Michael F. "Mike" Doyle is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in Pittsburgh and includes most of Allegheny County....
requested approximately $7 million in funding from the federal government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
for preliminary planning of the extension.