Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway
Encyclopedia
The Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway was a railroad in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
and Wheeling, West Virginia
areas. Originally built as the Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway, a Pittsburgh extension of George J. Gould's Wabash Railroad
, the venture entered receivership
in 1908 and the line was cut loose. An extension completed in 1931 connected it to the Western Maryland Railway
at Connellsville, Pennsylvania
, forming the Alphabet Route
, an independent line between the Northeastern U.S. and the Midwest
. It was leased by the Norfolk and Western Railway
in 1964 in conjunction with the N&W acquiring several other sections of the former Alphabet Route, but was leased to the new spinoff Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway in 1990, just months before the N&W was merged into the Norfolk Southern Railway
.
The original Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway built several massive engineering works, including the Wabash Terminal
in downtown Pittsburgh, destroyed by fire in 1946. The Wabash Bridge
over the Monongahela River
into Pittsburgh was torn down in 1948, and on December 27, 2004 the Wabash Tunnel
just southwest of the bridge opened as a high occupancy vehicle roadway through Mount Washington
. As of December 2008, the two piers of the long gone Wabash Bridge remain standing.
. The Western Pacific Railway, Denver and Rio Grande Railroad and Missouri Pacific Railroad
formed the line from the Pacific Ocean
at San Francisco to the Mississippi River
at St. Louis (completed in 1909). Past St. Louis, Gould acquired the Wabash Railroad
to Toledo.
On February 1, 1901 Gould, along with George Ramsey, Jr. of the Wabash and others, formed the Pittsburgh-Toledo Syndicate, a syndicate
intending to extend the system to Pittsburgh. The next month, the syndicate bought the Pittsburgh and Mansfield Railroad, an unbuilt line with a charter to build into downtown Pittsburgh. By May 1 the syndicate gained control of the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad, extending the system from Toledo southeast to Zanesville, Ohio
and Wheeling, West Virginia
.
The extension to Pittsburgh was chartered in three parts - the Cross Creek Railroad April 23, 1900 in Ohio
, Pittsburgh, Toledo and Western Railroad April 3, 1901 in West Virginia
, and Pittsburgh, Carnegie and Western Railroad July 17, 1901 in Pennsylvania
. Work on the line, branching off the P&WV's line to Wheeling at Pittsburgh Junction, Ohio
, began June 14, 1901. On May 7, 1904 the three companies were consolidated into the Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway, to which all the properties of the syndicate (including the W&LE) were transferred. The first train passed through the Wabash Tunnel
and crossed the Wabash Bridge
over the Monongahela River
into Pittsburgh on June 1, and passenger service into the new Wabash Terminal
began July 2, with through service over the W&LE and Wabash to Toledo, Chicago
, St. Louis and Kansas City.
In addition to the Pittsburgh extension, Gould also planned a line from Zanesville southeast to Belington, West Virginia
, built by the Little Kanawha Syndicate. From Belington east to tidewater
in Baltimore, the Fuller Syndicate
bought the West Virginia Central and Pittsburg Railway
and a controlling interest in the Western Maryland Railroad in 1902. Another part of the plan was the Philadelphia and Western Railway, a high-speed third rail electric interurban
line, which would have run from Philadelphia west to the Western Maryland at York, Pennsylvania
. The lines of the Fuller Syndicate were completed to Baltimore, but the Little Kanawha line was not completed, and thus a connection between the main system and the Fuller Syndicate was not built.
As Gould's plans directly affected the Pennsylvania Railroad
's business, measures were taken by the PRR to fight back. This included the eviction from PRR property of telegraph poles owned by Gould's Western Union
.
The Panic of 1907
hit Gould hard, due to the high costs of building the line when all the easy routes had been taken, and the Western Maryland Railroad was the first of his properties to fail, entering receivership
on March 5, 1908. The Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway entered receivership May 29 of that year, ending through traffic between Pittsburgh and the W&LE and Wabash system.
in August 1916 and reorganized November as the Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway. The line was again being considered for part of a major system - the "Fifth System" to supplement the four major players, the Pennsylvania Railroad
, New York Central Railroad
, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
and Erie Railroad
- but there was still the issue of the gap between the W&LE/P&WV and the Western Maryland, never filled by the Little Kanawha Syndicate.
The existing West Side Belt Railroad
provided for the beginning of this extension, crossing the P&WV at the southwest portal of the Wabash Tunnel
under Mount Washington
and running southeast and east to Clairton
on the Monongahela River
. After an initial denial, the Interstate Commerce Commission
approved the P&WV's plan to acquire the West Side Belt in December 1928. The P&WV also applied to take over the Western Maryland, but was turned down.
On February 11, 1931 the extension to Connellsville, Pennsylvania
opened, where the Western Maryland continued east, splitting from the West Side Belt at Pierce. This formed what came to be known as the Alphabet Route
, following roughly the same plan as Gould's system, but using the Nickel Plate Road
rather than the Wabash to reach both St. Louis
and Chicago.
The Nickel Plate leased the Wheeling and Lake Erie on December 1, 1949. On October 16, 1964 the Norfolk and Western Railway
acquired the Nickel Plate and leased the P&WV. On the other hand, the Western Maryland Railway
eventually went to the competing Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
and Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
in 1967.
to own the property leased to the N&W. This real estate investment trust is publicly traded on the American Exchange (AMEX) under the symbol "PW". The leased properties consist of a railroad line 112 miles in length, extending from Connellsville, Washington, and Allegheny Counties in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Brooke County in the State of West Virginia, and Jefferson and Harrison Counties in Ohio. There are also branch lines that total 20 miles in length located in Washington County and Allegheny County in Pennsylvania and Brooke County, West Virginia. The railroad was leased in 1964 to NSC, formerly Norfolk and Western Railway Company, by the Company's predecessor for 99 years with the right of unlimited renewal for additional 99-year period under the same terms and conditions, including annual rent payments.
The lease provides that NSC at its own expense and without deduction from the rent, will maintain, manage and operate the leased property and make such improvements thereto as it considers desirable. Such improvements made by NSC become the property of the Pittsburgh & West Virginia Railroad, and the cost thereof constitutes a recorded indebtedness of the Company to NSC.
The Company's business consists solely of the ownership of the properties subject to the lease, and of collection of rent thereon. Upon termination of the lease, all properties covered by the lease would be returned to Pittsburgh & West Virginia Railroad, together with sufficient cash and other assets to permit operation of the railroad for one year.
over CSX Transportation
lines from Connellsville east to Hagerstown, Maryland
.
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...
and Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
areas. Originally built as the Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway, a Pittsburgh extension of George J. Gould's Wabash Railroad
Wabash Railroad
The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,...
, the venture entered receivership
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
in 1908 and the line was cut loose. An extension completed in 1931 connected it to the Western Maryland Railway
Western Maryland Railway
The Western Maryland Railway was an American Class I railroad which operated in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It was primarily a coal hauling and freight railroad, with a small passenger train operation. The WM became part of the Chessie System in 1973 and ceased operating its lines...
at Connellsville, Pennsylvania
Connellsville, Pennsylvania
Connellsville is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, USA, 57 miles southeast of Pittsburgh on the Youghiogheny River, a tributary of the Monongahela River. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. In 1890, 5,629 people lived in Connellsville, which was a borough at that time...
, forming the Alphabet Route
Alphabet Route
The Alphabet Route was a coalition of railroads connecting the Midwest United States with the Northeast, as a freight alternate to the four major systems - the Pennsylvania Railroad, New York Central Railroad, Erie Railroad and Baltimore and Ohio Railroad...
, an independent line between the Northeastern U.S. and the Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. It was leased by the Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
in 1964 in conjunction with the N&W acquiring several other sections of the former Alphabet Route, but was leased to the new spinoff Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway in 1990, just months before the N&W was merged into 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...
.
The original Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway built several massive engineering works, including the Wabash Terminal
Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal
The Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal was a railroad station located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Constructed in 1903, and opening on April 13, 1904, the terminal lasted only four years as a station when the Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway entered receivership on May 29, 1908...
in downtown Pittsburgh, destroyed by fire in 1946. The Wabash Bridge
Wabash Bridge (Pittsburgh)
The Wabash Bridge was a railroad bridge across the Monongahela River at Pittsburgh. Constructed between 1902 and 1904 by railroad magnate George J. Gould for his Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway.-History:...
over 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...
into Pittsburgh was torn down in 1948, and on December 27, 2004 the Wabash Tunnel
Wabash Tunnel
The Wabash Tunnel is a former railway tunnel through Mt. Washington in the city of Pittsburgh. Constructed early in the 20th century by railroad magnate George J. Gould, it has never been of much use. His Wabash Railroad venture into Pittsburgh ended after 3 or 4 years. The Wabash Tunnel was...
just southwest of the bridge opened as a high occupancy vehicle roadway through Mount Washington
Mount Washington (Pittsburgh)
Mount Washington is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's south city area. It has a zip code of 15211 and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by both the council members for District 3 and District 2 .It is known for its steep hill overlooking the Pittsburgh skyline, which was...
. As of December 2008, the two piers of the long gone Wabash Bridge remain standing.
Gould system: 1901 to 1908
Around 1900, George J. Gould was assembling railroads to create a transcontinental systemGould transcontinental system
The Gould transcontinental system was a system of railroads assembled by George Jay Gould I in the early 1900s. This was Gould's attempt to fulfill a goal of his late father, financier Jay Gould...
. The Western Pacific Railway, Denver and Rio Grande Railroad and Missouri Pacific Railroad
Missouri Pacific Railroad
The Missouri Pacific Railroad , also known as the MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers, including the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway , Texas and Pacific...
formed the line from the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
at San Francisco to the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
at St. Louis (completed in 1909). Past St. Louis, Gould acquired the Wabash Railroad
Wabash Railroad
The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,...
to Toledo.
On February 1, 1901 Gould, along with George Ramsey, Jr. of the Wabash and others, formed the Pittsburgh-Toledo Syndicate, a syndicate
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies or entities formed to transact some specific business, or to promote a common interest or in the case of criminals, to engage in organized crime...
intending to extend the system to Pittsburgh. The next month, the syndicate bought the Pittsburgh and Mansfield Railroad, an unbuilt line with a charter to build into downtown Pittsburgh. By May 1 the syndicate gained control of the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad, extending the system from Toledo southeast to Zanesville, Ohio
Zanesville, Ohio
Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,586 at the 2000 census.Zanesville was named after Ebenezer Zane, who had constructed Zane's Trace, a pioneer road through present-day Ohio...
and Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
The extension to Pittsburgh was chartered in three parts - the Cross Creek Railroad April 23, 1900 in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Pittsburgh, Toledo and Western Railroad April 3, 1901 in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, and Pittsburgh, Carnegie and Western Railroad July 17, 1901 in 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...
. Work on the line, branching off the P&WV's line to Wheeling at Pittsburgh Junction, Ohio
Pittsburgh Junction, Ohio
Pittsburgh Junction is an unincorporated community in western Green Township, Harrison County, Ohio, United States. It was named for the industrial heritage of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is located only 58 miles west of the much larger city. It is located at latitude 40.33194 and longitude...
, began June 14, 1901. On May 7, 1904 the three companies were consolidated into the Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway, to which all the properties of the syndicate (including the W&LE) were transferred. The first train passed through the Wabash Tunnel
Wabash Tunnel
The Wabash Tunnel is a former railway tunnel through Mt. Washington in the city of Pittsburgh. Constructed early in the 20th century by railroad magnate George J. Gould, it has never been of much use. His Wabash Railroad venture into Pittsburgh ended after 3 or 4 years. The Wabash Tunnel was...
and crossed the Wabash Bridge
Wabash Bridge (Pittsburgh)
The Wabash Bridge was a railroad bridge across the Monongahela River at Pittsburgh. Constructed between 1902 and 1904 by railroad magnate George J. Gould for his Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway.-History:...
over 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...
into Pittsburgh on June 1, and passenger service into the new Wabash Terminal
Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal
The Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal was a railroad station located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Constructed in 1903, and opening on April 13, 1904, the terminal lasted only four years as a station when the Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway entered receivership on May 29, 1908...
began July 2, with through service over the W&LE and Wabash to Toledo, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, St. Louis and Kansas City.
In addition to the Pittsburgh extension, Gould also planned a line from Zanesville southeast to Belington, West Virginia
Belington, West Virginia
Belington is a City in Barbour County, West Virginia, along the Tygart Valley River. The population was 1,788 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:Belington is located at ....
, built by the Little Kanawha Syndicate. From Belington east to tidewater
Tidewater
Tidewater may refer to:*Tidewater , a geographic area of southeast Virginia and northeast North Carolina*Tidewater , a company providing marine services to the offshore petroleum industry...
in Baltimore, the Fuller Syndicate
Fuller Syndicate
The Fuller Syndicate was a group of American financiers that invested in railroads in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.The group was organized by investor Edward Laton Fuller, President of the International Salt Company, and led by George Jay Gould I...
bought the West Virginia Central and Pittsburg Railway
West Virginia Central and Pittsburg Railway
The West Virginia Central and Pittsburg Railway was a railroad in West Virginia and Maryland operating in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It had main lines radiating from Elkins, West Virginia in four principal directions: north to Cumberland, Maryland; west to Belington, WV; south to...
and a controlling interest in the Western Maryland Railroad in 1902. Another part of the plan was the Philadelphia and Western Railway, a high-speed third rail electric interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
line, which would have run from Philadelphia west to the Western Maryland at York, Pennsylvania
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
. The lines of the Fuller Syndicate were completed to Baltimore, but the Little Kanawha line was not completed, and thus a connection between the main system and the Fuller Syndicate was not built.
As Gould's plans directly affected 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....
's business, measures were taken by the PRR to fight back. This included the eviction from PRR property of telegraph poles owned by Gould's Western Union
Western Union
The Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. Its North American headquarters is in Englewood, Colorado. Up until 2006, Western Union was the best-known U.S...
.
The Panic of 1907
Panic of 1907
The Panic of 1907, also known as the 1907 Bankers' Panic, was a financial crisis that occurred in the United States when the New York Stock Exchange fell almost 50% from its peak the previous year. Panic occurred, as this was during a time of economic recession, and there were numerous runs on...
hit Gould hard, due to the high costs of building the line when all the easy routes had been taken, and the Western Maryland Railroad was the first of his properties to fail, entering receivership
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
on March 5, 1908. The Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway entered receivership May 29 of that year, ending through traffic between Pittsburgh and the W&LE and Wabash system.
Independence: 1908 to 1964
After years of operation by its receivers, the company was finally sold at foreclosureForeclosure
Foreclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
in August 1916 and reorganized November as the Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway. The line was again being considered for part of a major system - the "Fifth System" to supplement the four major players, 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....
, New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
, 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...
and Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
- but there was still the issue of the gap between the W&LE/P&WV and the Western Maryland, never filled by the Little Kanawha Syndicate.
The existing West Side Belt Railroad
West Side Belt Railroad
The West Side Belt Railroad was a standard gauge railroad incorporated July 25, 1895. It ran from Temperanceville, to Clairton, Pennsylvania, with a branch to Banksville. It acquired the Little Saw Mill Run Railroad by merger in 1897, and the Bruce and Clairton Railroad in 1901. The railroad was...
provided for the beginning of this extension, crossing the P&WV at the southwest portal of the Wabash Tunnel
Wabash Tunnel
The Wabash Tunnel is a former railway tunnel through Mt. Washington in the city of Pittsburgh. Constructed early in the 20th century by railroad magnate George J. Gould, it has never been of much use. His Wabash Railroad venture into Pittsburgh ended after 3 or 4 years. The Wabash Tunnel was...
under Mount Washington
Mount Washington (Pittsburgh)
Mount Washington is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's south city area. It has a zip code of 15211 and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by both the council members for District 3 and District 2 .It is known for its steep hill overlooking the Pittsburgh skyline, which was...
and running southeast and east to Clairton
Clairton, Pennsylvania
Clairton is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, along the Monongahela River. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area. The population was 6,796 at the 2010 census. Under Pennsylvania legal classifications for local governments, Clairton is considered a third-class city...
on 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...
. After an initial denial, 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...
approved the P&WV's plan to acquire the West Side Belt in December 1928. The P&WV also applied to take over the Western Maryland, but was turned down.
On February 11, 1931 the extension to Connellsville, Pennsylvania
Connellsville, Pennsylvania
Connellsville is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, USA, 57 miles southeast of Pittsburgh on the Youghiogheny River, a tributary of the Monongahela River. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. In 1890, 5,629 people lived in Connellsville, which was a borough at that time...
opened, where the Western Maryland continued east, splitting from the West Side Belt at Pierce. This formed what came to be known as the Alphabet Route
Alphabet Route
The Alphabet Route was a coalition of railroads connecting the Midwest United States with the Northeast, as a freight alternate to the four major systems - the Pennsylvania Railroad, New York Central Railroad, Erie Railroad and Baltimore and Ohio Railroad...
, following roughly the same plan as Gould's system, but using the Nickel Plate Road
New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad
The New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad , abbreviated NYC&St.L, was a railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. Commonly referred to as the Nickel Plate Road, the railroad served a large area, including trackage in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois...
rather than the Wabash to reach both St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and Chicago.
The Nickel Plate leased the Wheeling and Lake Erie on December 1, 1949. On October 16, 1964 the Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
acquired the Nickel Plate and leased the P&WV. On the other hand, the Western Maryland Railway
Western Maryland Railway
The Western Maryland Railway was an American Class I railroad which operated in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It was primarily a coal hauling and freight railroad, with a small passenger train operation. The WM became part of the Chessie System in 1973 and ceased operating its lines...
eventually went to the competing 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...
and Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
in 1967.
Norfolk and Western: 1964 to 1990
The Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railroad (AMEX:PW) was organized in 1967 as a real estate investment trustReal estate investment trust
A real estate investment trust or REIT is a tax designation for a corporate entity investing in real estate. The purpose of this designation is to reduce or eliminate corporate tax. In return, REITs are required to distribute 90% of their taxable income into the hands of investors...
to own the property leased to the N&W. This real estate investment trust is publicly traded on the American Exchange (AMEX) under the symbol "PW". The leased properties consist of a railroad line 112 miles in length, extending from Connellsville, Washington, and Allegheny Counties in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Brooke County in the State of West Virginia, and Jefferson and Harrison Counties in Ohio. There are also branch lines that total 20 miles in length located in Washington County and Allegheny County in Pennsylvania and Brooke County, West Virginia. The railroad was leased in 1964 to NSC, formerly Norfolk and Western Railway Company, by the Company's predecessor for 99 years with the right of unlimited renewal for additional 99-year period under the same terms and conditions, including annual rent payments.
The lease provides that NSC at its own expense and without deduction from the rent, will maintain, manage and operate the leased property and make such improvements thereto as it considers desirable. Such improvements made by NSC become the property of the Pittsburgh & West Virginia Railroad, and the cost thereof constitutes a recorded indebtedness of the Company to NSC.
The Company's business consists solely of the ownership of the properties subject to the lease, and of collection of rent thereon. Upon termination of the lease, all properties covered by the lease would be returned to Pittsburgh & West Virginia Railroad, together with sufficient cash and other assets to permit operation of the railroad for one year.
Wheeling and Lake Erie: 1990 to present
On May 17, 1990, Norfolk Southern spun off most of the former W&LE as a new Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway. The P&WV lease was transferred to the new W&LE, which has also acquired trackage rightsTrackage 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 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...
lines from Connellsville east to Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
.
External links
- Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway Company Drawings, 1948-1950 Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
- The P&WV Hi-Line Historic photos, past company newsletters and documents, maps and discussion board