West Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
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. As the name implies, it is west of Pittsburgh, although it is actually more north-northwest of the city, which is approximately 47 miles away.
For a small community, West Pittsburg had one of the largest railroad stations built in the north Pittsburgh area. At one time, the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad
thought that the community would become a major railroad hub and constructed a large railroad station
that would serve passengers on the "The Little Giant". Other railroads that would have benefited were the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
, and the Western Allegheny Railroad. However, the hub never materialised. Over time, the three railroads went out of business, but CSX Transportation
and the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad
continue to use the yard near the West Pittsburg Station to transport freight to cities like Pittsburgh, Butler
, Cleveland
, New Castle, and Youngstown
. The station is currently undergoing a major renovation that will turn it into a museum.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in southern Taylor Township
Taylor Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Taylor Township is a township in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,198 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 5.3 square miles , of which, 5.1 square miles of it is land and...
, Lawrence County
Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 91,108. The county was added to the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2003. The county seat is New Castle....
, 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...
, along the banks 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...
just 5 miles south of 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...
. Its main street is the north-south 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...
, which crosses the river at the southern end of the community. As the name implies, it is west of Pittsburgh, although it is actually more north-northwest of the city, which is approximately 47 miles away.
West Pittsburg P&LE Station
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, ...
thought that the community would become a major railroad hub and constructed a large railroad station
West Pittsburg Station
The West Pittsburg Station is a former railway station that was constructed and used by the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad. The station building is located just south of the city of New Castle, Pennsylvania in the small village of West Pittsburg...
that would serve passengers on the "The Little Giant". Other railroads that would have benefited were the 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 the Western Allegheny Railroad. However, the hub never materialised. Over time, the three railroads went out of business, but 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...
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...
continue to use the yard near the West Pittsburg Station to transport freight to cities like Pittsburgh, Butler
Butler, Pennsylvania
The city of Butler is the county seat of Butler County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, situated north of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,121 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, New Castle, and Youngstown
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
. The station is currently undergoing a major renovation that will turn it into a museum.
