The P&WV Hi-Line

Dave Stanton · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Posts: 44 Location: North Strabane

During the steam days, how did the PWV turn loco's at Pittsburgh Jct to head back east? In the PWV time table book, it does not show a wye or turntable there. Also just want to say thank you to JR and JZ for all you do. I look forward to every update and post to see what I can learn about the P&WV.

Longview Station · Joined: 16 Apr 2005 Posts: 176 Location: Longview Station

The very early years at Pittsburgh Junction, I'm sure the "Y" at Hopedale
had a role regarding Pittsburgh Junction in turning power as the distance between the two was just over 3 miles.
That wye at Hopedale still exists today, though it is not used but exists back in the woods off the main...
In later years, both steam and diesel went to Brewster as the P&WV and NKP developed agreements covering P&WV crews into Brewster as well as Nickel Plate crews running into Rook.
The Alphabet Route was then developed as a premier service to shippers and soon there after, trains simply changed crews at one end or the other of each respective property in effort to keep traffic on the tight schedule with locomotives staying coupled and "running through" to termination of that particular train.
I use to watch N&W crews arriving CP-58-Y at Connellsville as a WM crew was standing there ready to climb aboard and proceed.
On occasion, the trains never stopped as the engineman brought speed down to a crawl as grips and radio packs were handed up or handed off.

VW

BillK · Joined: 29 Apr 2005 Posts: 96 Location: Dumfries, Va.

If you Google a map of Hopedale you can see the "Y". if you fip over to Satellite you can just make out the "Y" in the trees. I wonder if that spur line is where they would over night. Seems like my grandfather spoke about that, that is where he met a local family the Carson's. I can remember going over to visit them at their fram in the early 50's.

BillK

camp car bill · Joined: 11 Mar 2007 Posts: 87 Location: carnegie pa

When I first started to work on the PWV in Mar. 1951,the spur track to the Y at Hopedale was also the NYC connection.The NYC then ran south under the PWV overpass to where,I do not recall.The PWV bridge was one of my first jobs.During NW days it was the connection to OHI-RAIL.
In this area at the Y ,the PWV had alot of property.With the Carpenter Gang we built alot of livestock fence,so far back in the fields we could not see the PWV. The State of Ohio requires the Rail Roads to build livestock fences a long their property line and the adjacent Farmers property if he keeps livestock there.

CCB
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