The P&WV Hi-Line

PWV101 · Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 8: 00 am Post subject: More on the AVR/SWP Power

This was sent to us by RAS, one of our members.

I heard the spacther tell the 391 when he cleared up his TW in the AM when he was EAST of mp5. He said he had a crew to move from Everson to Bruceton to get "The SWP qualified " over the line. When I heard that I headed to Monessen. I believe it may be to eliminate NS from any SWP/AVR imterchange myself. Here are 2 shots of thr SWP on the bridge.

HB · Joined: 16 Apr 2005 Posts: 6

This is really some neat info. My question , when do you think a Pittsburgh & Ohio central connection
will be built in... maybe Bridgrville? Thanks again for the Pics.

HB

CuriousGeorge · Joined: 08 Jan 2006 Posts: 50 Location: Monongahela, PA

What is all of this in response too? Would this be an alternate route for NS traffic that can no longer travel its main line through Rochester? This seems some what out of the way . . . .?

Fla. Mike · Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 35

Nah, it would not be for mainline detour trains, jut to sort of connect the dots on shortline interchanges, which is sort of neat and opens up a forward way of thinking and "looking" for new business that AVR and Ohio Central both do! But I think that Bridgeville interchange would be rather difficult and expensive to put back in now, as I am fairly sure that what ever that main street in Bridgeville is called, where it passed over that interchange line from the old PRR, now P&OC, to the old P&WV, now W&LE, that bridge and cut that the tracks were in has been long filled in, with dirt and rocks.

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

Fla Mike;
I agree with you that Saturdays move has nothing to do with detour trains.
I figured as soon as Bruceton was back in service, something along this nature would occur.
Like RAS, I heard the same radio chatter Saturday AM.
I arrived Monessen "minutes" before the light engines rolled through...Westbound.
Following them to Bruceton in wonderful fall sunlight was photo perfect.
As for the OC at Bridgeville.
Your correct the old interchange route has been filled in...BUT.
If you turn around a bit and look along the P&WV main track right there around Mile Post 59.
The P&WV is right along side of the P&OC, albeit at different grade levels.
From Vanadium Road to Greentree Road there is nothing but available real estate between the two.
Is there room enough to construct a connection between the two?
With the Wheeling finally developing traffic out here on the East End, why not develop another friendly connection?
With a new P&OC connection at Bridgeville, the OC could run Jewett to Bridgeville connection the two.
It seems the P&WV is now a link for the SWP & AVR, why not link the OC & P&OC?
VW

ktrick45 · Joined: 21 Apr 2005 Posts: 16 Location: Bower Hill

When you're looking at a connection between WE MP 59 and POHC, it's not quite nothing but available real estate. There's a significant acid mine drainage problem just about directly below MP 59, directly above the old PC&Y switch on the POHC. Any solution would probably require taking at least partial responsibility for the clean-up, and that'd likely be prohibitively expensive without some kind of government subsidy.

Another option would be the one that the PRR and the P&WV investigated back in the day, using the old PC&Y right of way from just east of the Mayer Street overpass to the switch at Woodville. That, too would be expensive, since it would require bridges over Vanadium Road and Chartiers Creek, but the grade would be easier, and the grading is already done (though slide-covered in places).

I think they also looked at a connection through the GE and old Universal Cyclops properties back in the early '90s. I think the POHC was still Conrail then.

Anyway, there are a few possibilities. With the right political backing and some public $$$, anything's possible.

Peace
Kevin

PWVJer · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 946

My hope, some day the P&OC will make a connection with the P&WV line. They seem to be putting on lots of local New Business and getting back customers that were lost to trucks. Lots of track improvements as well. I just don't see the OC's management style (which is progesssive & very sharp) operating two separate and somewhat unrelated lines. Making a connection is not going to break the bank, some Feds.,State & local grants and some investing by the WE and OC and you may have a real regional inter-state transportation player that will make $$$.

WE,OC,AVR,SWP and B&P just think of the traffic & routes that would be created. They would all still need CSX and NS, but not as much.

and hey...maybe the management style of the SWP/AVR and OC is rubbing-off on the Wheeling?