The P&WV Hi-Line

[PWVJer]

Hmmmm...
always been a bit of a West End Branch puzzle,
The Chemical Co. Customer siding/operations way back when...
( center of this old image. ) and you can "zoom-in" for a
nice detailed look.



Link:

http://images.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/i/image/image-idx?rgn1=hpicasc_ci&med=1&c=hpicasc&back=back1400414156&q1=AIS.1991.19a&chaperone=S-HPICASC-X-000512.PIC+000512PIC.TIF&ox=-22&oy=615&lastres=1&res=1&width=750&height=594&maxw=3000&maxh=2378&subview=getsid&view=entry&viewid=000512PIC.TIF&entryid=x-000512.pic&cc=hpicasc&quality=m800&resnum=400&evl=full-image&image.x=344&image.y=282



....and our Hi Line back then.
Link:

http://www.thepwvhiline.com/WestEndBranchDerelictTankC/index.html


...when you pan & zoom this image we can see that
this Chemical Co. Spur/Siding traveled-down to Street Level.
Note:
The siding ends (center-right, just above the PCC trolly @
Stuben St.

Link:
http://images.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/i/image/image-idx?rgn1=hpicasc_ci&med=1&c=hpicasc&back=back1400414156&q1=AIS.1991.19a&chaperone=S-HPICASC-X-000512.PIC+000512PIC.TIF&ox=992&oy=869&lastres=1&res=0&width=750&height=594&maxw=3000&maxh=2378&subview=getsid&view=entry&viewid=000512PIC.TIF&entryid=x-000512.pic&cc=hpicasc&quality=m800&resnum=400&evl=full-image&image.x=499&image.y=353

[jayrod]

Interesting that the spur runs so far past the building to street level. Could it have been used as a team track , also?

Going back and looking at the tank car photos, the question was posed as to the owner.

Pure speculation:
The reporting marks are probably UTLX - Union Tank Car. If the car is old enough, it could have been manufactured by AC&F for Union or was in a used fleet purchase deal. It's likely the air brake inspection date was stenciled on for its move to its final resting place in 1972. Nothing moves on-line without a current COT&S date.
_________________
Eric Schlentner
Aka, jayrod

[PWVJer]

Jayrod,
I don't know? could have been some sort of
small team-track or tank-boxcar storage for the plant?

... in the early 50's just 1/4 mile away (under the West-End
Bridge), very near the P&LE main was a small P&WV team
track yard, with on-line customer: Tote"m Lumber & Supply Co.
A switch at the the end of P&WV " WEST SIDE BELT " bridge was
the access point.
In the 1920's & mid 30's at this same location I think, was a fair size
storage yard for shop-hoppers.

[Rich_S]

It is interesting that the spur would run that great of a distance just to
dead end into the dirt near those houses.

Wonder if this spur had another purpose? Could it have been part of the
original Little Saw Mill Run Railroad Company owned by the Harmony
Society? Maybe a load out track for a mine or sawmill?
_________________
Regards,
Rich S.

[PWVJer]

ya Rich, it's a bit hard to tell from the WSB maps we have.
Link;

http://www.thepwvhiline.com/WSBPCCStLRyConnectionWestE/index.html

Might-may-could??? have been a part of the Castle Shannon & PGH\
Little Saw Mill Run? Howard W. would be the man to know more...

[jayrod]

Looking at Penn Pilot for 1939 and Google Earth, it appears that there were three tracks dead ending at Plank Street to serve industrial buildings that were located where the basketball courts are now in Wabash Park. Also, the Pennsy connection appears gone by then.
_________________
Eric Schlentner
Aka, jayrod