This is the second Column based on "When Commuters took the Train" Published in Western Pa History, Winter 2014-2015.

Last month we commented on the Pennsylvania RR .Two other carriers maintained major commuter services to and from Pittsburgh.

 

_Pittsburgh& Lake Erie ( New York Central)

The "Lake Erie" ran commuter trains to and from the P&LE Station ( now Station Square ) to Beaver Falls, and Youngstown. One train ran north to Ashtabula and made a direct connection to Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and Boston. I rode this train to and from Pittsburgh and Syracuse in 1958& 1959.

 

_Baltimore & Ohio

Over the years of the early through mid 201h century, the B&O had some of the more interesting commuter services on its main line from Pittsburgh east.

 

The B&O,s terminal for commuter operations was located at the foot of Grant St.along the river. The original station was built in the 1890's and served until the 1950's when construction of the Parkway east caused a new station to be built. Commuter trains from here to  Mc Keesport, Versailles,and some to Connelsville.

To avoid cumbersome turning movements on a "Y" in Panther Hollow, B&O Chicago- Washington through trains used the P&LE station.

 

Into the 1950's B&O trains used heavy weight coaches powered by steam or diesel.In the 1950's the service was maintained by Budd RDC In the 1970's some of the service was maintained by the Port Authority. The PAT train was a "push pull" operation.