Established 1994
April 2015 Newsletter
Chasing Trains - Big and Little
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April 2015
A little more on Commuter Trains & Passenger services
In the past two issues we reviewed operations of the " Big Three", the Pennsy, Central and the B&O.
There was a fourth operation which has been long gone that is the basis of this article.
Over the years,this route has been known as the Wabash-Pittsburgh Terminal, Pittsburgh& West Virginia, and Now Wheeling and Lake E'rie.
This commuter service ran from the Wabash Terminal at Liberty ave and Stanwix Streets to Avella Pa.. The last local ran Halloween night 1931.
To discuss Wabash through passenger trains we must to why this railroad was built. It was the aim of the Gould families to own a truly transcontinental
railroad from coast to coast.. An important link was the Wabash Railroad in the Mid-West.A missing link was from Eastern Ohio to Western Pennsylvania
-hence the Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal.In the early 20th Century, the Wabash ran through, first class trains from Pittsburgh to Toledo,Chicago,St. Louis,
Kansas City,and Omaha. The Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal became overextended financially and was reorganized as the Pittsburgh and West Virginia in
1917.
The long distance trains died but the commuter trains continued to 1931. In 1946 a huge fire destroyed the Terminal trainshed which ended the P&WV
rail service into the Golden Triangle. The destruction of this property led to the development of present day Gateway Center.
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