Pittsburgh, Westmoreland and Somerset Railroad

The Pittsburgh, Westmoreland and Somerset Railroad (PW&S) was a shortline railroad in southwestern Pennsylvania that operated from the late 1890s until 1916. It ran between Ligonier in Westmoreland County and Somerset in Somerset County, crossing the steep ridge of Laurel Hill (also called Laurel Mountain). Despite the word "Pittsburgh" in its name, the railroad never reached that city; the name referenced the region and the Mellon family's Pittsburgh-based financial interests. The line was built primarily to serve the logging operations of the Byers-Allen Lumber Company, which owned much of the land along the route, and it was financed in part by Andrew W. Mellon and Richard B. Mellon, whose family founded Mellon Bank and who also controlled the Ligonier Valley Railroad. Construction began at the western end on June 14, 1899, before the railroad was formally chartered on July 20, 1899. The western segment near Ligonier opened to traffic in 1899, but the full Ligonier–Somerset route was not completed until May 26, 1906, when the first train traversed the entire line. The railroad's only tunnel was the Quemahoning Tunnel, also known as the Lumber Railroad Tunnel, which had originally been built for the never-completed South Pennsylvania Railroad. The PW&S was regarded by the Pennsylvania Railroad as a potential feeder line that could compete with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad for traffic in Somerset County, and the Pennsylvania Railroad supplied construction materials, though it did not control the PW&S. Passenger service was modest: schedules showed two passenger trains per day in each direction, originally consisting of two coaches attached to logging trains. The eastbound trip from Ligonier to Somerset was scheduled for 90 minutes, averaging 17 mph including stops, while the westbound trip took ten minutes longer because of the uphill grades, averaging 15 mph. Excursion trains also ran to points between Ligonier and Laurel Summit, helping to popularize Laurel Summit State Park as a recreational destination and spurring the development of a summer cottage area near present-day Rector for Pittsburgh's elite. The PW&S was plagued by financial and operational difficulties. The Byers-Allen Lumber Company accounted for almost 90% of the railroad's operations and shared top executives with the railroad, resulting in the PW&S hauling the lumber company's freight for free. Fraudulent accounting practices meant the railroad showed no profits, and bondholders were paid interest in new bonds, pyramiding the debt. Employees sometimes went as long as three months without pay despite working 100-hour weeks. Deforestation from logging—the railroad's original purpose—and the rise of the automobile made the line unsustainable. Both passenger and freight services ended on September 23, 1916, after only ten years of full operation. Little physical evidence of the PW&S remains today, though its right-of-way is partly followed by Linn Run Road and it left a lasting mark on the recreational development of the Laurel Highlands.

The Pittsburgh, Westmoreland and Somerset Railroad (PW&S) was a shortline railroad in southwestern Pennsylvania that existed from 1899 to 1916. It connected Ligonier in Westmoreland County with Somerset in Somerset County, crossing Laurel Hill (also known as Laurel Mountain). Although "Pittsburgh" appears in its name, the railroad never served that city; the name referenced the region and the Mellon family's Pittsburgh-based financial interests. The word "Westmoreland" referred to Westmoreland County, where Ligonier is located. Construction of the railroad began before it was chartered. Work started at the western end on June 14, 1899, and the railroad was chartered on July 20, 1899. By October 11, 1899, the right-of-way had been graded as far as Laurel Summit. Construction on the eastern segment proceeded slowly, and it was not until May 26, 1906, that the first train traveled the full route from Ligonier to Somerset. The railroad's sole tunnel was the Quemahoning Tunnel, also known as the Lumber Railroad Tunnel, which had originally been built for the South Pennsylvania Railroad but had not been previously used. The PW&S was funded in part by Andrew W. Mellon and Richard B. Mellon, whose family founded the Pittsburgh-based Mellon Bank. The Mellons also owned the Ligonier Valley Railroad, which linked the PW&S to the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Also important in the railroad's founding were Charles Nelson Byers and Lauros H. Allen, whose Byers-Allen Lumber Company owned much of the land traversed by the railroad. The Pennsylvania Railroad did not control the PW&S but provided construction materials and regarded it as a feeder that would compete for customers against the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which had viewed Somerset County as a captive customer base. However, the operational difficulties of running trains over the steep gradients of Laurel Hill prevented the PW&S from being truly competitive against the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Passenger service was modest. Schedules showed two passenger trains per day in each direction, originally consisting of two passenger coaches added to logging trains. The eastbound journey from Ligonier to Somerset was scheduled to take 90 minutes, averaging 17 miles per hour including stops. The westbound journey took ten minutes longer due to arduous uphill gradients, averaging 15 miles per hour including stops. There were also excursion trains to various points between Ligonier and Laurel Summit that were not listed in public timetables. These excursion trains helped make Laurel Summit State Park, at the mountain's crest, popular as a recreational destination and contributed to the development of the area southeast of Ligonier, near present-day Rector, as a summer cottage area for Pittsburgh's elite. The PW&S had a very short life. Although trains began operating on the western segment near Ligonier in 1899, the complete Ligonier–Somerset route operated for only ten years (1906–1916). Both passenger and freight services ended on September 23, 1916. The major reason for closure was deforestation along the route due to logging, which was the railroad's original purpose. As with many railroads, the advent of the automobile made the passenger service obsolete. Like many small railroads of that era, the PW&S was riven with fraudulent accounting practices. The Byers-Allen Lumber Company accounted for almost 90% of the railroad's operations and also shared top executives with the railroad, and as a result, the PW&S hauled the lumber company's freight for free. Because the financial statements showed no profits, bondholders were paid their interest in the form of new bonds, causing a pyramiding of the railroad's indebtedness. Due to these financial problems, employees would go as long as three months without pay despite working 100-hour weeks. Little remains of the PW&S today, yet it had a lasting impact in developing the area southeast of Ligonier, near present-day Rector, as a summer cottage area for Pittsburgh's elite. Laurel Summit State Park first became popular as a recreational destination due to PW&S excursion trains. The railroad's right-of-way is now partly used by Linn Run Road, and the line ran through land that today comprises Linn Run State Park and Forbes State Forest.

• 1916

  Both passenger and freight services end; railroad ceases operations.

• 1906

  First train travels the complete Ligonier–Somerset route.

• 1899

  Construction begins at the western end near Ligonier.

• 1899

  Railroad is formally chartered.

• 1899

  Right-of-way graded as far as Laurel Summit.

• 1899

  Trains begin operating on the western segment near Ligonier.

A shortline logging and passenger railroad serving the Ligonier–Somerset corridor, backed by Mellon family capital and tied to Byers-Allen Lumber Company operations.

• Freight rail transportation (logging and lumber)

  Hauled lumber and logging freight, primarily for the Byers-Allen Lumber Company.

• Passenger rail service

  Two passenger trains per day in each direction between Ligonier and Somerset.

• Excursion trains

  Excursion service to points between Ligonier and Laurel Summit, not listed in public timetables.

• Fraudulent accounting and free freight for Byers-Allen Lumber Company

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• Closure of the Ligonier–Somerset routeOther

1. 1Pittsburgh, Westmoreland and Somerset Railroad - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Pittsburgh, Westmoreland and Somerset Railroad - Wikidatawikidata.org