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Nostalgia & History > N&W connection to B&O, Connellsville, PA


Date: 02/11/24 09:46
N&W connection to B&O, Connellsville, PA
Author: cr7998

This is a follow up to my post of February 6, "Abandoned Rails - P&WV Bridge at Connellsville".  That post had some photos of the P&WV bridge across the Youghiogheny River, abandoned in 1976, after a new connection between the former P&WV and the B&O was completed.  Here is the link to that post:https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,5813352,5813620#msg-5813620

Here are a few photos of trains on the new connection at Connellsville.  First a bit of background.  When operations of the Western Maryland Railway were integrated into B&O's operations in May of 1975, most of the WM's Connellsville Extension between Cumberland, MD and Connellsville, PA was taken out of service.  (It is now part of the trail called the Great Allegheny Passage).  However, the portion between Ohiopyle and Connellsville remained in operation because there was no connection between the N&W's former P&WV line and the B&O at Connellsville.  Most of the WM"s traffic on the Connellsville Extension was run-through traffic with the N&W over the Alphabet Route, described in my previous post.  So B&O built a temporary connection at Ohiopyle between the WM and B&O that remained in service until a new connection could be built at Connellsville.  I'm not sure exactly when the new connection at Connellsville was opened, I believe it was early 1976.  Once that new connection was in service, the WM between Connellsville and Ohiopyle was abandoned, as was the P&WV's bridge across the Youghiogheny River.  The connection remains in service today, used by the Wheeling & Lake Erie, which commenced operations in 1990 when N&W spun off the P&WV and the "old" W&LE to the "new" W&LE.  

Photo #1:  On March 28, 1982, an eastbound grain train is descending the connection to the B&O.  The original P&WV right-of-way, abandoned in 1976, can be seen on the hillside at left.  At this time, the former WM's export grain facility at Port Covington in Baltimore was still active, and there were trains of export grain moving via an N&W-WM routing.  In early 1982, it seemed there were several trains a week moving that way.  The grain traffic would cease soon afterward, as I can't recall any grain moving this way after mid-1982.  Although the P&WV was a well-engineered railroad, there were some eastbound grades (and curves) that presented some challenges to moving a 100-car grain train.  So N&W would typically separate a 100-car grain train into two 50-car sets at Rook Yard in Pittsburgh, moving each set separately to Chaintown Siding, the first siding west of Connellsville.  The crew on this train departed Rook with 50 loads, and combined them with 50 cars left at Chaintown by a previous crew.  The power on this train is SD45 1785, followed by GP9 2805, former Illinois Terminal SD39 2965, and GP9 841.  

Photo #2:  A month later, on April 25, 1982, another eastbound grain train is pictured at the same location with C30-7 8044 leading, followed by SD40-2 6119 and SD35 1502.  Vantage point for both photos is the old P&WV right of way near the west end of the Youghiogheny River Bridge.  

Photo #3:  I walked out onto the old P&WV bridge for this view looking east on the B&O, showing the caboose on the train of April 25, with the city of Connellsville providing a backdrop.  The B&O station once stood on the east side of the overpass, right by the position light signals.  The former PRR's bridge over the Youghiogheny River and the B&O can be seen at far right.  That portion of the old PRR did not make it into Conrail and had been out of service since 1976, but the bridge remained standing into the mid-1980's before being taken down. 

As I noted, W&LE trains still come into Connellsville to deliver and pull from CSX.  I haven't been back to Connellsville for almost 30 years, I would imagine that the foilage has grown up considerably since the time of these photos, which may not be possible today.  

Steve Salamon
Valley City, OH

  

 










 








Date: 02/11/24 10:13
Re: N&W connection to B&O, Connellsville, PA
Author: Gonut1

Very interesting and confirms what I always suspected as far as that new connection being made when the WM main was permanantly abandoned west of Cumberland, Md
Gonut



Date: 02/11/24 11:52
Re: N&W connection to B&O, Connellsville, PA
Author: jgilmore

Great bunch of photos and explanation of what the viewer sees. Never knew much about this connection and through the years have come to learn that Connelsville overall was once a really good railroad town...

JG



Date: 02/11/24 12:01
Re: N&W connection to B&O, Connellsville, PA
Author: ALCO630

Lucky catch of the IT SD39 in #1

Posted from iPhone

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA



Date: 02/11/24 13:01
Re: N&W connection to B&O, Connellsville, PA
Author: King_Coal

Nice pair of photos. I just paid my first visit to Connellsville a couple of years ago and would have loved a vista like you'vve perserved here. Even in the usual google maps satellite view, not much trace of the angle you've captured which would be nice for CSX trains as well.

Well done - thanks for posting.



Date: 02/11/24 13:02
Re: N&W connection to B&O, Connellsville, PA
Author: 3rdswitch

Very nice trio.
JB



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