Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-03
EXTENDING THE LINE
Adding 20 Miles to the West Penn
Railroads Low Grade Division,
TO CARRY IT ON TO JOHNSTOWN.
A Further Relief for Pittsburg in the
Matter of Through Freights.
A CURIosITY ON THE HORSESHOE BEND

The low grade division of the West Penn
Railroad is to be extended. The purpose is
to further relieve the Pennsylvania Rail-
road freight yards in Pittsburg of the
through traffic by shipping still more of it
West by way of allegheny City. For
that object the low grade division of
the West Penn branch was built some years
ago. The West Penn proper is about 70
miles long, from Allegheny City to Blairs-
vile intersection, where passenger trains
connect with the main line. The low grade
division was made by rebuilding large
portion of the road between the ALLIE
gheny river and the town OF Blairsville,
one mile north of the intersection, and by
extending it eight miles along the Cone
maugh river and by bridge at Bolivar
connecting with the main line there. Thus
about IL miles of a road has been oper-
ated by the Pennsylvania railroad ex-
clusively for freight trains. 1t
parallels the main line across the ''Pack-
saddle" of the mountains, but lies fully 300
feet below it on the opposite side of the
river. From Bolivar through freight trains
from the East to the West have been taken
to the Fort Wayne road by way of the West
Penn and Allegheny City, not touching
Pittsburg at all.
THE COSTLY EXTENSION.
This freight division is now being extend
ed 20 miles further east to Johnstown. Two
sections of the track ara already completed
and the roadbed is being graded for the
balance. The road keeps on the
north bank of the Conemaugh, and
will not cross that stream until Johnstown
is reached. 1t will cost somewhere in the
neighborhood of S350,000, and will be
quite an engineering feat. It now passes
through the Chestnut ridge at remarka-
bly, low grade, doing away with the
necessity of double header" trains to
climb the mountain, and the route surveyed
to Johnstown also crosses the Laurel Hill
range at low grade, while the main line
is on quite a slope. In addition
to that, better switching facilities
will be had at Johnstown than at Bolivar.
In the latter village track room is limited,
but Johnstown being large town, and the
railroad company owning yards there, it is
expected that more freight can be handled
and time saved in its transfer to the West
= ohhs 'AhS cSCbiOuo INV Will NC
connected up before long.
MOUNTAIN CURIOSITY.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company has
placed in conspicuous spot alongside their
tracks right on Horseshoe Bend'' the old
time canal boat which they bought for their
exhibit in the great parade at the Constitu-
tional celebration in Philadelphia last
spring. 1t bears an appropriate inscription
about that style of transportation, having
preceded the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany in crossing the Allegheny mountains.
The ancient craft, now very gaily painted
up, attracts considerable attention onpass-
ing trains. 1t is said the company is soon
to place Conestoga wagon beside the canal
boat, Then if stuffed pack-mule could be
found somewhere, and planted between the
two old hulks, the Rip Van Wrinkles of the
Alleghenies would. start in amazement at
the sudden apparition Of former days, and
watch for the spirit of Edgar Thomson.