Peter's Model Railroading | The PRR Chartiers Branch | Equipment
Interurban Service

Pittsburgh Railways

In 1902, Washington & Canonsburg Railway Company starts building trolley track between Canonsburg and Washington, which was completed late-1903. In 1906, the Pittsburgh Railways Company buys the Washington & Canonsburg Railway Company. Pittsburgh Railways Company completes the track work to offer trolley service from Washington through Canonsburg to Pittsburgh's Union Station (orange trolleys and big red interurbans; see Canonsburg Reflections book, pg 81) in 1909.

To avoid interurban trolley lines from morphing into freight-carrying shortlines, and thus directly competing with regular railroad companies, the PRR used its political clout to get the Pennsylvania legislature to force trolley lines to use a wider track gauge than standard track gauge (4'8.5"), namely 62.5" or 5'2.5".

References

• A Short History of the Chartiers Valley RR Line
• Pennsylvania's Interurban Lines
• Pittsburgh Railways - Pittsburgh-Canonsburg-Washington Interurban photo taken in December, 1945)
• Trolley at Arden, PA #1
• Trolley at Arden, PA #2
• Trolley at Arden, PA #3
• Trolley at Arden, PA #4
• Trolley at Arden, PA #5
• Pittsburgh Railways Photo Album