Ligonier Valley Rail Road Newspaper Articles
We have compiled over 1,400 newspaper articles that mention the Ligonier Valley Railroad, or related subjects. The articles were originally published starting in 1873 and our collection runs through 1995. Enjoy!
Daily Courier
Wednesday, September 27, 1905
Somersets New Railroad to Pittsburg
The Pittsburg, Westmoreland & Somerset Co. Will Have Trains Running on Their Line Before December 1st.
Old South Penn Route Used
Baltimore & Ohio Have Served Notice Not to Trespass on Right-of-Way of the Abandoned Road Rails Being Laid Now.
The promoters of the Pittsburg, Westmoreland & Somerset railroad were not far wide of the mark when they announced last spring that Ligonier and Somerset would be connected by bands of steel before the snow commenced to fly. Less than three miles of roadbed, or to be exact, from Husband to Somerset, remain to be graded, and a small army of Italian laborers is now engaged in rushing that work, which is of a light character.
If it were not for the fact that between 300 and 400 feet of tunnel under Quemahoning hill will have to be bored before the headings meet, it is probably that trains would be running between Somerset and Ligonier before the first of November.
Saturday rails were laid as far east as the farm of Cyrus Saylor and by this time the track has probably been extended to the western portal of the Quemahoning tunnel. Machinery for expediting the tunnel work will be installed at once and it is said boring will be rushed day and night until the headings meet.
Workmen have been employed for weeks in draining the abandoned Quemahoning tunnel of an accumulation of mud and water, gathered in the big dark hole during the 20 years since work in it was disconti8nued by direction of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Much additional work remains to be done before the tunnel can be placed in condition for the laborers who will be employed completing it. Camps have been established at both portals and during the coming ten days the water and mud will be removed. The cribbing placed in the tunnel by the South Pennsylvania Railroad Company 20 years ago is remarkably well preserved, and few, if any, of the heavy timbers will have to be replaced. West of the tunnel only a few yards of a deep fill remains to be finished when the roadbed will be ready for the rails and work trains.
The Pittsburg, Westmoreland & Somerset strikes the South Penn near Sufalls (sic) [should be Zufalls jra] and from there to Husband, little work was required in the way of grading. A few of the deeper cuts were partly filled with dirt dislodged by the elements, but all of it was easily removed.
Notices were served by representatives of the Baltimore & Ohio on Pittsburg, Westmoreland & Somerset officials several weeks ago to keep off the abandoned South Penn right-of-way, but not attent8ion was paid to the notice, and to this time no legal steps have been taken to enjoin the latter from using the roadbed prepared by the Vanderbilts in the early eighties. It is rumored that the Pittsburg, Westmoreland & Somerset obtained the consent of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company before occupying the South Penn right-of-way and that they have nothing to fear from the Maryland corporation.
During the past 10 days engineers in the employ of the new road have been engaged running lines between here and Husband. No information has been made public as to the site selected for the Somerset station and yards.
The secrecy which obscures the ultimate object of the Pittsburg, Westmoreland & Somerset has been accentuated by the activity of Baltimore & Ohio engineering parties, engaged for weeks in running new lines east from Somerset and Rockwood.
The local public is not so deeply interested in the objects the railroad companies have in view so much as they are in the assured fact that Somerset will in the course of a few months at the latest have another outlet to Pittsburg.