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!
Ligonier Echo
Wednesday, November 22, 1916
Taking Up Rails On P. W. & S. R. R.
Work Has Been In Progress For Some Time On Mountain
Road Will Be Abandoned Hereafter
Several weeks ago the train service on the P. W. & S. railroad was abandoned, it is claimed because the road was not a paying enterprise. This road was first built about 15 years ago as a log road to convey logs from the mountain by the Byers-Allen Lumber Co. to their lumber mill at Ligonier. A short time before the timber on the Byers-Allen extensive tracts on the Laurel mountain was exhausted a charter for the railroad was secured and it was built thru to Somerset, making a short connection from Somerset via Ligonier to Pittsburgh. The road was of decided advantage to Somerset people and to those living along or near the route and is being badly missed, both as to travel and freight. The business relations begun while the railroad was in operation between
Ligonier and Somerset are being continued at present by means of auto trucks which make frequent trips across the mountain.
The rails of the P. W. & S. are now being taken up on the mountain and piled up along the track at this end and it is quite sure that the heavy grade over the mountain will be
abandoned as impractical for modern railroading.
One story is that the road will be continued as a branch of the L.V.R.R. to Rector to ship timber, coal, limestone, building stone, etc. Another report is that the railroad will
be extended up along the Loyalhanna creek and connect at Jones' Mills with the Indian Creek railroad and by way of the South Penn graded track to Somerset. A railroad is needed for that section and with the timber and coal and other interests could be made a financial success without doubt.