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
November 12, 1927
Water Boy On L. V. R. R. Tells Of Early Days
Interesting Recollections Of The First Train
The following highly interesting reminiscences of the early days of the L. V. R. R. have been received from Frank Igo, former Latrobe boy, now a prominent P. R. R., official at Tyrone. Mr. Igo, as a 13 year-old boy, carried water for the employes, the year its road was completed to Ligonier, and he was on the first train which was run through to the valley town:
Enclosed is some ancient history in connection with the Ligonier Valley Railroad.
I have written it from memory. I am sure the dates are correct. If I have made any mistakes I am open for correction. The men were all older than myself. I feel very sure that I am the only one of that crew who is living today. When Sam French was employed. I think he was near 50 years old, and I believe his first wife had died a short time previous. He married his second wife after he began working for the L. V. R. R.
I have been in the railroad business all my life, over 45 with the P. R. R. company,
plus the time with the Mellons on the L. V. R. R. I liked Tommy Mellon very much; he was a fine man. He liked me because he told me to go to school and come back to him after I became twenty-one. I left Latrobe shortly after school closed and never saw any of the Mellons afterwards. I liked all of them. Dick was a prince; he was young Tommy was older and more fatherly.
There are many other things that I could tell you that would be very interesting about the construction of that railroad. It was in the early days no labor saving devices. I started at the beginning and stayed until the road was completed. Read the enclosed over carefully and I am sure you will recall of hearing me talk about these things when I would come home in the evenings when at work on the road.