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29-577: The route was formed on February 11, 1931, with the completion of the P&;WV to Connellsville, Pennsylvania , on the WM. [1] It was an outgrowth of George J. Gould 's attempts to create a transcontinental railroad and later proposals made to the Interstate Commerce Commission for a " Fifth System " to supplement the four major systems; the consolidations planned to form those systems were stopped by

58-753: A castle lookout up above, a large outside stage bandshell, many stone walls and pillars, and a waterfall at one end. Connellsville has the distinction of having been served at one time by five railroads: the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad , the Pennsylvania Railroad , the Western Maryland Railroad , the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad , and the Norfolk and Western Railroad . The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (now CSX Transportation ) entered Connellsville on

87-516: A century. The Youghiogheny River Trail , a part of the Great Allegheny Passage , runs through Connellsville. The trail provides a significant portion of the town's income and has provided a recent resurgence to the town, the likes of which have not been seen since Connellsville was known as the "Coke Capital of the World". In 2023, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro chose to use Connellsville as

116-484: A crowd of striking United Mine Workers miners from the Morewood Coke Works, near Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania . Seven miners died on the scene, and three more later died from their injuries. The coalfield endured a long decline in the beehive coke industry and a gradual exhaustion of the coal reserves. Mining activity is minimal now, and only relegated to the occasional strip mine . List of Coal Patches in

145-587: A prompt connection at Bellevue to the BC-1 priority freight to Chicago). Although this did not seem competitive, much of the 11-hour difference was due to departures and arrivals around midnight for the Pennsylvania service, whereas many shippers did not send and receive shipments during the night and thus could accept a mid-evening departure and a mid-morning arrival, as the Alpha Jet service could provide. Alpha Jet service

174-568: Is land and 0.10 square miles (0.27 km ), or 4.63%, is water. Demographics As of the 2000 census , there were 9,146 people, 3,963 households, and 2,377 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,053.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,565.1/km ). There were 4,434 housing units at an average density of 1,965.2 per square mile (758.8/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 94.54% White, 3.93% Black, 0.13% American Indian, 0.33% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.54% of

203-914: The Great Depression . Named for the many-lettered initials of the participating railroads, it used the following systems from west to east: Major yards on the line included: The freight trains along the middle section of the route were known as Alpha Jets . The WM, P&WV and NKP (and later WM and Norfolk & Western , after merger of latter two lines into N&W in 1964) generally operated two daily "run-through" freight trains each way via their connection in Connellsville, Pennsylvania . The westbound trains were variously symbolled AJ-1 (Alpha Jet 1) and Advance AJ-1, 1st AJ-1 and 2nd AJ-1, then later PAJ-1 and WAJ-1. The eastbound runs were usually called AJ-2 and AJ-12, with an Advanced AJ-12 sometimes also running. These runs originated or terminated in either

232-657: The Youghiogheny River , a tributary of the Monongahela River . It is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area . The population was 7,031 at the 2020 census . During the French and Indian War , a British army commanded by General Edward Braddock approached Fort Duquesne and crossed the Youghiogheny River at Stewart's Crossing, which is situated in the middle of what is now the city of Connellsville. Connellsville

261-529: The right of way acquired for other uses. The former Western Maryland Railroad and Pittsburgh & Lake Erie lines are now the part of the Youghiogheny River Trail . Amtrak 's Capitol Limited provides passenger rail service to Connellsville, with service to Chicago , Pittsburgh , Washington, D.C. , and other points in between. Historically, the mining and steel working Connellsville-Greensburg-Scottdale-Jeannette-Mt Pleasant-Irwin-Latrobe area

290-737: The 1960s and early 1970s, the Alphabet Route partners promoted Alpha Jet service as an alternative to the TOFC service offered by the Pennsylvania Railroad (and then the Penn Central , after the Pennsylvania-New York Central merger in 1968) between Philadelphia and Chicago. The Pennsylvania offered 23-hour service between these points with its Truc Train runs, while the Alphabet Route partners offered 34-hour service (depending upon

319-586: The Connellsville Airport in Lemont Furnace, about halfway between Fayette's two largest urban centers, Connellsville and Uniontown. The main route through Connellsville is U.S. Route 119 , which links Connellsville with nearby cities Uniontown and Greensburg, and provides access to many of the business on the outskirts of the city. Pennsylvania Route 201 ends in Connellsville, and PA 711 serves as

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348-502: The RDG's Rutherford Yard near Harrisburg, PA or in the WM yard at Hagerstown, MD, and ran to or from Toledo, OH and Detroit, MI. The Advanced sections usually originated or terminated in Bellevue, OH. For a time during the 1970s, the RDG also symbolled its high-priority connection run from Philadelphia to Rutherford, PA as an Alpha Jet. Three major sources of traffic for these trains were: In

377-522: The affected area in Dutch Bottom is no longer inhabitable due to terms of agreements with FEMA and others to buy out the affected area. Connellsville is located in northeastern Fayette County along the Youghiogheny River , a northward-flowing tributary of the Monongahela River . The city lies on both sides of the river, with the downtown on the eastern side. It is bordered to the south by the borough of South Connellsville . U.S. Route 119 passes through

406-403: The average family size was 2.97. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.7 males. The median income for a household in the city

435-493: The backdrop for his launch of the state's new "Office of Outdoor Recreation". East Park was created by the Works Progress Administration. Laborers transformed what had been a city garbage dump along Connell Run, near Wills Road, into East Park. The park was dedicated on October 12, 1940. Its location in a hollow contributes to many unique features, which include an underground entrance tunnel along Connell Run,

464-523: The main street through downtown before heading into the local mountains. Connellsville Coalfield The Connellsville Coalfield is located in Fayette County and Westmoreland County , Pennsylvania , between the city of Latrobe and the small borough of Smithfield . It is sometimes known as the Connellsville Coke Field. This is because the section of the Pittsburgh coal seam here

493-497: The major sources of employment and revenue during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Connellsville became known as the "Coke Capital of the World" due to the amount and quality of coke produced in the city's many beehive ovens. In August of 2016, the city was hit with a major rainstorm that flooded the local community known as Dutch Bottom, along with several other areas. The city received help from neighboring communities and FEMA. The city recovered after nearly 2 years, and most of

522-629: The middle of the town; this line terminated in Uniontown, Pennsylvania . The line has been abandoned, and the trestle was demolished in the late 1980s. It remains as a coal loading facility behind the location of the former Back Creek Lumber Co where the line was severed. This line is now operated by the Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad . The Western Maryland Railroad's line crossed the Alleghenies from Cumberland and entered Connellsville on

551-469: The northern and western sides of the city, leading north 22 miles (35 km) to Greensburg and southwest 11 miles (18 km) to Uniontown , the Fayette County seat. Pittsburgh is 50 miles (80 km) to the northwest via US 119 and Interstate 76 . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , Connellsville has a total area of 2.29 square miles (5.92 km ), of which 2.18 square miles (5.65 km )

580-408: The population. There were 3,963 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% were married couples living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. Of all households, 35.9% were made up of individuals, and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and

609-568: The right (east) side of the Youghiogheny River. This main line originated in Baltimore, passed through Cumberland, Maryland heading west followed the river to Pittsburgh, then continuing on to Chicago. The Pennsylvania Railroad's Southwest branch from Greensburg entered Connellsville from Connellsville Township , crossing Route 119 and the North End, then crossing the Youghiogheny on a trestle in

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638-584: The right side of the Youghiogheny River, connecting with two separate railroad companies. The first connection was with the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad's line from Pittsburgh which continued down the right side of the river to Pittsburgh. This was in direct competition with the B & O directly across the river. The second connection of the Western Maryland was to the Norfolk and Western Railroad which crossed

667-459: The river to the left side on the former Pittsburgh & West Virginia railroad bridge. The Norfolk & Western branch was acquired by the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad , which built a new connection on the left side of the river to CSX, which severed the old line across the bridge. This historic bridge is now threatened with demolition. Several of these former railway lines have been abandoned and

696-418: Was $ 21,070, and the median income for a family was $ 28,105. Males had a median income of $ 28,942 versus $ 23,016 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 14,165. About 22.4% of families and 28.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 45.5% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those age 65 or over. The Daily Courier , a newspaper based in the city, has been in publication for over

725-567: Was de-emphasized in the late 1970s and eventually ended by the early 1980s as the WM was fully integrated into the Chessie System (B&O and C&O), later to become CSX , which was and remains a major competitor of the N&;W, later Norfolk Southern . Connellsville, Pennsylvania Connellsville is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania , United States, 36 miles (58 km) southeast of Pittsburgh and 50 miles (80 km) away via

754-538: Was famous as one of the finest metallurgical coals in the world. It is locally known as the Connellsville coal seam, but is a portion of the Pittsburgh seam. Coal was mined in this field from the early 19th century. Actual coking of the coal was first tried near Connellsville in the 1840s. After the Civil War a beehive coke industry gained a foothold in the region. The heyday of the Connellsville Coalfield

783-476: Was from the 1880s to the 1920s. At least 60 coal towns , known as "coal patches", were constructed in the field. H.C. Frick Coal and Coke - a subsidiary of U.S. Steel after 1903 - was the major player. Other notable industrialists included Josiah Van Kirk Thompson, W. J. Rainey, and Philip Cochran. In an event known as the Morewood massacre in the early morning of April 2, 1891, local law enforcement shot into

812-648: Was officially founded as a township in 1793 then as a borough on March 1, 1806, by Zachariah Connell , a militia captain during the American Revolution. In February 1909, balloting in New Haven and Connellsville resulted in these two boroughs joining and becoming the first city in Fayette County on May 12, 1911. Due to the city's location in the center of the Connellsville Coalfield , coal mining, coke production, and other accompanying industries became

841-411: Was served by a 339-mile interurban trolley system, the wide track gauge West Penn Railways . It operated until 1952. Before the better economy of the area plus improved roads allowed more ownership and use of automobiles, the run every hour 5 cents a ride bright orange West Penn trolleys provided reliable local transportation. The Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation transit center hub is located at

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