The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad ( P&LE ; reporting mark PLE ), also known as the "Little Giant", was formed on May 11, 1875. Company headquarters were located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . The line connected Pittsburgh in the east with Youngstown, Ohio , in the Haselton neighborhood in the west and Connellsville , Pennsylvania, to the east. It did not reach Lake Erie (at Ashtabula, Ohio ) until the formation of Conrail in 1976. The P&LE was known as the "Little Giant" since the tonnage that it moved was out of proportion to its route mileage. While it operated around one tenth of one percent of the nation's railroad miles, it hauled around one percent of its tonnage. This was largely because the P&LE served the steel mills of the greater Pittsburgh area, which consumed and shipped vast amounts of materials. It was a specialized railroad, deriving much of its revenue from coal , coke , iron ore , limestone , and steel . The eventual closure of the steel mills led to the end of the P&LE as an independent line in 1992.
67-834: Old Economy Village is an historic settlement that is located in Ambridge , Beaver County , Pennsylvania , United States . Administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission , it lies on the banks of the Ohio River and is surrounded by downtown Ambridge. The village is the last of three settlements established by the Harmony Society in the United States (another in Pennsylvania and one in Indiana ). Founded in 1824, it
134-605: A clothing factory, a sawmill, a tannery, and from their vineyards and distillery. Society members also produced high quality silk for garments. The Harmonites were industrious and utilized the latest technologies of the day in their factories. In Economy, the group aided the construction of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad , established the Economy Savings Institution and the Economy Brick Works, and operated
201-479: A considerable fracturing of the community. Nevertheless, the society remained prosperous in business investments for many more years to come. After Frederick Rapp's death, in 1834, the business management passed successively into the hands of George Rapp , who died in 1847 (R. L, Baker and Jacob Henrici, 1847–69; J. Henrici and Jonathan Lenz, 1869–92; J. S. Duss, 1892–1903; Susie C. Duss, 1903–06). The settlements were economically successful, producing many goods in
268-565: A few. With the growth of the steel mills, Ambridge became a worldwide leader in steel production. The borough became known for bridge building, metal molding, and the manufacture of tubes (large iron pipes). During World War II , the American Bridge Company fabricated steel for the building of LSTs (Landing Ship Tanks). The steel was then sent by rail to the adjacent American Bridge naval shipyard in Leetsdale, Pennsylvania , where
335-436: A household in the borough was $ 26,263, and the median income for a family was $ 35,529. Males had a median income of $ 30,996 versus $ 21,455 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $ 15,089. About 16.4% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 26.3% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over. Although the different ethnic groups of Ambridge have blended over time,
402-634: A list of historic edifices, modernized and converted to a restaurant. During 1910 - 1930, the P & LE operated 50 passenger daily trains on its 65-mile Pittsburgh - Youngstown portion of its system. Ticketing agreements with the Erie RR and the P & LE's parent New York Central, passengers boarding in Pittsburgh could ride coaches or sleepers west to Toledo, Detroit, Chicago, and St. Louis, and north to Cleveland, Buffalo, Toronto, Albany and Boston. The Baltimore & Ohio RR obtained trackage rights in 1934 on
469-448: A museum, containing fine paintings and many curios and antiquities; they had a deer park , a floral park, and a maze, or labyrinth; the society also had a good orchestra, were fond of music, and gave much attention to its cultivation. In 1832, the society suffered a serious division. Of 750 members, 250 became alienated through the influence of Bernhard Müller (self-styled Count de Leon), who, with forty followers (also at variance with
536-442: A population of about 800, and was highly profitable. At Harmony, the Harmony Society was created and its members contracted to hold all property in common, to submit to spiritual and material leadership by Rapp and associates, and adopted the celibate lifestyle. In 1814, the first town was sold to Mennonites for 10 times the amount originally paid for the land, and the entire commune moved out west to Indiana where their new town
603-542: Is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania , United States. Incorporated in 1905 as a company town by the American Bridge Company , Ambridge is located 16 miles (25 km) northwest of Pittsburgh , along the Ohio River . The population was 6,972 at the 2020 census . The town is near the location of Legionville , the training camp for General "Mad" Anthony Wayne 's Legion of the United States . Wayne's
670-530: Is located at 40°35′35″N 80°13′31″W / 40.59306°N 80.22528°W / 40.59306; -80.22528 (40.593167, −80.225200), along the Ohio River . According to the United States Census Bureau , the borough has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km ), of which 1.5 square miles (3.9 km ) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km ) (12.87%) is water. Ambridge has two land borders, including Harmony Township to
737-401: Is the home of Old Economy Village , a National Historic Landmark administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission . The site interprets the Harmony Society , one of America's most successful 19th century Christian communal societies. Old Economy Village also provides public education and preservation of the society's unique material culture. Founded by George Rapp , it was
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#1733085177448804-508: Is to be replaced by a regional CSX intermodal facility. In 1904, P&LE built the O'Donovan Bridge for easier automobile access from Island Avenue to The Bottoms without crossing the railroad tracks. This was replaced in 1931 by the McKees Rocks Bridge , which extended to Ohio River Boulevard but still provided access to The Bottoms via Helen Street exit. The McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation has plans to adaptively reuse
871-555: The American Bridge Company to expand the borough of Ambridge - incorporated in 1905 and named after AMerican BRIDGE . Today, much of Ambridge outside of Old Economy Village is a historic district (the Economy Historic District) listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Johann Georg Rapp (November 1, 1757 – August 7, 1847) was the founder of the religious sect called Harmonists, Harmonites, Rappites, or
938-678: The Beaver County Career and Technology Center for training in the construction and mechanical trades. Ambridge is also home to Trinity School for Ministry , an evangelical seminary in the Anglican tradition. Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad At the end of 1970 P&LE operated 211 miles (340 km) of road on 784 miles (1,262 km) of track, not including PC&Y and Y&S; in 1970 it reported 1419 million ton-miles of revenue freight, down from 2437 million in 1944. The P&LE purchased many smaller railroads that operated in
1005-608: The Harmony Society . Born in Iptingen , Duchy of Württemberg , Germany , Rapp became inspired by the philosophies of Jakob Böhme , Philipp Jakob Spener , and Emanuel Swedenborg , among others. In the 1780s, George Rapp began preaching and soon started to gather a group of his own followers. His group officially split with the Lutheran Church in 1785 and was promptly banned from meeting. The persecution that Rapp and his followers experienced caused them to leave Germany and come to
1072-585: The Monongahela River to McKeesport, Pennsylvania , then the Youghiogheny River to Connellsville , Pennsylvania. Mileage on this P&LE branch was reckoned from the passenger terminal back at the Smithfield Street Bridge. The Pittsburgh, McKeesport & Youghiogheny Railroad also followed the Monongahela River to Brownsville, Pennsylvania . The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad
1139-866: The United States in 1803. Rapp was a Pietist , and a number of his beliefs were shared by the Anabaptists , as well as groups such as the Shakers . Rapp's religious beliefs and philosophy were the cement that held his community together both in Germany and in America – a Christian community and commune , which in America organized as the Harmony Society . The Harmony Society built three American towns, became rich, famous, and survived for 100 years – roughly from 1805 until 1905. By 1798, Rapp and his group of followers had already begun to distance themselves from mainstream society. In
1206-563: The 1993 CSX takeover of P&LE, Gateway Yard was closed and most tracks have been removed. The yard tower still stands but has been heavily vandalized. The McKees Rocks Yard facility was home to a yard, major locomotive rebuilding and general maintenance, as well as freight car repair and maintenance. On the westernmost end of the McKees Rocks yard, the P&;LE interchanged with the PC&;Y. However,
1273-410: The 19th century, only a few Harmonists remained. The society was dissolved and its vast real estate holdings sold, much of it to the American Bridge Company , who subsequently enlarged the town and incorporated it as Ambridge in 1905. American Bridge attracted thousands of immigrants who came to fulfill their dreams of work, freedom, and peace. The steel mills became the focal point of the town. Most of
1340-658: The American silk center in the 1830s and 1840s. Today, the site maintains seventeen carefully restored structures and gardens that were built between 1824 and 1830. The buildings reflect the unusual lifestyle of the organization, which, by the 1840s, was renowned for its economic success in textile production. The site also portrays the community's involvement with agricultural production, railroads, and oil. The recreated gardens encompass more than 2 acres (8,100 m ), providing colorful 19th century flowers. The gardens' formal pathways, stone pavilion, and seasonal flowering hedges are among
1407-532: The Economy Oil Company, Economy Planing Mill, Economy Lumber Company, and eventually donated some land in Beaver Falls for the construction of Geneva College . The society exerted a major influence on the economic development of Western Pennsylvania . But since the group chose to adopt celibacy and the people in the group kept getting older, more work gradually had to be hired out. The high-water mark of
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#17330851774481474-755: The Harmony Society, placing all of their goods in common . The society was founded and led by Johann Georg Rapp (1757–1847) and his adopted son, Frederick (Reichert) Rapp (1775–1834), and lasted for 100 years – roughly from 1805 until 1905. Members of the society were sometimes called Harmonists, Harmonites, or Rappites. The Harmony Society is best known for its worldly successes, eventually building three successive communities, first at Harmony, Pennsylvania (1804–1814), then New Harmony, Indiana (1814–1824), finally settling in Economy (now Ambridge, Pennsylvania ). The Harmonites named their last town Economy, after
1541-738: The Historic District, which is also a National Historic Landmark, and a once industrial warehouse area is being converted to condominiums, shops, and parks. In 2007 Ambridge was designated as a Preserve America Community by the White House. Convenient to Pittsburgh along the Ohio River Boulevard and just across the Ohio River from the Pittsburgh Airport, Ambridge leaders hope it will benefit by its location and low cost of living. Ambridge
1608-620: The Kondike Coke fields. Later in 1915 it reached Fairmont, West Virginia . When Conrail was formed, the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad again became an independent company because P&LE was owed $ 15.2 million by Penn Central, and operated as such until its merger into CSX Transportation (CSX). Starting in 1934, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) bought trackage rights over P&LE from McKeesport to New Castle. The B&O's route through Pittsburgh had excessive grades and curves. In
1675-587: The LSTs were built. The area was also home to several other steel mills like Armco, the pipe mill which manufactured oil piping, and A. M. Byers, a major iron and tool fabricator. Eventually competition by foreign steel producers began to cause the share of the steel market for U.S. manufacturers to dwindle. With the shift of steel production overseas, the American Bridge Company ended operations in Ambridge in 1983. The legacy of American Bridge can be seen today in bridges around
1742-458: The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway was reached for routing traffic at Youngstown , Ohio. The final track laying between Pittsburgh and Youngstown was on January 27, 1879. At the opening in 1879, the P&LE was a poorly built, single track line. Fortunately for the railroad it was an immediate success and money was soon available for improvements. In 1881, the P&LE became linked with
1809-676: The Lomersheimer Declaration, written in 1798, Rapp's followers refused to serve in the military or attend Lutheran schools. In 1803, when the government began to persecute Rapp's followers, he decided to move the entire group to the United States. The initial move scattered the followers and reduced Rapp's original group of 12,000 to many fewer persons. In 1804, Rapp was able to secure a large tract of land in Pennsylvania and started his first commune . This first commune, 'Harmonie', ( Harmony ), Butler County, Pennsylvania , soon grew to
1876-485: The McKees Rocks shops were built. The company came under more formal control in 1887 by the New York Central Railroad . Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway's president, John Newell, took over as president of the P&LE in 1887. Under Newell, Reed and Colonel Schoonmaker; the P&LE would become the "Little Giant". From 1887 to 1927, the P&LE would become a heavy duty railroad, with double track all
1943-643: The Monongahela River to Brownsville, Pennsylvania in 1901. The Pennsylvania Railroad at the same time had extended to Brownsville. Both the PRR and the P&LE had plans to extend even further up the river into West Virginia coke fields. Most likely due to the South Penn, they decided to work together by using the Monongahela Railway . The Monongahela Railway then was extended south to Martin, Pennsylvania reaching
2010-712: The P&LE Terminal in Pittsburgh. The original line continued east past that station for a little over two miles (3.2 km) (listed in Youghiogheny Branch table below) to near 24th Street in the South Side Flats neighborhood of Pittsburgh, where it met the Monongahela Connecting Railroad and the Pittsburgh, McKeesport & Youghiogheny (PM&Y). The Pittsburgh, McKeesport and Youghiogheny Railroad ran from 24th Street in Pittsburgh, PA to Connellsville, Pennsylvania, in 1882. The PM&Y followed
2077-507: The P&LE, and Chicago-New York trains such as the Capitol Limited (Chicago-Washington), Columbian (Chicago-Washington) and Ambassador (Detroit-Baltimore) operated over the P & LE between New Castle Junction and McKeesport. These trains stopped at the Terminal located in Pittsburgh's South Side. The trackage sharing arrangement continued until Amtrak assumed responsibility for
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2144-459: The PC&Y facilities were just behind the P&LE Locomotive facilities in the main yard, and trackage from the PC&Y crossed the P&LE Mainline at this point, servicing several local businesses in the Bottoms section of McKees Rocks, finally making the previously mentioned interchange. Most of the McKees Rocks facilities are now gone. The entire McKees Rocks locomotive facility, shops, and yard
2211-466: The PM&;Y all of the funds to build to Connellsville, Pennsylvania and then lease it to the P&LE for 99 years. The PM&Y in the end was the only part of the South Penn that was built, but it would be an important part of the P&LE. The PM&Y opened in 1883 and leased to the P&LE in 1884. Concurrently in 1883, to get the P&LE ready for the expected new business due to the South Penn linkage,
2278-478: The Pennsylvania Secretary of State. The stated length of the railroad was for 57 miles (92 km). After 2 years the starting group was not very successful at raising the required funds and in 1877 many of the directors were succeeded by a new group of Pittsburgh businessmen. The new group was James I. Bennett, David Hostetter , James M. Baily, Mark W. Watson and James M. Schoonmaker, all influential. In
2345-594: The Smithfield Street Bridge. The Pittsburgh Terminal was the railroad's headquarters, passenger train shed, and freight warehouse complex. In the upper photo, the terminal sits along the Monongahela river. The roof of the freight house is to the right of the terminal train shed. The former P&LE headquarters building at the bottom of the Monongahela Incline has been converted into a present-day shopping center, Station Square . The passenger station has been placed on
2412-599: The areas of its main train line extending the line north to Youngstown and south to Connellsville. This provided a means of transportation from the steel centers of Pittsburgh to the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway area. The original line ran between Youngstown, Ohio (at Haselton) and 24th Street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania near the Jones and Laughlin Iron Works , opened in 1879. The P&LE's passenger terminal in Pittsburgh
2479-422: The authorities in the old country ), had come to Economy to affiliate with the society. Rapp and Leon could not agree; a separation and apportionment of the property were therefore effected. This secession of one-third of the society, consisting mostly of the young men and women who did not want to maintain the custom of celibacy , reportedly broke Frederick's heart. He died within two years. It also resulted in
2546-555: The borough was 85.69% White, 11.38% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races, and 1.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.83% of the population. There were 3,595 households, out of which 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.6% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.3% were non-families. 39.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.5% had someone living alone who
2613-513: The community continues to recognize the origins from which it came. Since 1966, Ambridge has held an annual heritage festival celebrating the borough's ethnic pride. Diversity in food, music, and entertainment continues to unite the community in remembering its origins. Organized by the Ambridge Chamber of Commerce, the three-day Nationality Days festival takes place in May and is located in the heart of
2680-565: The downtown Commercial District. Vendors line the center of Merchant Street as thousands of attendees – locals and tourists – enjoy Italian, Ukrainian, Greek, Polish, German, Croatian, and Slovenian cuisine. Booths are sponsored by numerous churches in Ambridge, bringing with them the recipes for their cultural dishes such as pirohy, haluski, stuffed cabbage, and borscht. Live entertainment, arts and crafts, and children's activities are also available. Thousands visit this festival daily (located on Merchant Street from 4th Street to 8th Street). Ambridge
2747-707: The eastern limits of the Departure Yard in Lowellville. The Hump Yard was located in Struthers in the center of the facility, and the Receiving Yard was to the west. The special purpose yards were "Diesel Servicing Facilities", "Gorilla Park" and "Interchange" yards. The "Interchange" yard was made up of six tracks, four were for interchange to and from the B&;O Railroad and two of which were for general use. The other interchange
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2814-438: The employees were relatives of relatives and the small town grew, with wards separating the town into ethnic sections. In addition, many of the ethnicities had their own church, club, and musical group that sought to give immigrants a familiar place to be as well as to preserve their culture. Many were from Eastern and Southern Europe including Italian, Greek, Slovak, Croatian, Ukrainian, Polish, Slovene, and Carpartho-Rusyn, to name
2881-578: The last years of the P&LE, CSX used the line more than P&LE leading to the merger. Most of the online customers had long been gone, with only the main line still intact. In 1993 the company was purchased by CSX. The CSX designated the P&LE as a new subsidiary, the Three Rivers Railway . However, in 1993, CSX leased the TRR, and there is currently no de facto distinction between the former P&LE and any other portion of CSX's system. Presidents of
2948-409: The nation's passenger rail service in 1971. P&LE operated commuter trains into Pittsburgh. In 1964, it ran one round-trip between Youngstown and Pittsburgh as well as one additional southbound and two additional northbound trains on the section between Beaver Falls and Pittsburgh. Latest by 1968, only the section between College Hill , Beaver Falls, Aliquippa and P&LE's Pittsburgh Terminal
3015-613: The north, east and northeast, and the Allegheny County borough of Leetsdale to the southwest. The city of Aliquippa runs adjacent to Ambridge across the Ohio River to the west and is connected to the borough via Ambridge-Aliquippa Bridge. As of the 2000 census , there were 7,769 people, 3,595 households, and 1,966 families residing in the borough. The population density was 5,179.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,999.7/km ). There were 4,099 housing units at an average density of 2,760.9 per square mile (1,066.0/km ). The racial makeup of
3082-458: The notorious South Pennsylvania Railroad (South Penn). This would lead to William Henry Vanderbilt to control of the P&LE as a link in the South Penn and the building of the Pittsburgh, McKeesport and Youghiogheny Railroad . The South Pennsylvania Railroad was planned to connect to the PM&Y. Vanderbilt did this by buying Henry W. Oliver 's and the Harmony Society's stock in the P&LE. Then Vanderbilt, aided by Andrew Carnegie, advanced
3149-405: The policy of celibacy prevented new members from within, and the majority of the outside world had no desire to give up so much to live in a commune. The society was formally dissolved in 1906. Today, many of their remaining buildings are preserved and open to visitors. The entire village was designated as a National Historic Landmark District in 1965. Ambridge, Pennsylvania Ambridge
3216-445: The railroad were as follows: After Newell the presidency would be held by the president of the NYC with the active management of the local vice president. Vice Presidents: With Nash the active management went back to the president. The P&LE's Pittsburgh passenger train station (interior seen in the lower right photo) sat adjacent the south bank of the Monongahela River at the foot of
3283-625: The river on the Beaver Bridge . From there it followed the Beaver River to just south of New Castle, Pennsylvania , where it then followed the Mahoning River west-northwest, crossing into Ohio just east of Lowellville . From there it ran northwest into Youngstown, terminating at a junction with the New York Central known as Haselton. In the table below, mileage is reckoned westbound from
3350-461: The society's prosperity was at the close of the administration of R. L. Baker in 1868; its wealth at that time being probably $ 2,000,000. By 1890, however, it was hopelessly in debt, on the verge of bankruptcy, with a depleted membership of aged people. The society was overwhelmed with litigation on the part of would-be heirs. J. S. Duss won the lawsuits and paid the society's indebtedness. The great strain which he had undergone undermining his health, he
3417-515: The spiritual notion of the Divine Economy . Here, under the business acumen and efficient management of Frederick Rapp, society members enjoyed such prosperity that, by 1829, they dominated the trade and the markets of Pittsburgh and down the Ohio River . Accused of being a monopoly , the society faced pressure to dissolve. At this time, the community was not neglectful of matters pertaining to art and culture. Frederick Rapp purchased and installed
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#17330851774483484-457: The spring of 1877, the first rails were laid down in Beaver Falls, which had the largest population other than Pittsburgh. The other reason for this was around February 1877 Jacob Henrici of the Harmony Society had business there. Henrici would also become a director in 1877. On July 6, 1877, McCreery resigned and Bennett was elected to president with Jacob Henrici becoming a director. Henrici
3551-530: The striking features. Old Economy's buildings, grounds, library, archives, and 16,000 original artifacts are fused to create an interpretive facility for the Commonwealth. Ambridge is served by the public Ambridge Area School District , which operates five schools: Economy, Highland and State Street elementary schools (grades PK–5); Ambridge Area Junior High School (grades 6–8), and Ambridge Area High School (grades 9–12). High school students may choose to attend
3618-511: The third and final location of the Harmonites. Established in 1824, Old Economy - known to the Harmonites as "Ökonomie" - was founded upon German Pietism , which called for a higher level of purity within Christianity . Soon the Harmonites were not only known for their piety, but also for their production of wool, cotton, and silk. As a pioneer in the American silk industry, Economy became known as
3685-487: The way from Pittsburgh to Youngstown. The P&LE operated as an independent subsidiary, even after New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroad merged to form Penn Central . The making of coke in Connellsville had been a big part of P&LE traffic, but by the early 20th century it had lessened. The development of by-products distillation processing of coke had moved to the Pittsburgh area. The P&LE then extended up
3752-583: The world. The decline of both the steel industry and the town is chronicled in Rust Belt Boy by Ambridge native Paul Hertneky . With Ambridge now over 100 years old, revitalization is beginning to occur along Merchant Street in the Downtown Commercial District. Entrepreneurs and investors have begun to renovate the Victorian facades of the commercial storefronts. Antique shops are opening in
3819-451: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.88. In the borough the population was spread out, with 21.7% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 23.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males. The median income for
3886-575: Was a major hub location on the railroad, until the creation of Conrail. Gateway Yard was opened in October 1957, to be a modern hump yard. The yard was approximately 200 acres (0.81 km ) stretching for a distance of just over 5 miles (8.0 km) from Lowellville, Ohio to Center Street in Youngstown, Ohio. Gateway Yard was made up of three principal yards, and an assortment of smaller, special-purpose yards. The principal yards were arranged linearly, with
3953-443: Was also known as Harmony. Ten years after the move to Indiana the commune moved again, this time it returned to Pennsylvania and named their town 'Ökonomie', Economy. The Indiana settlement was sold to Robert Owen , at which point it was renamed New Harmony, Indiana . George Rapp lived out his remaining days in the town of Economy, Pennsylvania, until August 7, 1847, when he died at the age of 89. The commune ultimately failed because
4020-672: Was designated as a National Historic Landmark District in 1966 under the name of "Old Economy." The Harmony Society was a Christian theosophy and pietist society founded in Iptingen , Germany , in 1785. Due to religious persecution by the Lutheran Church and the government in Württemberg , the Harmony Society moved to the United States between 1803 and 1804, initially purchasing 3,000 acres (12 km) of land in Butler County, Pennsylvania . On February 15, 1805, society leaders, together with about 400 followers, formally organized
4087-470: Was forced to resign his trusteeship in 1903. There being but few members left, the remaining land and assets were sold under the leadership of Duss's wife, and the society was formally dissolved in 1906. In 1916, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acquired 6 acres (0.024 km) and 17 buildings of Old Economy, which became the present-day historic site. Other parts of the society's land were acquired by
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#17330851774484154-616: Was on the south bank of the Monongahela River , at the foot of the Smithfield Street Bridge . The P&LE followed the left downstream bank of the Monongahela River past the terminal to the Golden Triangle , where that waterway meets the Allegheny River and becomes the Ohio River . The railroad continued northwest along the left downstream bank of the Ohio River to the vicinity of Beaver, Pennsylvania , where it crossed
4221-442: Was served by one single roundtrip commuter train per day. In 1978, P&LE tried to drop that last commuter train, which was met by fierce objections. With state support, P&LE continued to operate the commuter run but eventually ended the service on July 12, 1985, after passenger counts had dropped significantly. The PATrain commuter operation continued to use some P&LE-trackage until 1989. The Youngstown Gateway Yard
4288-400: Was the creation of William McCreery , a prominent Pittsburgh businessman, merchant, and railroad builder. McCreery had suffered at the hands of the Pennsylvania Railroad in a business that had a loss or failed. The Pennsylvania Railroad at the time used discriminatory rates which became a hot issue in Pittsburgh. On May 11, 1870 McCreery and ten other people filed Articles of Association with
4355-400: Was the first attempt to provide basic training for regular U.S. Army recruits and Legionville was the first facility established expressly for this purpose. The Harmony Society first settled the area in the early 19th century, founding the village of "Ökonomie" or Economy in 1824. Although initially successful, accumulating significant landholdings, the sect went into decline. By the end of
4422-411: Was the key due to his Harmony Society ties which was a communal religious group founded in 1805. In 1880, William Henry Vanderbilt 's Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway bought stock to the tune of $ 200,000 in the P&LE. The P&LE would stay in the Vanderbilt's New York Central system until Conrail. Also in 1877, an agreement between the P&LE and the Atlantic & Great Western (Erie) and
4489-404: Was with New York Central Railroad which was a direct interchange. The western yard limit was the end of track for the P&LE. Beyond the western end of the Yard was the NYC mainline that continued to Ashtabula, Ohio . The yard was constructed when the P&LE was under the control of the New York Central Railroad. Conrail routing most of the traffic around P&LE facilities in the area. After
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