Pittsburgh Light Rail
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
Top
Pittsburgh Light Rail
| Pittsburgh Light Rail | |||
|---|---|---|---|
  A "T" vehicle departs the Station Square station. |
|||
| Background | |||
| Owner | Port Authority of Allegheny County | ||
| Locale | Pittsburgh | ||
| Transit type | Subway/Light rail | ||
| Daily ridership | 25,200 | ||
| Website | Pittsburgh Subway/Light Rail | ||
| Operation | |||
| Began operation | April 15, 1984 | ||
| Operator(s) | Port Authority of Allegheny County | ||
| Technical | |||
| System length | 26 miles | ||
| Track gauge | 5 ft 2 1⁄2 in (1,588 mm) Pennsylvania Trolley Gauge | ||
| Electrification | 650 V DC,[1] Overhead lines | ||
|
|||
The Pittsburgh Light Rail (commonly known as The T) is a 26-mile (41.8 km) light rail system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; it functions as a subway in Downtown Pittsburgh and largely as an at-grade light rail service in the suburbs south of the city. The system is largely linear in a north-south direction, with one terminus just north of Pittsburgh's central business district and two termini in the South Hills. The system is owned and operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County. It is the successor system to the streetcar network formerly operated by Pittsburgh Railways.
|
Contents
|
History
Overview of the LRT System
In the early 1960s, Pittsburgh had the largest surviving streetcar system in the United States, with the privately owned Pittsburgh Railways Company operating more than 600 PCC cars on 41 routes. In 1964 the system was acquired by the Port Authority of Allegheny County, which rapidly converted most routes to buses. By the early 1970s, only a handful of streetcar routes remained, most of which used the Mt. Washington Tunnel just south of the Monongahela River to reach the South Hills area.
At that time, Port Authority planners were determined to scrap the rail system entirely in favor of busways (now called "BRT") and an automated guideway transit system developed by Westinghouse Electric called Skybus. Community opposition rallied against the plan and in favor of retaining the electric rail trolley system and upgrading it into modern LRT. In the end, the LRT option was adopted for the South Hills suburbs, along with development of a busway ("BRT") system for the Eastern suburbs.
Subway Tunnels
The modern subway in downtown Pittsburgh between Steel Plaza and First Avenue stations uses the tunnel of the historic Pennsylvania Canal, which began construction on that section on May 3, 1828. Rail lines (trolleys) had been a staple of the city and region since the late 19th century, the idea of a downtown to Oakland or East Liberty subway had been considered since at least the 1910s. A public referendum was passed to fund such a subway with an initial investment of $6 million on July 8, 1919, another $5.5 million subway plan was finalized at City Hall in meetings on March 28, 1932, and the public/private Allegheny Conference presented detailed plans and funding for a subway system on June 4, 1947.
Pittsburgh Railways
Pittsburgh Railways was one of the predecessors of the Port Authority of Allegheny County. It had 666 PCC cars, the third largest fleet in North America. It had 68 street car routes, of which only three (until April 5, 2010 the 42 series, the 47 series, and 52) are used by the Port Authority as light rail routes. With the Port Authority's Transit Development Plan, many route names will be changed to its original, such as the 41D Brookline becoming the 39 Brookline. Many of the streetcar routes have been remembered in the route names of many Port Authority buses (e.g. 71 series).
1895 to 1905 was a time of consolidation for the numerous street railways serving Pittsburgh. On July 24, 1895 the Consolidated Traction Company was chartered and the following year acquired the Central Traction Company, Citizens Traction Company, Duquesne Traction Company and Pittsburgh Traction Company and converted them to electric operation.[2] On 27 July 1896 the United Traction Company was chartered and absorbed the Second Avenue Traction Company, which had been running electric cars since 1890.[3]
The Southern Traction Company acquired the lease of the West End Traction Company on October 1, 1900. Pittsburgh Railways was formed on January 1, 1902, when the Southern Traction Company acquired operating rights over the Consolidated Traction Company and United Traction Company.[4] The new company operated 1,100 trolleys on 400 miles (640 km) of track, with 178.7 million passengers and revenues of $6.7 million on the year.[5]
Unfortunately the lease and operate business model proved hard to support and the company declared bankruptcy twice, first in 1918 lasting for 6 years and then again in 1938, this time lasting until January 1, 1951.[6]
On 26 July 1936 Pittsburgh Railways took delivery of PCC streetcar No. 100 from the St. Louis Car Company. It was placed in revenue service in August 1936, the first revenue earning PCC in the world.[7][8]
Large scale abandonments of lines began in the late 1950s, usually associated with highway or bridge work.[9]
1960's & Skybus 70's
Main article: Transit Expressway Revenue Line
In the 1960s a 92-mile subway/lightrail system was planned fanning out to the north, south, east, southeast and west including connections to both the Pittsburgh International Airport the Allegheny County Airport, Monroeville Mall and adjacent to Kennywood Amusement Park [1]. The modern subway/lightrail system can be traced to the abandonment of the proposed "Skybus" system in the mid 1970's, and the subsequent $265 million federal grant on May 7, 1979 for construction of a downtown subway and modernization of suburban light rail.
Modern System
On December 10, 1980[2] after receiving federal funding, the Port Authority began construction on Stage One of its first "modern" light rail/subway service, the "T", which used a former Pittsburgh Railways trolley route to connect Downtown Pittsburgh to the South Hills. The first modern light rail cars began operation from South Hills Village to Castle Shannon on April 15, 1984 [3] with the downtown subway added to the system on July 3, 1985. The last leg of the modern suburban "Beechview" line was approved for funding May 8, 1985 with $20 million in federal grants and completed the modern system on May 22, 1987 at a total cost of $522 million. The suburban line in the south hills were former streetcar lines that had been rehabilitated to accommodate light rail vehicles. The Beechview line was reconstructed (being completely double tracked) and routed from the South Hills Junction through the Mount Washington Transit Tunnel, emerging at a newly constructed station at Station Square before crossing the Monongahela river on the Panhandle Bridge (a former railway bridge), which then led into a newly built downtown (cut and cover tunnel) subway with four stations, which incorporated the nineteenth century Pittsburgh & Steubenville Extension Railroad Tunnel. The original subway branched north of Steel Plaza, with one branch heading west to Wood Street and one branch heading east to Penn Station. Upon completion of the subway, all former streetcar lines were removed from the surface streets of Downtown Pittsburgh.
Overbrook Line Reconstruction
Mid-20th century PCC streetcars continued to run over the "Overbrook" line until 1993, when concerns about the safety of the line led PAT to suspend service there pending reconstruction. This former Pittsburgh Railways trolley line had never been updated to current light rail system requirements. In June 2004, after receiving federal funding for Stage Two of the light rail system development, the Overbrook line re-opened as a fully rebuilt double-tracked line served by modern light rail vehicles. The 22 former trolley stops on the line have been upgraded to 8 handicapped accessible light rail stops making this line a considerably faster commute.
North Shore Connector
Main article: North Shore Connector
In January 1999, the Port Authority of Allegheny County began undertaking environmental analysis, planning, and began construction of a light rail line to connect Pittsburgh's Downtown and North Shore. Federal funding was approved for the extension on February 6, 2004.
The main project involved twin bored tunnels below the Allegheny River to connect a refurbished Gateway Station, which is the current Downtown terminus, to North Side station, located just west of PNC Park and Allegheny station, located just north of Heinz Field. The completed project opened to the public on March 25 2012. The North Side station serves PNC Park, the Andy Warhol Museum, Allegheny Center and numerous office buildings in the vicinity. The Allegheny station serves Heinz Field, the Carnegie Science Center, the National Aviary, the Community College of Allegheny County, the Rivers Casino, and other nearby businesses.
Unexpectedly high bids from construction companies had stalled construction, originally scheduled to begin in Fall 2005. The entire project is budgeted at $435 million, with approximately 80% ($348 million) coming from the Federal Transit Administration.[10] The Port Authority began construction in October 2006, with the first bore completed on July 10, 2008 and the second tunnel under the Allegheny river completed in early 2009.[11] Service began on March 25, 2012 with a final cost of $523.4 million.[12]
Lines
The "T" has four lines:
Red Line
Main article: Red Line (Pittsburgh)
Formerly 42S. The Red Line runs between South Hills Village and Downtown Pittsburgh via the Beechview neighborhood. Six stops serve Upper St. Clair and Bethel Park before merging with the Blue Line at Washington Junction. The Red Line splits again before Overbrook Junction (PAT station) and the Red Line heads toward the suburbs of Castle Shannon, Mt. Lebanon, and Dormont. After entering Pittsburgh city limits, the route features a variety of closely spaced stops through Beechview, where bus service is limited due to the hilly terrain, despite a dense population. Twenty stops occur between the split in the lines and their re-juncture at South Hills Junction. The route then enters the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel. The remaining stations in Downtown are at Station Square, First Avenue, Steel Plaza, and Wood Street (PAT station). In March 2007, the closure of the Palm Garden Bridge for refurbishment suspended the 42S for five months; it re-opened in September 2007.[13][14]
Blue Line - Library
Main article: Blue Line - Library
Formerly 44L, 47L. Service begins near the Allegheny County line in the Library neighborhood of South Park. Fifteen stops serve Library, Bethel Park, and South Park before merging with the Blue Line - South Hills Village line at Washington Junction. Some weekday, and all weekend trips end at Washington Junction, where a timed transfer to the Blue Line - South Hills Village will continue a trip to Overbrook and Downtown. For the trips that serve Downtown, the line splits again before Overbrook Junction station on the Red Line, as the Blue Line instead follows the Overbrook route. The line then makes eight well-spaced stops on its arc through the Overbrook, Brookline, Carrick, Beltzhoover, and Bon Air neighborhoods of southern Pittsburgh. The line merges with the Red Line at South Hills Junction before entering the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel. The remaining stations are at Station Square, First Avenue, Steel Plaza, and Wood Street.
Blue Line - South Hills Village
Main article: Blue Line - South Hills Village
Formerly 47S. In 2005, the Port Authority opened a new parking garage at the South Hills Village station. The 47S line was established in an effort to relieve congestion on the Red Line for the additional traffic that the parking garage created. The Blue Line - South Hills Village route follows the South Hills Village leg of the Red Line and the common leg from Washington Junction to Willow Station, which is adjacent to Overbrook Junction, where it switches to the Blue Line - Library mainline. It follows the Blue Line - Library to South Hills Junction where it reunites with the Red Line before entering downtown.
Shuttle services
Occasionally, the Port Authority will use shuttle service for special occasions. For example:
On March 14, 2010, shuttle service between Steel Plaza and Penn Park Station was used as a connection to the East Busway. Due to the St. Patrick's Day parade, the EBA bus (East Busway - All Stops) was unable to connect with the downtown portion of its route.
On July 4, 2008, the SL - Subway Local was used. This route provided service between Gateway Center and South Hills Junction Low Platform via Mt. Washington Transit tunnel.
When the Port Authority was testing automatic equipment on the Overbrook Line, the 42L - Library via Beechview was used as a replacement to the 47L.
Shuttle buses are also used when the T cannot operate, such as when construction or tree removal is taking place, during power outages, and derailments.
Former services
The 44 Castle Shannon-Library (44L) and the 44 Castle Shannon-Beechview (44S) were truncated versions of the Blue Line - Library and Red Line, respectively. The 44L ran from Library to Washington Junction. The 44S ran between Overbrook Junction and Traymore. It was introduced when the closure of the Palm Garden Bridge cut off the Beechview line from the Downtown. The 44S was discontinued when the Palm Garden Bridge re-opened, in favor of the 42C.[14]
Discontinued lines
47D Drake
Main article: 47 Drake
When light rail service began, PCC trolley service continued from Drake north through Castle Shannon along the Overbrook line to downtown. All downtown platforms incorporated both low- and high-level platforms enabling them to handle both types of vehicles. When safety concerns prompted the closure of the Overbrook line in 1993 the Drake line was cut back to Castle Shannon; service would later terminate at Washington Junction. In September 1999, PAT withdrew the four remaining active-service PCCs from service and closed the Drake line altogether.[15]
47 Shannon
This was a PCC trolley line that led commuters either northbound (via Overbrook line) or southbound (via South Hills Junction, Drake or Library lines) to Castle Shannon station. The line's turnaround point, the Shannon Loop, was located just past the station at Mt. Lebanon Blvd. This loop no longer exists. Also removed from the Shannon route were the tracks surrounding the old Castle Shannon Municipal Building (which is also gone) at the intersection of Castle Shannon Blvd. and Willow Ave. At this Overbrook line connector, incoming trolleys ran in front of the building and outgoing trolleys ran behind the building and through the narrow passage between the building and Castle Shannon Blvd.
Brown Line
Main article: Brown Line (Pittsburgh)
Formerly 52. The Brown Line ran from South Hills Junction low platform (except the first and last trips of each rush, which serve the high platform) over Mount Washington and across the Monongahela River to downtown Pittsburgh, terminating at Wood Street. It is the only downtown route that does not stop at Station Square nor use the Mount Washington tunnel. The line supplements the 46K bus, running 4 times each during the morning rush and 3 times during the evening rush. A throwback to the days of the streetcars, the 52 does not features stations or street-level boarding stops (which are generally designed like bus shelters in the suburbs, or are concrete island platforms in Beechview) but instead allows for boarding and unloading at designated 46K bus stops. Two inbound and two outbound trips (the first one in and the last one out of each rush) serve South Hills Village via the Blue Line. This service exists because the train is coming from the rail center located near South Hills Village Mall, and serves the entire length of the route. The steepest grade on the entire light rail system is on this line, about 10 percent.[11]
This service was discontinued in the March 27, 2011 system-wide cuts.
Fleet and depot
Current fleet
Port Authority operates a fleet of 83 LRVs as of 2006:
- 4201–4255: Siemens SD-400s, built in 1985–87 as 4101–4155; rebuilt by CAF in 2005–2006 and renumbered
- 4301–4328: CAF LRV, built in 2003–2004
Trains are generally run in a two car configuration. The routes have sections that have a dedicated right of way as well as mixed sections that run along roadways with automobile traffic. Generally, stations along roadways have low level platforms while stops along the dedicated rights of way have high level platforms. To allow easy boarding in both situations, the trains have two sets of doors at the front, with a low set and a staircase as well as a high set with level access from the platform to the train.
Retired PCC Fleet
Main article: Port Authority 4000 Series PCC
The four remaining PCC cars were retired in 1999. These PCCs were from an original fleet of 12 "homebuilt" cars constructed in the 1980s in the Port Authority shops using a combination of new underframes, lower body panels, front and rear ends, interiors, wiring and controls, together with reconditioned components such as trucks, motors, and upper body parts and windows reused from original Pittsburgh PCCs numbered in the 1700 series. They avoided the breakers yard, along with some other trolleys from the later years of PAT ownership.
Depot
The South Hills Village Rail Center (SHVRC) is located at the end of the Blue Line - South Hills Village, adjacent to the shopping mall of the same name. All of the revenue light rail vehicles (LRVs) and some Maintenance of Way vehicles are stored there. All the old PCC cars were stored there as well prior to their retirement in 1999.
Extensions and Additions
Since November 1993 the Authority has studied the so-called "Spine Line" [4] to the Oakland neighborhood which is the third largest center for commuters in the commonwealth and the home to Carlow University, the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, the Pittsburgh Technology Center, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Phipps Conservatory. Thus far the extension to Oakland has not gone beyond the design phase. The First Avenue station was added in 2001;[16] service to Penn Station was suspended on September 2, 2007. The "T" is most heavily used in four stations downtown (three of which are underground), where service is free of charge.
Proposed extensions
Former Chief Executive of Allegheny County, Dan Onorato, hopes to eventually extend the light-rail system east to Oakland and west to Pittsburgh International Airport.[17] In 2009, Onorato along with Congressman Mike Doyle requested approximately $7 million in funding from the federal government for preliminary planning of the extension.[18]
Gallery
-
A Southbound car passes a pedestrian after leaving the Arlington stop.
-
An outbound train prepares to enter the Mount Washington Transit Tunnel.
-
Pittsburgh PCC 4001 as a static display in front of the South Hills Village depot.
-
A northbound car leaves Station Square.
-
Port Authority light rail train, Washington Junction Station, March 2005.
-
South Hills Village Rail Center.
See also
References
- ^ Webb, Mary; and Pattison, Tony (eds.) (2003). Jane's Urban Transport Systems 2003-2004, p. 417. Coulsdon (UK): Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-2565-0.
- ^ Pittsburgh And The Pittsburgh Spirit. Pittsburgh: Chamber Of Commerce Of Pittsburgh. 1928. p. 197. http://www.archive.org/details/pittsburghandthe028120mbp. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
- ^ MRS. S. KUSSART (1925). THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE FIFTEENTH WARD OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH. Bellevue (Pittsburgh), Pa.: Suburban Printing Company. p. 57. http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/history/local/kussart31-60.txt. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
- ^ "Historic Pittsburgh - Chronology by Year: 1902". http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/chronology/chronology_driver.pl?searchtype=ybrowse&year=1902&start_line=0. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
- ^ Johnna A. Pro (August 30, 1999). "Pittsburgh's trolley history". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19990830trolley7.asp. Retrieved 2007-04-12.
- ^ Railroad Magazine. March 1954.
- ^ Andrew D. Young, Eugene F. Provenzo (1978). The history of the St. Louis Car Company, "Quality Shops". Howell-North Books. p. 196 (photo caption). ISBN 0-8310-7114-1.
- ^ "South Hills Junction - cars that passed by - Car 100". March 7, 2008. http://www.dietrichsfam.com/shj/cr100.htm. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
- ^ The Southern California Traction Review Volume 17 No. 4 - Pittsburgh Railway Co. Annual Report (1958). 1959. http://www.erha.org/timepoints/v17n4.htm. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
- ^ Cleary, Caitlin (September 9, 2006). "U.S. gives green light to tunnel under river". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06252/720421-147.stm. Retrieved 2007-04-14.
- ^ a b Schmitz, Jon (November 26, 2010). "North Shore Connector said to be on schedule and under budget". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10330/1106180-53.stm. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
- ^ Schmitz, Jon (March 12, 2012). "Trains ready to roll under the river to North Shore". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/trains-ready-to-roll-under-the-river-to-north-shore-226555/. Retrieved 2012-03-21.
- ^ Grata, Joe (February 26, 2007). "Bus, trolley riders warned of closing of bridge over Route 51". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07057/765085-55.stm. Retrieved 2007-04-11.
- ^ a b Grata, Joe (August 22, 2007). "S. Hills bus, trolley disruptions ending Sept. 2". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07234/811175-147.stm.
- ^ "Drivers and riders say goodbye at the end of the Drake line". Associated Press. August 31, 1999.
- ^ http://www.portauthority.org/PAAC/CompanyInfo/GeneralStatistics/History/tabid/55/Default.aspx
- ^ Grata, Joe (November 11, 2007). Getting Around: Transportation wish list would cost billions, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- ^ Schmitz, Jon (May 18, 2009). Congress members submit wish lists for transit, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pittsburgh Light Rail |
|
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Trams in Pittsburgh |
External links
- Official website
- Jon Bell's photos of Pittsburgh Light Rail vehicles and stations
- Photos of heritage and modern Pittsburgh Light Rail vehicles and stations at nycsubway.org
- Map
|
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Related Videos:
Top
Pittsburgh Light Rail
![[1]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LD3CpD1xSwI/Tta4KGIfKxI/AAAAAAAABis/22APKWuE/s1600/AC92mileRT.jpg){kind=link}
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
Wikipedia on Answers.com
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Pittsburgh Light Rail.
Read more