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 Posted - April 13 2022 : 09:02:40 AM
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The Monongahela Railway was a coal hauling shortline in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. It had shared ownership between its connecting railroads, B&O, P&LE and Pennsylvania. Operationally, it was divided into two operating divisions connected by a bridge over its namesake river in Brownsville, where it connected to both the PRR and P&LE. the East division was the original line up the river to Fairmont, WV where it connected with the B&O. The West division ran down the other side of the river for a few miles before striking off for Waynesburg, PA. There it split into two branches: the Waynesburg southern ran south to three coal mines on the West Virginia border, and was built in the 1960s. It is now, sadly, out of service with the last mine closing in the summer of 2021. The Manor branch runs west of Waynesburg to the massive Bailey Mine. It was completed in 1984, and provides the bulk of the traffic on the line.
After the collapse of the steel industry in the early 1980s, the P&LE fell on hard times. It was forced to sell its share in the railroad to Conrail, which already held the PRR shares. Eventually, VSX also sold the B&O shares to Conrail, and the railroad was merged into the larger system. When Conrail was split between CSX and NS, the MGA became a sort of shared assets area. Trackage is owned by Currently, both CSX and Norfolk Southern use the line, with traffic split between the two railroads. NS trains travel the former PRR Mon Line north to Pittsburgh, while CSX trains can go either by the P&LE (Which CSX bought in 1992) or down the East division to Fairmont and the B&O.
Most of my photos are taken on the West division.
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Posted - April 13 2022 : 09:44:02 AM
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One of the unique features on the MGA is the street running in West Brownsville on the West Division. The tracks run down the middle of the street for about a mile south from the yard. There are signals at either end of this stretch so train can be held where they won't block the street.
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Posted - April 13 2022 : 10:06:41 AM
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Nice shots Jward.
Not far from Brownsville a few years ago was a shortline tourist railroad. For a while they ran a B&O RDC from Uniontown to Dunbar. I believe that went back to Baltimore to the museum and for a spell they had an old SW that pulled a restored PC transfer caboose and a yellow P&LE bayside caboose. I will dig out those photos since they relate well to the railroading in Fayette County - home of the Mon.
True story- a few years ago I took some local family members on a cemetery tour around Brownsville and we drove past where the old roundhouse and shops would have been. My Mother in Law's friend who was with us chimed in, "That's where they used to spin the locomotives around"! I guess when she was a girl in the 40s and 50s she was a secret railfan! At least enough to remember the turntable operations.
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Posted - April 13 2022 : 10:55:03 AM
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| A Greek Orthodox church abutting a rail line. Now I've seen everything!
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Posted - April 13 2022 : 3:06:45 PM
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| This area was America's melting pot 1880s-1920s with more work in mines, mills and railroads than there were people to work them.
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Posted - April 13 2022 : 4:40:49 PM
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I was watching a doc regarding copper mining in Michigan last night.
It was as harrowing as watching "The Titanic." Wow, do I have it easy.
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Posted - April 13 2022 : 4:49:41 PM
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Detroit Edison unit trains ran through here (maybe still do). When I used to see them their locos were blue and white U-boats and GMs.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/50893925@N04/8686552237/in/photostream/.
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Posted - April 13 2022 : 9:06:53 PM
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quote:
they resemble the GM Oakways that ran on BN
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Posted - April 14 2022 : 12:33:26 PM
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quote:
Yes and they still do. But the DE motive power was sold off about 30 years ago. Now they run with NS power and DEEX or DETX cars.
The paint scheme was based on the EMD SD45 demonstrators. It was interesting to see those colours applied to GE U30Cs.
The photo you linked to was taken on the Waynesburg Southern, most likely before the Manor Branch was completed.
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Posted - April 14 2022 : 12:45:11 PM
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quote:This area was America's melting pot 1880s-1920s with more work in mines, mills and railroads than there were people to work them.
Originally posted by el rojo grande - April 13 2022 : 3:06:45 PM
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Yes it was and still is. Those people came to America in search of a better life, like the immigrants to-day. And they faced the same hurdles: employment by companies that viewed them as a source of cheap labour, who didn't complain about working conditions. They were housed in company owned duplexes, paid in company scrip, and were pretty much captive labour. And they faced outright hostility from those ethnicities who came before them. There was a definite pecking order around here for many years based on where your ancestors came from, though much of it has faded away in recent years.
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Posted - April 14 2022 : 12:48:33 PM
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quote: quote:
Yes and they still do. But the DE motive power was sold off about 30 years ago. Now they run with NS power and DEEX or DETX cars.
The paint scheme was based on the EMD SD45 demonstrators. It was interesting to see those colours applied to GE U30Cs.
The photo you linked to was taken on the Waynesburg Southern, most likely before the Manor Branch was completed.
Originally posted by jward - April 14 2022 : 12:33:26 PM
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I'd love to see the Oakway scheme on a new GM loco 
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Posted - April 17 2022 : 06:43:56 AM
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Our tour of the MGA continues with these scenes from around the yard at West Brownsville, the river bridge connecting the East and West divisions, and some more street running.
Entering West Brownsville yard from the West Division, coming off the street running trackage.
Entering the yard, as another loaded train waits to go north to Pittsburgh.
Csx empties coming off the bridge and around the wye at West Brownsville.
NS empties turning south onto the East Division after crossing the Monongahela river bridge.
CSX loaded trains awaiting crews sit on the East division at Brownsville. They will run the MGA to Fairmont, WV, and on to the former B&O yard in Grafton.
The signal has been cleared for a train off the West division into the yard. If there was no room, the train would have been held here so it wouldn't block the street.
This train loaded on the Waynesburg Southern, and ran the whole way with helper engines on the rear. It would be the last train I ever caught on the Waynesburg Southern, as the last mine on the branch closed a couple of months later.
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Posted - April 17 2022 : 08:01:36 AM
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| Thanks for posting these. Great shots.
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Posted - April 17 2022 : 08:20:31 AM
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More to come as I sift through my photos.
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Posted - April 17 2022 : 1:05:35 PM
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Looking forward to the updates. I had lived along the Mon just north of South Brownsville and when they braked going into the yard, the couplers slamming into each other just rolled up the Mon Valley like thunder.
Since I had mentioned the tourist line that ran Fairchance to Dunbar, here are some photos of it while it ran
An Alco on point and the cabooses for passengers. I remember the P&LE running on the eastern shore of the Mon
The Alco
The B&O RDC they had on loan for Santa Specials
Both cabooses were sold
https://ozarkmountainrailcar.com/railEquipment.php?itemId=774&status=sold&category=Cabooses
https://ozarkmountainrailcar.com/railEquipment.php?itemId=775&status=sold&category=Cabooses
And next time you visit Uniontown the Alco sits quietly on a siding at their 84 Lumber. As of 4-17-22 it is still there. This Google map shows it and the cabooses from a few years ago.
Edited by - el rojo grande on April 17 2022 1:14:36 PM
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Posted - April 17 2022 : 2:13:41 PM
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| Interesting. Years ago I used to deliver to that 84 lumber and never knew those were there. That PC cracker box was rebuilt by NYC from a 40 foot boxcar.
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Posted - April 17 2022 : 3:11:44 PM
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Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner- jward is correct. You can build your own with the plans that I photographed inside the caboose.
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