Blue Line (Pittsburgh)

Last updated
Pittsburgh Light Rail (logo).svg Blue Line
Siemens SD-400s 4236.jpg
Blue Line train
Overview
Owner Pittsburgh Regional Transit
Locale Pittsburgh
Stations24
Service
Type Light rail
System Pittsburgh Light Rail
Operator(s)Pittsburgh Regional Transit
Depot(s) South Hills Village Rail Center
Rolling stock Siemens SD-400, CAF LRV
Daily ridership9,239 (2018) [1]
Technical
Track gauge 5 ft 2+12 in (1,588 mm) Pennsylvania trolley gauge
Electrification Overhead line,  650 V DC
Route map

Contents

BSicon hPORTALf.svg
BSicon uhKACCa.svg
Allegheny
BSicon utACC.svg
North Side
BSicon utKRZW.svg
BSicon utACC.svg
Gateway
BSicon utACC.svg
Wood Street
BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon exlINTACC.svg
BSicon uexKBHFCCa.svg
Penn Station
occasional use
BSicon BUS3.svg BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg
BSicon uetKRWg+l.svg
BSicon uextKRWr.svg
BSicon utACC.svg
Steel Plaza
BSicon uhtSTRe.svg
BSicon uhACC.svg
First Avenue
BSicon uhSKRZ-G4.svg
I-376.svgUS 22.svgUS 30.svg
I-376  / US 22  / US 30
Penn Lincoln Parkway
BSicon uhKRZW.svg
BSicon uINTACC.svg
Station Square
BSicon FUNI.svg BSicon BUS3.svg
BSicon uTUNNEL1.svg
BSicon uACC.svg
South Hills Junction
BSicon BUS3.svg
BSicon uLKRW+l.svg
BSicon uKRWgr.svg
Arrow Blue LowerLeft 001.svg  Red Line
BSicon MFADEf.svg
BSicon uLSTRe.svg
BSicon uACC.svg
Boggs
BSicon uACC.svg
Bon Air
BSicon uACC.svg
Denise
BSicon uACC.svg
South Bank
BSicon BUS3.svg
BSicon uACC.svg
McNeilly
BSicon uSTR+GRZq.svg
BSicon uACC.svg
Killarney
BSicon MFADEg.svg
BSicon uLSTRa.svg
BSicon uACC.svg
Memorial Hall
BSicon uACC.svg
BSicon BLaq.svg
BSicon uACC.svg
BSicon BLeq.svg
Overbrook
Junction
| Willow
BSicon uKRWl.svg
BSicon uKRWg+r.svg
BSicon uHST.svg
St. Anne's
BSicon uHST.svg
Smith Road
BSicon uSTR+GRZq.svg
Castle Shannon
Bethel Park
BSicon uACC.svg
Washington Junction
BSicon uABZgl.svg
BSicon uCONTfq.svg
BSicon uHST.svg
Casswell
BSicon uHST.svg
Highland
BSicon uHST.svg
Bethel Village
BSicon uHST.svg
Dorchester
BSicon uACC.svg
South Hills Village
BSicon uSTR+GRZq.svg
Bethel Park
Upper St. Clair
BSicon uKDSTe.svg

The Blue Line is a Pittsburgh Light Rail line that runs between Downtown Pittsburgh via the Overbrook neighborhood to South Hills Village (formerly 47S South Hills Village via Overbrook).

History

The line from South Hills Junction to Castle Shannon (now called the Overbrook Line) was first constructed by the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad between 1872 and 1874. [2] In 1905 Pittsburgh Railways leased the route and between 1909 and 1910 converted it from narrow gauge to dual gauge and installed overhead power for trolleys.

Mid-20th century PCC streetcars continued to operate on 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. After receiving federal funding for Stage Two of the light rail system development, the Overbrook line was reconstructed as a fully rebuilt double-tracked line served by modern light rail vehicles, making this line a considerably faster commute.

The line was reopened on June 2, 2004, following major work which included doubling of the track and elimination of 22 traditional street level trolley stops in favor of eight new LRV style stations with platforms. [3]

Route

The line starts at Allegheny station on the North Shore, makes an additional stop at North Side, then proceeds under the Allegheny River and continues underground to Gateway, Wood Street and Steel Plaza. The line then surfaces at First Avenue. Leaving downtown, it crosses the Monongahela River on the Panhandle Bridge, stopping at Station Square before running through the Mount Washington Transit Tunnel. At South Hills Junction the Library branch rejoins the Beechview line and the former Brown Line, which ran over Mount Washington through the Allentown neighborhood. The Blue Line continues south through Beltzhoover, Bon Air, Carrick, Brookline, and Overbrook. At Bethel Park a transfer is provided to the Red Line, which reaches the same location via Beechview. Beyond Washington Junction the line splits.

The South Hills Village branch was created in 1987 to complement the Red Line, which runs through Beechview before reaching the same terminus. This line was originally operated using PCCs, most notably the 4000 series, because the new light rail cars were incompatible with the Overbrook line due to its age and condition. Service was suspended when the Overbrook Line closed in 1993, but was reinstated after that line was rebuilt and reopened in 2004.

On June 25, 2012, the Port Authority closed two stations on the South Hills Village Branch as part of a system-wide consolidation: Santa Barbara and Martin Villa. [4]

Until February 2020 the line consisted of 36 stations including the Library branch which was later adopted exclusively by the Silver Line. [5]

Station list

The Pittsburgh Light Rail has three types of stations. They are low platform, high platform, and underground. High platform and underground stations are wheelchair accessible as the train doors are level with the platform. Low platform stations are not wheelchair accessible as they require passengers to climb stairs to board the light rail vehicle.

NameMiles [1] Station TypeOther servicesMunicipality
Allegheny Wheelchair symbol.svg 0.00high platform      Red Line,       Silver Line Pittsburgh / Chateau
North Side Wheelchair symbol.svg 0.51undergroundPittsburgh / North Shore
Gateway Wheelchair symbol.svg 1.00Pittsburgh / Central Business District
Wood Street Wheelchair symbol.svg 1.26
Steel Plaza Wheelchair symbol.svg 1.55
First Avenue Wheelchair symbol.svg 1.88high platform
Station Square Wheelchair symbol.svg 2.41      Red Line,       Silver Line,       South Busway, BSicon FUNI.svg Monongahela Incline Pittsburgh / South Shore
South Hills Junction Wheelchair symbol.svg 3.25      Red Line,       Silver Line,       South Busway Pittsburgh / Mt. Washington
Boggs Wheelchair symbol.svg 3.66      Silver Line Pittsburgh / Beltzhoover
Bon Air Wheelchair symbol.svg 4.30Pittsburgh / Bon Air
Denise Wheelchair symbol.svg 5.09Pittsburgh / Carrick
South Bank Wheelchair symbol.svg 5.49      Silver Line,       South Busway Pittsburgh / Overbrook
McNeilly Wheelchair symbol.svg 6.73      Silver Line Baldwin Township
Killarney Wheelchair symbol.svg 7.06 Castle Shannon
Memorial Hall Wheelchair symbol.svg 7.76
Willow Wheelchair symbol.svg 8.31
St. Anne's 8.69low platform      Red Line,       Silver Line
Smith Road 8.97
Washington Junction Wheelchair symbol.svg 9.21high platform Bethel Park
Casswell 9.69low platform      Red Line
Highland 9.98
Bethel Village 10.46
Dorchester 10.75
South Hills Village Wheelchair symbol.svg 11.02high platform Upper St. Clair

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References

  1. 1 2 "PAAC System Map". Port Authority.
  2. "Historic American Engineering Record - Pittsburgh & Castle Shannon Railroad, Reflectorville Viaduct, Overbrook Trolley Line, crossing near Edgebrook Av, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA" . Retrieved March 20, 2010.
  3. JW, RAH (July 1, 2004). "Five cities dedicate light rail lines". Railway Gazette. Retrieved July 29, 2010.
  4. "Eleven T Stops Close June 25". Port Authority of Allegheny County. June 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  5. "Port Authority to rename a light rail service to Silver Line Library".
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