Keystone Subdivision

Last updated

Keystone Subdivision
Overview
StatusActive
Owner CSX
Locale Maryland, Pennsylvania
Termini
Service
Type Freight rail
SystemCSX
Operator(s)CSX, Amtrak
Technical
Number of tracks2
Track gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Route map

Contents

MP
BSicon CONTg.svg
BSicon eHST.svg
311.7
BSicon STRc2.svg
BSicon ABZg3.svg
BSicon STR+1.svg
BSicon STRc4.svg
BSicon KRZ3+1Wo.svg
262.9
BSicon exLSTRe.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon KMW.svg
308.7
Center St. Versailles
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon KMW.svg
303.1
BSicon KMW.svg
301.6
BSicon KMW.svg
299.8
BSicon KMW.svg
297.8
BSicon KMW.svg
295.9
BSicon KMW.svg
294.5
BSicon KMW.svg
292.7
BSicon KMW.svg
290.5
Fitz Henry
defect detector
BSicon KMW.svg
289.3
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon KRZu.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
286.6
W&LE
Pittsburg Subdivision
BSicon KMW.svg
285.5
Hagerman's Rock
BSicon KMW.svg
281.7
BSicon KMW.svg
276.1
BSicon KMW.svg
275.3
BSicon ABZg+l.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
272.7
SWP Mt. Pleasant
Industrial Track
BSicon ABZg+l.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
270.3
W&LE
Pittsburg Subdivision
BSicon HST.svg
269.7
BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg
BSicon dYRD.svg
Connellsville Yard
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon ABZgr.svg
268.6
SWP FM&P
Subdivision
BSicon KMW.svg
266.2
Casparis defect detector
BSicon hKRZWae.svg
262.9
BSicon KMW.svg
253.4
BSicon KMW.svg
252.1
BSicon KMW.svg
251.8
HK Tower (Closed)
BSicon SPLa.svg
243.3
BSicon SPLe.svg
BSicon KMW.svg
240.9
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
240.0
Benford Tunnel
BSicon KMW.svg
239.8
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
239.6
Brook Tunnel
BSicon KMW.svg
238.7
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
237.0
Shoo Fly Tunnel
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
235.2
Pinkerton Tunnel
BSicon KMW.svg
239.8
Casselman defect detector
BSicon PSLl.svg
227.0
Siding
BSicon KMW.svg
226.8
BSicon ABZgl+l.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
BSicon KMW.svg
219.5
BSicon PSLr.svg
219.2
Siding
BSicon KMW.svg
218.4
BSicon STRc2.svg
BSicon ABZg3.svg
216.0
Salisbury Junction
BSicon CONT1.svg
BSicon STR+c4.svg
Romania Industrial Track
BSicon KMW.svg
215.1
BSicon KMW.svg
211.0
BSicon TUNNEL1.svg
209.6
Sand Patch Tunnel
BSicon KMW.svg
206.5
NA Tower (Closed)
BSicon KMW.svg
200.2
BSicon KMW.svg
199.4
FO Tower (Closed)
BSicon KMW.svg
196.9
BSicon exSTRc2.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon exCONT3.svg
BSicon eABZg+1.svg
BSicon eABZg2.svg
BSicon exSTRc34.svg
190.2
BSicon exSTRc1.svg
BSicon hKRZWae.svg
BSicon exSTR+4.svg
BSicon KMW.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
187.0
Cooks Mills
defect detector
BSicon STR+GRZq.svg
BSicon xSTR+GRZq.svg
184.2
State line
PA
MD
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
183.8
BSicon CONT4+f.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
Former WM
to Frostburg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon eABZg+l.svg
BSicon exABZgr.svg
Mt Savage jct.
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
181.3
BSicon eABZg+l.svg
BSicon eKRZuxr.svg
BSicon exSTRr.svg
Georges Creek jct.│Eckhart jct.
BSicon eABZgl.svg
BSicon eABZg+r.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon KMW.svg
178.2
Viaduct Junction
BSicon CONTf.svg
BSicon CONTf.svg

The Keystone Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation in the U.S. states of Maryland and Pennsylvania. The line runs from Cumberland, Maryland, west to McKeesport, Pennsylvania, (near Pittsburgh) [1] along a former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) line. The line includes the well-known Sand Patch Grade over the Allegheny Mountains. [2] [3]

The east end of the Keystone Subdivision is at Viaduct Junction in Cumberland, where it meets the Cumberland Terminal Subdivision at the east end of the Cumberland Viaduct. The west end is at Sinns, on the west (left) side of the Youghiogheny River at Liberty, [4] where it continues as the Pittsburgh Subdivision through Pittsburgh and on to West Pittsburg. The Keystone Subdivision also joins with the S&C Subdivision at Rockwood, Pennsylvania. [1]

Amtrak's Floridian uses the Keystone Subdivision.

History

The Pittsburgh and Connellsville Railroad (P&C) was first incorporated in 1837, but did not succeed in raising money until 1846. [5] Work began in 1847, [6] and the line opened from Pittsburgh to Connellsville in 1857 [7] and to Cumberland in 1871. [8] The B&O leased the P&C for 50 years effective January 1, 1876, and it was merged into the B&O in 1912. [9]

A new bridge over the Youghiogheny River at Sinns opened in 1968, connecting the old P&C to the parallel Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad (which the B&O had trackage rights over to New Castle [4] ) on the opposite shore. This allowed B&O trains to bypass downtown McKeesport; the B&O line through McKeesport was closed in 1970. [10] [11] The P&LE is now CSX's Pittsburgh Subdivision, while the old B&O tracks in the Pittsburgh area are mostly abandoned or operated by short lines.

In summer 1985, the Chessie System (the B&O's holding company at the time) announced that it would sever its St. Louis line through Ohio, rerouting all through traffic over the Alleghenies at Sand Patch rather than along the older Mountain Subdivision.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 CSX Timetables: Keystone Subdivision
  2. "MH-Keystone Sub - the RadioReference Wiki".
  3. http://www.multimodalways.org/docs/railroads/companies/CSX/CSX%20ETTs/CSX%20Baltimore%20Div%20ETT%20%234%201-1-2005.pdf CSX Baltimore Division Timetable
  4. 1 2 Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad 1960 System Map
  5. "PRR Chronology, 1837" (PDF). (98.8  KiB), June 2004 Edition
  6. "PRR Chronology, 1847" (PDF). (40.7  KiB), April 2005 Edition
  7. "PRR Chronology, 1857" (PDF). (54.1  KiB), March 2005 Edition
  8. "PRR Chronology, 1871" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-09-03. Retrieved 2006-11-21. (72.9  KiB), January 2005 Edition
  9. Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Timeline
  10. Bridges and Tunnels of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: CSX Bridge at Liberty Boro
  11. Bridges and Tunnels of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: P&LE Bridge McKeesport