Pittsburgh & Railroads (Clairton, Carnegie, Pitcairn: transporting, neighborhoods, live)

[UKyank]

The other thread regarding trains got me thinking: I know why we have lots of railroads running through the city given the necessity of our manufacturing past, but do any of the current lines currently benefit the city at all?

I know it's unrealistic to move them, but all the trains here seem to do nothing but provide noise pollution & block usage from lots of prime river front property with zero added benefits to anyone anymore as far as I can tell.

We can't even use the rails in any passenger context (the AVRR thumbing their nose at the most recent proposal shows that the RR's around here have zero interest in passenger rail compared to freight).

[guy2073]

Originally Posted by UKyank

The other thread regarding trains got me thinking: I know why we have lots of railroads running through the city given the necessity of our manufacturing past, but do any of the current lines currently benefit the city at all?

I know it's unrealistic to move them, but all the trains here seem to do nothing but provide noise pollution & block usage from lots of prime river front property with zero added benefits to anyone anymore as far as I can tell.

We can't even use the rails in any passenger context (the AVRR thumbing their nose at the most recent proposal shows that the RR's around here have zero interest in passenger rail compared to freight).

They only benefit if you like to eat, have power in your house, go shopping, drive your car etc. Every train car is one tractor trailer not on the highway, plus it is alot more environmentally friendly than other forms of cargo movement.

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by guy2073

They only benefit if you like to eat, have power in your house, go shopping, drive your car etc. Every train car is one tractor trailer not on the highway, plus it is alot more environmentally friendly than other forms of cargo movement.

I'm not downplaying the benefits of railroads in general, but rather the specific routing through the city neighborhoods & rivers which brings with it negatives & no discernible benefit i can see.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by UKyank

I'm not downplaying the benefits of railroads in general, but rather the specific routing through the city neighborhoods & rivers which brings with it negatives & no discernible benefit i can see.

Without freight rail lines in the city core, you'd have much higher use of big-rigs on neighborhood streets, which most people would agree isn't a good thing.

Also, probably half of the remaining industry and warehousing in the city would split. Of course this likely doesn't employ more than a few thousand people these days, but I don't think the loss of these jobs is a net plus for the city, even if it would open more land up for development.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by UKyank

I'm not downplaying the benefits of railroads in general, but rather the specific routing through the city neighborhoods & rivers which brings with it negatives & no discernible benefit i can see.

The routing of railroads along rivers reduces the grade they had to navigate, make the trip as flat as possible.

Industry was also located along the rivers, and those were the customers of the railroads.

[Goinback2011]

There are a lot of trains running along the south side of the Mon on a daily basis. What they are transporting and to what destination would be interesting to know.

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Without freight rail lines in the city core, you'd have much higher use of big-rigs on neighborhood streets, which most people would agree isn't a good thing.

Also, probably half of the remaining industry and warehousing in the city would split. Of course this likely doesn't employ more than a few thousand people these days, but I don't think the loss of these jobs is a net plus for the city, even if it would open more land up for development.

That's what I'm curious about - I didn't know if the RR's currently served any businesses in the city directly anymore.

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by Goinback2011

There are a lot of trains running along the south side of the Mon on a daily basis. What they are transporting and to what destination would be interesting to know.

Can't speak for them all, but I know the norfolk southern line primarily delivers coal to a power plant in NY on one of their line there

[guy2073]

They usually go between switching yards where the large trains are broken down for local delivery and to be combined with other trains. there is one in Conway, one past Pitcairn and one in Carnegie and one in Neville island. Some are direct lines from the coal mines to Clairton steel and power plants.

My grandfather was a yard master directing a switch yard, if you ever have a chance to see a switching yard or see a video on one it is very cool how they work.

[ki0eh]

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