Summer Vacation 2021 - Pennsy Ghosts at Oil City PA
Franklin and Oil City area part of the previous map. Note the Allegheny River Trail and two tunnels.
1. Lower end of the Oil Creek State Park. OC&T ends at Rouseville and the Western New York & PA begins their line to Meadville. Oil Creek SP.
2. Old PRR signal bridge looking north on the Chautauqua Br. (now WNY&P) toward downtown Oil City PA. Sunday 06-21-2021.
3. From “Bridge” looking northwest on the abandoned P-C, nee PRR Salamanca Br. “Bridge” tower would have been on this connection on the river side. Oil City PA. From WNY&P bridge.
4. WNY&P operates the former Allegheny Branch short distance to serve an industry. Most of the rest of the line southwest toward Pittsburgh has been abandoned. Oil City PA. From WNY&P bridge.
5. Oil City PA. WNY&P bridge.
6. Placid Allegheny River looking toward downtown Oil City PA on the right.
7. The Oil City bridge was built in 1932. WNY&P took over in 2006. Oil City PA.
8. Oil City PA. WNY&P signal bridge.
9. Oil City PA. WNY&P signal bridge.
10. Oil City PA. WNY&P bridge.
11. Connection between the PRR Allegheny Br. and the Salamanca Br. Oil City PA. WNY&P bridge.
12. The Salamanca Br. northeast to Warren and Olean was abandoned in 1976. Oil City PA. WNY&P bridge.
13. Historic American Engineering Record aerial photo made 1971. “Bridge” tower is in left of photo. PRR Oil city bridge aerial 1. Click here for a larger image.
14. Penn Central engine terminal on the Allegheny Br. side of the bridge. Little if anything remains today. HAER photo circa 1971. PRR Oil City bridge aerial 2. Click here for a larger image.
15. PRR Oil City bridge aerial 3. Click here for a larger image.
16. USGS Oil City quad (1963) shows the NYC and E-L coming up the river from Franklin and Reno. The NYC goes through a tunnel (called the Lake Shore tunnel) to end on the north side of Oil City. The PRR Chautauqua Br. comes down Oil Creek through down town, continues south to the wye bridge and splits into the Allegheny Br. to Pittsburgh and the Salamanca Br. to Olean NY. Oil City PA, 1:24,000 quad, 1963, USGS. Click here for a larger image.
17. PRR Allegheny Br 1957. Click here for a larger image.
18. All Pennsy roads lead to “Bridge”. PRR Chatauqua Salamanca Br 1957. Click here for a larger image.
19. Oil City PA brochure. Click here for a larger image.
20. PRR depot. Oil City PA.
Further reading:
Triumph VII, Harrisburg to the Lakes, Wilkes-Barre, Oil City and Red Bank 1827-2004 by Charles S. Roberts and David W. Messer
More Oil City and the Franklin area will be next.
Train images used by permission of Everett N Young