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epumph

A Short History of the Turtle Creek Industrial RR

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by
epumph
, 8th May 2009 at 09:54 AM (8002 Views)
The TCIRR is not exactly a prototype. It is part freelance and part prototype. The prototype part was an accident. When I was starting to plan a layout about 2 yrs. ago I found a coal loading facility at Duquesne Wharf, Pa on the Monongahela River. It is owned and operated by the Union RR. I also wanted to include a car float. So these 2 items were already in the back of my mind. I started looking at Google maps and found town names nearby - Turtle Creek, Murrysville, Mifflin, East Pittsburgh, etc. So I called the new layout the Turtle Creek Industrial RR. I designed the layout with a car float and a coal wharf as well as 2 main towns each with 2 industries. Then I did a Google search on the name and found that the railroad actually exists. Here is a short history of the line:
In 1876 natural gas was discovered near Murrysville, Pa. George Westinghouse Jr. chartered a railroad from the PRR and named it the Turtle Creek Valley Railroad. He used it to get supplies to the gas fields.
In 1903 the PRR bought the line and operated it to export anthracite coal from the area to the East coast and then to Europe.

The town near the East end of the line is named Export for that reason. The line supported about 5 passenger trains per day with about six stops. It is said that the train would stop for anyone waving a hankie. On Saturday, the line often sold 1000 tickets for excursions to Pittsburgh. Unfortunately the passenger service declined (probably due to the auto) and in 1936 passenger service ended.
The great train mergers saw the line absorbed by the Penn Central and then by Conrail. In 1982 Conrail was going to scrap the line so the Norris family bought the line. They use it to service their company called Dura-Bond, which is near Export. It also services the Weyerhaeuser Lumber Co. They renamed it the Turtle Creek Industrial RR. The line runs about 11 miles from Export to Trafford Junction. It has an interchange at Trafford with the Norfolk Southern.
There are a few pictures in my album that you might want to look at.

Updated 9th May 2009 at 11:41 AM by epumph

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  1. 69Z28's Avatar
    I like to read the history (fictional or real) of model railroads. For me they are allways interesting and a fun read. Yours fits that mold perfectly.
    See ya
    Ron
  2. epumph's Avatar
    Thanks Ron, really appreciate the comment.
  3. tony.chep's Avatar
    I'm living in Duquesne and I can see the URR and CSX bridges leading to Turtle Creek. I will retire next year and begin my n scale layout maybe half protype and half freelance. I've been lurking in these foruyms and am learning a lot. Thanks...
    Tony
  4. epumph's Avatar
    Thanks Tony! I may prevail upon you for soome hints on the area like the geology and some stores and businesses in the area! I am about 6-7 hrs drive away so I am not likely to get out there to take pix or to research the area. As I said in my blog it was a happy accident! And welcome to the site. I lurked here for a few weeks before signing on!
  5. Smokey J's Avatar
    I finally read your blog because I knew of Turtle Creek, and what do I find? Duquesne is my home town but I left there in 1959, and now we have another respondent, Tony, from the area.
    I thought about modeling USSteels "Big Dorothy" blast furnace in Duquesne but I have changed that to the PRR in northern Pa. and the l1s that were used as helper engines to get freight over the mountains, and would return to their roundhouse and yard. This is still a concept.
  6. epumph's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Smokey J
    I finally read your blog because I knew of Turtle Creek, and what do I find? Duquesne is my home town but I left there in 1959, and now we have another respondent, Tony, from the area.
    I thought about modeling USSteels "Big Dorothy" blast furnace in Duquesne but I have changed that to the PRR in northern Pa. and the l1s that were used as helper engines to get freight over the mountains, and would return to their roundhouse and yard. This is still a concept.
    Smokey,
    Thanks for the comment. When I was starting to plan a layout - a total newbie in model rr'ing or prototype, I did a lot of research. I found that the western part of PA had a lot going for it and looked at various towns and was going to use them to form a name for the railroad. that is when I found Murrysville and Turtle Creek and then the TCKR - the prototype. It was still in operation owned by the Dura-Bond company - one of my industries. They purchased it from ConRail in '82. It is now a fallen flag, victim of trucks and a flood.
    So, if you get your western PA layout up and running. Maybe we could run virtual interchange of coal from my little coal dock, yes I got the idea from URR.
    Thanks again for the comment,
    Gene