—  ICC Abandonment Filings  —

—  Links to Other Websites  —

—  User Comments  —

i noticed abandoned bridges on this line.if there is any rail,please let me know.thank you.

There are many bridges on this line. The PRR spent a considerable amount of money to upgrade the many bridges after they took control of the line from the WNY&P un 1901. The Pennsy upgraded the physical plant - track, bridges, and signaling. There is no rail left in Mercer county PA. The portion north of Jackson Center, PA to Stoneboro, Pa was abandoned around 1939. The remaining portion serving the coal mines in Jackson Center to almost 1970. There is a piece of captive rail where a mine spur line crossed the US 62 & PA 965 intersection in the parking lot of southeast quadrant. The rail, mines, and industries they supported are all gone; only the memories remain.

thanks for the information jason.as you said,after the mines where you are at shut down we had the same thing happen in the northeast pa. area too.it would be nice to eventually check out these locations if possible.keep in touch.

A very small portion of this railroad remains in service in New Castle. It is owned by the New Castle Industrial Railroad.

Just north of New Castle, the rails and ties were still intact until 1980/81. At that point, the rails were pulled up, and the ties left for locals to scavenge. My brother and I pulled several dozen ties and hauled them out on a flatbed bound for Ohio for property improvements and barriers. I lived in NC between 1975 and 1977, during which my school mates and I would frequently walk the tracks along the river, past an abandoned limestone mine and coke ovens.

Mike,do you remember where exactly the abandoned limestone mine and coke ovens were?It would be great to check them out if they are still there.

They're just north of downtown New Castle along the Neshannock Creek. The mine openings were sealed around 1990. Remnants of the coke oven and an old brick factory are nearby as well

Thanks Adam.I do like to explore old places like these for the historical references to the area.

One of the reasons why I took notice of this stretch of abandoned rail line on this website is I've always been curious about the history of this stretch of abandoned rail. I only knew it in the late 70's as a beautiful hike just north of new Castle, stretching as far as you cared to walk in one day.

Knowing the general region, I knew it ran through land that could change appearance dramatically within a short stretch, crossing the Neshannock Creek several times as it went. The views by train must have been spectacular. But where did it go? What was it's purpose? Why was it abandoned?

I started the search for answers many years ago when satellite imagery became available for viewing on the internet. I was thrilled one day to discover that this stretch of track was still visible from above, or at least the right of way was still visible. Mostly. On some lengthy stretches you had to do some sleuthing to figure out where it ran because the land had been re-purposed for farming or residential housing.

I was able to visibly trace it up to the Stoneboro region where it connected to the rail lines that ran east and west, from Erie and past Oil City. That made sense, to run a line at that point down through New Castle, where it could connect to Pittsburgh or Youngstown, and branch off toward coal fields along the way. As the years went by, changes in regional industry and transport services with cars and trucks on well paved roads challenged this line's purpose. I'm guessing in some stretches it remains a beautiful hike.

Lots of details yet to be discovered! Keep them coming.

It would be nice if someone tried to map the Sharpsville RR, I was able to follow it as far as New Salem... where does it go from there?

Check out Wayne A. Cole's books, Ghost Rails. They have detailed maps and descriptions of all the lines that ran through Western PA and Eastern OH.

To answer a question from 2016 about the abandoned limestone mine along the Neshannock Creek where the rail line ran, if you zoom in on a map, look for a section of the creek which makes a sweeping U bend. At the closet point the creek comes to Rt 168 (Eastbrook Rd), that is where the opening of the mine was located along the rail line. A business called Rich and Freeds Auto Parts is located there now, just above the mine opening. The stretch of land there (Rt. 168) is a good 50 feet above the creek itself, with the mine entrance cut into the base of what appears as a cliff from below. The only way to get anywhere near there is by walking up Dillworth Ave which ran parallel to the tracks until it became a footpath. Then another few hundred yards along the tracks, and there was the mine entrance on the right. Probably nothing but a pile of boulders now. Then it was a large pile of dirt you could walk up and over, then down into the mine entrance which was big enough to drive a truck through. The entire mine is like that. Big enough for vehicles.