LAWRENCE  COUNTY

Untitled 1

     

EXISTING STATIONS
Station
Name
Original
Railroad
Current
Location
Type Current
Use
Date
Built
Track
Status
Building
Material
More
Info
Ellwood City Beaver Avenue between 6th & 7th Streets.
(GPS: 40.859231, -80.290246)
F Vacant 1927 Gone Brick  
Harlansburg US 19 and PA108 P Museum ???? None Wood
New Castle
AND
138 West Washington Street
(Elm Street & North Columbus Street)
(GPS: 41.001017, -80.350437)
P Civic 1887 Gone Wood
New Castle
AND
North side of Grove Street at Neal Street
(GPS: 40.997566, -80.342975)
F Business 1913 Gone Brick  
New Castle 334 East Washington Street
(GPS: 40.998831, -80.341266)
P Business 1914 Gone Brick  
New Castle West side of Moravia Street between Home Street and Lutton Street
(GPS: 40.990005, -80.348792)
F Business ???? Gone Wood  
New Wilmington 405 E. Neshannock (PA 208) C Business ???? Gone Wood
Wampum Main St. (PA288) just South of bridge to Chewton. F Storage 1906 In Use Wood
West Pittsburg PA 168 (Union Valley Rd.) C Vacant 1908 In Use Stone
Wilmington Jct.
(Neshannock)
NE side of PA956 between Old Mercer Road and Sipe Road
(GPS: 41.086954, -80.312267)
C Residence ???? Gone Wood
STATIONS OF THE PAST
Station
Name
Original
Railroad
Notes
Awwa Junction This was on the Old Butler Road on the outskirts of New Castle.
Bessemer
(Walford Sta.)
A small freight station opened here in 1905 which the PRR designated as Walford Station. It served the short branch line that the PRR built from Covert's Crossing on the mainline to reach the industries in Bessemer. A small freight building is shown on the 1925 Sanborn map on the west side of South Main Street at GPS: 40.972944, -80.494083, but it is not clear if this was that freight station.
Bessemer
(Walford)
There was a freight station on the north side of East Poland Road east of 10th Street at GPS: 40.975629, -80.482229.
Brent This station was on the PRR's Wolf Creek Branch at MP 5.2 (distance from Leesburg station).
Butler Road
Station
 
Chewton This station was built in 1910.
Cooks Crossing A station is shown here on the 1923 PRR List of Stations & Sidings. It was two miles NE of the Enon Valley station at the north end of Cook Road around GPS: 40.862631, -80.426069. "KY" interlocking tower was .4 mile from the station (which was likely just a shelter). 
Coverts Station This was where the Bessemer Branch junctioned with the PY&A mainline. A station is shown here on the 1923 PRR List of Stations & Sidings.
Crescentdale This station was on teh Beaver Valley Branch at milepost 4.9 (from Homewood Junction) near the south side of the Crescent Portland Cement Company.
Eastbrook This station was at mile post 6.7 (from Mahoningtown Station). The Eastbrook Sand Company was at MP 6.4.
East New Castle
(Pumpkintown)
This station was likely where the tracks crossed Old US 422 (Willowbrook Road) at GPS: 40.981492, -80.305976. This location was also known as "Joyce." Passenger service began between East New Castle and Butler in 1906. This was a close as the WARR got to having a passenger station in New Castle as several challenges prevented the RR from getting into, and having a station in, New Castle proper.
EdEnburg At various times the spelling of this town name has been Edenburg, Edenburgh, and Edinburg. The station was closed in 1925 and abandoned 1938.
Edenburg Although this looks like a tool house or MofW building, it was, according to P&LE valuation records, the freight house.
Edenburg The station was built in 1880 and extended in 1889. The station closed in the 1920s and was then used for storage of gasoline and tools. Two sets of brothers (ages 18-21) broke into the station in February 1930 in order to steal gas for their car (their motives were speculated by police). The gas exploded rocking the entire town. The station and the two sets of brothers all met their demise. "DE" cabin was near the station.
Edenburg Station  
Ellwood City This station was on the west side of 5th Street on the south side of the tracks at GPS: 40.859383, -80.287766. It was torn down when the new union station was built at the same location in 1911-1912. A boxcar was used as a temporary station during the transition.
Ellwood City This freight station was west of 6th Street and south of Commercial Avenue on the north side of the tracks at GPS: 40.860180, -80.289874. It is shown on the 1894 Sanborn map and all maps thereafter. The two-story section was added in 1921. B&O records say the station was built in 1910, but that seems dubious given what is shown on the Sanborn maps.
Ellwood City
AND
This union station, opened on October 22, 1912, was on the west side of 5th Street on the south side of the tracks at GPS: 40.859383, -80.287766. Passenger service to this station ended in 1933 and the P&LE provided bus service to/from the Wampum P&LE station. The station was torn down in 1956.
Ellwood City The original P&LE combination station was on the west side of 6th Street on the south side of the tracks at GPS: 40.859663, -80.289158. It was built in 1885. It was a frame station with a long platform/walkway later added that extended west to the U.S. Steel factory. After the new union station was built in 1912, this served as a freight-only station. According to P&LE valuation records, the building was rotated and moved a bit closer to the mill in late 1914/early 1915.
Enon  
Gibsondale This station was between Butler Road Station and Princeton. It burned down on October 14, 1921 (New Castle News, 10-18-1921).
Grahams  
Grant City  
Harbor Bridge An old map shows this station was near where Pulaski Road crosses the Shenango River at approximately GPS: 41.036057, -80.402657. No station is listed for Harbor Bridge on the 1923 PRR List of Stations & Sidings. There may have never actually been a station here. A long-time local said that there was talk of building a station, but it never materialized. The 1894 E&P Division timetable shows Harbor Bridge as a flag stop, however, the 1891 time table shows that trains 22 and 33 actually made scheduled stops there, with the rest of the trains being hailed by flag only. It could be that there was an early station here and then it's use dwindled over the years making it only a flag stop. 
Hays Crossing A station is shown here on the 1923 PRR List of Stations & Sidings. It was just north of the county line were Larchwood Road crosses the tracks today in the vicinity of GPS: 40.853791, -80.405513.
Hazel Dell There was a flag stop station here in 1883.
Hillsville
(Pennsy Hill)
This station was built in 1896. Also see listing for Seymour below.
Hillsville The railroad stored dynamite at the station and in March 1898 the depot exploded. Six people were injured and a nearby store/dwelling was destroyed. Those who were injured and the store owner sued the railroad.
Hillsville This station was built in 1898 to replace the station listed above. Hillsville was on the P&LE Johnsons Branch. The station was on the east side of Chruchill Road on the south side of the tracks at GPS: 41.015196, -80.492976.
Lawrence Junction According to the PRR valuation records, this station was built in 1906.
Mahoningtown
(New Castle)
This station was on Cherry Street. According to PRR valuation records, it was built in 1877.
Mahoningtown
(New Castle)

This station, located on the NW side of Liberty Street on the NE side of the tracks, opened on June 1, 1917 (New Castle News, 6-2-1917). It was at GPS: 40.972733, -80.376130.
Mahoningtown
(New Castle)
This station, which was across the tracks from the B&O station (which can be seen in the photo), was opened on July 9, 1933. It was located on the north side of Lacock Street on the SW side of the tracks at GPS: 40.972616, -80.376259. There was no agent at the station, so it was more like a fancy waiting room and platform. The P&LE ticket agent was in an office downtown on the public square with a bus shuttle service from there out to the station. The B&O agent also handled P&LE tickets and freight from that station. So, this became like a union station that was built in two parts 16 years apart.
Mahoningtown
(New Castle)
The original P&LE station here was on the north side of Lacock Street near Ashland Avenue on the SW side of the tracks at GPS: 40.972887, -80.376694. The station was closed in 1925 but could be used as a flag stop. At some point it went back into service and then out of service again in 1933 when the new depot opened, however it was pressed into service yet again during peak traffic during WWII. It was torn down in March 1970 (New Castle News, 3-16-1970).
Mc Cowans Crossing A station is shown here on the 1923 PRR List of Stations & Sidings. It was 1.2 miles NE of the Enon Valley where PA351 crosses over the tracks today in the vicinity of GPS: 40.857333, -80.438098.
MoraVIA
(West Moravia)
There was a small passenger shelter located behind Moravia Presbyterian Church at GPS: 40.922537, -80.376699.
Moravia
(West Moravia)
See listing for West Pittsburg below.
Nashua  
Neshannock Falls This station was at mile post 11.4 (from Mahoningtown Station). The station at Wilmington Junction was at mile post 10.3.
New CastlE Junction
This station was built in 1894-95. Around 1906 the RR announced that it was going to build a new depot here, but it looks like they didn't do that. Instead they just added longer passenger sheds (original shed and newer, longer shed pictured in photos). Did the P&W also use this station? Does anyone know the eventual fate of the station?
New Castle Known as the Westside PRR station in later years, this station was on the south side of West Washington Street between South Front Street and the river. Built in 1878, it was on the east side of the tracks at GPS: 40.999166, -80.351975. In later years the station was altered/reduced and it was finally torn down in 1962.
New Castle This freight house served as a flour company after its retirement in the 1960s. It was east of the passenger station on the south side of West Washington Street between South Front Street and the river at GPS: 40.999190, -80.351455. It burned down in 1971.
New Castle This union station, used by the WNY&P (PRR), P&LE and P&W (B&O), was on the SE side of East Washington Street (formerly called Pittsburgh Street) between Croton Street and Countyline Street at GPS: 40.998846, -80.341191. It was built in 1882 by the P&LE and Oil City & Chicago RR (later WNY&P, later PRR) and was gutted by fire on December 13, 1910  (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Dec. 14, 1910) with the shell of the building finally being torn down in 1913. I have seen sources that say the P&LE built this station and granted use to the OC&C and others that say the opposite. The Oil City & Chicago RR also built a small freight office in the rear of the station (it was a terminal-type station). After the station was gutted by fire the railroads constructed a temporary frame station behind the ruins, and, much to the city's dismay, this temporary station ended up being in service for three years. The new PRR station here (still standing) at the same location of the old union station opened in June of 1914 and the railroads vacated the temporary station and it was razed. The P&LE remodeled the old Erie depot at that time and shifted its operations there. The B&O continued to use the PRR station here.
New Castle
(Gardner Ave.)

AND
This station, built in 1907, was on Gardner Avenue in the vicinity of GPS: 40.984274, -80.351192. The B&O also had passenger service at the station.
New Castle This P&LE freight house was on Pear Street (formerly Cunningham Street, now called Produce Street) at GPS: 40.998686, -80.341812 near the union depot. It was built in 1887 (Daily City News, 9-20-1887) and torn down in 1914 (New Castle Herald, 3-23-1914), although when it was torn down the newspaper said it was 30 years old, so it may have been a second generation freight station at this location.
New Castle See listing for "East New Castle" above.
New Castle The freight station was located approximately where existing station was moved to in 1977. It was near the corner of Shenango and North Streets. Erie valuation records from 1919 say the freight house was built in 1890 and was being used a car repair shop in 1919. However, Sanborn maps show a freight station here in 1888 when the line was the New Castle & Shenango Valley RR.
New Castle There was a freight house on the NW corner of Mill and Division Streets at GPS: 40.991920, -80.344255. It was built in 1900 (Pittsburgh Daily Post, 7-29-1900). The B&O valuation records say 1905, but that's probably wrong.
Payne  
Princeton This was both a general store and station.
Princeton A new combination station was opened here in 1908. J.S. Stoner was the first agent (New Castle News, 12-26-1908).
Pulaski This station was on the west bank of the Shenango River, about 600 yards south of the Pulaski Bridge. PA 208/551 now runs right behind where the train station was. The station was built in 1888.
Pulaski The station was built in 1889 according to Erie RR records from 1919.
Rock Point Park
(Felician Park)
In 1886 the New Brighton & New Castle Railroad purchased the old Matheny Inn which was originally built along the canal here and turned it into a station for the park. The park closed in 1911 and passenger service ended. The old station building was used for a few years after its tenure as a station as a section house for the PRR until it was torn down in 1936. It was in the vicinity of GPS: 40.854896, -80.320457.
Rose Point  
Seymour This early station was listed on maps and timetables from the 1870s, but is not on later maps and timetables. A history of Lawrence County published in 1877 said that Hillsville station was moved one mile from its original location, so it was likely known as Seymour before the move. Seymore is on the 1875 timetable at milepost 53 and it is replaced by Hillsville by the 1904 timetable located at milepost 54. 
Terral This station was on the Bessmer Branch. A station is shown here on the 1923 PRR List of Stations & Sidings. It was 3.8 miles from Coverts (the junction with the PY&A mainline) and 1.4 miles from the station at Bessemer (Walford). The station was near the Pittsburgh Crucible Steel Company.
Volant This station was on the south side of PA208 (Main Street) at approximately GPS: 41.113156, -80.258502. The station was built in 1905 (New Castle News, 10-25-1905) and torn down in 1950.
Walford See listing above for Bessemer.
Wampum
(Ellwood City)
According to P&LE records, this station was built in 1880. The platform steps for the freight station (still standing) can be seen in the foreground of the photo. Passenger service to the Ellwood City station ended in 1933 and the P&LE provided bus service to/from the Wampum P&LE station.
Wampum Junction This station closed in 1918 and all PRR business was then handled at the P&LE station. The station was built in 1885 according to PRR valuation records. However, locals (at the time of the article) claim the station was built in 1861 (New Castle Herald, 11-29-1913). It was located at the SW end of John F. Kennedy Street (formerly Railroad Street) at GPS: 40.887682, -80.339587.
West Pittsburg This frame station predated the 1908 brick station. It was built at Moravia in 1892 and moved to West Pittsburg in 1900. When the new brick station was built at West Pittsburg, this building became the freight station. 
Wurtemburg A new station opened here in 1886 (New Castle Daily City News, 2-10-1886).
1895 LAWRENCE COUNTY RAILROAD MAP
Notes About Existing Stations...

Harlansburg (Replica) - Although the RR never ran through Harlansburg, the owners built a replica station (of no particular RR design) and opened a very nice transportation museum complete with passenger platform and old PRR passenger cars. Lots of RR items on display and a gift shop. Open everyday except Monday in the summer till 5 pm. Open Sat and Sun till 5 p.m. in the winter. Short drive from New Castle or Grove City.

New Castle (Erie) - This station was remodeled and used by the P&LE following the demise of Union Station and the subsequent temporary station there. The P&LE occupied the station on June 1, 1914 until 1933. In 1933 the Erie RR moved some division offices back into the station after years of having the offices located on Grove Street. I do not know if the Erie resumed passenger service at the station at that time. Some sources say the station was built in 1890, but the Sanborn map from 1888 shows the station so it was likely built in 1887 when the New Castle & Shenango Valley Railroad started. This station was moved 300 feet north to its current location in 1977.

New Wilmington (Sharpsville RR) - This is part of the Amish Peddler gift shop although barely recognizable due to additions and siding. When looking at the building from the front you will see two roof peaks. The smaller peak to the left defines the part that was the station. Also there is a small loading platform still on the West side of the building. Inside the store you can make out the original wooden east outside wall of the station. The station was remodeled by the railroad in 1916.

Wampum (P&LE) - P&LE records indicate that the freight station was built in 1906 by the R.B. McDanel Company (McDaniel?... hard to read the writing) using plans supplied by the RR. The station was restored by the Wampum Community Revitalization Committee and had its opening as a community center in August, 2015.

West Pittsburg (P&LE) - The Beaver-Lawrence Railway Historical Society has purchased and is in the process of restoring this long neglected station. So far it has been cleaned out and many broken roof tiles have been replaced. The chapter has fund raisers often to support the work and payments. The station is surely a large station for such a small town. Back when it was built there were big plans for this town. The station opened in July 1908. -- Don Gee.

Wilmington Junction (WNY&P) - This station is shown on the 1923 PRR List of Stations & Sidings near the connection with the Sharpsville RR.