Guide to the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway Company (Pittsburgh, Pa) Photographs, 1903-1924
Arrangement
Repository
Heinz History Center
Title
Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway Company (Pittsburgh, Pa) Photographs,
Creator
Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago Railway Company
Collection Number
PSS#28
Extent
.5 linear feet(1 box)
Date
1903-1924
Abstract
The Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago Railway Company had a major presence in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania (now Pittsburgh's North Side). The railroad facilities included a station at Federal Street, an engine house, a power house and other auxiliary structures. This collection of photographs documents the construction and expansion of the railroad facilities in Allegheny and the neighborhood of Manchester during the early 20th century. The photographs in this collection have been digitized and are accessible online.
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Author
The guide to this collection was written by Justin Charles Hite.
The Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago Railway Company formed in 1856 as a consolidation of the Ohio and Pennsylvania Railroad, the Ohio and Indiana Railroad, and the Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad. Over the span of three years, it made several expansions, primarily throughout Illinois. However, due to financial problems the company went bankrupt. It was reorganized on February 26, 1862, and renamed the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago Railway. The new railway leased lines throughout the Beaver Valley, in Pennsylvania and in the Mahoning Valley in Ohio. It also included routes throughout Ashtabula, Ohio, and Cleveland, Ohio.
In 1869 the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) took over operation of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago. PRR retained control until 1871 when the line was transferred to the Pennsylvania Company. The Pennsylvania Company returned the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago line to PRR January 1, 1918. They retained control until 1968, when Penn Central bought out the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
July 14, 1973, the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago filed for bankruptcy and was bought out by Conrail three years later. After the breakup of Conrail in 1998, the line was divided at Crestline, Ohio. The eastern half was bought by Norfolk Southern, and the western half was bought by CSX. The line is currently operated in limited capacity by several companies including RailAmerica, CSX, and Norfolk Southern.
Scope and Content Notes
The collection has been divided into three series. These represent work done by different unidentified photographers of the railroad's construction projects surrounding the Federal Street Station in former Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, now Pittsburgh's North Side.
Series I is a group of glossy photographs taken between February and November 1903. They show the construction of the bridge over Lacock Street in Allegheny City. The photos are dated, but no description has been provided by the photographer. The photographs have particular value because of some of the peripheral images captured. These include back views of the Home for the Friendless and the C.G. Hussy Mansion, which were located in the 4th Ward, north of the bridge.
Series II represents the work of a separate photographer who took pictures of construction of the Federal Street Station between 1905 and 1907. They are matte finish. The photographs are numbered and dated. They also contain some descriptive information provided by the photographer. Details such as the time, directional view, and place where the photograph was taken were included on each image. Any descriptive information that appears on the original image is included in parentheses on the container list.
Series III appears to represent work by the same photographer who created the images in Series II. It contains pictures of additions and renovations to the Federal Street Station that occurred in 1917, 1919, and 1924. The series contains matte and glossy photographs. They are numbered, dated, and described by the photographer in the same style and manner as the photographs in Series II.
It is apparent from holes punched on the photographs that they were originally part of a binder/album. At an earlier time, they were separated from the binder, reorganized, and placed in the History Center's topically arranged "General Photograph Collection." The current arrangement represents an attempt to restore the images to their original order.
The photographs in this collection have been digitized and are accessible online..
Conditions Governing Access
No Restrictions.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
At the time of processing no acquisition information has been found for this photographic material. The photographs were at one time included in the "General Photograph Collection."
Preferred Citation
Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway Company (Pittsburgh, Pa) Photographs, 1903-1924 , PSS# 28, Library and Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Justin Charles Hite in November 2008.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.
Related Materials
Researchers may wish to consult the following related materials, located in the Heinz History Center's library:
Taber III, Thomas T. Railroads of Pennsylvania Encyclopedia and Atlas , 1987, call number fTF9 F4 T113.
Subjects
Corporate Names
Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago Railway Company
Geographic Names
Allegheny City (Pa.)
Other Subjects
Bridges--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh--Design and construction
Railroads--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
Buildings--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh--Design and construction
