Silver Line (Pittsburgh)
The Silver Line is the renamed service for the former Pittsburgh Light Rail Blue Line - Library branch that runs between Downtown Pittsburgh via the Overbrook neighborhood to Library.
History
The line from South Hills Junction to Castle Shannon (now called the Overbrook Line) was first constructed by the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad (P&CSRR) between 1872 and 1874.[1] In 1905 Pittsburgh Railways leased the route and between 1909 and 1910 converted it from narrow gauge to dual gauge and installed overhead power for trolleys.
Mid-20th century PCC streetcars continued to operate on the Overbrook Line until 1993, when concerns about the safety of the line led PAT to suspend service there pending reconstruction. This former Pittsburgh Railways trolley line had never been updated to current light rail system requirements. After receiving federal funding for Stage Two of the light rail system development, the Overbrook line was reconstructed as a fully rebuilt double-tracked line served by modern light rail vehicles, making this line a considerably faster commute.
The line was reopened on June 2, 2004 following major work which included doubling of the track and elimination of 22 traditional street level trolley stops in favor of eight new LRV style stations with platforms.[2]
The Port Authority closed five stations along the Library branch on June 25, 2012: Martin Villa, Mine 3, Lindermer, Center and Latimer.[3] Other former Library branch stops include Latimer, Logan, Leonard, Hicks and Pleasant Street.
On March 15, 2020, the Library branch of the Blue Line was renamed the “Silver Line”.[4][5]
Route
The Silver Line starts at Allegheny station on the North Shore, makes an additional stop at North Side, then proceeds under the Allegheny River and continues underground to Gateway Center, Wood Street and Steel Plaza. The line then surfaces at First Avenue. Leaving downtown, it crosses the Monongahela River on the Panhandle Bridge, stopping at Station Square before running through the Mount Washington Transit Tunnel. At South Hills Junction the Silver Line rejoins the Beechview line and the former Brown Line, which ran over Mount Washington through the Allentown neighborhood. The Silver Line continues south through Beltzhoover, Bon Air, Carrick, Brookline, and Overbrook. At Bethel Park a transfer is provided to the Red Line, which reaches the same location via Beechview. Beyond Washington Junction the line splits. The Silver Line runs south through Willow and ends at Library in South Park.
Station list
The Pittsburgh Light Rail has three types of stations. They are low platform, high platform, and underground. High platform and underground stations are wheelchair accessible as the train doors are level with the platform. Low platform stations are not wheelchair accessible as they require passengers to climb stairs to board the light rail vehicle.
Name | Miles[6] | Station Type | Other services | Municipality |
---|---|---|---|---|
Allegheny | 0.00 | high platform | Lua error in Module:Adjacent_stations at line 439: "title" is missing from the data page., Red Line | Pittsburgh / Chateau |
North Side | 0.51 | underground | Pittsburgh / North Shore | |
Gateway Center | 1.00 | Pittsburgh / Central Business District | ||
Wood Street | 1.26 | |||
Steel Plaza | 1.55 | |||
First Avenue | 1.88 | high platform | ||
Station Square | 2.41 | Lua error in Module:Adjacent_stations at line 439: "title" is missing from the data page., Red Line, Lua error in Module:Adjacent_stations at line 439: "title" is missing from the data page., Monongahela Incline | Pittsburgh / South Shore | |
South Hills Junction | 3.25 | Lua error in Module:Adjacent_stations at line 439: "title" is missing from the data page., Red Line, Lua error in Module:Adjacent_stations at line 439: "title" is missing from the data page. | Pittsburgh / Mt. Washington | |
Boggs | 3.66 | Lua error in Module:Adjacent_stations at line 439: "title" is missing from the data page. | Pittsburgh / Beltzhoover | |
Bon Air | 4.30 | Pittsburgh / Bon Air | ||
Denise | 5.09 | Pittsburgh / Carrick | ||
South Bank | 5.49 | Lua error in Module:Adjacent_stations at line 439: "title" is missing from the data page., Lua error in Module:Adjacent_stations at line 439: "title" is missing from the data page. | Pittsburgh / Overbrook | |
McNeilly | 6.73 | Lua error in Module:Adjacent_stations at line 439: "title" is missing from the data page. | Baldwin Township | |
Killarney | 7.06 | Castle Shannon | ||
Memorial Hall | 7.76 | |||
Willow | 8.31 | |||
St. Anne's | 8.69 | low platform | Lua error in Module:Adjacent_stations at line 439: "title" is missing from the data page., Red Line | |
Smith Road | 8.97 | |||
Washington Junction | 9.21 | high platform | Bethel Park | |
Hillcrest | 9.77 | low platform | ||
Lytle | 10.64 | high platform | ||
Mesta | 10.82 | low platform | ||
South Park | 11.03 | |||
Munroe | 11.38 | |||
Sarah | 11.90 | |||
Logan | 12.23 | |||
King's School | 12.46 | |||
Beagle | 12.99 | |||
Sandy Creek | 13.26 | |||
West Library | 13.45 | high platform | ||
Library | 14.13 | South Park |
References
- ^ "Historic American Engineering Record - Pittsburgh & Castle Shannon Railroad, Reflectorville Viaduct, Overbrook Trolley Line, crossing near Edgebrook Av, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA". Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ^ JW, RAH (July 1, 2004). "Five cities dedicate light rail lines". Railway Gazette. Retrieved July 29, 2010.
- ^ "Eleven T Stops Close June 25". Port Authority of Allegheny County. June 22, 2012. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
- ^ "Port Authority to rename a light rail service to Silver Line Library".
- ^ PortAuthority.org. "Blue / Silver line schedule" (PDF). Port Authority of Allegheny County. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
- ^ "PAAC System Map". Port Authority.
External links
- Light rail in Pennsylvania
- Electric railways in Pennsylvania
- Port Authority of Allegheny County
- Underground rapid transit in the United States
- 5 ft 2½ in gauge railways in the United States
- Streetcars in Pennsylvania
- Passenger rail transportation in Pennsylvania
- Transportation in Pittsburgh
- 650 V DC railway electrification