Conway Yard (also known as Conway Terminal) is a major rail yard located in the boroughs of Conway, Pennsylvania and Freedom, Pennsylvania, 22 miles (35 km) northwest of Pittsburgh, PA along the Ohio River. It was the largest freight yard in the world from 1956 until 1980.[1][2] It is currently owned by Norfolk Southern (NS) and is one of the largest yards in the United States and on the east coast.
Conway Yard was built in 1884 by the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway, a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR).[3] It was expanded in the early 20th century. In 1905, it had a capacity of 8,967 cars and typically processed 2,300 cars per day.[4] The enlargement yard was part of a major PRR expansion that also added the Pennsylvania yards of Altoona Yard in Altoona, PA, Enola Yard in Enola, PA, and Harrisburg Yard in Harrisburg, PA.[5]
In 1953, the PRR began a $35 million ($382.8 million today) renovation and expansion of the yard. The new eastbound yard opened in 1956, while the rebuilt westbound facilities opened in stages during 1957 and 1958.[6] Its new capacity was 9,000 cars per day, surpassing Enola Yard as the largest in the United States. Many yards (Dewitt and Clearing Yard, to name just a couple) had larger yards up until 1956. Conway was rebuilt with eastbound and westbound hump classification yards, and a total of 99 classification tracks, according to a 1957 PRR publication.[7] A 1958 publication describes a total of 107 classification tracks. The westbound hump yard was outfitted with an automatic control system called VELAC, which was designed and installed by the Union Switch and Signal Company.[8] It was described as the "world's largest push-button yard."[7] The eastbound hump yard was installed with semi-automatic operation.[5] A terminal for transferring coal from river barges to rail cars was located at the south end of the yard.[6]: 11
Current operationEdit
Overview from a Freedom residential neighborhood
Conway is the only remaining large operation of the four early-20th century PRR yards. NS processes 90,000 to 100,000 cars per month (as of 2003). The site occupies 568 acres, with 181 miles (291 km) of track and a storage capacity of over 11,000 cars and is a hump yard.[5]
As of 2012, the yard employed 1,400 rail workers, with 60 to 80 trains traveling through it daily.[9]
conway, yard, also, known, conway, terminal, major, rail, yard, located, boroughs, conway, pennsylvania, freedom, pennsylvania, miles, northwest, pittsburgh, along, ohio, river, largest, freight, yard, world, from, 1956, until, 1980, currently, owned, norfolk,. Conway Yard Conway Yard also known as Conway Terminal is a major rail yard located in the boroughs of Conway Pennsylvania and Freedom Pennsylvania 22 miles 35 km northwest of Pittsburgh PA along the Ohio River It was the largest freight yard in the world from 1956 until 1980 1 2 It is currently owned by Norfolk Southern NS and is one of the largest yards in the United States and on the east coast Contents 1 History 2 Current operation 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory Edit Conway Yard in 1941Conway Yard was built in 1884 by the Pittsburgh Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Railroad PRR 3 It was expanded in the early 20th century In 1905 it had a capacity of 8 967 cars and typically processed 2 300 cars per day 4 The enlargement yard was part of a major PRR expansion that also added the Pennsylvania yards of Altoona Yard in Altoona PA Enola Yard in Enola PA and Harrisburg Yard in Harrisburg PA 5 In 1953 the PRR began a 35 million 382 8 million today renovation and expansion of the yard The new eastbound yard opened in 1956 while the rebuilt westbound facilities opened in stages during 1957 and 1958 6 Its new capacity was 9 000 cars per day surpassing Enola Yard as the largest in the United States Many yards Dewitt and Clearing Yard to name just a couple had larger yards up until 1956 Conway was rebuilt with eastbound and westbound hump classification yards and a total of 99 classification tracks according to a 1957 PRR publication 7 A 1958 publication describes a total of 107 classification tracks The westbound hump yard was outfitted with an automatic control system called VELAC which was designed and installed by the Union Switch and Signal Company 8 It was described as the world s largest push button yard 7 The eastbound hump yard was installed with semi automatic operation 5 A terminal for transferring coal from river barges to rail cars was located at the south end of the yard 6 11 Current operation Edit Overview from a Freedom residential neighborhoodConway is the only remaining large operation of the four early 20th century PRR yards NS processes 90 000 to 100 000 cars per month as of 2003 The site occupies 568 acres with 181 miles 291 km of track and a storage capacity of over 11 000 cars and is a hump yard 5 As of 2012 the yard employed 1 400 rail workers with 60 to 80 trains traveling through it daily 9 See also Edit Railways portalList of rail yardsReferences Edit Edwin Kraft The Yard Railroading s Hidden Half Trains Magazine Vol 62 No 6 June 2002 p 48 Borkowski Richard C 2008 Norfolk Southern Railway Minneapolis MN Voyageur Press p 116 ISBN 9780760332498 Schafer Mike Solomon Brian 2009 Pennsylvania Railroad Minneapolis MN MBI Publishing p 57 ISBN 9780760329306 Cushing W C 1905 05 12 Progress in Yard Design The Railroad Gazette XXXVIII 19 486 a b c Rhodes Michael 2003 North American Railyards Minneapolis MN MBI Publishing p 146 ISBN 9780760315781 a b Pennsylvania Railroad PRR Philadelphia PA 1957 Board of Directors Inspection Trip Report a b PRR 1957 Conway Yard on the Pennsylvania Railroad Brochure PRR and Union Switch and Signal Co Swissvale PA 1958 Conway Yard Bulletin 172 Fontaine Tom 2012 05 06 Railroad companies seeking improvements 15 000 new hires Pittsburgh Tribune Review External links Edit21st century photos of Conway Yard Photos of Conway Yard from the Conrail era 1970s 1990s 40 40 12 N 80 14 53 W 40 67 N 80 248 W 40 67 80 248 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Conway Yard amp oldid 1162367645, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
