Panhandle Trail: The Montour Trail crosses over the Panhandle Trail on the McDonald Trestle. The Montour-Panhandle connector trail is approximately 1.1 miles (1.8 km) long and connects the two trails. The Panhandle stretches 29 miles (47 km) between Carnegie, Pennsylvania, and Weirton, West Virginia. The last unfinished section between Joffre and Burgettstown was finished in August 2008, and the trail is now complete.
Ohio River Trail: This proposed trail will connect the Montour Trail to the Great Ohio Lake-to-River Greenway in Ohio. When completed the trail will be an important link in a mega-trail system from the Great Lakes Region to Washington, D.C.
Points of interestedit
McDonald Viaduct (Trestle): Formerly used by the Montour Railroad, the 960-foot (290 m) long trestle reopened in 2003. It spans over Noblestown Road, Robinson Run, the Panhandle Trail and John's Avenue in Washington County, PA.
Library Trestle: This 506-foot (154 m) railroad trestle over Library Rd. (PA 88) in South Park was also formerly used by the Montour Railroad, until its incorporation into the trail. Renovation was completed in the spring of 2015.
West Peters Trail Area: This approximately two-mile section in Peters Township, PA of trail holds four amazing sites: the Greer Tunnel, two bridges directly adjacent to the tunnel, and the X-1 railroad service crane, a former working crane for the Montour Railroad. One of the bridges adjacent to the Greer Tunnel is the Chartiers Creek High Bridge, the highest bridge on the trail. A working railroad line also crosses directly under the trail in this area.
Organizationedit
The Montour Trail is managed and maintained by The Montour Trail Council (MTC). The MTC is a non-profit all-volunteer group which builds, operates, and maintains the trail. It is a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation, relying on corporate, foundation and government grants and private donations for funding. As of 2012, MTC maintained net assets in excess of $9,300,000.00.[3]
Branchesedit
The Montour Trail has four branches: Bethel, Muse, Westland, and the Airport Connector. The Bethel Branch extends from the trail in Peters Township into Bethel Park. There are plans to extend the existing Bethel Branch to nearby Millennium Park by following the remaining section of the former railway.[4][5] The Muse Branch is a planned, undeveloped branch in Cecil Township that goes to the town of Muse. The Westland Branch is a branch that extends from the trail in Venice to the town of Westland. The Airport Connector is a branch of the trail that goes from the mainline trail in Imperial to Pittsburgh International Airport. The Connector does not follow any of the Montour Railroad grade, rather it follows roads to the airport.
In December 2010 MarkWest Energy announced plans to lease the Westland Branch right of way from the Montour Trail Council for 30 years. The branch was redeveloped as a combination trail and railroad operated by the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway to serve MarkWest's Westland natural gas processing plant. Construction was completed and the branch began operation in August 2012.[6][7][8][9]
^MTC Announces Westland Branch Plans with MarkWest(PDF), Montour Trail Council, January–February 2011, retrieved September 14, 2012
^Schmitz, Jon (March 29, 2012). "Firm to build Montour Trail section in return for land use". Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, PA. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
^Campbell, Cristie (August 21, 2012). "Taking the Tracks". Observer-Reporter. Washington, PA. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
^Santoni, Matthew (December 28, 2010). "Energy company offers to extend Montour Trail". Tribune Review. Pittsburgh, PA. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Montour Trail.
montour, trail, multi, recreational, rail, trail, near, pittsburgh, pennsylvania, formerly, montour, railroad, between, miles, photo, taken, march, 2006length59, locationallegheny, county, pennsylvania, usatrailheadscoraopolis, pennsylvania40, 5048, 1450, 5048. The Montour Trail is a multi use recreational rail trail near Pittsburgh Pennsylvania It was formerly the Montour Railroad Montour TrailThe Montour Trail between miles 3 and 4 photo taken March 2006Length59 3 mi 95 4 km LocationAllegheny County Pennsylvania USATrailheadsCoraopolis Pennsylvania40 30 17 N 80 08 42 W 40 5048 N 80 1450 W 40 5048 80 1450 Montour Trail Coraopolis trailhead Clairton Pennsylvania40 18 18 N 79 53 02 W 40 3051 N 79 8838 W 40 3051 79 8838 Montour Trail Clairton trailhead UseMulti useDifficultyEasySeasonYear roundSightssee Points of Interest belowTrail mapLegend Coraopolis Enlow Tunnel Airport Connector to PIT Panhandle Trail Connector McDonald Trestle McDonald Trestle Panhandle Trail Westland Branch National Tunnel Chartiers Creek Greer Tunnel Bethel Branch Library Trestle Library station South Park Connector Large Park amp Ride Clairton Clairton Connector to GAP It has a mostly crushed limestone with partially asphalt surface appropriate for bicycling walking running and cross country skiing Eventually this trail segment will extend 47 miles 76 km from Coraopolis Pennsylvania to Clairton Pennsylvania The trail is part of a 204 mile 328 km rails to trails project between Pittsburgh and Cumberland Maryland that makes up part of a 400 mile 640 km trail system between Pittsburgh and Washington D C known as the Great Allegheny Passage Contents 1 Connecting trails 2 Points of interest 3 Organization 4 Branches 5 References 6 External linksConnecting trails editPanhandle Trail The Montour Trail crosses over the Panhandle Trail on the McDonald Trestle The Montour Panhandle connector trail is approximately 1 1 miles 1 8 km long and connects the two trails The Panhandle stretches 29 miles 47 km between Carnegie Pennsylvania and Weirton West Virginia The last unfinished section between Joffre and Burgettstown was finished in August 2008 and the trail is now complete Steel Valley Trail runs 14 miles 23 km from Clairton through McKeesport to West Homestead 1 The McKeesport West Homestead section is part of the GAP trail which connects Washington D C to Pittsburgh solely on bike trails 2 At the Clairton Trailhead 40 18 19 44 N 79 52 59 14 W 40 3054000 N 79 8830944 W 40 3054000 79 8830944 it connects to the Montour Trail Great Allegheny Passage This ambitious project links Cumberland Maryland and Point State Park in Pittsburgh Another branch extends to the Pittsburgh International Airport The Great Allegheny Passage links to the historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal which runs from Cumberland to Washington D C Ohio River Trail This proposed trail will connect the Montour Trail to the Great Ohio Lake to River Greenway in Ohio When completed the trail will be an important link in a mega trail system from the Great Lakes Region to Washington D C Points of interest editMcDonald Viaduct Trestle Formerly used by the Montour Railroad the 960 foot 290 m long trestle reopened in 2003 It spans over Noblestown Road Robinson Run the Panhandle Trail and John s Avenue in Washington County PA Enlow Tunnel At trail mile 7 2 7 3 40 27 30 N 80 13 22 W 40 4582 N 80 2228 W 40 4582 80 2228 Enlow Tunnel this Findlay Township tunnel was also formerly used by the Montour Railroad until its incorporation into the trail In 2000 Duquesne Light and Findlay Township installed lights inside the tunnel National Tunnel At 40 19 01 N 80 10 54 W 40 3170 N 80 1818 W 40 3170 80 1818 National Tunnel this Cecil Township tunnel was formerly used by the Montour Railroad and was abandoned with the railroad until it was acquired with the rail right of way in the 1980s by the Montour Trail Council MTC The tunnel is 623 foot 190 m and is paved with asphalt pavement with reflectors for safe navigation In 2012 electrical lighting and signs warning of accumulations of ice were added to the tunnel to increase safety Library Trestle This 506 foot 154 m railroad trestle over Library Rd PA 88 in South Park was also formerly used by the Montour Railroad until its incorporation into the trail Renovation was completed in the spring of 2015 West Peters Trail Area This approximately two mile section in Peters Township PA of trail holds four amazing sites the Greer Tunnel two bridges directly adjacent to the tunnel and the X 1 railroad service crane a former working crane for the Montour Railroad One of the bridges adjacent to the Greer Tunnel is the Chartiers Creek High Bridge the highest bridge on the trail A working railroad line also crosses directly under the trail in this area Organization editThe Montour Trail is managed and maintained by The Montour Trail Council MTC The MTC is a non profit all volunteer group which builds operates and maintains the trail It is a registered 501 c 3 not for profit corporation relying on corporate foundation and government grants and private donations for funding As of 2012 MTC maintained net assets in excess of 9 300 000 00 3 Branches editThe Montour Trail has four branches Bethel Muse Westland and the Airport Connector The Bethel Branch extends from the trail in Peters Township into Bethel Park There are plans to extend the existing Bethel Branch to nearby Millennium Park by following the remaining section of the former railway 4 5 The Muse Branch is a planned undeveloped branch in Cecil Township that goes to the town of Muse The Westland Branch is a branch that extends from the trail in Venice to the town of Westland The Airport Connector is a branch of the trail that goes from the mainline trail in Imperial to Pittsburgh International Airport The Connector does not follow any of the Montour Railroad grade rather it follows roads to the airport In December 2010 MarkWest Energy announced plans to lease the Westland Branch right of way from the Montour Trail Council for 30 years The branch was redeveloped as a combination trail and railroad operated by the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway to serve MarkWest s Westland natural gas processing plant Construction was completed and the branch began operation in August 2012 6 7 8 9 References edit Steel Valley Trail Archived from the original on 2008 12 28 Great Allegheny Passage Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2014 03 07 Retrieved 2014 03 07 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Montour Trail Newsletter marapr2020 PDF Montour Trail Newsletter julaug2019 PDF MTC Announces Westland Branch Plans with MarkWest PDF Montour Trail Council January February 2011 retrieved September 14 2012 Schmitz Jon March 29 2012 Firm to build Montour Trail section in return for land use Post Gazette Pittsburgh PA Retrieved September 14 2012 Campbell Cristie August 21 2012 Taking the Tracks Observer Reporter Washington PA Archived from the original on January 30 2013 Retrieved September 14 2012 Santoni Matthew December 28 2010 Energy company offers to extend Montour Trail Tribune Review Pittsburgh PA Retrieved September 14 2012 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Montour Trail Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap Download coordinates as KML GPX all coordinates GPX primary coordinates GPX secondary coordinates Official Site Google Map of trail including parts of Arrowhead Trail Radio special on The Great Allegheny Passage including a segment on The Montour Trail by The Allegheny Front Montour Trail page at RailsToTrails us 40 19 05 N 80 13 41 W 40 3181 N 80 2281 W 40 3181 80 2281 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Montour Trail amp oldid 1217412518, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
