The Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler, and New Castle Railway
The Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler, and New Castle Railway (more commonly known as the Harmony Line), operated a daily trolley service from 1908 to 1931 that connected Ellwood City to Evans City and Pittsburgh. Not only did the trolley line carry passengers, but it also was used by rural farmers to carry crops and even livestock to the cities for sale.
In the early 1900′s Edwin Lamb’s automobile was the first and perhaps only one in Ellwood City. The rest of the citizens in town would have to travel by horse and wagon to get to Butler or upon the slow Baltimore and Ohio passenger train. Then in 1905 Russell H. Boggs of Evans City, and his business partner Henry Buhl, owned a department store in Pittsburgh and wanted to expedite travel between rural areas and Pittsburgh. Mr. Boggs developed friendly relations over the years with regular trips between Evans City and Pittsburgh buying from local farmers and selling store goods to rural families. Through these relationships, he was able to obtain a right-of-way for the Harmony Line trolley system. In exchange for the right-of-way and One Dollar, each landowner received a promise to establish a trolley stop on his property and electric run to their homes for the first time. The promised terminals were added to the PHB&NC but the local trolleys only stopped if passengers were waiting at the makeshift buildings. The Express trolleys only stopped at the large stations in Pittsburgh, Harmony, Evans City, Butler, Ellwood City, & New Castle.
On July 2, 1908, the very first run on the Harmony Line began at the Harmony car barn to the Ellwood City station. The Ellwood City PHB&NC station and freight station were built on the Southeast corner of Spring Avenue and Fifth Street. The freight station building was still standing as late as 1999. The Ellwood City station was the original end of the line from 1908 until 1914 when the Beaver Valley extension was opened. The original Koppel Bridge was built by the railway for this extension. The cement pillars are the only signs that remain today of the original bridge with a United States flag mounted upon one pillar west of the current bridge. Dambach Lumber built a new group of trolleys at the shop near Evans City for the opening of the line to Beaver Falls. These cars were referred to as ‘gunboat’ cars and there is an old wives tale that they were built low to get under the subway in Ellwood City but historians don’t believe that to be true as lower “arch” roof cars were the modern look in 1914.
The typical car on the Harmony Line could accommodate about forty passengers and included three different sections: a general seating area, a smoker section, and a baggage section. Eventually the Harmony Line added special party cars to their lineup that could be rented for $55 per day. Church groups, school students, and small parties enjoyed movies and card-playing aboard the party cars on their way to and from special occasions.
As the popularity of the automobile increased and the Great Depression continued, passengers on the PHB&NC decreased. January Fourth 1931 marked the beginning of the end when the Harmony line between Koppel and Morado was abandoned and the line from Ellwood City to Koppel was greatly reduced. Maurice Scharff, a receiver appointed in federal court, assumed charge of the Harmony and Butler short line April 6th and things continued to get worse.
The summer of 1931 started with the closing of the Pittsburgh/Butler route and on June ninth the petitions to abandon the Harmony streetcar route between New Castle and Beaver Falls was approved. The line running through Ellwood City continued through the summer but the losses became too great. August eleventh Federal Judge F.P. Schoonmaker signed an order granting permission for the abandonment of the remainder of the Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler, and New Castle Street Railway Co., more commonly known as Harmony Line. In the early hours of August 15, 1931, the last Harmony Line trolley pulled into the Harmony car barn and the P.H.B.&N.C. had come to an end.
In a large ceremony to commemorate the end of an era, all of the trolleys were ceremoniously burned. All except one single car. Car 115 survived the purge simply because it was forgotten about. The car had been broken down and abandoned along Route 65 just outside of Ellwood City heading towards New castle. After the Harmony Line closed in August of 1931, a former motorman for the line turned the car into Clark’s Diner. Eventually, Clark’s Diner would become the Ranch which was much larger than the original restaurant. Fifty-five years after the opening of Clark’s Diner, car 115 was purchased and extracted from the Ranch and sent to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in Washington, PA.
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Nice website!
-Diner News and History staff
In reference to the harmony bridge at Ewing Park–called the Grim or Grimm Bridge named after property owner Bejamin Grim land purchased by North Pittsburgh realty. General Electric called this the interurban bridge—bridge near Calgon was the Knox Bridge. I am writing a book about 224 pages on the harmony line–hope to have by fall.
Wayne A. Cole
i have a puter plate showing the evanscity train station. makers mark is [ RWP ] any information on this item would be appriciated. thank you earl murray eay100@zoointernet.net
Hi, I have been adding some information to the Wikipedia page on the railway which you might find of interest. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh,_Harmony,_Butler_and_New_Castle_Railway
Hi,
As a kid my family had friends named Kelly or some version of the spelling, who had been neighbors in Harwick, Pa. The family purchased a farm near Mars, Pa and we used to visit there, and often hunted small game there. I can only recall that the son was possibly named Homer and I think Mrs. Kelly was named Mary. I have been curious about finding the farm for many years, and the only clue I have is that the Harmony short line ran through a portion of their acreage. I guess I’m getting sentimental and want to reconnect with some of the places that hold fond memories. If any one has a map showing more clearly the Mars area routing, that could be compared to existing road maps, I would greatly appreciate knowing where to look for the maps, and the farm. Better yet, If anyone knows of the family or the farm, pleasse let me know.
Another clue might be that there was a small stone bridge (abandoned) that my uncles help the family build when they moved, to better get them into the farm. In later years, as the roads changed, they had another lane laid in. The railbed, in my memory, passed near the bridge.
Sincerely,
Butch Davis
I live in Ross township, close to the old station on McKnight road. In my backyard there are old bridge piers that span the valley. I believe they were part of the Harmony line.
Butch, I grew up in Mars and can give you by current road the Path of the short line. From Mars towards butler it traveled, down clay ave, on to Dobson Rd, Through McDonals Lake,Rohre’s Pond, I was told that a station was there, and also a Dance Hall on top of the hill (Ive been in it).It crossed Stoup road, Then Valencia road. This is The area I used to ride motorcycles and knew the area well. I don’t know of anyone with the names you Mentioned . Good luck in your search.
I would like to purchase a book on this rail system. Does one exist. Thank you.
Hello, pertaining to the P.H.B.& N.C trolley line, by far the most informitive and illustrated book is “Ghost Rails VI Harmony Route – Pittsburgh Harmony Butler & New Castle Railway” – very good book. I am not sure where you can buy it physically but the book is available online.
Hi Caroline,
The Pa Trolley Museum in Washington, PA has the book. They have a website, and car 115 from the Harmony Line. It needs major restoration, but they are planning to do it. Your next move would be to visit the museum, ride the restored trolleys & have fun checking our nation’s transportation past!
Wayne
im 16 years old and the harmony short line ran through my back yard on what is now called hollow road what could you tell me bout it im interested in learning more bout it
Josh, email me…. I can tell you plenty about the Harmony Line and where the tracks ran. Mark.
My email: trainwreck63@gmail.com
Currently, only two people remain alive who owned The Ranch when the trolley car was inside of it. Neither have ever given interviews or discussed the trolley car with anyone outside of immediate family.
Ironic, isn’t it? I mean, so many are writing about this trolley car – yet, no one has actually spoken to either of them.
I used to live on smiley stop road in wampum pa. just wondering if that was one of the old stops the trolley made and also info on a robbery that occured there in 1909
Hi Fred,
It looks like we grew up in the same area. I used to use the same trails as you. I lived in the big white house on the bend on Stoup road. The shortline ran right past our house. Remeber the big cleared circle area ontop of the one hill right above the shortline? We used to call it the knob. And that big lake that was down the hill from the old dance hall? The guy that had it built, dug the old line up to put it there. I wonder if we knew each other.
Dear cool folk’s of OUR transportation past! I want to extend each and every one of you Holiday greetings, and to yer family’s as well. God Bless YINZ!! Wayner is doing his own research on the Harmony Route as it was known before April 1931. I have interviewed a great personal friend of mine, George who is 88 years old, served during WW 2 in the 3rd wave over Normandy Beach. Wayner won’t reveal his name, but all I’ll tell ya for now is that he related to me his memorie’s of riding the line from Keown Station, where Babcock Blvd Meet’s 3 Degree Rd. The Electronic’s store that is on that corner at the signal light, and for your information, it was one of two power transforming buildings that converted alternating current to 1,600 volt’s Direct current, on that line. If all of you purchase Mr. Cole’s book, Ghost Rail’s 4, you find out most of the info! Wayner highly recommend’s it. I also could not think of better reading material, with the cold cabin fever setling into our SouthWestern PA region!
Today I saw a large mounted map of Butler and Northern Allegheny Counties with a drawing of a Harmony Shortline Bus from the 1930′s in the upper left hand corner. I appeared to show the route of the line but the lighting at this garage sale wasn’t good and it was hard to see.If anyone wants more info contact me at gregbur@hotmail.com
We were on Renfrew rd. today, and saw a late 1800′s engine house between the “thorn” and “renfrew” stops. Anyone know who built it? [B.R.&P>]{B&O}or the predecessor of the [B&LE}
Does anyone out there know if there is an entity out there who would currently own the land the railway was located on? The old trolley line ran through my backyard in the Ellwood City area and I’m looking to see if there is a way to acquire that land since I don’t currently own it, but do maintain it. Any thoughts???
Hi Jen, I used to live at 624 Wampum Ave. My grandparents next door at 628. Both I believe was offered and purchased the land. I am talking about the land that adjoined our property on the north side and the alley . This was all behind Todd Ave. Where are you living. Ralph
The frontage on my property, and my neighbors on Nelson Run Road, is now owned by the City of P’burg but once belonged to the Harmony Line
Ralph, I grew up in a house on Gregg St., just off of Wampum Ave. (where Ben lives now). I remember a Newton family with a son named Harry. Is that your family? They were very nice neighbors. I think that Harry was a cub scout with my brother.
By the way, my parents always referred to the upper part of their property as “the old railroad bed”. It paralleled Wampum and Clover Aves., between two alleys. Was this a railroad that anyone has mentioned or can identify?
Hello Carole, the abandoned line on the upper part of your parents property was not the old Harmony Line but rather the old abandoned B&O line that ran through Hazel Dell before Ellwood was formed. The railroad cut out the tunnel and constructed the line (through what today is town) at a great expense because the old line through the Northside was considered too windy with to many sharp inclines and declines. The abandoned line is also the “parking lot” at the end of 5th street bridge and ran west through Tony’s beer barn.
Thanks Ben!
Even as I was typing my post, I didn’t think the “old railroad bed” was exactly what my parents called that area. A while ago I remembered their exact words, “the old railroad right-of-way”….which as a very young child I thought they were saying the “old railroad ride away”. (funny what things we remember) I think they bought that piece of land in the early ’50′s.
ANY INFO AS TO HARMONY SHORT LINE AND THE SMILEY STOP IN WAYNE TWP. WAMPUM,PA PLEASE ADVISE
The Harmony Line ran in a northeasterly direction through Cranberry Township, partially in what now is the Fox Run Plan. Prior to passing through Fox Run, the tracks came across what now is, give or take a few yards, the intersection of Rts. 19 and 228. That was the Criders Corners stop.
The right-of-way can be made out on a google satellite map. It is very clear on an aerial photograph available via http://www.pennpilot.psu.edu. Just follow instructions.
I enjoy this page- too bad the line was allowed to “go away”!I recall my Dad telling of the Harmony Railway and of his recollections of the car rounding the curve at the Bepler stop and sounding the horn at night- an eerie sound for sure. He was born and raised within a 1/4 mile of the stop. His scrapbook contains several photos of the car- one at Keown Station at Babcock and Three Degree Roads. I am aware of several vestiges of the line as it went through Ross and McCandless townships and also on Meridian Road in Richland Twp..