I in the construction stages of my layout based on the PRR's Erie & Pittsburgh Branch. This line came off of the Pittsburgh Youngstown & Ashtabula Branch at New Castle, PA, and extended north to Girard, PA, where there was a junction with the New York Central. From there, the E&P had trackage rights for 12 miles east to Dock Junction in Erie, where the E&P left the NYC and went to the Erie Bayfront and connected with the PRR main from Emporium to Erie. I am modelling the southern 35 miles from New Castle north to Greenville, Pennsylvania.

I have decided to break construction of the layout into three phases. Construction on Phase 1 is underway and will consist of the E&P from Castle Tower and the connection with the PY&A to about the Route 60 overpass just north of New Castle. Also included is the wye at Castle Tower (greatly compressed) and a short segment of the PY&A main which will include a compressed version of Moravia Yard, located south of Castle Tower. Here trains from the E&A exchanged cars with PY&A trains operating from Pittsburgh to Youngstown. Both ends of the PY&A will be represented by a hidden staging yard, so that through trains can be simulated on the PY&A.

Benchwork for the lower level staging yard is complete, and the first track was laid in the staging yard on December 1, 2002. Once the track has been laid, wired, and thoroughly tested, the upper (visible) level will be constructed above the staging yard.

Phase 2 will include continue from the end of Phase 1 through the 20 miles of Shenango Valley between New Castle and Wheatland (and will be greatly compressed). Wheatland Yard and the Sharon Steel works will be included, along with the National Malleable Castings Works and the Westinghouse plant, the live interchange with the Erie Lackawanna, and downtown Sharon. Phase 3 will include Sharpsville, the Shenango Reservoir bridge, Bruin Tower and the Bessemer & Lake Erie interchange at Shenango, and the city and industries in Greenville. After crossing Route 18 in Greenville, the main will enter the north end staging yard.

The layout will feature operations as they were around 1969 (yes, in the Penn Central era). Operations will be based on prototype schedules, and car movements will be handled using a waybill card or computer-generated switchlist system. There will be heavy mineral movement on the line, along with through general freight and plenty of locals. Major industries to be modelled include the Westinghouse plant and the Sharon Steel works in Sharon, Shenango Mold and Sharpsville Steel in Sharpsville, and live interchanges with the Bessemer Lake Erie in Shenango, Erie Lackawanna in Sharon, and Baltimore Ohio in New Castle.

Link to my layout: http://pc.smellycat.com/eriepitt/index.html.

Last modified: April 11 2009.

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