1977. What’s more, the train covered the distance to Versailles in roughly half the time than the bus. Funding was acquired to build a new intermodal transportation center at McKeesport, which opened in 1981. Besides serving the PATrain and PATransit bus, Am- trak’s Capitol Limited also served the new station. Additional park-and-ride lots were constructed, as well as a new station stop at Port Vue.
In 1981, the Port Authority acquired two EMD F7s from the recently defunct Wellsville, Addison & Galeton. These former Southern Pacific units were sent to General Electric in Hornell, N.Y., for a complete overhaul. Five ad- ditional coaches were acquired and the
entire set was decorated in an attrac- tive cream, orange, and brown paint scheme. Two coaches were rebuilt with cab controls, which allowed PAT to op- erate two identical train sets to cover all schedules. The RDC’s were side- lined soon after.
Despite PAT’s best efforts, ridership fell off dramatically as Pittsburgh’s steel mills closed and consolidated. The Hazelwood stop was eliminated and the number of trains was reduced. Rid- ership plummeted to only 800 by 1988. In the face of escalating subsidies, the Port Authority reluctantly cancelled the PATrain, and Pittsburgh’s last commuter train rolled into Grant Street Station on April 28, 1989.
ABOVE: Inbound PATrain No. 109 to Pittsburgh crosses the Youghiogheny River on P&LE rails at McKeesport on October 7, 1985. Upon cancellation of PATrain service in 1989, both sets would be sold to Connecticut DOT for use in their new “Shore Line East” commuter service which began in 1990. The old fleet of equipment has since been sold to new owners.
47
PATRAIN TIMETABLE DATED APRIL 1, 1985; AUTHOR’S COLLECTION
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62