Pennsylvania Lines West of Pittsburgh. Office of Chief Engineer.

The post of Chief Engineer of Lines West was not established until January 1, 1901. This reflects the slower pace of integration of Lines West from its many component railroads. Prior to 1901, each of the major units making up Lines West had its own Chief Engineer.

The new Chief Engineer of Lines West was the former Chief Engineer of the Pennsylvania Company, Thomas Rodd. Rodd was born in Hammersmith, London, England, on June 13, 1849, and was brought to the U.S. by his parents in 1856. In 1862, he joined the Union Navy at age 13 and served for the duration of the war. After attending the Naval Academy, where he received a technical education in 1865-1868, he joined the PRR as a rodman at Pittsburgh on May 20, 1872. He was promoted to Principal Assistant Engineer of the Pennsylvania Company in 1877 and to Chief Engineer on July 1, 1889.

The Engineering Department was further reorganized on January 1, 1903, now reporting to Third Vice President J. J. Turner instead of the General Manager. Rodd was to concentrate on new work. Robert Trimble was named to the new post of Chief Engineer of Maintenance of Way, Northwest System, and William Channing Cushing to a similar post of the Southwest System. Trimble, Cushing and Engineer of Bridges & Buildings J. C. Bland continued to report to the General Manager, with Rodd having general authority over technical standards. Trimble had been born in Butler, Pa., on December 22, 1856, and joined the PRR engineer corps in 1875. His most notable achievement had been as principal engineer for the construction of the first Chicago Union Passenger Station in 1880-1881.

In 1917, Rodd's jurisdiction was extended over the Vandalia Lines running west of Indianapolis. When the United States Railroad Administration took over the operation of the railroads, Thomas Rodd was appointed Corporate Engineer on the skeletal corporate staff on July 1, 1918. At the same time, Robert Trimble became Chief Engineer of Construction of Lines West under the USRA. Rodd retired at the mandatory age of seventy on June 30, 1919, and died on August 3, 1929. With the termination of USRA control on March 1, 1920, the PRR abolished the entire Lines West organization and replaced it with the Regional organization. For engineering purposes, the former Lines West territory now came under the jurisdiction of the Chief Engineer at Philadelphia. Trimble became Assistant Chief Engineer at Pittsburgh with most of his old responsibilities. Trimble also retired at age seventy at the end of 1926 and died in the Pittsburgh suburb of Glen Osborne on February 6, 1932.

From the description of Records, 1874-1927 (bulk, 1890-1920). (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 123430370