Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company

The Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad (P&LE) began operation in 1879 after the 1878 consolidation with the Youngstown & Pittsburgh Railroad Company. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., the P&LE line began as a single track railroad connecting Pittsburgh to Youngstown, Ohio. The railroad began its affiliation with the New York Central System in 1883 and, by 1890, was one of the principle rail routes in the eastern United States. Financed in part by the Harmony Society, a communal religious sect located just north of Pittsburgh in Economy, Pa., and in part by William Henry Vanderbilt's Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway, the P&LE had extended south to Connellsville, Pa., and handled six times the amount of freight it had in 1880, earning its nickname, the "Little Giant." The P&LE continued to progress into the twentieth century thanks, in part, to the advances in railroad technology. The development of all-steel cars made it possible to carry a load of up to 50 tons. Additionally, advancements made in train brakes through the Westinghouse air brake system and automatic couplers, allowed P&LE trains to run safely at faster speeds and carry heavier coal loads. The P&LE also operated as a passenger line. Beginning with its first passenger train in February 1879, the railroad became a heavily used line by travelers and commuters. Although passenger trips were relatively small, the average trip was around 20 miles. Until 1941, the passenger trains accounted for one-half the miles of the freight trains. However, the rise of popularity of motor trucks, private cars, and buses led to the eventual decline of train travel. By the mid-1970s, only one commuter train remained on the P&LE line. While the early 1970s brought a decline in passenger travel, the freight lines continued to grow. In 1976, following the 1970 bankruptcy of the Penn Central System, the railroad obtained trackage rights over former Penn Central lines to Ashtabula Harbor, Ohio, located on Lake Erie and through Sharon to Shenango, Pa. The railroad was purchased by CSX Transportation in 1993.

From the description of Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company records, 1860-1999. (University of Pittsburgh). WorldCat record id: 614050742

Also known as the "Little Giant"; formed on 11 May 1875; headquarters located in Pittsburgh, Pa.; line connected Pittsburgh in the east with Youngstown, Ohio at nearby Haselton, Ohio in the west and Connellsville, Pa. to the east.

From the description of Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company transportation way-bill, 1881 Sept. 23. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 237089068

The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad (PLE) was chartered in 1875 in Pittsburgh, Pa. The organization was unable to raise enough capital to begin actual construction of the line until 1877, when William H. Vanderbilt purchased a substantial amount of PLE stock which encouraged additional external investment. The PLE began rail operations in 1879. Vanderbilt soon became a majority stockholder, with the PLE becoming tied to his New York Central System as an independent subsidiary in 1883. The PLE operated from the banks of the Monongahela and Ohio rivers on the Pittsburgh Southside and extended to Youngstown, Oh. The rail line capitalized on the industry of the region, transporting coal, coke, iron ore, and steel products. The PLE was often referred to as the Little Giant, due to the amount of tonnage it hauled in proportion to the total mileage of the line. Through several mergers and acquisitions the PLE would extend its lines south to Connellsville, Pa., accessing that coal production. The PLE name was discarded when it became a subsidiary of CSX Transportation in 1993.

From the description of Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company records 1916-1955 [manuscript] (Historical Society of W Pennsylvania). WorldCat record id: 773303697