Plum Creek Branch of The Pennsylvania Railroad- Milltown to Verona

The Plum Creek Branch of The Pennsylvania Railroad was constructed by The Allegheny Valley Railroad Company in 1872. The AVRR operated this branch until 1910 when The Pennsylvania Railroad acquired the company. The branch ran from Verona to North Bessemer until some time after 1950 when it was extended to The Unity Railways line east of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. An abandoned railroad tunnel under the Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad at North Bessemer bears the date 1957 so this is probably the year of the extension. On the 1950 map the branch only reaches North Bessemer. The 1964 map shows it reaching the Unity Railroad which lead to the mines at Renton. The Plum Creek Branch served the Plum Creek Mine which also opened in 1872 as well as the Newfield Mine which opened later in 1916. Passenger service was also available until 1966. The branch was officially abandoned on July 10, 1972 and the tracks were removed. There was some mining at Newfield as late as 1990 but the coal was probably just loaded into trucks. The 1976 map doesn't show the branch going beyond Verona where it still sees some usage today by the Daily's Beverage Company which is located right on the tracks. 

This post concentrates only on the section from Milltown to Verona. There is a lot to see on the other sections but that will be saved for another day.

The area I traced in red is where we are at.

This bridge is the first thing you come across leaving Milltown.

The deck of the bridge. I didn't walk across this one. Maybe if it wasn't covered in snow....

Side view of the bridge.

A close up of the cut stone abutment.

Heading down the railroad.

Approaching the first old building.

I'm not sure what it is. An old shed.

Inside.

This is in front of the old shed. I'm not sure if the branch to the left is an old spur. It goes to a house now.

Old stone wall across from the shed.

Heading out towards Hulton Road. There is some kind of business on the other side of Plum Creek.

Another building on the other side of the creek along Hulton Road.

The Plum Creek bridge on Hulton Road.

The railroad crossed Hulton Road here and traveled down through where the trailer park is now.

The tracks went through this field.

The railroad traveled to the right of the trailers, in between the two trees near the road.

An old house up from the rail line.

Heading down to the next section below Oakmont.

This was probably the easiest abandoned railroad I ever walked. It was never too grown in. Just a bit muddy at times.

Some old railroad ties.

Mud.

The next old building.

Throwing caution to the wind, I opened the high voltage door and found....

...Nothing

Looking up the hillside toward upper Oakmont.

White Oak trees.

Penn Hills Community Park across Plum Creek.

Plum Creek is the border between Penn Hills and Plum Boro.

More railroad ties.

Civilization.

This is when it got pretty lame. I really wasn't looking for a housing plan.

At least the railroad cut is still there.

Coming to the end of the housing plan section there's a fence to the left.

On the other side of the fence.

An old collapsed house.

Inside the abandoned shop/garage.

Old file cabinet.

A bunch of old fire hoses.

Scrap metal.

Looking outside the garage door.

The coolest thing in this building was this old furnace.

Fire damage.

Side of the old house.

Side of the shop.

Dark Hollow Road in Verona. The section in the foreground is part of the old rail bed. It went straight through the field and to the right of the house in the background.

This is looking back at the housing plan section.

Walking through this swampy field to the next railroad bridge.

This is all that's left of the bridge.

Looking up at the old grade.

This driveway is the other side of the bridge and was part of the old railroad.

The railroad crossed the road here at the intersection of Plum Street and Hunter Road.

This parking lot is part of the old rail bed.

The railroad went diagonally past where this truck is sitting. This is behind the Daily's Beverage plant.

The other side of the Daily's plant.

Heading under Allegheny River Boulevard.

Switch.

Under the boulevard.

1936 plate.

Headed towards the river.

And this is where the branch begins.