Honors Program 2004
City-As-Text: Greensburg, PA

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    The Trolley      

In the mid 1800’s to the early 1900’s Greensburg used trolleys as a form of transportation. These cable cars had a huge impact, but it lasted only a short time. It is recorded that by June 30^th 1891 , 24 million people had rode the cable car, 19 million had rode the electric car and 3 million were still riding horse cars. Lines for the trolleys were built throughout southwestern Pennsylvania through the 1920’s, except during the War.

Facts about the Trolley  

• Pittsburgh was one of the first cities in the United States to use trolleys
• Greensburg was the first city in southwest Pennsylvania to use the trolleys
• There were more than 125 trolley transportation companies that served throughout the region

Factors Causing Closure to Trolleys  

·        In the 1920’s personal cars were owned

·        The high cost of paving roadways

·        Declining population in busy areas

·        Few activity centers for employment, shopping, government, and leisure

·        Inflexibility of routes

·        High cost to ride

·        In the 1940’s televisions created a “stay at home” evening habit instead of going out on the town

·        Competition with other forms of transportation that used roadways that were financed by the government, such as buses

·        High cost of replacement parts

(Supplied from Bob Van Atta, Tribune Review)  

Locations of Beginnings for the Electric Railway Trolley

 1890: Greensburg , Hempfield Township ; Second Avenue between Glenwood & downtown Pittsburgh  

1891: Connelsville to Leisenning; local service at Altoona , DuBois, McKeesport , Uniontown & Washington  

1892: Scottsdale local; Punxsutawney to Clayville  

1893: Lines at Johnstown , formerly served by horse drawn cars

 1894: Tarentum local  

1895: Greensburg to Jeanette  

1900: Latrobe to Kingston ; Johnstown to Windber  

1901: Tarss to Mt. Pleasant  

1903: Monessen to Arnold City ; Cononsburg to Washington , Charleroi & Monessen to Pittsburgh ; Connellville to Uniontown via Dunbar ; Scottdale to Iron Bridge  

1904: Clairton local  

1905: Latrobe to Derry  

1906: Fairchance to Smithfield; Port Vur local; Apollo to Leechburg; New Kensington to Aspinwall; Greensburg via Hecla Junction to Connellsville  

1907: Pittsburg to Butler via Glenshaw & Allison Park ; Indiana to Ernest; McKeesport to Irwin  

1908: Irwin to Herminie; Indiana to Clymer and Homer City ; Pittsburgh to New Castle via Perrysville; Johnstown to South Fork  

1909: Indiana to Blairsville

(Supplied from Bob Van Atta, Tribune Review)

The Train

• For some students, they know the importance of the train in Greensburg. 

• Whether it is for a quick trip to Pittsburgh or a long ride home, the Greensburg train has been running for many years. 

• The Pennsylvania State legislature decided to build the tracks through Greensburg in 1846. 

• On July 7, 1847 construction began and was completed by December of 1851. 

• Over 15,553 passengers arrived and 17,319 passengers departed from the first train that stopped in Greensburg in November 1852. 

• At the time, it took over twenty hours for a complete trip from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia with a stop in Greensburg and several other cities. 

• However, today’s travelers do not have to wait as long as they take a trip at their convenience.

Seton Hill University | One Seton Hill Drive | Greensburg, PA | 15601
Phone: 724-834-2200 | Fax: 724-830-2200