Pittsburgh 1961

The Pittsburgh streetcar system after significant abandonments in the northeast, south and west of the city, the last due to the closure of the old Point Bridge on 20 June 1959.

VIDEOS


Above: YouTube^CA video - Pittsburgh PCC Streetcars 1976 & 1982 Silent Movie - Length: 10:08 mins.	Above: YouTube^CA video - Pittsburgh Streetcars in the 1960s - East Side (East End) Scenes - Length: 20:36 mins.	Above: YouTube^CA video - Pittsburgh: You Wanted To Know About Pittsburgh's Inclines - Length: 3:18 mins.

PHOTOS

MAPS

Pittsburgh Streetcar map 1961

INSET: CENTRAL PITTSBURGH

Central Pittsburgh streetcar map – 1961

INSET: PITTSBURGH EAST

Pittsburgh East streetcar map – 1961

INSET: DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH

Downtown Pittsburgh streetcar map – 1961

I created the above maps by overlaying OpenStreetMap (OSM) maps with my own data. Copyright on the OSM maps is © OpenStreetMap contributors, licensed under a CC-BY-SA (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 licence).

Please note that the OSM maps used as templates for these maps correspond to the situation at the time the maps were downloaded and may show features that did not exist at the time the GS Tram Site is supposed to show. In particular, they may show bridges and highways that were built later.

ABBREVIATIONS ON THE MAPS

BA	Beltzhoover Av.	MWT	Mt. Washington Tunnel
BR	Brownsville Rd.	RB	Rankin Bridge
FA	Frankstown Av.	SHJ	South Hills Jnctn.
GA	Gearing Av.	TS	Tioga St.
GB	Glenwood Bridge (old)	WA	Warrington Av.
HA	Hamilton Av.	WL	W. Liberty Av.
KA	Kelly Av.	WS	Wynhurst St.

DISCONTINUATION DATES OF STREETCAR TRACKS BETWEEN 1 JAN. 1961 AND 1 JAN. 1967 (affected route numbers in parentheses).

1961 Sept. 1: Brighton Rd. - N. Charles St. (7); 7th St. - 7th St. Bridge (18,19); 9th St. - 9th St. Bridge (18,19); Ohio St. - Allegheny Av. - Columbus Av. / Pennsylvania Av. - Beaver Av. (18,19); Island Av. - Woods Run Av. (19)
1962 Apr. 14: 3rd Av. (53,55,56,57,58)
1962 May 2: Wilmerding - Pitcairn - Trafford (62)
1963 May 25: W. Liberty Av. (S of Brookline Blvd.) (38)
1963 Aug. 31: Hays - Lincoln Place - Dravosburg (56)
1963 Sept. 1: McKeesport (Pirl St. Loop) - Glassport (98)
1964 July 4: North Av. (between Federal St. & Sandusky St.) (22); Glenwood Stn. - Glenwood Bridge - Hays - Homestead (55); Rankin Bridge - Braddock - East Pittsburgh (55); 2nd Av. (from S 10th St. Bridge to Greenfield Av.) (55,57,58); Greenfield Av. - Hazelwood Av. (58); 2nd Av. (from Greenfield Av. to Glenfield Stn. (55,57)
1965 Sept. 4: Federal St. - Keating Stn. (8, partly 10 and 11); Keating Stn. - West View (10); East St. Loop (10,11); Bellevue - West View (15); Sandusky St. - 9th St. Loop (77/54); Ohio St. - 16th St. Bridge - 16th St. (77/54); Brady St. Bridge (77/54); Main St. (between Liberty Av. & Main St.) (77/54); Millvale Av. (77/54); Homestead (Munhall Loop) - Lincoln Place (65)
1965 Dec. 31: Brighton Rd (6, then 6/13)
1966 Jan. 26: Crawford St. - Bedford Av. - Wylie Av. (85)
1966 Feb. 26: E. Carson St. - 30th St. (50)
1966 Apr. 30: Glenrose St. - N. Charles St. - Federal St. loop (21); Isabella St. (21)
1966 Sept. 3 [last streetcars north of the Allegheny River]: Lincoln Av. - Emsworth (13): North Av. - Brighton Rd. - California Av. (13; earlier also 6,7,14,15); 6th St. Bridge - Federal St. (13; earlier also many others): W Liberty Av. - Brookline Blvd. (39); South Hills Jnctn. - Southern Av. - Grandview Av. - Mt. Washington (40)
1966 Sept. 4: Wilkinsburg - Ardmore Blvd. - East Pittsburgh - Turtle Creek - Wilmerding Stn. (87)

ROUTES

STREETCAR ROUTES

Operator: Pittsburgh Railways Co.

6	Brighton Rd.	Penn Av. - 6th St. Bridge [back: 7th St. Bridge] - Federal St. - North Av. W. - Brighton Rd. - Wynhurst St. (to California Av.)
7	Charles St.	Penn Av. - [Stanwix St. - Duquesne Blvd.] [back: 6th St.] - 6th St. Bridge - Federal St. - North Av. W. - Brighton Rd. - N. Charles St.
8	Perrysville	Penn Av. - 6th St. Bridge [back: 7th St. Bridge] - Federal St. - Keating Stn.
10	West View Bellevue	Penn Av. - 7th St. Bridge [back: 9th St. Bridge] - Sandusky St. - North Av. - East St. - Keating Stn. - West View
11	West View Bellevue	Penn Av. - 7th St. Bridge [back: 9th St. Bridge] - Sandusky St. - North Av. - East St. - Keating Stn. [short turn of 10, rush hours only]
13	Emsworth	Penn Av. - [Stanwix St. - Duquesne Blvd.] [back: 6th St.] - 6th St. - Federal St. - North Av. W. - Brighton Rd. - California Av. - Lincoln Av. - Avalon - Emsworth
14	Avalon	Penn Av. - [Stanwix St. - Duquesne Blvd.] [back: 6th St.] - 6th St. - Federal St. - North Av. W. - Brighton Rd. - California Av. - Lincoln Av. - Avalon [rush-hours only]
15	Bellevue-West View	Penn Av. - [Stanwix St. - Duquesne Blvd.] [back: 6th St.] - 6th St. - Federal St. - North Av. W. - Brighton Rd. - California Av. - West View
18	Woods Run	Penn Av. - 7th St. Bridge [back: 9th St. Bridge] - Sandusky St. - W. Ohio St. - Allegheny Av. - Columbus Av. - Beaver Av. - Woods Run Av.
19	Western Av.	Penn Av. - 7th St. Bridge [back: 9th St. Bridge] - Sandusky St. - W. Ohio St. - Allegheny Av. - Pennsylvania Av. - Beaver Av. - Island Av.
21	Fineview	Penn Av. - 6th St. Bridge [back: 7th St. Bridge] - Federal St. - Glenrose St. [back: Federal St.] - N. Charles St.
22	Crosstown	Wylie Av. - 5th Av. [back: 6th Av.] - 6th St. Bridge - Federal St. - Federal St. [back: Sandusky St. - Ohio St.] - North Av.
35	Library	Liberty Av. - Wood St. [back: Grant St.] - Smithfield St. Bridge - Mt. Washington Tunnel - South Hills Jnctn. - Overbrook - Castle Shannon - Bethel Park - Library
36	Drake	Liberty Av. - Wood St. [back: Grant St.] - Smithfield St. Bridge - Mt. Washington Tunnel - South Hills Jnctn. - Overbrook - Castle Shannon - Drake
37	Shannon	Liberty Av. - Wood St. [back: Grant St.] - Smithfield St. Bridge - Mt. Washington Tunnel - South Hills Jnctn. - Overbrook - Castle Shannon
38	Mt. Lebanon	7th Av. - Grant St. [back: Smithfield St.] - Smithfield St. Bridge - Mt. Washington Tunnel - South Hills Jnctn. - W. Liberty Av. - Dormont - Mt. Lebanon - Castle Shannon
39	Brookline	7th Av. - Grant St. [back: Smithfield St.] - Smithfield St. Bridge - Mt. Washington Tunnel - South Hills Jnctn. - W. Liberty Av. - Brookline
40	Mt. Washington	7th Av. - Grant St. [back: Smithfield St.] - Smithfield St. Bridge - Mt. Washington Tunnel - South Hills Jnctn. - Southern Av. - Grandview Av. - Mt. Washington
42	Dormont	7th Av. - Grant St. [back: Smithfield St.] - Smithfield St. Bridge - Mt. Washington Tunnel - South Hills Jnctn. - Beechview - Dormont - Mt. Lebanon - Castle Shannon
43	Neeld Av.	7th Av. - Grant St. [back: Smithfield St.] - Smithfield St. Bridge - Mt. Washington Tunnel - South Hills Jnctn. - Beechview (Neeld Av.) [short turn of 42, rush hours only]
44	Knoxville	12th St. - [Penn Av. - 11th St] [back: Liberty Av.] - Liberty Av. - Wood St. [back: Smithfield St.] - Smithfield St. Bridge - Mt. Washington Tunnel - Warrington Av. - Beltzhoover Av. - Charles St. - Knoxville (Amanda St.)
47	Carrick via Tunnel	Liberty Av. - Wood St. [back: Grant St.] - Smithfield St. Bridge - Mt. Washington Tunnel - South Hills Jnctn. - Warrington Av. - Arlington Av. [back: Amanda St. - Warrington Av.] - Arlington Av. - Brownsville Rd. - Carrick - Brentwood [rush-hours only]
48	Arlington	7th Av. - Grant St. [back: Smithfield St.] - Smithfield St. Bridge - Mt. Washington Tunnel - South Hills Jnctn. - Warrington Av. - Arlington Av. [back: Amanda St. - Warrington Av.] - Arlington Av. - Eleanor St.
49	Beltzhoover	Liberty Av. - Wood St. [back: Grant St.] - Smithfield St. Bridge - E. Carson St. - Arlington Av. - Warrington Av. - Beltzhoover Av. - Climax St. - Gearing Av. (to Chalfont St.)
50	Carson St.	Liberty Av. - Wood St. [back: Grant St.] - Smithfield St. Bridge - E. Carson St. - 30th St.
53	Carrick	Stanwix St. - 4th Av. [back: 3rd Av.] - Ross St. - 2nd Av. - S 10th St. Bridge - E. Carson St. - S 18th St. - Brownsville Rd. - Carrick - Brentwood
55	Homestead-Braddock	Stanwix St. - 4th Av. [back: 3rd Av.] - Ross St. - 2nd Av. - Glenwood Stn. - Glenwood Bridge - Hays - Homestead - Rankin Bridge - Braddock - East Pittsburgh
56	McKeesport via 2nd Av.	Stanwix St. - 4th Av. [back: 3rd Av.] - Ross St. - 2nd Av. - Glenwood Stn. - Glenwood Bridge - Hays - Lincoln Place - Dravosburg - McKeesport (Pirl St. Loop)
57	Glenwood	Stanwix St. - 4th Av. [back: 3rd Av.] - Ross St. - 2nd Av. - Glenwood Stn.
58	Greenfield	Stanwix St. - 4th Av. [back: 3rd Av.] - Ross St. - 2nd Av. - Greenfield Av. - Hazelwood Av.
62	E. Pittsburgh-Trafford	East Pittsburgh - Turtle Creek - Wilmerding - Pitcairn - Trafford
64	Wilkinsburg-E. Pittsburgh	Stanwix St. - 4th Av. [back: Forbes Av.] - Forbes Av. - Wilkinsburg - Edgewood - East Pittsburgh
65	Munhall-Lincoln Place	Homestead (Munhall Loop) - West St. - Main St. - Lincoln Place
66	Wilkinsburg via Forbes	Stanwix St. - 4th Av. [back: Forbes Av.] - Forbes Av. - Wilkinsburg (Jane St.) [short turn of 64]
67	Swissvale-Rankin-Braddock	Stanwix St. - 4th Av. [back: Forbes Av.] - Forbes Av. - Wilkinsburg - Rankin - Braddock
71	Negley-Highland Park	Liberty Av. - 6th Av. [back: 5th Av.] - 5th Av. - Craig St. - Centre Av. - Negley Av. - Highland Park
73	Highland	Liberty Av. - 6th Av. [back: 5th Av.] - 5th Av. - Highland Av. - Highland Park
75	East Liberty-Wilkinsburg	Liberty Av. - 6th Av. [back: 5th Av.] - 5th Av. - Ellsworth Av. - Penn Av. - Wilkinsburg (Kelly Av.)
76	Hamilton-Jane St.	Liberty Av. - 6th Av. [back: 5th Av.] - 5th Av. - Hamilton Av. - Tioga St. - Wilkinsburg (Jane St.)
77/54	North Side-Carrick via Bloomfield	Robinson St. (Loop) - Sandusky St. - E. Ohio St. - 16th St. Bridge - 16th St. - [Liberty Av. - 32nd St.] [back: Penn Av.] - Penn Av. - Liberty Av. - Millvale Av. - Centre Av. - Craig St. - Forbes Av. - Brady St. Bridge - E. Carson St. - S 18th St. - Brownsville Rd. - Carrick - Brentwood
82	Lincoln	Liberty Av. - 6th Av. [back: 5th Av.] - Centre Av. - Negley Av. - Penn Av. - Broad St. - Lincoln Av. - City Line
85	Bedford	Liberty Av. - 6th Av. [back: 5th Av.] - Centre Av. - [Crawford St. - Bedford Av.] [back: Wylie Av. - Centre Av.] - Herron Av.
87	Ardmore	6th St. - Liberty Av. [back: Penn Av.] - Liberty Av. - Centre Av. - Broad St. - Frankstown Av. - Wilkinsburg - Ardmore Blvd. - East Pittsburgh - Turtle Creek - Wilmerding Stn.
88	Frankstown	6th St. - Liberty Av. [back: Penn Av.] - Penn Av. - Broad St. - Frankstown Av. - Tioga St.
98	Glassport-Pirl St.	McKeesport (Pirl St. Loop) - Glassport

INCLINES (FUNICULARS)

Operator: By private non-profit organization (Duquesne Incline) and by the Port Authority of Allegheny County (Monongahela Incline)

	Duquesne Incline	W Carson St. - Grandview Av. (and Oneida St.)
	Monongahela Incline	W Carson St. - Grandview Av. (and Wyoming St.)

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SYSTEM

NETWORK LENGTH

Streetcar network: ? km.
Duquesne Incline: 244 m.
Monongahela Incline: 194 m.

HISTORY

Streetcars: (horse-powered) 6 Aug. 1859 - 27 Aug. 1923; (electric) 21 Feb. 1888 - today.
Passenger incline: 28 May 1870 - 21 Nov. 1962 (reopened as a tourist attraction: 1 July 1963 - today).
Cable cars: 9 Oct. 1888 - 14 June 1897.
Interurbans: 1891 - 29 Aug. 1953
Light rail (integrated with the streetcar lines): 15 Apr. 1984 - today.
Funiculars (Inclines): 28 May 1870 - today.

GAUGE

Streetcars & Light rail: 1588 mm.
Funiculars (Inclines): 1524 mm. (Knoxville Incline: 2743 mm.)

SOURCES

PRINT

Berman, J. Pittsburgh Railways - Trolley service updated for 1954. Map, June 2019.
DuPuis, R. "Farewell to the Pittsburgh PCCs - Part 2" Tramways & Urban Transit, Feb. 2000 (63: 746), p.49-51.
Lyon, M.A. "Pittsburgh trams today: Phoenix or swan song?" Modern Tramway & Rapid Transit Review, Nov. 1974 (37: 443), p.366-373.
Miller, O.W. History of Pittsburgh area transit since 1840 and PATRansit 1964-1974: Historical data (Draft). Pittsburgh: Port Authority of Allegheny County, 1974.
Sellin, M.V. & Morgan, S.J. "Pittsburgh light rail progress" Modern Tramway & Light Rail Transit, May 1986 (49: 581), p.155-165.
Simons, V. "Systems Factfile No.57: Pittsburgh, USA" Tramways & Urban Transit, June 2012 (75: 894), p.223-226.
Simons, V. "Systems Factfile No.184: Pittsburgh, USA" Tramways & Urban Transit, Feb.2023 (86: 1022), p.63-67.
Taplin, M.R. Tramways of North America, including rapid transit [Tramway Handbooks No.4] Hassocks (West Sussex, England): Light Rail Transit Association, 1981.

WIKIS

WEB SITES

Special thanks to Russell Powers from Denver CO for information on the history of the Pittsburgh system.

Disclaimer: Everything on this site was written and/or prepared at the author's discretion. The author has tried to be accurate where facts are presented, but this does not mean that these facts are necessarily accurate. People needing more reliable information should refer to appropriate sources presented, on the Internet or elsewhere, by authoritative professional or academic bodies.

To get in touch with the webmaster, send an e-mail to g_sandi at hotmail.com.

Flags on this site are from the FOTW Flags Of The World website.

PITTSBURGH

PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES

1 Jan. 1961