NS/Pennsy Line South of Alliance?

       
       


Why would you assume it should be abandoned?

It is the Bayard Branch / Cleveland Line which runs from Alliance to Rochester, Pa via Minerva and E. Liverpool, Oh.  The River Line also branches off at Yellow Creek providing access to Mingo Jct., Wierton, and Powhatan.

And as to what trains operate this way....freight trains.  Not sure what kind of question you are trying to ask.

I guess when I see a branch line I wonder what business still existed on it to keep it active.  Clearly its not maintained to the same level as the line is North of Alliance...but big traffic uses that portion.

 

 

As in what type of traffic: Volume, type (intermodal, manifest...or is it there just to get coal trains to somewhere)

Anything too heavy for Highland Hill or not equipped with cab signals has to run this way to reach Conway.  The line is not cleared for high cars (autoracks or double stacks) so that traffic must run via the Fort Wayne Line (primary route from Alliance to Conway via Salem, East Palistine, Beaver Falls).  With the surge of traffic in the past year or so this line has seen traffic levels increase 3 or 4 times over.  Almost all traffic runs eastbound, but the occasional westbound out of Mingo does make an appearance.

Any idea about how many trains a day?

I was taking picture at Rochester yesterday  and a long oil train came up the Ohio River line, the first one I have seen do this.

 

Jim,

 

I don't really know a number, can just say that some days several trains use the Bayard branch and on other days have not seen any trains use the line.

 

I like this location on the line for taking pictures of Eastbound trains with the interesting background and the old rusted bridge.

 

 

 

 

Here is a Westbound coming off the branch about to cross the Fort Wayne line and continue on toward Cleveland.