LAST UPDATED
* August 24, 1993, by Derrick Brashear (shadow@andrew.cmu.edu)
CHANGES
* Noted progress in rebuilding Mount Washington Transit Tunnel. Noted
problems Port Authority is having keeping the Siemens-Duewag LRVs
running. Noted changes in schedules which happened August 22. Noted
construction service changes.
CITY AND CARRIER/DIVISION
* Metropolitan Pittsburgh/Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA : PATransit
(Port Authority Transit, Port Authority of Allegheny County).
PASSENGER INFO
* Phone
412-442-2000, 9am to 5pm Eastern (local) Time
TTY 412-231-7007
* Mailing address
Port Authority Transit, 2235 Beaver Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15233
* Walk-in address
Downtown Service Center, 534 Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh, under Mellon Squ
are Park. Open 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday.
* Map
The system map is available at the walk in center at the service windows or
by sending SSAE to System map at the mailing address above.
* Timetables
Pocket timetables are available for all routes, and are updated only as
service changes necessitate. These are available at the service center and
from the mailing address above with SSAE. Also, you may find timetables on
board your bus, but don't count on finding any. If you do find some, they may
not be for the route you are looking for. In addition, many merchants, malls,
and other public places have schedule racks. For example, there is a schedule
rack in our student union building here.
* Other printed information
Guides are published for the bus system, the light rail system, the inclines
and various other things, including senior citizen free-fares. Also a bi-
monthly mini-magazine called Rider's Digest is published. It contains puzzles
articles and other information about service and changes. Brouchures are
also available in German and Japanese.
* Names and address of transit advocacy groups
Allegheny County Transit Council
2235 Beaver Avenue
Pittsburgh PA 15233
ROUTE STRUCTURE
* What modes operated
Bus (both conventional diesel buses and natural gas powered buses)
Light rail
Incline (known as funiculars in other parts of the world, basically 2 small
cars running up and down a hill on a set of steep rails, pulled by a cable)
Paratransit (under contract, operated by Diamond Cab)
* List of rail routes
Light rail routes, dubbed by the Port Authority as the 'T', are numbered in
with the bus system of the city, so the significance of the route numbers
in the overall scheme will be explained later.
The gauge is Pennsylvania Broad Gauge, 5 feet, 2 1/2 inches.
42 spine- Routes beginning with 42 run via Beechview and Mount Lebanon
47 spine- Routes beginning with 47 run via Overbrook and the Saw Mill Run
valley.
22.5 miles of track
served by ~16 rebuilt 1949 St. Louis Car Company PCC streetcars running on 2
routes (47D Drake and 47S South Hills Village, plus 47 Shannon short turn
trips) and 55 Duwag-Siemens U-3 LRVs running on 2 lines (42S South Hills
Village and 42L Library, plus 42 Mount Lebanon short turn trips). One line,
52 Allentown, is scheduled to go back into revenue service this month.
The line is now open, and testing, training and evaluation have been going
on. Revenue service should begin in mid-May. Shuttle service between Steel
Plaza Subway Station and Penn Park Station, adjacent to Amtrak's
Pittsburgh Station and the Pennsylvanian, (ex-Pennsylvania Station), was
discontinued as of February 28, 1993.
Disruptions in service continue as the Mount Washington Transit Tunnel
reconstruction goes on. Construction is moving along on schedule;
the tunnel should be reopening on or before the scheduled date of
November 1. All 42 series routes are currently detoured via the
now-reopened 52 Allentown line. Most Allentown service is suspended,
instead replaced by the frequent 42 series service on the line. The
47D Drake is operating as a shuttle on the outer portion of the line,
from Drake to Castle Shannon, where one may transfer to a 42 series
LRV, or take the 49 Castle Shannon shuttle bus. There is no service
on the Overbrook portion of the 47 rail routes. Tracks are being
relaid around the Castle Shannon Municipal Building, so there is
currently no track connection from the 42 lines and the rest of the
Overbrook line at the Castle Shannon end. An LRV continues in
shuttle service to Station Square, operating every 20 minutes on
weekdays, less frequently on weekends.
There is currently bus shuttle service from Station Square to the South
10th Street Bridge, due to the fact that there is now no bus service
through the transit tunnel.
Additionally, PAT is only able to operate 35 LRVs during peak periods,
instead of the 38 they'd like to be running, as 20 of the 55 LRVs are
out of service. PAT is having trouble getting replacement parts for the
one of a kind LRVs, built by Siemens-Duewag, a German consortium.
An ASCII map of the 'T' light rail system is available from me,
shadow@andrew.cmu.edu or shadow at andrew on request.
* Bus service: Comprehensive countywide bus service is provided by almost
900 buses, reaching all areas of the county over 230 routes. Nearly all bus
service runs from Downtown Pittsburgh, however there are now some smaller
local hubs for bus service, including Monroeville and McKeesport.
Additionally some areas have bus service to the Oakland cultural district
which runs direct rather than via Downtown. Flyer and Express service is
provided to most suburban areas during peak travel periods, making local
stops and then running express to Downtown. Some of the express bus service
is provided via the South Busway and the Martin Luther King, Jr. East
Busway. Each of these is a 2 lane exclusive bus highway, with the South
Busway sharing part of it's right of way with the 47, 47S and 47D light
rail lines via Overbrook, from Ansonia to the south of the South Busway,
at Glenbury Street. The East Busway runs along the Conrail (former
Pennsy/PC) mainline, from Wilkinsburg to the city, stopping at Homewood
Avenue, Penn Avenue in East Liberty, Negley Avenue, and Herron Hill.
Express service to the North Hills is provided via the High Occupany Vehicle
(HOV) lanes in the middle of I-279 and I-579, the East Street Valley and
Crosstown Expressways, respectively. The southern terminals of these lanes
are:
-adjacent the Civic Arena in the Hill District.
-near Three Rivers Stadium Parking on the lower North Side.
Northern terminals include:
-McKnight Road
-Perrysville Avenue
-a ramp back onto the expressway itself north of the interchange with
US 19, Perry Highway.
The HOV lanes are shared with any vehicles carrying 2 or more occupants,
in the peak direction of travel, except after 8pm and after major events,
when there are no restrictions on the number of occupants.
The South 10th Street Bridge is currently under construction. Some
bus routes are being detoured via the Liberty or Birmingham Bridges,
but I'm not sure of all of the details of this.
* Incline service: Representing a relatively rare form of transport, Port
Authority operates the Monongahela Incline, one of only 4 left in the
United States. Incidentallly, Port Authority also owns the Duquesne
Incline, but this is operated by a private group which leases from Port
Authority at $1 per year. The Monongahela Incline runs from Carson
Street, just west of the corner of Carson and Smithfield Streets, and
adjacent to the Station Square shopping development (ex-Pittsburgh and
Lake Erie Railroad station) up the side of Mount Washington to Grandview
Avenue. The Monongahela Incline will also be closing for repairs, in
January 1994 if I remember correctly.
* Operating Facilities: The Port Authority, in addition to the busways
and light rail system, have certain other fixed facilities around the
area. Included are:
-South Hills Village Light Rail Center, the operating and maintenance
home of the Light Rail Vehicles and the PCC streetcars.
-Harmarville Bus Garage, located along the Allegheny River on old PA 28,
Freeport Road, northeast of the city.
-Collier Bus Garage, located off PA 50, Washington Pike, just north of
Bridgeville, and southwest of the city.
-Ross Garage, located on Perry Highway, US 19, north of the city, near
the site of a former streetcar barn.
-West Mifflin Garage, located on PA 885, Mifflin Road, south of the
city, near the Century III Mall development.
-East Liberty Garage, located just off Penn Avenue, PA 380, and
Washington Boulevard, PA 8, in the eastern part of the city.
-Manchester Headquaters, Bus Shops, and Garage, located in the
Manchester section of the North Side, represents the administrative home
of the Port Authority, as well as the main bus shops.
-South Hills Junction complex, including a number of rail maintenance
operations buildings which were rebuilt from the former car barns
located at South Hills Junction. The old barns became disused when South
Hills Village Rail Center opened. Also at the Junction is Operations
Control Center, the central dispatching office for all of the light rail
system.
* History: The Port Authority of Allegheny County came into being in
1962. However, the Port Authority did not become a public transit
operator until 1964. In that year, they acquired the largest transit
operator in the county, the Pittsburgh Railways Company. In doing so,
Port Authority took only the buses, track, and streetcars which they
wanted, leaving Pittsburgh Railways with some odd stretches of track and
disused streetcars. Many of these could be found at various points
around the county for 5 to 10 years after the Pittsburgh Railways
Company was dissolved. Additionally, PAT (Port Authority Transit, the
public transit arm of Port Authority of Allegheny County) bought up a
number of smaller operators from around the area and combined all of
them into one large operation, the hub of which was the operations of
Pittsburgh Railways. Over the years, the number of streetcars and
streetcar lines was pared down, until all that was left was the South
Hills segment that is still running today. Between 1984 and 1987, the
street running Downtown was discontinued and replaced with a subway,
while the Beechview line was rebuilt and the South Hills Village branch
was added. Over the years, the bus fleet grew and was modernized, until
now, about half the fleet is represented in the form of Neoplan
Pennliners, purchased as part of a statewide bus pool in 1983 and 1984.
Also, a number of new buses were received in 1991, from the Orion Bus
Company. PAT runs a significant number of articulated buses on heavier
lines around the county. PAT is expected to order a number of new buses
this year if the funding goes through.
PAT used to also operate commuter rail service. Subsidized lines
ran to McKeesport and Beaver Falls. The Beaver Falls line was operated
by the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad, while the Baltimore and Ohio/
Chessie System / CSX ran the line to McKeesport. The Beaver Falls line,
which actually ended in the town of College, PA, ran up the Ohio and
Beaver River valleys to its destination, while the other line ran via
the Monongahela and Youghiogheny River valleys to Versailles, just
south of McKeesport. The line to Beaver Falls was discontinued in
1981, while the Mon Valley service, which became the PATrain, was
equipped with push-pull coaches and two rebuilt F-9's painted for the
service. The commuter coaches were former Chesapeake and Ohio commmuter
coaches, and two were rebuilt with control cabs for the push-pull
service. The F-9's were former Wellsville Addison and Galeton (PA)
engines, which were refurbished by General Electric's Erie locomotive
plant for PAT. The train was cut April 28, 1989. The cars and
locomotives were sold to the State of Connecticut, where they still
toil in daily service. The PATrain used to stop in Hazelwood, Braddock,
McKeesport, and Versailles, in addition to Downtown. The route ran to
Connellsville until 1965, and then was cut back by the B&O. In 1981,
the Hazelwood stop was cut, as was Saturday service on the line. The
Port Vue/Liberty stop was added at the same time. And sometime between
when the Baltimore and Ohio removed their tracks from the center of
McKeesport and the present, McKeesport's station first moved further
west, just off Lysle Boulevard to behind what's now an Eat -n- Park
restaurant, then back east to the McKeesport Transportation Center,
a local bus service hub and an Amtrak stop until 1991. Replacement
service is provided by three express bus routes, to McKeesport
Transportation Center, Port Vue Park and Ride lot, and Versailles
Park and Ride lot, by bus routes 58C, 58P and 58V, respectively.
* Fares: PAT uses a zone fare system. There are 5 zones. Zone one is
basically the city of Pittsburgh and most of the inner suburban
neighborhoods. Four additional zones are concentric to this one.
A one zone ride in any zone costs $1.25, with an additional zone
charge for each additional zone you ride in. A two zone ride is $1.60,
a three zone ride is $1.95, a four zone ride is $2.30, and a five zone
ride is $3.50. There's only one route I know of that goes 5 zones.
It's the HP Holiday Park flyer extended run to Apollo, which runs once
in each direction each day.
Transfers are available for $.25, giving the bearer three hours to use the
transfer for a one zone fare in any direction. It can be used for a return
fare.
Weekly permit cards, and monthly and annual passes are available, for
any number of zones. For peak hour, peak direction travel on the 'T'
light rail system, a surcharge applies to cash fares. One zone is $1.50,
two are $2.00. Fares are pay enter inbound, pay leave outbound, until
7pm, at which time all routes become pay enter. Other exceptions: routes
which do not go Downtown, like 54C and local service, are always pay
enter. The Downtown area is free until 7pm, except in the subway, when
it is always free. Also, it costs only $.75 instead of $1.25 to ride
the subway across the Monongahela River to Station Square, which is
actually in zone 1.
* Routes: All PAT services have a route designation. A letter
designation, such as 'G' Greensburg Pike, designates a flyer bus,
running express to and from the outlying area served by the route. All
other routes have a number, like 67F Trafford or 68F Trafford Express. The
number designates the spine or area the route serves, and the letter
denotes where it goes. No, I have no clue what the difference between a
flyer and an express is. For example, all 67 routes serve Oakland and the
Boulevard of the Allies, before parting and running to their respective
destinations. 68 routes run via the East Busway. In some cases, like 60
routes, the number denotes McKeesport area local service. 65 routes are East
Pittsburgh local service. Each number represents a certain area. Low
numbered routes begin on the northern side of the Allegheny Valley, and
get higher in a counterclockwise direction with Pittsburgh as the center
of the clock. So while the 1 and 3 series routes run along the north
side of the Allegheny Valley, the 91A bus runs up the other side of the
valley. In addition, 54C North Side/Oakland/South Side runs from the
northern part of the city to the southern part, not via Downtown.
All numbered routes which end with a U designate University service.
Most of the U-buses, as they are called, serve Oakland. Some, however,
serve Community College of Allegheny County campuses. U bus service
has been cut heavily effective February 28, 1993.
The best way to understand the numbering system is to get a free map
from the Port Authority, by writing to the mailing address or going
to the service center between 9 AM and 5 PM weekdays.
So a small map of the numbering looks like this:
\<-Ohio River/<-Allegheny River
\ /
21\18 1/94
\ /
\ /
\ /
\/
\
56\61
\__
\<-Monongahela River
* Times: Service operates from 5am to 1am on weekdays, with reduced
frequency on Saturdays, and significantly reduced service on Sundays and
major holidays. Major routes operate more frequently, with smaller routes
operating perhaps only in peak direction or at peak hours, or both.
* Changes: Last service changes to my knowledge were on August 22. These
were apparently only minor time adjustments.
* Other service providers in the area:
-Westmoreland County Transit Authority provides service from Pittsburgh to
Greensburg, as well as local service in Greensburg and other
Westmoreland County areas, and service from Greensburg to Johnstown.
Information: 1-800-221-9282
Mailing address: 101 N. Main Street, Lower Level
Greensburg PA 15601
-Beaver County Transit Authority provides service from Pittsburgh to
areas in Beaver County, as well as local service in Beaver County,
both via fixed route buses and "DART", a Demand and Response system
which you call to be picked up. No number or mailing address
available.
-Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority provides service from Pittsburgh to
Charleroi and between towns in that area of the Monongahela River
Valley. Service runs via routes 51 and 88 to Charleroi.
Information: 412-489-0880
Mailing Address: 401 Sixth Avenue
Charleroi PA 15022
Service provided under contract by 88 Transit Lines
Information: 412-461-5111
Mailing Address: Arentzen Boulevard
Charleroi PA 15022
-Butler Motor Coach provides service between Kittanning and Pittsburgh.
Information: 412-282-1000
Mailing Address: 210 S. Monroe Street
Butler PA 16001
-Lincoln Coach Lines provides service between Butler and Pittsburgh.
Don't get confused, they don't run on Lincoln Highway anymore.
Information: 412-271-9365
Mailing Address: 12681 Route 30
North Huntingdon PA 15642
-Grove City Bus Lines provides service between Pittsburgh and New Castle.
Information: 412-458-9240
Mailing Address: 229 Sandy Lake Road
Grove City PA 16217
-Lenzner Coach Lines provides service between Pittsburgh and Wexford/
Warrendale.
Information: 412-761-7000
Mailing Address: Mount Nebo Road
Sewickley PA 15143
* Additions and suggestions: If you have any, mail me!
I'm: shadow@andrew.cmu.edu on internet and shadow at andrew on bitnet.