The Town of Erie’s mining history has been extensively documented. However, mined coal could not have been transported nationwide without the railroad. Although some rail history exists, there has not been a focused effort to formally document the history of railroads in Erie; or how the railroad affected the transportation of coal, farm produce and area residents. The purpose of this Planning Grant is to research, identify, and document rail service in Erie. The scope of work is as follows:
Many tracks and rail crossings exist in the Town of Erie, but most of them are not currently used. Urban development has caused the vast majority of Erie’s rails to be terminated at street crossing or neighborhoods. Rail service in Erie no longer exists and has become an after-thought. However, the railroads made Erie one of the largest producers and distributors of coal in the nation. The goal of this project is to finally devote resources to define who, what, when, where, and why to Erie’s railroads.
Statewide