The Official Publication of the Montour Trail Council MONTOUR TRAIL-LETTER Celebrating 32 Years
Volume 32 Issue 4 July-August 2021
Always B Smiling (copied from their web page)
Loving came naturally to “B” and he learned from the very best. Kristin Heine Huibregtse and Dean Huibregtse are the epitome of loving parents and they made sure that Bennett’s life was lived joyfully and to the fullest every day. Just 18, Bennett loved being at the front of his Duet Bike with mom or dad at the helm, and we are thrilled to share this simple joy with other families.
Always B Smiling has teamed up with the Tandem Connection on the Montour Trail in Canonsburg, PA to offer FREE adaptive bike rides for children and young adults with disabilities and their families. It’s a great way for people with disabilities that include limited mobility to enjoy recreation and fun outdoors!
When: Saturday Afternoons May 15 thru October 30 - 2pm-4pm or 4pm-6pm Where: Tandem Connection -Hendersonville, PA Riders heading out on their inaugural ride. Photo courtesy of Harry Funk O-R. Powered by trained volunteers, the Duet Bike provides a comfortable wheelchair seat at the front of the electronic-assisted bicycle. This provides riders the pleasure of riding a bike with the breeze in your hair and the sun on your face. On every outing, there will be two trained volunteers joining you and your family and friends on your outing – one to power the bike and the other to ride along as a backup. * Note that at least one parent or adult must be present with the rider. Rides will be no more than 10 miles round-trip, but length can be decided on the day of. At the end of the ride, all participants will be treated to an ice cream on the patio of the Tandem Connection. Their web page is https:// Inside this issue: alwaysbsmiling.org/ Always B Smiling 1 Tour the Montour
The Prez Sez 2 The Tour the Montour is Back!!! We are so pleased to announce that after last year’s virtual ride , the Tour will be an actual ride this Friends Groups 3 year. Register on line at https://www.bikereg.com/tour-the-montour-trail-ride2021. Brochures have been Remember When mailed to previous Tour cyclists. The brochures are also available at your local bike shop. You can ride 6, 12, 24, RMU Rowers Treasurer Search 4 44 or 62 miles. It is non-competitive so ride the distance you prefer. There will be the great rest stops and, of course, the epic lunch at Forest Grove Sportsmen’s Club. Pre-registration packet pick-up is at TREK in Robinson Twp. (please make note of this as the site has changed from previous years) as well as at the Tour. The Raffles Resurfacing 101 5 McDonald Kiosk are back as well! Non-cyclists will be interested in the Raffles as well. Pro Bike & Run has donated a $500.00 Butterflies and Girl gift card to be used in its stores. Seven Springs has donated a 2-nite stay for 2 people with breakfast included Scouts (blackout dates include Christmas week, MLK weekend and President’s Day weekend) and is good through Oct. Montour Railroad: 6 31, 2022. Aerotech Designs has donated a Cycling Kit which includes a cycling jersey, cycling shorts, cycling Chartiers Bridge socks, cycling gloves and cap. U-Haul has donated an INNO INH 120 hitch mount bike tray rack with locks and New Members 7 keys. This can hold up to 60lb per bike and fits many E-Bikes. Raffle tickets are available at pre-registration and at lunch at the Tour as well as from members of the Tour the Montour Planning Committee. There will be great
baskets as well. Trail Map 8 Same day registration or packet pick-up starts at 7:15 a.m. The 62-mile cyclists leave at 8:15 a.m., the 44-mile cyclists leave at 8:30 a.m., the 12 and 24 –mile cyclists leave at 8:45 a.m. All other short ride cyclists leave at 9 a.m. Please note there is no parking at Forest Grove. So stop on your way back to your vehicles for lunch. Parking is anticipated to be at Mile 0 again this year.
Visit the Montour Trail Web Site at: The Tour the Montour Planning Committee and the Montour Trail Council thank those that participated www.montourtrail.org in the Virtual Tour last year. Your support was and is greatly appreciated. To converse go to: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/43518292159 The Annual Report will not be availabe for this issue. Look for it in the next issue PAGE 2 July-August 2021 MONTOUR TRAIL-LETTER Volume 32 Issue 4
The Prez Sez: Beyond Here, There Be Clairton
Say you get onto the Montour Trail at Mile 0, or even Mile 20 or 30, intent on a riding the whole main line of Montour Trail. You glide through Imperial, chug over the hill to McDonald, take in the countryside through Cecil, stop for an ice cream in Hendersonville, coast over the Library Viaduct, and skirt along Peters Creek Road. Then, just past the 44-mile mark, you find yourself staring across the abyss, like a Viking seafarer heading out to the open MONTOUR TRAIL COUNCIL ocean. Route 51. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Yes, you can get past there to continue on to the final trailhead in Clairton. Signs Deb Thompson President mark the way. But, after 32 years of trail building, the Route 51 crossing remains our only Phillip Torrez Vice-President substantial gap. We are embarking on a plan to, literally, bridge the gap, but it will take Vacant Treasurer multiple phases and several years to get there. Fran Hensler Secretary
Fran Hensler 2021-2023 The first step will be a stopgap measure to make things easier while the final fix is Dave Jackel 2021-2023 put in place. A sidewalk will be installed between the stoplight and the Park and Ride lot, Mark Modispacher 2021-2023 eliminating the need to bike on the highway. We hope to have this installation completed David Oyler 2021-2023 within a year or so, and it will be a big improvement over current conditions. Tom Prezel 2021-2023 Julian Wolfe 2021-2023 However, the real, long-term fix will be a dedicated trail bridge crossing over the Jen Mosesso 2020-2022 Jim Richter 2020-2022 highway. This is not a simple endeavor. The interstate highway passing overhead, Peters Dave Tetrick 2020-2022 Creek crossing through the planned area, and a healthy commercial community all complicate Don Thobaben 2020-2022 the design process. Though plans are far from final, the current concept is that the creek will Deb Thompson 2020-2022 need to be crossed twice, requiring two more bridges. And the whole design needs to avoid Patricia Friedsam 2019-2021 impairing the creek’s ability to carry floodwaters. Applying permits and gaining access rights Mark Imgrund 2019-2021 Dennis Pfeiffer 2019-2021 will also be part of the effort. Phillip Torrez 2019-2021 In conjunction with all of that, as a non-profit, the Montour Trail Council also needs THE MONTOUR TRAIL-LETTER to secure funding. We anticipate that this project will cost $5 million or more, so we will need Is published every other month January to put substantial efforts into securing multiple sources of funding. through December. All Trail-Letter correspondence should be This whole process will likely take some years – which is why we’re starting now. addressed to: Most of the early progress will be invisible outside of the team working on preparations, but [email protected] know that work is being done. As a user, the most important thing you can do now is let your legislators know that you want them to support transportation infrastructure and bikeways. All other business related trail Follow the Montour Trail-Letter for updates on this project. And keep your membership correspondence should be addressed: current – membership counts help use in fundraising. [email protected] - Deb Thompson Other Trail Contact information: https://montourtrail.org/contact-us/ Tentative Schedule of Trail Events
We are going digital, if paper correspondence JR Taylor Run is postponed until next year. Due to potential attendance conflicts with is necessary: the Joey Fabus Superhero Run Over DIPG 5K Race & 1-Mile Walk in Bethel Park the fol- lowing day, we are not running the JR Taylor 5K on September 11 as planned. The race MONTOUR TRAIL COUNCIL will return to its normal first Saturday in June 4, 2022. Those who have signed up will Suite #3 2nd Floor receive refunds, and we apologize for any inconvenience. 304 Hickman Street Bridgeville, PA 15017 Great News! At this time the Tour the Montour is back on the schedule as an actual PHONE NUMBER 412-257-3011 event. The date for the 19th Annual Tour the Montour is September 25, 2021. Please “Save the Date “! And watch for our great raffles.
NEWSLETTER EDITORIAL TEAM Sunday, November 7: Annual meeting. Dennis Sims, managing editor Mark Imgrund Dennis Pfeiffer
The Montour Trail Council is an all-volunteer organization founded in 1989 to convert the abandoned Montour Railroad right of way and the abandoned Peters Creek Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad into a 55 mile recreational trail for non-motorized activity regardless of physical ability or financial wherewithal. Volume 32 Issue 4 MONTOUR TRAIL-LETTER July-August 2021 PAGE 3 Friends’ Meetings and Work Parties MTC Board Meeting: Center and varying locations during warmer weather at Every third Monday of the month - 6:00 p.m. at 304 Hickman 7:00 p.m. Work and cleanup parties on the first Friday St., Suite 3, Bridgeville, PA. Turn right off of the Bridgeville and third Saturday of every month at 8:30 a.m. For more exit of I-79. Turn left at the next light, go straight at next light information, please call Jim Robbins at 724-941-6132 For and make left turn onto Hickman St. just after the Post Office. monthly meetings contact Wayne Pfrimmer at 724-747- Call the Montour Trail Office for more information or to get on 9766 or by email at [email protected] the agenda. Bethel Park Friends: (The 2.75 mile Bethel Branch and a short Airport Area Friends: (MP 0 to MP 12.6 and the 6.3 mile piece of main line trail around MP 35). Friends of the Trail Airport Connector) The Airport Area Friends of the Trail meeting, every first Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. in meet every second Wednesday of the month at 7:00 the Bethel Park Municipal Building Caucus Room behind p.m. at the Forest Grove Fire Hall, 2044 Ewings Mill the Council Chambers. Anyone interested in the Bethel Park Road, Robinson Township, PA 15108. New volunteers Trail segment is encouraged to come. Work and cleanup are always welcomed. Contact Mark Modispacher at party, every second and fourth Saturday of the month - 412 266-1544 for more information. Numerous “work 8:30 a.m. Call Bill Capp at 412-833-5928 for location and parties” are held during the season. Please call 412-262- information. 3748 to lend a hand at the work parties. South Hills Friends: (MP 35.4 to 46.6) Fort Cherry Friends: (MP 12.6 to MP 20.7) Meeting second Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at South Friends of the Trail meeting: Second Wednesday of the Park Township Community Room or the Township Library month at 6:30 p.m. at the McDonald Trail Station, 160 located at the Township Building at 2675 Brownsville S. McDonald Street, McDonald, PA 15057 (adjacent to Road, South Park, 15129. Work and cleanup parties on the Panhandle Trail). Work and cleanup parties will be the second Saturday of the month. For more information, scheduled as needed. For more information contact Tim contact David Oyler at 412-831-9288, davidoyler1950@ Thomassy, 724-926-4617 or Chuck Hughey, 724-926-9436. gmail.com, or Paul McKeown at 412-835-6692, Cecil Friends: (MP 22.0 to MP 28.5) [email protected] Friends of the Trail meeting, every fourth Wednesday of the The Montour Railroad Historical Society: month at 7:00 p.m. From May-August, meetings are held at For more information send email to [email protected]. the Kurnick Access area along the trail off Cecil Henderson Road; other months (with the exception of November and The Westland Friends: (MP 21.0 to 21.9, and Westland December) meet at the MTC Offices. Work and cleanup Branch) Standard meeting schedule is third Thursday of parties are scheduled as needed. Call 412-496-4308 for more the month at 1:30 PM at MTC Office in Bridgeville. During information, or email [email protected] Pandemic, meetings have been moved outside to Galatit Peters Township Friends: (MP 28.5 to 30.4, Library Jct to near trailhead pavilion. For more information contact MP 35 and part of the Bethel Branch) Dave Hajnik at 412-498-3854 (text enabled) or Friends of the Trail Meeting, first non-holiday Monday of [email protected] the month at Peters Township Community Recreation Note: Some of these meetings are still being held virtually these days due to the pandemic. Please contact the appropriate individual to verify physical or on-line meeting specifics!
Remember When
30 years ago, 1991: The first-ever rails to trail on rails event anywhere. MTC membership meeting conducted in a trolley at the Arden Trolley Museum on July 29. The trolley was operated by MTC Engineer Dave Wright.
25 years ago, 1996: The first MTC internet site established via a link from a University of Pittsburgh home page
20 years ago, 2001: Cecil Friends cut the ribbon for 0.6 miles of trail between Cecil Park and PA 980.
15 years ago, 2006: Montour Trail Council honors Dick Quasey with a memorial plaque between MP 2 and 3 and just west of the McDonald Viaduct.
10 years ago, 2011: Cliff Mine Trailhead is completed.
5 years ago, 2016: Gates moved from the trail to the side to give trail users unobstructed passage in the Airport area. PAGE 4 July-August 2021 MONTOUR TRAIL-LETTER Volume 32 Issue 4 Robert Morris Rowing Team Volunteers by Emily Kelly
The Robert Morris Women’s Rowing Team had the opportunity to help out their local Montour Trail group April 17, 2021. Normally, the rowing team does at least one volunteer project during each of its seasons but, due to COVID-19 those opportunities were not as viable. Knowing that the rowing team would love to volunteer their time, even during a pandemic, Assistant Coach Garver reached out to Lead Volunteer Coordinator Patricia Friedsam.
As they planned the volunteering project, they had to take into consideration all COVID-19 guidelines. In order to follow these guidelines, the project would preferably need to be outside and allow for 6 feet of social distancing. The Montour Trail checked all of the boxes and allowed everyone to have a great time throughout the whole process. The volunteer project started at 9:00 a.m. and ended at 12:30 p.m. Members of the Robert Morris Rowing Team During this time the rowing team was split into three different groups. The first group walked roughly 2-3 miles of the trail and removed any trash or large sticks that were on the path. This group got trash bags and cutting tools to use in order to remove any trash or Butterflies, Bees and large branches that were down on the trail. The second group got put Hummingbirds at Cliff Mine Trail in charge of scraping old paint off of the benches in order to re-stain them. While it was too cold and wet to re-stain the benches, the group Head - Mile 5.9 by Maryann Hoffman got further broken down so that there were 2 girls at each bench. The final group was in charge of scraping the shelter located on the trail. At Cliff Mine, near the existing flower box with the During this time all three groups were given snacks and water and took Montour Trail of the Year sign, an Airport Friends volunteer made pictures during the project. The picture above right, from left to right, two flower beds using 8’ landscape timbers capped with 2”x6” Christina Brunette (Sophomore), Jayme Sanner (Junior), Abby Zeisloft treated wood. In June, the West Allegheny Girl Scouts Brownie (Junior), Marissa Beck (Junior, 2nd Row), and Nicole Kristof (Senior). Troop #36617 and Daisy Troop #60175 along with their leaders This group also included Alana Eckles (Junior), Mady Orlando (Junior), Heather Soose, Abby Swain, Jaime Holmes and some parents met at Payton Janovich (Sophomore), Sydney Eaton (Sophomore), Hannah Cliff Mine. Wandoff (Sophomore), and Katie Gronek (Sophomore). While the parents placed the three yards of topsoil mix, All of these rowers were put in charge of helping to clean the donated by Park West Supply company, into the new boxes the trail and making sure that it was able to be used by anyone that wanted girls planted some pink climbing petunias among the mums in to enjoy the great scenic view the Montour Trail could offer. The rowing the existing box. Then, thanks to Dave Wright’s generosity, they team was honored to have the opportunity so it could to help keep planted wildflower seeds designed to attract butterflies, bees their local Montour Trail clean and usable. and hummingbirds in the new boxes. As the butterflies, bees and hummingbirds pollinate the flowers, the Girl Scouts and other trail users will have the opportunity to see these amazing creatures at Treasurer Needed work, the beautiful result, and the metamorphism of caterpillars.
The Montour Trail Council is seeking a new Treasurer. This volunteer position would involve managing the trail’s finances, preparing monthly budget reports, responding to the annual audit, serving on the finance and executive committees, attending monthly board meetings, and other financial oversight and reporting. The position normally requires 10 to 15 hours monthly, though additional effort is normally required during the audit, which begins in May. A background in accounting is essential, though a CPA is not. This is a great opportunity to become an integral part of the Montour Trail.
If interested, please send qualifications and contact information to [email protected]. Volume 32 Issue 3 MONTOUR TRAIL-LETTER July-August 2021 PAGE 5 McDonald Kiosk
The Montour Railroad Historical Society – with help from the Ft. Cherry Friends of the Montour Trail – has installed new interpretive signs on the kiosk at the Montour-Panhandle Connector under the McDonald Viaduct. The two signs document the McDonald Mine, McDonald Viaduct, McDonald Transfer Track and the Montour-Panhandle Connector, all of which were located near the kiosk site.
The Ft. Cherry Friends moved the kiosk from its location near the Robinson Run Bridge during construction of the Southern Beltway across the valley. Its reinstallation near the viaduct bridge, staining and donation of materials by the Ft. Cherry Friends helped prepare and move the MRHS project toward its conclusion.
The MRHS continues to install interpretive signs along the Montour Trail at select locations. There are currently over 30 signs spread along 40-plus miles of the trail.
Resurfacing 101 by Bill Capp
Most of the Montour Trail was not finished until it was topped with #10 limestone that was trucked to the site from Connellsville. The most important feature of this limestone is that it compacts and provide a relatively firm surface for trail users. Unfortunately, after years of weather exposure and use, it can either wash off to the sides or pack down into the trail base permitting stones to work their way to the surface. Moreover, in time, the trail surface may appear to shrink as vegetation at the sides and sometimes in the middle begins to take over.
It is then that the Trail’s Volunteer Construction Crew attacks the various problems. They spend weeks cutting brush, restoring ditches, then scraping, rolling, filling in, and compacting the old surface. Then, and only then, does resurfacing commence. “Resurfacing” refers to the process of putting down a new coating (10 feet wide and 2-3” thick) of that same special limestone that is brought to us from the quarry in Connellsville. Once it is rolled, we have a “like new” surface.
The cost to resurface is far less than it would be to repair cracked or crumbled asphalt, but it is not cheap. Aside from the hundreds of man hours, and in addition to the cost of maintenance and fuel for the trail’s equipment (a scraper, a spreader box, the roller, 2 tractors and 3 trucks), there is the cost of the limestone. 989 tons were used just on two miles of trail in Cecil earlier this year. So, when you encounter equipment on the trail, slow down, pass carefully, and realize that you are seeing your trail donation at work!
Cecil Area Improvements
John Wright, Bob Mihalco, and Chuck Wolf have been using their carpentry skills to recondition the benches that have been in place nearly 30 years. Milepost 27 was moved from the brush closer to the trail and Milepost 24.5 was replanted. Eagle Scout can- didate Rithvik Raja of Troop 2 in Bridgeville created rustic signs at bridge and road crossings. Fellow troop member Varun Sundaram painted the gates and planted mileage signs. Plans are being put in place for new fencing by Julian Wolfe. PAGE 6 July-August 2021 MONTOUR TRAIL-LETTER Volume 32 Issue 4 MonTOUR RAILROAD HISTORY The Bridge Over Chartiers Creek By Bryan Seip - Montour Railroad Historical Society, Tim Sposato photos.
The third longest bridge on the Montour Trail crosses over Chartiers Creek at the border of Peters and Cecil Townships. It is 270 feet long, consisting of 3 spans of 90 feet each, resting on concrete piers about 40 feet above the creek. It was built as part of the 1913 project extending the Montour Railroad from North Star, near Imperial, to a junction with the Pittsburgh & West Virginia Railroad at Salida in Bethel Park.
This type of bridge is known as a deck plate girder bridge and is a common type used on the Montour Railroad. Two large girders made of steel plates riveted together are the main supports. Cross beams and plates give the bridge stability. The girders are placed about the same distance apart as standard railroad tracks to put the weight of the load (trains) directly over the girders. Wooden bridge timbers, which look like oversized crossties, were laid across the top of the large steel girders, thus making up the bridge deck. The timbers were fastened directly to the steel girders and then rails were spiked to the deck beams. A safety walkway was added along one side.
Early in 1974, the wooden deck timbers were replaced with a completely new deck. The key piece of machinery used was the X1 crane. It travelled with a flat car loaded with pre-made panels of the bridge timbers. The accompanying picture shows the X1 at the far end of the bridge with the flat car behind it. The safety walkway on the left side of the bridge has been partially removed as the new timbers are set in place.
A cold wind was blowing up the creek valley that day and snow showers added to the track gang’s discomfort as they worked on the exposed bridge. Even the thought of overtime earned by working on a weekend did little to warm their attitude. As current trail patrons cross the bridge and travel through Greers Tunnel, you will often encounter a cold wind blowing through this area. Imagine working an entire shift out on the bridge.
The first picture (below, left) was taken from a rock outcropping above Greers Tunnel, near Hidden Valley Road. The second picture (below right) shows the work from track level, with laborers and supervisors braving the cold weather.
The project was completed as fast as the work could be done, so that the railroad would be shut down for as little time as possible. The mines were working and coal had to move. Trains loaded with coal from the mines headed west toward the Champion coal preparation plant near Imperial and processed loads travelled east toward shipment interchanges at Hills, Snowden and West Mifflin. It added up to a tremendous amount of tonnage crossing the bridge. More traffic of empty coal hoppers and other non-coal freight passed over the bridge as well, so the wooden deck took a beating.
As with normal ties on the grounded portions of the railroad, any bridge timbers developing problems like splitting or rotting could be individually replaced. In this case, the entire deck was replaced with new timbers.
The last train crossed the bridge in December, 1980, with this section of the railroad being officially abandoned in 1982. The main rails were pulled up and re-used on another railroad. Folks may remember rails remaining on the bridge, but these were guide rails, worn-out rails mounted inside the main rails, which acted as a safety bumper to keep any derailing cars from rolling off the side of the bridge.
After abandonment and sitting idle for 25 more years, the Montour Trail Council opened this area of the trail for use, eliminating a two- mile gap in the trail. In 2008, a new concrete deck was poured on the Chartiers bridge. Several other new bridges were built to open the trail from Chartiers Creek east to the Peters Township Sanitary plant along Valley Brook Road.
You can contact the Montour Railroad Historical Society through Facebook by searching for the Montour Railroad Historical Society. There are currently 425 members from across the country. There is a wealth of information about the Montour Rail- road at this location and you can pose questions of its membership, from whom you are sure to get an answer. There is also much information at http://www.montourrr.com Volume 32 Issue 4 MONTOUR TRAIL-LETTER July-August 2021 PAGE 7
Welcome New Members The Montour Trail Council welcomes these new members and thanks them for their support. We would also like to thank all our members who have recently renewed their membership and to remind all that a grow- ing membership is one of the criteria foundations look for when we apply for grants. Not all new members have been entered as of print deadline and will be listed in the next issue of the newsletter.
New Members Gregory Adams Amanda McQuillan Philip Ahwesh David Mikula Rebecca Baker Robert Miller J. Roger Beidler David Moore Lisa Berry Josh Murphy Doug & Lil ` Bricker Anthony Mussman Regina Brinza Chris Poliziani Thomas V. Burke Richard Ralston Geoffrey Carmen Anthony Robinson Ed & Sandy Cleary Linda Schaffer John Crowe Dann Scheiferstein Maria DiOrio Ron Stout Michele Eichler John & Tamara Suwak Yong Fan Melissa Wilson Katherine Fassinger Jason Winschel Michael Feden Karen Woodgate Matthew Flanagan Rodney Gallie Benefactors John and Annie MacKenzie stop at Hendersonville Trail- Goeff Gibson Doug & Lil Bricker head on a bicycle trip from Delaware to Oregon during the Richard Grimes Ed & Sandy Cleary month of May. Photo courtesy of Pat Friedsam. Jordan Hinds John Crowe Peter Huston John & Kathy Drescher Barbara Karp Sara & Robert Englesberg Paul Lebanik Francis Feld Gordon Loesch Jesse Forquer Rob Mason Linda Lawler Pete Mastro Laura Wilson Joseph McLaughlin MONTOUR TRAIL COUNCIL Suite #3 2nd Floor NON-PROFIT ORG 304 Hickman Street US POSTAGE Bridgeville, PA 15017 PAID PITTSBURGH, PA Address Service Requested PERMIT NO. 2524