Hidden Gems - Cleveland Line PRR ABS Signals

The whirlwind of PTC motivated re-signaling has wiped out vintage ABS and CTC systems all across the country including most of the main line PRR position lights. However in one tiny corner of Pennsylvania not only exists a remnant population of PRR position lights, but position lights in a single direction ABS configuration. The Cleveland Line between CP-ROCHESTER (Conway Yard) and Alliance, Ohio serves as a backup route for the far more popular Fort Wayne Line. Due to the low traffic volumes is it PTC exempt, which explains how the PRR era signals have hung on. All together there are 6 PL signal locations on the dual track ABS segment between Rochester, PA and Yellow Creek, OH and today I will cover them all in an eastbound direction using photos that were taken over three trips in 2021, 2022 and 2023. 

The first location is at milepost 22 at the east end of Wellsville, OH. It consists of one eastbound PL mast and a new westbound Darth Vader mast that was installed in the late 2010s when CP-YELLOW CREEK was re-signaled. It is located just outside the flood wall and is lit full time with PL signal 221 displaying clear by default and signal 222 Approach.

The next location is at milepost 19 right behind the football stadium of Westgate Middle School in the town of East Liverpool, OH. It consists of two single head PL masts, both continuously lit with a Clear signal indication.

The location is also notable for the presence of 1940's vintage Carnegie steel rail and a somewhat ad hoc run of signal wire between the cabinet and rails.

In the East End section of East Liverpool at the site of the closed Virginia Ave railroad crossing we find the milepost 16 location with another pair of PL masts. This time signal 164 displays Approach by default due to a pair of interlockings, VEZ and MIDLAND, at either end of a single track section a few miles to the east to the east. Because the track #1 does not encounter a diverging route at VEZ interlocking the corresponding PL mast needed no modification and was therefore not replaced. The short single track section seems to have been installed due to the risk of RoW erosion by the Ohio River, but also acts as a "Conrail Crossover". The eastbound 164 signal is also significantly taller than the opposite 165 mast.

The relay cabinets associated with the signals display both US&S and Wabco logos.

Seeing as VEZ and MIDLAND took out the following two ABS locations, the next automatic signal location is across the PA border, just east of te town of Midland and directly adjacent to state route 68 at milepost 8.6. It consists of an eastbound position light and westbound Darth Vader which are lit full time with Clear the default indication eastbound and Approach the default westbound. They are co-located with the Midland hotbox, dragging equipment and high car detector.

The next set of ABS PL signals are located just shy of the PA Route 68 overpass at milepost 5.4 with the two masts slightly offset from one another. This is the only approach lit signal location with the signals normally dark. It is also the hardest location to reach with the only access being an overgrown MoW access road from PA 68 followed by a quarter mile walk.

The easternmost and final PL signal location is located at milepost 2.6, just east of the interstate 376 bridge at the far western end of Ohio Ave in the town of Beaver, PA. These signals are once again powered full time with the eastbound #1 track signal serving as a distant to CP-ROCHESTER with the ability to display Approach Slow. The westbound signal defaults to Clear. These signals appear to be recently painted and the lower head of the eastbound mast is of Safetrain manufacture.

In the Conrail era the next signal would be for CP-ROCHESTER on the west end of the Beaver River truss bridge. However in an effort to reduce the length of the interlocking, NS split off the Cleveland Line portion of CP-ROCHESTER as CP-BRIDGEWATER.

That brings me to the end of my little tour. If you happen to be in the area I highly recommend checking these survivors out before they succumb to history.