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Pittsburg & Shawmut R.R.

THE SHAWMUT LINE

SITE UPDATED: 10/23/26

LATEST UPDATE PHOTOS BELOW:

We’ll add some feature update photos below, but special section pages with more details are accessed above.

If you’re looking for the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern go to: www.shawmutline.org – Note that the P&S and PS&N were related, thus the similar names. The PS&N began in the 1800’s running from Brockway, PA northward into NY, it’s nickname was SHAWMUT LINE. In the early 1900’s the PS&N began expanding southward from Brockway naming the new section Brookville & Mahoning. After a few years the PS&N renamed the new section as Pittsburg & Shawmut the intention was to access the Pittsburg area. At this time Pittsburgh, PA was spelled without an h as it is today. The PS&N had many financial problems and ended in 1947. Meanwhile, in 1916 the Pittsburg & Shawmut became an independent railroad. Interestingly, in the 1970’s the P&S began using the SHAWMUT LINE nickname, see below for more history.

Here’s some basic HIstory Of The P&S R.R. In the late part of the 1800’s several small western NY and PA railroads merged becoming the Pittsburg, Shawmut, and Northern Railroad which ran from Wayland, NY to Brockway, PA.  During the time the P.S.&N. began Pittsburgh, PA was spelled without the “h”, so both railroads used that spelling.
In 1917 the P&S was completed now running 88.1 miles from Brockway, PA to Freeport, PA.  Coal was always the main business of the P&S although it also ran passenger service until the 1930s, and other types of freight traveled over the line.  Although it struggled at first, the P&S did very well for the most.  Unfortunately, for all of its life the P.S.&N. had financial problems and was finally abandoned in 1947.  Be sure to see the P.S.&N. web site for more on that railroad.
Early in the 1900’s the P.S.&.N. started building a new railroad south from Brockway towards Freeport to access Pittsburg naming it the Brookville & Mahoning Railroad.  The first section of the B&M from Brookville to Brockway was completed in 1907.  In 1910 the name was changed to The Pittsburg & Shawmut Railroad.  Then in 1916 the P&S broke away from the P.S.&N. becoming an independent railroad.  It was often said the name change to P&S (from B&M) was due to confusion with Boston & Maine also having B&M letters.  However, some think it was also to make it look like it was the P.S.& N.
A visitor to the site asked what Shawmut meant.  The word Shawmut originates from the Boston, Maine area where not only was there a hill/mountain with that name, but a bank as well which also had some financial history with the P&S. Shawmut is also related to the Algonquian Indian’s word Mashaumowuk which as above refers to the Boston area.  There is also a Shawmut Dam on the Kennebec River.  There is also A large,  unrelated electrical manufacturing company named Shawmut. Other railroad related subjects include Shawmut, Montana on the Union Pacific R.R., and the tiny town of Shawmut near Brockway, PA on the original P.S.&.N.

Since P&S GP7 #10 has been scrapped here’s a nice shot of the 10 & 11 at “BV.”

Back in 1988 John Hartman caught this short local at Dellwood Jct. about a mile south of Brockway.

As the 1980s was fading so was coal traffic and the P&S ended up buying the Low Grade creating the Mountain Laurel RR. Six GP10 were purchased, three seen with two SW9’s at Sligo in this Gale Simpson 1991 photo.
Here’s the West Penn power plant’s switcher at Reesedale!
Two BPRR Switchers at Reesedale in early 2000’s.
P&S 104 4-4-2 at Kittanning in the passenger era!
P&S Caboose 167 in 1967 at Brookville.
Bob Schroyer sent us this nice look of the short hood of the 357 at Kittanning in June 1977, serious P&S fans know the 357 had to run long hood forward when leading or trailing due to lack of MU cables on the long hood’s end.
In 1987 P&S and Conrail meet at the Brookville Low Grade connection!
An interesting look at a cabppse rogjt at the end of the line at Dellwood Jct.
A passenger special at Brookville in June 1976 at “BV” from Mike Woodruff.
Five SW9’s on the Brookville Viaduct in 1987.
P&S 1775 & 1949 at Mosgrove in 1979 from Randy Kiser.
The 1949 and two other SW9’s at Driftwood from my collection, since I was born in 1949 P&S 1949 (former 237) is kind of personal to me.
A Red Bank RR at Lawsonham with P&S & MNL power.
P&S 1851 at Brookville in the nighttime.
Corrie recent sent several great photos including this of GP7 #10 at “BV.” He also reported former #10 which became MALX 1502 was vandalized and is using for parts so former P&S 10 is fading into history.
Five P&S SW9’s on the Brookville Viaduct in 1987 from David Baer.
Since we recently featured the coal loader at Dora, now lets look at the Ringgold loader from earlier years.
Since the P&S was a coal hauling line, let David Baer take you back to October 1995 where BVL1 was working the coal loader at Dora!!
John caught three P&S SW9’s at MP1 Lawsonham.