Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Waynesburg and Washington Railroad

Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Report, Volume 121

Waynesburg and Washington Railroad

Location and General Location of Property

The railroad of the Waynesburg and Washington Railroad Company, hereinafter called the carrier, is a single-track steam railroad located in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania. While this railroad is narrow gauge, short stretches of the main line and some of the yard tracks and sidings are equipped with third rail for standard-gauge equipment. The owned mileage extends in a southerly direction from Washington to Waynesburg, a distance of 28.189 miles. The carrier also owns and uses 0.184 mile of second main track and 5,172 miles of yard tracks and sidings. Its road thus embraces 33.545 miles of all tracks.

Economic Conditions Relating to Traffic

The principal products of the region are those of the farm and forest. There are several small coal mines on the railroad, the output of which is used locally; also a shovel factory, a tin-plate mill, an oil well, and a supply machine shop.

Physical Characteristics of Road

Grading. The grading is very light, averaging less than 9,300 cubic yards to the mile, and consisting principally of common excavation.

Bridges, trestles, and culverts. There are 1,714 feet of timber trestles.

Rails. The rail used is all re-lay and varies from 50 pounds to 85 pounds, the larger part being 50 pounds and 60 pounds.

Introductory

The carrier is a corporation of the State of Pennsylvania having its principal office at Pittsburgh, Pa. It is controlled by The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Company through ownership of a majority of its capital stock. On the other hand, the, records do not indicate that the carrier itself controls any other common-carrier corporation. The property of the carrier has been operated by its own organization during its entire life.

Corporate History

The carrier was incorporated under the general laws of Pennsylvania, approved April 4, 1868, and the several supplements thereto, especially the supplement approved March 18, 1875. Articles of association, dated May 15, 1875, were filed in the office of the secretary of state of Pennsylvania May 18, 1875, and letters patent were issued by the governor on the same date.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The property of the carrier was all acquired by construction. Work commenced in September, 1875, and the entire line was open for operation in November, 1877. There is a difference of 0.029 mile between the recorded miles, 28.16, and the mileage in the inventory as of date of valuation. In the construction of the road the work was done partly by contractors and partly by the forces of the carrier.

Leased Railway Property

The carrier uses on date of valuation facilities owned by other companies and other companies use facilities owned by the carrier to the extent indicated in the statement below. The description of the property, the terms of use, and the rentals accrued and charged or credited to income for the year ending on date of valuation are as follows:

Solely owned, but jointly used, used with The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Company, certain yard tracks and sidings at Washington, Pa.; annual rental 4 per cent per annum on valuation of property jointly used; maintenance and operation divided on basis of number of passenger and freight locomotives in and out; number of tons of freight handled at freight station; number of locomotives handled and amount of water supplied. 2,782.60

Jointly used, but not owned, owned by The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Company; tracks, 0.82 mile of three-rail main track between Main and Chestnut Streets, Washington, Pa.; also three-rail yard tracks east of Main Street, freight and water stations, engine house, and other facilities. Annual rental 4 per cent per annum on valuation of property jointly used, divided on a basis of number of engines and cars of each company in and out of Washington monthly. The cost of maintenance of the tracks, including watch boxes and wages of crossing watchmen is divided on basis of the total number of locomotives and cars in and out of Washington each month. The cost, including taxes, insurance, and assessments, of maintenance and operation of the freight-station facilities is divided on a platform-tonnage basis. The cost of maintenance and operation of the engine-house facilities is divided on the basis of the number of locomotives handled and of water-station facilities on the basis of the water furnished each company during November of each year. 1,703.44