Fort Pitt (train)

Route map
	Legend
	12 mi
	19 km
	31 mi
	50 km
	41 mi
	66 km
	78 mi
	126 km
	117 mi
	188 km
	This diagram: view; talk; ;

*Fort Pitt*
	Last run of the Fort Pitt at Altoona in January 1983
Overview
Service type	Inter-city rail
Status	Discontinued
Locale	Western Pennsylvania
First service	April 26, 1981
Last service	January 30, 1983
Former operator(s)	Amtrak
Route
Start	Pittsburgh
Stops	4
End	Altoona
Distance travelled	117 mi (188 km)
Average journey time	2 hours 37 minutes
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	37-39
On-board services
Class(es)	Unreserved coach
Catering facilities	On-board cafe
Technical
Rolling stock	Amfleet coaches
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Track owner(s)	Conrail
Route map
Route map
	Legend
	12 mi
	19 km
	31 mi
	50 km
	41 mi
	66 km
	78 mi
	126 km
	117 mi
	188 km
	This diagram: view; talk; ;

The Fort Pitt was a 117-mile (188 km) daily passenger train operated by Amtrak between Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Altoona, Pennsylvania. The Fort Pitt was a so-called Section 403(b) train, meaning that its operation was subsidized by the state of Pennsylvania.

The Fort Pitt operated in tandem with the Pennsylvanian, then a Pittsburgh—Philadelphia service. The westbound Pennsylvanian, after arriving in Pittsburgh in the evening, would be turned around and east to Altoona. The following morning, that trainset returned to Pittsburgh as a westbound Fort Pitt, then ran eastbound to Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) as a Pennsylvanian. This allowed Amtrak and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to operate two routes with the same two equipment sets. A typical consist was three to four Amfleet coaches pulled by an EMD F40PH locomotive.^[1] Amtrak added Pitcairn as a stop in mid-1981 to supplement the Pittsburgh—Greensburg Parkway Limited commuter train.^[2]

The Fort Pitt began operation April 26, 1981, and was withdrawn on January 30, 1983, when PennDOT declined to continue funding the train. On average, the Fort Pitt carried 30 passengers daily, set against a subsidy of $547,453.^[3]

References[]

^ McCann, Tom (April 15, 1981). "Amtrak expands service: Western Pa. to get 3 full runs". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved 2009-08-09.
^ "Commuter train to start new schedule". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 29, 1981. Retrieved 2010-09-10.
^ "Train serving Latrobe, Greensburg finished". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 24, 1982. Retrieved 2009-08-09.

External links[]

1982 timetable

[1] McCann, Tom (April 15, 1981). "Amtrak expands service: Western Pa. to get 3 full runs". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved 2009-08-09.

[2] "Commuter train to start new schedule". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 29, 1981. Retrieved 2010-09-10.

[3] "Train serving Latrobe, Greensburg finished". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 24, 1982. Retrieved 2009-08-09.

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