Mon-Fayette Expressway progress

Progress, for what it's worth.  This bridge should be completed within another year or so, it will connect the PA Turnpike Route 43 extension in Washington County to Fayette County.  I wonder who they'll name it after.

 Interesting tunnel, it carries Rush Run creek under the road.  There was a railroad branch that met an ill fate almost as soon as it was built along this creek, but if memory serves me, this tunnel had nothing to do with the line, only carried the creek.  Perhaps there was once another tunnel, I really don't know.

The Simpson Tunnel

Just in case anyone wants to check out the Simpson tunnel outside of Brownsville on the other side of Century, well I've got some bad news for you.

 Blasted or just filled in?

 Either way, it's gone

 Forever.

 Oh well.

Can't stop progress, I suppose.

Parked MOW train in East Fredricktown, PA

With an MGA caboose to boot.  I have posted the photos here, I don't believe I ever posted the video I took.  If I did, well, here it as again.  Enjoy.

Braznell

Interesting little area, what I always called the Bowels of Brownsville.  Spent a lot of time here in my teenage years fishing, and... well.  Anyway geocaching brought me back here recently.

 Yes, that's what we call a road in these parts.

Actually, by Fayettenam standards, this is practically an expressway.

Oh hey look a dog!

That's a pretty big dog.

 The dog looked at me

Then he looked away

Redstone Creek

 Again

Old PRR trestle, these tracks were probably abandoned in the 50's.

Deep Creek, Maryland is not a bad place to vacation.

Just don't try to buy alcohol on a Sunday in Garret county, Maryland.  ಠ_ಠ

 View's nice, from where we stayed.

 On the way to Cumberland

 Turntable at Frostburg, Western Maryland Scenic Railway.

Not far from the Cong either, only about an hour out of Uniontown.  Not a bad place to visit if you're looking for something local.

Conemaugh Dam

Couple of old abandoned railroad tunnels up there.  The old canal tunnel is gone, absolutely no evidence of it left.

 One of the tunnels

 The other one

There were actually 4 tunnels here.  These 2 railroad tunnels, which have been plugged up when the dam was built, the canal tunnel (which is completely gone), and one dug for the hydroelectric power plant.  As it stands now, it's a really neat park up there right below the dam.  You can also see the old canal paths if you look closely enough.

More old photographs

Just a few more photographs from a private collection whose owner was gracious enough to allow me to scan them to preserve the history.  These are mostly Brownsville.

 Bridgeport (now South Brownsville) mine portal, 1953

 Same mine, 1953.

 Brownsville Bridge, 1952.  It's still there.

Brownsville lock, July 1954.  It is no longer there.

 Brownsville Train Station, 1950's with MGA steam locomotive.

 Edgar Thompson Works, seen from the train at Kennywood park.  Still there.

 Fredericktown Ferry, 1950's.  It's still there too!

Under Brownsville Bridge 1950's.

Vesta #5 mine 1952, showing prep plant across the river in LaBelle.  Conveyor bridge and prep plant were destroyed for scrap in recent years.  Current operations are dumping fly ash on the old slate dump.  Some scenes from the movie "The Road" were filmed atop the old dump.