A CSX train approaches Station Square, August 2020.
Top Five Industrial Transportation Stories
Created over eons, as water carved away layers of the Allegheny Plateau, southwestern Pennsylvania’s hilly topography set the stage for entrepreneurs. Over time, this land and the local economy continued to transform. Agriculture gave way to boatbuilding and river trade. Business shifted from commerce to industry, making use of the region’s natural resources for glassmaking, coal mining, and small scale iron production, which laid the groundwork for the “Big Steel” era of the 20th century. Industries waxed and waned—each innovating and building upon the one that preceded it. Through it all, industrial transporation has been key to our region’s development.
Here are five of the most popular stories we’ve written on the topic:
- Pittsburgh’s Time as a Steamboat City
- Mill Marks: A Legacy Stamped in Steel
- Southwestern Pennsylvania’s Iconic Barges
- Pittsburgh and the Automobile Industry of the Early 20th Century
- Exploring the Heritage Area—Trains and Tracks
And a bonus story: The Steamboat Race of the Century, complete with links to the radio broadcast from the time!
Interested in reading more? Check out our transportation-themed driving itineraries.
