Pittsburgh, Mckeesport and Connellsville Railway Co. - 1900's-1910's dated Railroad Stock Certificate

Railroad Stock printed by Western Bank Note Co., Chicago. Large mill yard vignette in upper left corner and trolley in lower center of stock. Rare!!!

The Pittsburgh, McKeesport, and Connellsville Railway Company, established in 1901, was a significant electric interurban system formed by consolidating several smaller street railway lines in southwestern Pennsylvania. Headquartered in Connellsville, it aimed to provide reliable passenger transportation between Pittsburgh’s industrial hubs and the coal and coke regions of the Youghiogheny Valley. The railway operated an extensive network of electric trolleys that connected major towns like McKeesport, Duquesne, and Uniontown, serving as a crucial link for workers and residents before the widespread adoption of automobiles.

In 1904, the company merged with the West Penn Railways system, which expanded its network to over 300 miles of track at its peak. Under West Penn management, the line gained fame for its “Orange Limited” cars and its ability to traverse the region’s rugged, mountainous terrain. However, as private car ownership surged and the local coal industry declined after World War II, ridership declined significantly. By the early 1950s, most of the system’s trolley operations were phased out, leaving behind a legacy that eventually contributed to the development of recreational paths like the Great Allegheny Passage, which repurposed sections of the old industrial rail corridors.