YOUNGSTOWN'S PASSENGER TRAINS

OF THE PAST

Intercity passenger trains serving Youngstown in 1942, 1956, and 1971 immediately prior to the creation of Amtrak.


THE STATIONS

The major stations serving Youngstown, during the golden age of passenger trains.

B&O Station
530 Mahoning Ave.
Opened 1905

Erie Station
112 W. Commerce St.
Opened 1922

Pennsylvania Station
555 W. Federal St. (now Martin Luther King Blvd.)
Opened 1948, replacing earlier station

New York Central Station
Wilson Ave. and Himrod Ave.

Pittsburgh & Lake Erie, a subsidiary of New York Central, used either of two stations.


BALTIMORE & OHIO

(B&O Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  6  Capitol Limited       New York       12:26       12:18       12:56
 26  Columbian             Washington     12:40
  5  Capitol Limited       Chicago        (skip)      (skip)       1:24
 19  Ambassador            Detroit         2:05       12:46
 17  Clev. Night Express   Cleveland       5:20        5:37
 15  Blue Ridge Limited    Chicago         5:53
  8  Shenandoah            New York        7:20        6:15        7:58 am
  7  Shenandoah            Chicago         9:11        7:31        5:33 pm
 32                        Cumberland     10:55
 10  New York Express      New York        8:40        8:25
  9  Express               Chicago        10:50       10:35
 18  Wash. Night Express   Washington     11:30       10:35
 20  Ambassador            Baltimore      11:46       11:58


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  6  Capitol Limited       Chicago        12:26       12:18       12:56
 26  Columbian             Chicago        12:40
  5  Capitol Limited       New York       (skip)      (skip)       1:24
 19  Ambassador            Baltimore       2:05       12:46
 17  Clev. Night Express   Washington      5:20        5:37
 15  Blue Ridge Limited    Washington      5:53
  8  Shenandoah            Chicago         7:20        6:15        7:58 am
  7  Shenandoah            New York        9:11        7:31        5:33 pm
 32                        Chicago        10:55
 10  New York Express      Chicago         8:40        8:25
  9  Express               New York       10:50       10:35
 18  Wash. Night Express   Cleveland      11:30       10:35
 20  Ambassador            Detroit        11:46       11:58


Passenger service discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak, last important train was the Capitol Limited.


ERIE RAILROAD

(Erie Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

687  Lake Cities Special   Toledo          2:03
  2  Erie Limited          New York        5:07        4:02
629                        Cleveland       5:50        5:00   29   5:50 am
  8  Atlantic Express      New York        8:44        7:50
 15  Midlander             Chicago        10:10    5   9:03
  5  Lake Cities           Cleveland      10:25  625   9:10
685                        Cleveland       2:05       12:50
  7  Pacific Express       Chicago         3:38        3:19
 16  Midlander             New York        6:42        6:21
623  Washingtonian         Cleveland       7:35        6:40
679                        Cleveland      10:34
  1  Erie Limited          Chicago        11:24       10:46


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  2  Erie Limited          Chicago         4:55        3:44
688  Pittsburgh Special    Toledo          6:00
  8  Atlantic Express      Chicago         8:35        7:35
624  Washingtonian         Cleveland       9:45        8:33
 15  Midlander             New York       10:00        8:50
626                        Cleveland       2:45        1:23
  7  Pacific Express       New York        3:31        3:00
  6  Lake Cities           Cleveland       6:26
 16  Midlander             Chicago         6:35    6   6:05
686                        Cleveland       7:35        7:25
628                        Cleveland       7:45        6:10   28   7:10 pm
  1  Erie Limited          New York       11:17       10:31


Intercity passenger service discontinued in 1970, last train was the Lake Cities (formerly the Midlander).

Cleveland commuter rail service discontinued in 1977, last trains were numbers 28 and 29.

Several trains operated between Pittsburgh and Cleveland, operating via Pittsburgh & Lake Erie east of Youngstown.


NEW YORK CENTRAL/PITTSBURGH & LAKE ERIE

(Erie Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 36                        Pittsburgh                  5:25
 88  Pittsburgh Special    Pittsburgh      6:05
 16                        Pittsburgh      7:50
 24  Washingtonian         Baltimore       9:50        8:38
 26  Gateway City Express  Pittsburgh      2:50        1:32
 30                        Pittsburgh      4:30        3:05
 86  Evening Steel King    Pittsburgh      7:40        7:30


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 87  Lake Cities Special   Pittsburgh      2:00
 17  Morning Steel King    Pittsburgh     10:15   25   9:00
 85  Detroit Express       Pittsburgh      2:00       12:45
 43                        Pittsburgh      4:05        5:15
 23  Washingtonian         Baltimore       7:30        6:35
 79                        Pittsburgh     10:30        1:00


Passenger service discontinued in 1963.

Several trains operated between Pittsburgh and Cleveland, operating via Erie Railroad west of Youngstown.


NEW YORK CENTRAL/PITTSBURGH & LAKE ERIE

(New York Central Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

272                        Buffalo         1:15       11:30
 38  Pittsburgh Express    Pittsburgh      5:47        5:18
 82                        Erie           11:59
 10                        Pittsburgh     12:45
 84  Buffalo Express       Buffalo         6:28  284   5:23
 34  Empire Express        Pittsburgh      9:45        8:55


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  7  Buffalo Express       Pittsburgh      1:14       11:25
279  Pittsburgh Express    Buffalo         5:42        5:08
  5                        Pittsburgh     11:54
151                        Erie           12:40
 33  Empire Express        Pittsburgh      6:25        5:20
 83                        Erie            9:40  283   8:50


Passenger service discontinued in 1963.

At the time, Pittsburgh & Lake Erie was a subsidiary of New York Central.


PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD

(Pennsylvania Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  9  Akronite              Akron           6:50   39   6:05
354  Valley Special        Pittsburgh      8:48
367                        Cleveland      10:58
374                        Pittsburgh     11:57
332                        Pittsburgh      4:12
333  Afternoon Steeler     Cleveland       4:36
316  Buckeye               Pittsburgh      8:02
 15                        Chicago         9:14
 10  Akronite              Pittsburgh      9:27   38   9:17
323                        Cleveland      10:03


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  9  Akronite              Pittsburgh      6:50   39   6:05
354  Valley Special        Crestline       8:48
367                        Pittsburgh     10:58
374                        Cleveland      11:57
332                        Cleveland       4:12
333  Afternoon Steeler     Pittsburgh      4:36
316  Buckeye               Cleveland       8:02
 15                        Philadelphia    9:14
 10  Akronite              Akron           9:27   38   9:17
323                        Pittsburgh     10:03


Passenger service discontinued in 1965.


STATIONS TODAY

Between 1990 and 2005, the Baltimore & Ohio station was used by Amtrak. The Baltimore & Ohio, Erie and Pennsylvania Railroad stations still stand.

B&O Station Banquet Hall
The Baltimore & Ohio station has been preserved as a restaurant and banquet hall.

Mahoning County Ohio Railroad Stations
Link to a Web page containing further information on the historic stations.


MAPPING THE STATIONS AND RAILROADS

Links to locations of past and present stations and railroads, using Google Maps. Satellite views are also available.

Five railroads serve Youngstown using four stations. Main lines passing through Youngstown included Baltimore & Ohio between Pittsburgh and Chicago, Erie between New York and Chicago, and a Pennsylvania Railroad line between Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Also serving Youngstown was New York Central, and its subsidiary Pittsburgh & Lake Erie. Trains operated by those railroads included NYC and P&LE trains between Buffalo and Erie and Pittsburgh, stopping at the NYC station, and joint Erie and P&LE trains between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, stopping at the Erie station. The NYC station was where NYC and P&LE began and ended. While trains switched from Erie to P&LE by diverting southeast at Himrod Jct. from the Erie main line to the Erie Haselton Branch, and switching to P&LE at Center Street.