Station Square Station

Station Square station is a transit station on Pittsburgh Regional Transit's light rail network. It is the last Transit station on the south side of the Monongahela River.

This station is named for the nearby Station Square mixed-use development and opened in 1985. Many South Hills residents access the facility using light rail service, and employees at the adjacent major office park, which includes the headquarters of WESCO International are also major beneficiaries of the stop. Several thousand commuters each weekday also rely on this stop as a park-and-ride station, using either a 160 space Pittsburgh Regional Transit lot or the privately owned garage in Station Square.

The station's close proximity to the Monongahela Incline, South Busway, Carson and Smithfield Streets, and the large parking facilities and boat docks of the Gateway Clipper Fleet at Station Square add to the station's inter-modal transportation value.

History

This station is named for the nearby mixed-use development Station Square. The station was not originally planned to be built; instead, the light rail system was to bypass the newly created development because officials felt that there would not be enough ridership demand to justify the station. Active lobbying by Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr., President of Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation, and developer of Station Square ensured that the station was constructed. Over 3 million tourists visit Station Square each year.

Originally designed and built by Daniel Sifer, the station encompasses railings rescued by Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation from the Brady Street Bridge, which was demolished in 1978. In the late 1990s, DRS Architects renovated the station and provided architectural details in glass that reflected the design in the Brady Street Bridge railings.

On August 5, 2018, a Norfolk Southern freight train running on the Mon Line derailed east of Station Square station and blocked the freight tracks, forcing service to be suspended. The derailed cars fell down the hillside and onto the light rail tracks and damaged of light rail tracks; of overhead electrical wires; and some concrete on the Panhandle Bridge. The derailment caused no injuries, as it occurred 2 minutes after a T light rail train departed the station. During cleanup and inspections of the area, the Mount Washington Transit Tunnel was closed and trains were rerouted via the former Brown Line (Pittsburgh), Brown Line through Allentown. The outbound tracks were opened on August 23, while inbound service resumed on August 25 after repairs were completed. A preliminary report by the Federal Railroad Administration's investigation team found that a fractured track caused the derailment. Norfolk Southern filed a lawsuit in December 2018 seeking $1.1 million in reimbursements from the city for the incident, claiming that they had neglected to maintain the hillside.

Connecting services

*Y45 Baldwin Manor Flyer
*Y47 Curry Flyer
*Y49 Prospect Park Flyer
*Y46 Elizabeth Flyer
*39 Brookline
*41 Bower Hill
*44 Knoxville
*48 Arlington Heights
*51 Carrick
*51L Carrick Limited
*Y1 Large Flyer
*Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority, MMVTA Route A
*Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation, FACT Commuter Route
*Monongahela Incline

See also

* Station Square
*Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad Station
*Monongahela Incline

References

External links

{{Commons category, Station Square (PAT station)

Station from Google Maps Street View

Port Authority of Allegheny County stations
Railway stations in the United States opened in 1985
Blue Line (Pittsburgh)
Red Line (Pittsburgh)
Silver Line (Pittsburgh)
South Busway