Wilkinsburg Train Station

One of the most recognizable landmarks in Wilkinsburg is its historic Pennsylvania train station built in 1916. The station was opened to huge celebrations across the Borough which can be read about in detail here.

The Pennsylvania station was designed by architect Walter H. Cookson and built as part of a railroad program to get rid of dangerous street-level crossings.

From Wikipedia:

"The 1916 station was built of brick and stone in the current B Beaux-Arts architecture style with a vitrified tile waiting room and monumental wooden benches. It served three 12-car-length island platforms with enclosed seating areas situated between three pairs of tracks (main and yard leads). Originally the platform surfaces were level with the floors of the railroad passenger cars, but they were later lowered to the level of the track, reportedly due to substandard lateral clearances between the platforms and carbodies caused by the tracks' partially curved alignment when lengthier cars came into use; the change further spared train crews the inconvenience of having to lower and raise trap doors over the coach stairwells for this single station alone when platform levels of the other stations on this commuter route were not elevated to match. One of the platforms was removed altogether. Access to the platforms was available by stairways at the Penn Avenue, South Avenue, and Franklin Avenue underpasses, in addition to the station tunnel which also served as the Ross Avenue pedestrian underpass. There was also a separate tunnel at the station to deliver mail, express, and baggage to the platforms (a U.S. post office was later constructed across the street from the station, forming a sort of civic center in conjunction with the municipal building/public library, also across the street). The station's strategic location visible down Ross Ave. was negated when that street's motor traffic was made one-way in the opposite direction."

The building eventually closed in 1967 because of decreased ridership. The Borough of Wilkinsburg took control of the property in 1969. Thanks in part to efforts from the Wilkinsburg Historical Society and thier "Save the Station" campaign, in 1977, the station was officially declared a historic landmark, saving it from demolition.

Although it fell into disrepair and left vacant for many years, it is now being revived and rebuilt thanks to the efforts of the WCDC and others. Learn more about this renovation by visiting: http://wilkinsburgcdc.org/wilkinsburg-train-station/

More info in our digital archives!

Sources:

Belser, A. (2001, September 5). Train station waiting for salvation. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LmfNJKrr2PGgxmTc61XzvYBV3gedzXC3/view?usp=sharing

Wikipedia contributors. (2020, March 23). Wilkinsburg station. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilkinsburg_station