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pohc_state The Union Railroad is an urban switching shortline railroad located in Allegheny County, directly east of downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company is owned by Transtar, Inc., which is itself a subsidiary of United States Steel. The road's chief customers are the Mon Valley Works, Edgar Thomson Works, Irvin Works, and the Clairton Works -- all USS steel production facilities. The URR interchanges with four other roads: Norfolk Southern, CSX Transportation, Bessemer & Lake Erie, and Wheeling & Lake Erie.

Dan Bourque

The railroad, as it exists today, has resulted from the union of all or parts of five railroads between the years 1906 and 1915. The first addition occurred in 1906 when a portion of the Pittsburgh, Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad, extending from North Bessemer to East Pittsburgh, was leased to the Union Railroad. Later in 1906, the railroad leased the Monongahela Southern Railroad. The next addition involved the St. Clair Terminal Railroad in 1920. All three properties were subsequently merged. The last addition occurred in 1915 with the lease of track from Duquesne to McKeesport via the Penn Central Bridge. The original URR extended from East Pittsburgh to Hays, a distance of six miles, and was constructed in the years 1894-1907. During the same period, 13 branches, with an aggregate length of 14 miles were built. Operations began on June 1, 1896, with 241 employees, 25 steam locomotives and no cars. On October 26, 1897, the first train was interchanged with the Pittsburgh, Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad at East Pittsburgh. This 30-car ore train from North Bessemer was consigned to Edgar Thomson.

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