THIS GROUP IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE PITTSBURGH & OHIO CENTRAL RAILROAD OR THE PANHANDLE TRAIL.

The PRR's Panhandle Division in Pennsylvania was comprised of right-of-way originally belonging to the Pittsburgh and Steubenville Railroad Company and the Chartiers Valley Railroad Company, which were chartered in 1852 and 1853, respectively. The CV went into foreclosure in 1866, came out of bankruptcy as the Chartiers Railway in 1867, and was leased by the PRR-controlled Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and St. Louis Railway in 1871. The P&S entered foreclosure in 1867 and was purchased by the PC&StL in 1868. The PC&StL was merged into the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis Railway in 1890.

Although the entire Panhandle line is open for discussion, this group tries to focus on the railroad as it existed between Pittsburgh, PA and Collier, WV. There are other Panhandle groups that concentrate on the line in Ohio and Indiana and other Midwest states. The group is also open to discussion for the Pittsburgh, Chartiers & Youghiogheny Railway (PC&Y), which paralleled the Panhandle between Duff Junction and Woodville Junction.

The Ohio Central "Arden Turn" works near the end of the line on the former Panhandle Chartiers Branch at Milepost 20. Note the old milepost is an original one and consists of a large piece of steel angled with two sides 10 inches in width about 10 feet high, buried in the ground with about 4 feet sticking above ground. (Photo by member Rich Giecek, Copyright 2012)