A more than 2-mile stretch of rail line passing through Penn Hills and Verona is set to quiet down.
In the coming months, Allegheny Valley Railroad will pull up track from its soon-to-be abandoned Brilliant Branch and use it along part of the Allegheny Subdivision, which follows the south bank of the Allegheny River from Pittsburgh’s Strip District to Arnold.
State officials said the welded rail coming from the Brilliant Branch produces less noise while improving efficiency and safety.
“Right now, the rail that’s there is clamped, so when a train is going across it, you hear that clickety-clack sound,” said state Rep. Joe McAndrew, who represents Penn Hills and Verona. “I hear that train and the one across the river every night in my house.”
Allegheny Valley Railroad did not return a request for comment.
The effort is backed by $1.8 million in state funds, part of a $55 million package for 30 projects across Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania has 65 operating railroads — more than any other state — and 5,600 miles of freight lines, according to PennDOT. Many are operated by Class III operators, which often rely on public funding to meet their infrastructure needs.
In 2023, the state pitched in $4.3 million for Allegheny Valley Railroad to construct three tracks at its Verona Yard, also using repurposed rail from the Brilliant Branch.
Allegheny County acquired the Brilliant Branch, which runs from Aspinwall to Pittsburgh’s East End, months earlier through a partnership between the county’s Redevelopment Authority, Allegheny RiverTrail Park and the railroad. The goal is to turn the 4-mile span into a hiking and biking destination.