Westland Branch

Montour Railroad

Westland Branch
The Midland Spur

	P&LE 2052 - Monongahela 2002 West on the Montour RR - Shaw Mine Bridge after testing the engines on the Westland Branch. Phot by Gene P. Schaeffer.

Construction of the Westland Branch in 1927
Photos by Esther (Hettie) Cowden Hutchison
Photos Courtesy - Jean Ferris

A scene from July 21, 1927 Building the small concrete bridge on the Westland Branch. We'll also see a scene of this same bridge completed with a dinky train up ontop of it dumping dirt for the fill work. - Gene P. Schaeffer

Across from the Hutchison Farm July 26, 1927.

Jean's handwritten note indicates this photo is from the early 1920's. I think its the only, undated photo ! Our back faces the yet to be cosntructed Westland Branch. The smaller barn on the left Jean states still exists, it was moved to the rightside of the bigger barn. - Gene P. Schaeffer

With the Montour R.R. - Westland Branch behind him, Farm Owner, John S. Hutchison Summer 1929.

According to Jean, the Don Cowden Farm was the adjacent farm on the Westland side of the Hutchison Farm.

A interesting aspect of this photo is if you would walk the right of way today and look over the hill to the bottom of this man made earthen fill, the large rocks pictured still seem to be here, probably not moved much in the past 85 or so years ? - Gene P. Schaeffer

This view is a close up of the construction of the large fill now on the Don Cowden's Farm which is adjacent to the Hutchison Farm.