Take a ride on the Turtle Creek Railroad!
The Turtle Creek Industrial Railroad was the corridor that once allowed steel titans to run from Downtown Trafford all the way to the western edge of Lincoln Avenue in Export. Since the line has been retired, it is currently well underway of becoming a popular new rail-trail project that spotlights Export, South Murrysville, and Trafford. The development of the Westmoreland Heritage Trail along this corridor is an important link in the long term goal of connecting two National Recreation Trails; the West Penn Trail and the Great Allegheny Passage.
According to the Murrysville Trails Alliance, the project’s origin dates back to September 26, 2013, when an agreement was signed for Westmoreland County’s acquisition of most of the Turtle Creek Industrial Railway, covering the 9.5-mile +/- segment of the railway. This agreement was an important step in the establishment of a recreational rail-trail that will link Export, Murrysville, Monroeville, Penn Township, and Trafford, as well as eventually extend the Westmoreland Heritage Trail from Delmont, Slickville, and Saltsburg. This rail-trail will bring many recreational benefits and opportunities for economic development to these communities.
On June 20, 2014, the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County approved a Community Infrastructure and Tourism Fund (CITF) grant award of $126,000 toward the 1.3-mile segment of the TC railroad corridor in Monroeville. Since then, the rail has heartbreakingly been torn up. However, a truly sumptuous walking trail has now formed through the woods of Allegheny County and Westmoreland County perfect for geocachers of all skill levels.
The cache itself is nested between the railway corridor and Turtle Creek, the stream from which the passageway received its name. There are many different ways to approach the cache. The "easy" way is about an forty roundtrip. The "medium" way is about an hour and twenty minutes roundtrip. The "hard" way is about an forty minutes roundtrip, but involves hills and uneven terrain. The walking trail can be between a one and a three, depending on the weather. Make sure you sign the logbook! A special little surprise is in the cache for the first to find!
We love pictures! When you find our cache, please take some pictures (landscapes, selfies, etc.) and email them to us at WeFoundYourCache@gmail.com
PLEASE DO NOT TAKE A COIN OR TRAVEL BUG UNLESS YOU PLAN ON MOVING IT ALONG AND LOGGING IT OFFICIALLY ON GEAOCACHING.COM
ALWAYS REMEMBER: CACHE IN TRASH OUT
NOTE: Found muggles playing with cache during a maintenance run. Repositioned about 10 feet away from original deposit site. Also about 10 feet off the path.