Gateway Yard
| Company type | Rail yard |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1957 |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Fate | Closed after CSX assumed control of P&LE |
| Headquarters | Youngstown , United States |
Area served | Youngstown steel mills |
| Parent | Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad (until 1993) |
The Gateway Yard, part of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad located in Youngstown, Ohio, began operations in the autumn of 1957. It remained active until 1993, when CSX assumed control of P&LE and subsequently shut down the facility. Gateway served as both a classification yard and an interchange point with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and New York Central Railroad, primarily managing freight cars destined for the steel mills in Youngstown.
History
Extending over and stretching beyond from the Center Street Bridge to Lowellville, Ohio, Gateway Yard included a classification area, an office complex, diesel locomotive maintenance facilities, and car repair shops. The yard’s operations were supervised from a combined tower and office building, designed to resemble an air traffic control tower, which also managed the yard’s hump used for sorting freight cars.
The Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad Historical Society holds blueprints and photographs depicting the yard’s infrastructure, illustrating Gateway Yard in operation, freight cars being sorted over the hump, and images of the tower dating up to 1993.
Following its closure in 1993, most of Gateway Yard’s tracks have been removed and the site largely dismantled. Nonetheless, several key structures remain intact, including the yard tower and office building, although they have suffered from vandalism. The location is clearly visible from Ohio State Route 289, with the CSX mainline running between the road and the tower. Additionally, the sizable car repair shed along with several auxiliary buildings are still standing.