Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad

Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 34

Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad

Location and General Description of Property

The railroad of the Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad Company, hereinafter called the Bessemer and Lake Erie, is a standard-gage, steam railroad, located in Pennsylvania and Ohio. It extends from Kremis in a northerly direction to K. O. Junction, Pa.

The Bessemer and Lake Erie leases all the railroad of The Pittsburg, Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad Company, the main line of which extends from East Pittsburgh to Wallace Junction, Pa., with several branch lines, the most important extending from Conneaut Junction, Pa., to Conneaut Harbor, Ohio. The Bessemer and Lake Erie subleases the portion of this railroad extending from East Pittsburgh to North Bessemer, Pa., to the Union Railroad Company (Pittsburgh, Pa.).

The Bessemer and Lake Erie uses under trackage rights 21.14 miles of the road of other carriers, and permits other carriers to use 33.82 miles of its road under similar rights.

Physical Conditions Affecting Construction

The region traversed by this road varies from mountainous in the southern locality to only slightly rolling in the northern. The entire system lies in the drainage basins of the Ohio River and the Great Lakes and connects the navigable waters of those two navigation systems. Grading is heavy, averaging about 96,000 cubic yards per mile of which about 20 per cent is solid rock.

Economic Conditions Relating to Traffic

Farming is practiced extensively in the northern section of the region traversed by this road. There fruit, vegetables, and dairy products are produced.

In the southern section of the region traversed, this road serves the Pittsburgh district where steel products are produced in large quantities. North of this locality the road penetrates the bituminous coal fields of Pennsylvania and further northward an agricultural region producing fruit, vegetables, and dairy products. However, the commodity which furnishes the greater part of the company's business is ore, which it hauls from the lake-port connections to the Pittsburgh blast furnaces.

Physical Characteristics of Road

The ruling grades are not over 1.37 per cent. The maximum curvature is 12.16°. The main line is laid mostly with new 100-pound rail. There is some 100-pound relay and 85-pound new.

Introductory

The Bessemer and Lake Erie is a corporation of the State of Pennsylvania, having its principal office at Pittsburgh, Pa. The company is controlled by the United States Steel Corporation through ownership of all of its capital stock. On the other hand, the records do not indicate that it controls any common carrier corporation. The property of the Bessemer and Lake Erie has been operated by its own organization during its entire life.

Corporate History

The Bessemer and Lake Erie was incorporated December 31, 1900, under the general laws of the State of Pennsylvania and by letters patent, for the purpose of constructing and operating a railroad from Kremis to K. O. Junction, Pa.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The owned mileage of the Bessemer and Lake Erie, 8.811 miles, was acquired by construction during the years 1901 and 1902.

Lessor Company

Meadville, Conneaut Lake and Linesville Railroad

Leased Railway Property

The Bessemer and Lake Erie uses on the date of valuation facilities owned by other companies and other companies use facilities owned by the Bessemer and Lake Erie to the extent indicated in the statement below. The description of the property, the period and terms of use, and the rentals accrued and charged or credited to income for the year ending on date of valuation, are as follows:

	Rentals
Solely owned, but jointly used, used with
Erie Railroad Company, tracks, 13.61 miles, from French Creek to Shermansville, Pa., and 20.21 miles, from Meadville Junction to Shenango, Pa.; annual rental 51 cents a train-mile, with a minimum of 3,650 trains a year.	$43,349.19
Solely used, but not owned, leased from-
The Pittsburg, Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad Company, entire property (except 8.06 miles subleased to the Union Railroad Company); term 999 years from Apr. 1, 1901; annual rental equal to interest on bonds of lessor, dividends of 3 per cent on common stock and 6 per cent on preferred stock of lessor; Bessemer and Lake Erie pays, also, maintenance and taxes.	1,146,630.67
Meadville, Conneaut Lake and Linesville, entire property; term 99 years from July 1, 1891; annual rental equal to 25 per cent of the gross earnings but which guaranteed to equal at least the interest on bonds of the lessor; Bessemer and Lake Erie pays, also, maintenance and taxes.	28,090.84
Jointly used, but not owned, owned by-
New York Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Company, tracks, 12.20 miles, from Wallace Junction to Cascade, Pa.; annual payment on basis of ticket sales and cars handled plus one half of operating expenses.	---
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, tracks, 0.97 mile, from Standard Junction to Pittsburgh Junction, Pa.; annual payment 2 per cent on valuation of facilities, except station building for which a charge of $900 per annum is made, plus a proportion of operating expenses on basis of ticket sales and number of trains handled.	---
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company, tracks, 0.15 mile, and passenger station at Linesville, Pa.; rental payment $96 plus one-half of operating expenses.	---
The New York Central Railroad Company, tracks, 7.82 miles of road from Dock Junction to Wesleyville, Pa.	---
Solely leased, but not used:
Leased from, Pittsburg, Bessemer and Lake Erie, tracks, 8.060 miles, from East Pittsburgh to North Bessemer, Pa.; annual rental included in that mentioned above for The Pittsburg, Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad Company under the caption “Solely used, but not owned”.	---
Subleased to, Union Railroad Company, annual rental $1 per annum, plus maintenance.	---
(Under an agreement with the Union Railroad Company, the Bessemer and Lake Erie operates its passenger trains over these tracks, the Union Railroad Company receiving a portion of the revenue derived therefrom.)