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

Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 34

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: