Route 25A could trace its history
back to a former Shafer Coach
Lines route started in 1938. As Shafer ran the line, it was a limited service
deviation from the original Coraopolis - Clinton line which eventually became part of the
21A Coraopolis under PAT. The limited service Groveton trips actually ran off of the
Pittsburgh - Kenmawr line but had the operating certificate attached to the Pittsburgh -
Coraopolis route by the PAPUC. The route evolved into its own route under Shafer and PAT
brought the route in as Shafer operated it for the most part.
Garages assigned to the 25A:
- Ohio Valley Region (Coraopolis Garage) - 03/03/64 - 03/30/68
- Ross Division - 03/31/68 - 12/08/68
Destination Signs:
Route ran with both window cards and destination signs.
Above is a representation of what you may have seen on some of the buses on the route.
Routing:
Routing from Groveton - Route 51 at Village Drive via Village Drive to
Lewis Drive to Route 51, Coraopolis Blvd., Ferrence, 4th, Thorn, Narrows Run Road (Rt 51)
to Sewickley Bridge, Broad Street, Hill, Locust, Centennial to Broad Street.
Routing from Sewickley - Centennial at Broad Street via Broad Street,
Sewickley Bridge, Narrows Run Road (Rt 51), 5th, Coraopolis Blvd., Route 51 to Lewis
Drive.
Approximate one way trip time was 20 minutes.
Route Highlights:
The 25A ran only Monday through Saturday with Sunday and holiday
service to the Groveton area being provided by a deviation of the 21B Kenmawr on selected
trips. The schedule listed the trips under the 25A heading but a schedule notation
indicated that the trips were run by a deviation of the 21B.
In what was an odd combination, the low patronage 25A feeder route
was often assigned 40 foot coaches by PAT and the 40 foot coaches had the 25A sign
readings while not having the other 25 series routes. Interestingly the smaller coaches,
with the exception of a handful of the 500 series, didn't include this route on the
destination signs and ran with window cards when assigned.
About half of the 25A trips were shorts between the Coraopolis garage
and Groveton which may help explain the heavy use of 40 foot coaches on the route.
In 1976, an order of full size replacement signs were ordered using a
1964 route listing and the 25A appeared on those signs even though the route had been long
since discontinued. You could occasionally see the reading when the operator was changing
the sign to a garage reading.
Schedules (Known PAT issued schedules are listed):
The 25A had 2 distinct schedule types from the Ohio Valley Region and
carried the folder OV-2. The first being an all white fold out schedule and the second
being a 6 panel fold out schedule in the late 60's era styling. The 25A shared a schedule
with the 21A, 21B, 21C, 25B, 25C and the 38A.
- OV-2A - 08/30/64
- OV-2B - 06/27/65 - Corrected to 05/01/66
- OV-2C - ?
- OV-2D - ?
- OV-2E - ?
- OV-2F - ?
- OV-2G - 01/02/68
Schedules from the Ross Division were folder R-13 and were a 6 panel
fold out schedule in the 60's era design. The 25A shared a schedule with the 21A, 21B,
21C, 25B and the 38A.
- R-13A - 03/31/68
- R-13B - ?
There may have been a folder before OV-2A as many early schedules were
reprints from former operator schedules.
Route Disposition:
The 25A was merged into the 21A Coraopolis in 1968 as two separate
limited service deviations of the route.
Click on images for larger view
The route map for the 25A highlighted in yellow. |
