YorksPast

A bridge has spanned the railroad cut in Stony Brook since 1904. It was initially solely for trolley use. However after trolley service ended, the bridge became a one-lane bridge for vehicular traffic and eventually was rebuilt for two-lane use. In 2023 the nearby Davies Drive at-grade rail crossing opened. As a result the bridge, on Pleasant Acres Road, was no longer required, and since it is in need of major repairs it is now being removed.

Trolley service between York and Wrightsville existed from May 21, 1904 until February 1, 1933. When trolley rail placement was being planned, the railroad crossing in Stony Brook was already a dangerous crossing to wagon traffic, due to challenging lines of sight. It was decided to make use of the rail-cut to easily allow the trolley rails to bridge the railroad tracks.

Several slides from Trolley Topic section of the “Rails through Springettsbury” History Night presentation of October 12, 2022 are used to illustrate the story of bridging the railroad cut in Stony Brook. That whole History Night presentation can be viewed through the YouTube video at this link.

The following circa 1925 westward view is near where Locust Grove Road intersects with the Lincoln Highway. The trolley car is on a bridge over Stony Run and heading from the south side of the Lincoln Highway, across the road, to the north side of the Lincoln Highway.

The banner above the front of trolley car says Wrightsville, so this trolley is heading east. The placement of the trolley poles also has the car heading in that direction. The car number is 319 and the sign is up to indicate Last Car of the day, heading to Wrightsville.

The following photo is in the opposite direction. Which is a circa 1925 eastward view from where Locust Grove Road intersects with the Lincoln Highway. The trolley car is on a bridge over Stony Run and heading from the south side of the Lincoln Highway, across the road, to the north side of the Lincoln Highway. Stony Brook Garage is seen to the left side of the photo.

The following 2022 photo shows the path of the trolley car after crossing over to the north side of the Lincoln Highway. The trolley climbs the slight hill, on what is now Pleasant Acres Road, to a bridge over the railroad tracks.

The following 2022 photo shows the path the trolley car took after passing over the bridge, where the trolley rails run to the right and head down hill to get onto Stony Brook Road, where the Stony Brook trolley stop was located at the Stony Brook Railroad Station.

After trolley operations in the area ceased in 1933, the York Railways Company granted Springettsbury Township use of the roadbed from the Lincoln Highway, i.e. East Market Street, to and including the trolley bridge. This short-cut was primarily used as an alternate way to access County Home buildings that housed the poor, on the County Farm which opened back that road in 1930.

The following 1958 photo shows the former trolley bridge over the railroad tracks in Stony Brook. County and Township officials are viewing the closed single lane bridge and discussing if the township or the county should undertake repairs. Ultimately both contributed to construct a new 2-lane bridge, replacing the former trolley bridge.

After new medical buildings opened in 1950 at the County Home and the shift was made to institutional nursing care, the facilities were re-named Pleasant Acres in 1952. The former trolley shortcut from the Lincoln Highway was renamed Pleasant Acres Road.

Click on this LINK for a yorkblog.com Full View of the photos and illustrations in this post.

Links to related posts:

A Trolley heads East of Stony Run in Stony Brook

Davies Drive at-grade Rail Crossing in Stony Brook

Stony Brook Garage on the Lincoln Highway