Youngwood Borough is located at. Focus on a Star Youngwood Borough. Volume 2, No. 3 Fall/Winter, 2017

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1 Volume 2, No. 3 Fall/Winter, 2017 Focus on a Star Youngwood Borough Editor s Note: The Five Star Trail was named for the five municipalities it passes through, each a star in its own right. From north to south they are: the City of Greensburg, Southwest Greensburg, South Greensburg, Hempfield Township and Youngwood Borough. In the Five Star Trail logo each municipality is represented by a star rising from the smoke stack of the steam locomotive. They are the fuel that drives the success of the trail public officials, municipal workers, volunteers and citizens. The Five Star Trail serves as an excellent recreation and transportation resource and helps promote tourism as well. However, along with that it needs to be monitored and maintained regularly. Focus on a Star will feature one of the Five Star Trail municipalities in this and future issues of the Five Star News to help readers get acquainted with them and how they work to keep the trail in great shape and inviting to enjoy. (l-r) Youngwood Borough Public Works Director Eric Trout and Trail Liason Austin Erhard Youngwood Borough is located at the southern end of the Five Star Trail along Route 119 two miles north of the New Stanton PA Turnpike Interchange. Established in 1899 and incorporated as a borough in 1902, Youngwood was built on land owned by Mr. John Y. Woods. He combined his maternal grandfather s name, Young, with his own surname to create the name Youngwood for the community. Today nearly 3,000 residents call Youngwood Borough home. Youngwood was once home to a large classification yard for the Southwest Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Here railway cars were separated on to one of several tracks depending on their destinations. Rail traffic in Youngwood today is nowhere near what it was in its heyday, however, the Youngwood railroad area beside the Five Star Trail sees more use than any other parts of the rail line that the trail follows. When asked about Youngwood Borough s involvement with the Five Star Trail, Borough Public Works Director Eric Trout said, It s about community pride. The Borough has been dedicated to the success of the trail from the very beginning. Youngwood Borough s department of Public Works crew maintains approximately 2 ¾ miles of the trail including a section that connects to the Westmoreland County Community College. Around 8:00 in the morning in the fall you see a lot of college students on their bicycles using the trail to commute to the Community College, added Trout. Youngwood Borough mows along the Five Star Trail from Hillis Street north to Willow Crossing and picks up litter twice a week to help keep the trail looking cared for and inviting. Borough Trail Liaison Austin Erhard runs on the Youngwood section of the Five Star Trail when he gets home from work in the afternoon. As he runs he notes anything on the trail needing attention and adds it to the Public Works to do list. Eric Trout rides his bike regularly the entire length of the trail north to Lynch Field in Greensburg and also makes note of things needing attention. A unique portion of the Five Star Trail passes through a large industrial park in Youngwood on a paved road called Avenue A. When the trail was first built the berms on both sides of Avenue A were widened and painted with continued on page 4

2 The Five Star Trail is operated and managed by the Five Star Trail Chapter of the Regional Trail Corporation. Seven municipal partners, Greensburg, Hempfield Township, South and Southwest Greensburg, Youngwood, New Stanton, and Westmoreland County combine their resources with those of the 200 chapter members to operate the trail. Other key organizations that assist include the Westmoreland County Bureau of Parks & Recreation and the Westmoreland Conservation District Subchapter affiliates - The Little Crabtree Creek Trail and The Saint Vincent to Latrobe Trail Five Star Trail Board of Directors A Chapter of the Regional Trail Corporation Five Star Trail c/o Westmoreland County Bureau of Parks and Recreation 194 Donohoe Road Greensburg, PA Phone: Jeff Parobek, President Jeff Richards, Vice President Westmoreland County Parks Joanne Caffrey, Secretary Mark Jackson, Treasurer Westmoreland Conservation District Mike Caffrey Joe Emerick Andy Falkosky Mike Lambert Valerie Lambert Frank Lehman City of Greensburg Recreation Danielle Lingis New Stanton David Mains Little Crabtree Creek Trail Vaughn Neill Susan Baur Sherff Hempfield Township Malcolm Sias Westmoreland County Parks Jackie Timko Lois Weaver Doug Weimer Hempfield Township Like and follow us on Facebook: Trail / 2

3 Walk, jog or ride your bike. Cruising on down the trail. First Place Winner Signs of great times at the Five Star Trail Poker Run Ready for a water break? Great Turn Out Highlights 2017 Poker Run The Five Star Trail got a good workout during the 2017 Poker Run on July 22nd, as did the nearly 200 people who came out to participate and help support the trail s ongoing upkeep and development. A wide promotional effort utilizing printed flyers, a revived newsletter, website exposure, social media, well-placed yard signs and word-of-mouth, helped spread the word about this fun event. A great many new faces turned out as well as long time supporters and friends. There was also a lot excitement over the drawing to win a beautiful blue Schwinn Voyageuer Three 21-speed bike, which was given away that day. The bike was donated by The Bicycle Shop in Youngwood, PA to benefit the trail. Registration for the Poker Run began at 8:00 a.m. at Lynch Field in Greensburg. Participants could choose a Five Star Trail four mile walk or jog, or a 12 mile bicycle ride. On their way they stopped at five different stations to pick a playing card which helped complete their poker hand. Each playing card value was recorded at the stations on a poker hand card the participants picked up at the beginning when they registered. The highest scoring poker hands won the event. The threat of rain was in the air that Saturday morning, but the sun came out and kept on shining until the final minutes of the event. A few participants got caught in the rain out on the trail, but most were back at Lynch Field in the Kaufman Pavilion area enjoying the final festivities. Cost per person was $20, which benefitted the trail. Each participant received a 2017 Poker Run t-shirt and the chance to win a wide variety of exciting door prizes. Save the Date the 2018 Poker Run will be held on July 21st 3 Thank You Sponsors Adam Eidemiller, Inc./Classic Car Wash The Bicycle Shop Design 3 Architecture Nature s Way Market Pace Analytical Bill and Barb Botti Hufftown Allstars Mike and Valerie Lambert Farzati Manufacturing Jim and Jackie Timko News Talk 1480 And special thanks to all supportive businesses, organizations, municipalities, families individuals and volunteers who helped make this year s Poker Run a wonderful success!

4 Focus on a Star - Youngwood Borough continued from page 1 Aerial map - Google Maps Avenue A Depot Street Five Star Trail Extension to WCCC Trail Extension to WCCC Five Star Trail Hillis Street boundary lines and bicycle lane graphics to safely accommodate trail traffic. Youngwood Borough regularly patches and seals any cracks that develop on Avenue A s paved berm sections. They also repaint the guide lines and bicycle graphics when they need it. According to Trout, Many people traveling south on the trail think it ends at the Trolley Line parking area where it connects with Avenue A. As a result, they miss the trail section through Youngwood. However, residents in Youngwood keep the trail and parking areas here very busy. Along the Youngwood section of the Five Star Trail a few other areas are also paved to help prevent problems where frequent washouts have occurred during heavy Pavilion Lane Trail continues to Armbrust The Five Star Trail extension to Westmoreland County Community College starts at Depot Street in Youngwood and then continues to Armburst where it currently ends. The main trail continues south through Youngwood and ends at Hillis Street. storms. Eric Trout also described the Five Star Trail as a community tool. Animal Friends of Westmoreland is an animal shelter on Depot Street and uses the trail to walk and exercise dogs waiting for adoption. One of the biggest trailrelated events in the Youngwood area is the Memorial 5K Run for Jeff Wentzel, Photos - Denny and Becky Blank The North American Railcar Operators Association (NARCOA) had their annual Toys For Tots collection excursion on November 18th and stopped at the Youngwood Train Station by the Five Star Trail. These little railcars were historically used for railway maintenance. They were all decked out for Christmas, and delivered quite a load of wonderful toys to support the Marine Corps Toys For Tots Program. 4

5 a Youngwood Fireman. The Run occurs each May and attracts runners. Two miles of the 5K are on the Five Star Trail. Young people learn environmental responsibility every Earth Day when the Cub Scouts do a litter clean up from Depot Street to Hillis Street. Local Boy Scout Troops also help maintain the trail. During the Christmas Season a colorful procession of little antique railroad maintenance cars travels the rails decorated for the holidays and stops in Youngwood to collect for the Marine Corps Toys for Tots. One of the cars also carries Santa on this merry journey of good will. This is becoming a popular holiday attraction, since these cars are something rail fans don t get to see very often and donating to Toys for Tots is an established holiday tradition. Both Eric and Austin live in Youngwood and can easily walk to the Five Star Trail from their homes, as can many residents. They are proud of the Borough s tradition of involvement with the trail and consistent support from the Youngwood Council. One of the largest trailrelated projects for the borough over the years was the installation of a large catch basin beneath the Depot Street Parking Lot to help prevent stormwater from washing out the trail there. Trail users who park there today can t see this stormwater best management practice, but they can enjoy the results of the task it performs. Future projects for Youngwood Borough include adding more limestone to the surface of the trail in certain areas where it has compressed and worn down. They also want to improve the trail width from Depot Street to Hillis Street. In some places it has narrowed a bit over time due to encroaching grass along the sides. Painting the pavilion at Klingensmith Park by the Depot Street Parking Area is also on the agenda. Locomotive featured in the Five Star Trail logo is on display in McDonough, Georgia The Old No. 7 steam locomotive is now on display at Heritage Park in McDonough, Georgia honoring the area s railroading past and serving as a memorial to the victims of the 1900 Camp Creek train wreck tragedy. The Five Star Trail is unique since it is a trail with rail, meaning that an active rail line runs beside it. Today much of this rail line is unused. Those sections which are used only carry occasional slow-moving freight train traffic. When the Five Star Trail first opened in 1998 a tourist railroad excursion powered by an antique steam locomotive was running from Greensburg to Scottdale. A graphic representation of this locomotive is featured in the Five Star Trail logo. Built in 1934, No. 7, a Porter steam locomotive, was one of the last coal fired steam locomotives produced. It once served as a yard engine for West Penn Power. When this locomotive pulled the tourist excursion train along portions of the Five Star Trail, No. 7 was known as The Highlander. Its steam whistle could be heard for miles around. Thousands of people enjoyed riding in the classic passenger cars through the countryside and various communities. At one point on the journey the train passed a bank of old coke ovens which were so close you could almost reach out and touch them. Unfortunately, the tourist excursion discontinued after only a few years. Old No. 7 disappeared from Westmoreland County and many wondered where it finally ended up. Through the cybermagic of Google, the editor of this newsletter discovered No. 7 on display at Heritage Park in McDonough, Georgia. As you can see in the photo, it still looks the same as it does in the Five Star Trail logo. McDonough is located in Henry County, Georgia about 28 miles southeast of Atlanta. Heritage Park is home to the Veterans Wall of Honor, Heritage Park Veterans Museum and historic village, featuring an 1827 settler s log cabin, detached cookhouse, original two-room schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, the first library building in Henry County, a community garden plus playgrounds, concession stand, walking/jogging track, senior center, softball fields, library and a covered arena that can accommodate 3,800 for concerts and events. At Heritage Park the No. 7 steam locomotive serves as a memorial to Henry County s ties to railroading and the victims of the Camp Creek train wreck which took place in 1900 at McDonough. If your future travel plans include Georgia, you might enjoy stopping at Heritage Park, checking out the sites, and visiting Old No. 7. It s an honor to share No. 7 s legacy with others and a comfort to know it has a good home. Photo courtesy Henry County, Georgia, Parks & Recreation 5

6 Photo - Joanne Caffrey Photo - Joanne Caffrey Volunteers at Work... Special thanks to a cheerful group of around 40 volunteers from the Westmoreland Community Federal Credit Union who conducted an extensive litter and trash pick up along the Five Star Trail on Columbus Day. They really enjoyed helping the community. Long-time volunteer and Five Star Trail board member Andy Falkosky serves as both maintenance and trail monitor. Joe Lucas paints the Huff Avenue Access Area fences to help them last as long as possible. Five Star News is the official newsletter of the Five Star Trail published twice per year Spring and Fall. Photos and story submissions are accepted and should be sent to: Five Star News, Mark Jackson, Editor, c/o Westmoreland Conservation District, J. Roy Houston Conservation Center, 218 Donohoe Road, Greensburg, PA 15601, mark@wcdpa.com, All articles are edited for length, grammar, accuracy and composition. They will be used at the discretion of the editor and directors. Photos should be high quality. Mark Jackson and Mike Caffrey applied identification decals to the Five Star Trail s volunteer maintenance dump utility cart. Members may choose to receive this newsletter via rather than a mailed hard copy. Just contact the editor. Please advise the editor of any and all needed corrections. 6

7 Photos - Joanne Caffrey Volunteers so that People at Work... can enjoy a great recreational resource Charles Grybosky and his son Owen enjoy a ride on the Five Star Trail. Owen and his Cub Scout Pack 480, Den 5 performed a trail clean up this past year. How great! A Great day and great place for a walk by the Huff Avenue Access Area in South Greensburg. Become a Five Star Trail Member Support the continued maintenance and further development of this great recreational resource. Stay up to date on trail-related activities and improvements. Date Name Address City State Home phone Zip I would like to get involved by volunteering for: o Trail Monitoring o Trail Maintenance o PR & Membership o Poker Run & Events Type of Membership o New Member o Renewal o Individual...$20 o Family...$30 o Lifetime Membership...$150 o Organization...$50 o Small Business...$100 o Corporate...$250 Tax Deductible Donation...$ Please make checks payable to FSTC-RTC Mail to: Five Star Trail Chapter 194 Donohoe Road Greensburg, PA For more information call (724)

8 Five Star Trail c/o Westmoreland County Bureau of Parks and Recreation 194 Donohoe Road Greensburg, PA Help Support the Five Star Trail, Heritage Trail and the Westmoreland County Parks! Dick Sunder enjoys getting out on the Five Star Trail with his tricycle for some exercise. The Five Star Poker Run has always been a good reason to get together with friends for a bike ride. Fun Fundraisers Great Laughs & Great Food! Saturday, February 10, 2018 Colton Hall, Claridge, PA to benefit the Five Star and Heritage Trails Friday, March 2, 2018 Youngwood Volunteer Fire Department to benefit the Westmoreland County Parks Tickets will be available as of December, 2017 for both shows. You can purchase them at the Westmoreland County Bureau of Parks and Recreation 194 Donohoe Road, Greensburg, PA