A brief timeline of the lifespan of the PW&S Railroad as learned during Phase I, follows: 1899 - The Byers-Allen Lumber Company is chartered on April 15, 1899 by several Williamsport , PA and Buffalo , NY principals. Captain Charles Nelson Byers, a lumberman from Williamsport , PA and minor shareholder, was charged with management of the company. The company organized the Pittsburgh, Westmoreland and Somerset Railroad on July 20, 1899 to reach 9,500 acres of timber purchased in Somerset and Westmoreland counties. 1900 - The Ligonier saw mill begins production and 15 miles of railroad is built to the top of Laurel Mountain. 1906 - Railroad reaches Somerset- Captain Byers dies. 1909 - Lumber operations close – sawmill at Ligonier is dismantled 1916 - Passenger service to Somerset ceases 1917 - Railroad abandoned and dismantled		Several members of the Laurel Highlands Model Railroad Club have completed extensive research into the PW&S and offer their findings for our visitors. As part of our collection of actual pieces of railroad equipment, we have several items that were used by the PW&S while it was in operation. There are multiple photos that we were able to obtain and display to allow you to see how this railroad functioned over 100 years ago. Whether you're a history buff, a railroad buff or both, you'll be pleased to see what we have to offer historically for the PW&S. In addition to the pieces of actual railroad equipment we have recreated the line from Somerset to Ligonier in miniture via our huge HO scale layout. Follow the line from Somerset, PA as it travels through the small communities and passes through the Allegheny tunnel on it's route to Ligonier, PA. Although we had to do some selective compression, the line faithfully goes through the type of scenery, grades and towns as did the actual PW&S.