All Aboard the Oil Express!

Venango Museum Staff
Oct 7, 2025
3 min read

Updated: 9 hours ago

Venango County On Track

Venango County’s oil boom did more than fuel the industry—it brought the railroads that powered the region’s growth. From bustling depots in Oil City to rural stops across the county, trains carried people, goods, and opportunity through the heart of the Oil Region.

This article draws on contemporary newspaper accounts and regional railroad histories to document the growth of rail transportation in the Oil Region.

Railroads were key to the growth of Venango County and the Oil Region in the 1800s. As the oil industry boomed in the 1860s, railroads expanded too, enabling the efficient movement of oil, goods, and people. By the late 1800s, rail lines covered Venango County and Western Pennsylvania, driving business growth and prosperity in the area.

The Atlantic & Great Western Railroad was the first to reach Venango County, arriving in Franklin on May 30, 1863. By 1885, the line reached Oil City, serving warehouses and storage areas and linking up with the Erie Railroad. This made it easier to ship oil and other goods to big markets like New York Harbor.

Oil City quickly became a center for new rail lines. The Oil Creek and Pithole Railroad came in from the north, opening up rail travel along the Allegheny River Valley. The Farmers Railroad linked Oil City to Petroleum Centre and connected with the Oil Creek Railroad, forming part of the Empire Line, which ran express trains between Oil City and Corry. Around this time, the Allegheny Valley Railroad, operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad, finished a line between Pittsburgh and Venango City, now known as Oil City’s South Side. By 1867, crude oil was being shipped from Oil City to cities like Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo, New York Harbor, and Philadelphia, making the area a major transportation hub.

In 1885, The Petroleum Age called Oil City the region’s most important shipping point, saying that business happened wherever there was space. People saw railroads as a big benefit for Venango County, bringing in workers and steady jobs. Railroad workers supported local farmers, inns, and shops, and new businesses opened to meet the rising demand. In rural places like East Sandy Lake, hotels and boarding houses were built for immigrant workers, many of whom were Italian, German, Eastern European, or local residents.

Oil City soon became known as a “railroad town,” with trains coming and going from places like Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Corry, Erie, and Philadelphia. There was overnight passenger service between Pittsburgh and Buffalo, with crews switching in Oil City. Trains carried sleeping and dining cars, mail, baggage, and even coffins, showing how much rail travel was part of everyday life. People used trains for shopping, travel, and fun, including watching circus trains that brought performers, animals, and equipment through the area.

The growth of the railroads also changed the look of Venango County. New bridges and tunnels were built for the busy rail lines, like the Allegheny Valley Railroad Bridge over the Allegheny River and the Oil City Tunnel through Hogback Hill. Union Station in Oil City became a lively spot where families greeted arrivals and said goodbye to travelers. Passenger trains stopped running in Oil City on June 9, 1953, when the last scheduled train left Union Station, ending an important era in the county’s transportation history.