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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=135105921-11012001>I
think we have this document in the PTM Library. Specifically what am I
looking for in it?</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV align=left class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
owner-pittsburgh-railways@dementia.org
[mailto:owner-pittsburgh-railways@dementia.org]<B>On Behalf Of
</B>HRBran99@aol.com<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, January 11, 2001 4:52
PM<BR><B>To:</B> pittsburgh-railways@dementia.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re:
Missing Blocks of Car Numbers<BR><BR></DIV></FONT><FONT
face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2>In a message dated 1/11/01 3:36:05 PM
Eastern Standard Time, <BR>j_swindler@hotmail.com writes: <BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"
TYPE="CITE">But the real question is, who has a copy of the labor agreement
between ATU <BR>div. 85 and PRC from 1930s or 1940s? And what does it
say about seniority <BR>and picking of runs? Because I'd bet a value
meal at McDonald's (ok, so <BR>I'm <BR>cheap!) that seniority for picking
runs was why Tunnel maintained a city <BR>and <BR>a interurban seniority
list. <BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Having worked at SHJct,
with some of the remaining "interurban" operators, I <BR>can offer this.
<BR><BR>Several of the operators at SHJ in the 1970s and 80s were operators
who were <BR>former interurban operators working out of Castle Shannon when it
was in <BR>operation. I can remember three men who would talk to me about the
days when <BR>there were two lists. This apparently came about through the
clauses in the <BR>labor agreement and the fact that "interurban" operators
were considered <BR>higher in status than regular city operators. The training
was more intense <BR>on the interurban lines what with a different type of car
and such additional <BR>equipment as the 'trolleyphone', extra trolley pole,
tool kit, etc. These <BR>operators were required to know more and do more in
the event of an emergency <BR>or breakdown than a city service operator. The
fact that they may break down <BR>miles from the nearest service facility or
route foreman required that they <BR>had the knowledge and skill to start
remedial action before a route foreman <BR>arrived in order to keep ser! !
vice operating. <BR><BR>One could easily see that the former interurban
operators were in a class by <BR>themselves. They had a very different
attitude than newer, younger operators. <BR>Most of them (those still around
in the 1970s, at least) were former WW II <BR>service men and had that "do or
die" attitude now missing in society. Even <BR>the way they wore the uniform
indicated a group that was, to paraphrase a <BR>quote from the US Marine
Corps, "the proud, the few, the interurban <BR>operators." <BR><BR>I am
certain that to have that group integrated into the regular seniority <BR>list
at SHJ would have caused problems with moral. So two lists were <BR>maintained
until the end of interurban service. <BR><BR>Interesting too, was the fact
that all the men remaining from the <BR>Washington/Charleroi days always
picked 35 or 36. Seldom would I even see one <BR>of them on the 37 and never
on 42/38 and certainly not on 49. <BR><BR>I heard some interesting stories
from these guys about the last of the <BR>interurban days in Pittsburgh.
<BR><BR>PATransit did have a combined garage at the E. Liberty Division. It
was a <BR>combination of Craft Ave. and Homewood. However, there was only one
run pick <BR>held for the entire seniority list. Operators were assigned to
either E. <BR>Liberty 'A' or E. Liberty 'B' for administrative purposes only.
A was old <BR>Craft Ave. and B was old Homewood. There were also two
superintendents, one <BR>for A and one for B. <BR><BR>I really never asked,
and do not know, if there were two superintendents at <BR>SHJ when there was
both a city and interurban division at the one car house. <BR><BR>HrB
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