<div dir="ltr"><div>Bob R,<br></div>It still had that "orange glow" when I first moved here in 1972. Plus, when atmospheric conditions were right, it smelled like fire & brimstone, everywhere. Even today, on humid days, I still smell the "fire & brimstone" coming from the Irvin Works just over the hill (on Camp Hollow Rd) to the south-east of my place.<br>
<br>Contrary to popular opinion steel is not dead in Pittsburgh. The Clairton Works still produces coke as it always did, the Edgar Thompson Works makes primary steel, the Irvin Works produces rolled steel and the relatively new Mckeesport Tubular Works (old National Works, now reopened) makes tubular products for the Marcellus Shale drilling industry. So the sulphur and fire & brimstone can still be smelled on humid days and the orange glow is still available in Braddock and Clairton.<br>
</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 2:46 PM, Bob Rathke <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:bobrathke@comcast.net" target="_blank">bobrathke@comcast.net</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Driving south from Zelienople at night in the 1950's you didn't need a compass to locate Pittsburgh - the sky there always had an orange glow.<br>
<br>
----- Original Message -----<br>
<br>
From: "John Swindler" <<a href="mailto:j_swindler@hotmail.com">j_swindler@hotmail.com</a>><br>
To: "Western PA Trolley discussion" <<a href="mailto:pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org">pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org</a>><br>
Sent: Monday, October 21, 2013 10:16:09 AM<br>
<div><div class="h5">Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Was chatting with some PTM visitors yesterday, and among the "Pittsburg smells" mentioned was J&L sulfur smell upon exiting Squirrel Hill Tunnels and heading downgrade to Brady St. exit. They were old enough to remember air pollution from late 1940s - (before my time).<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
> From: <a href="mailto:dwightlong@verizon.net">dwightlong@verizon.net</a><br>
> To: <a href="mailto:pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org">pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org</a><br>
> Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 11:04:35 -0400<br>
> Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal<br>
><br>
><br>
> Herb<br>
><br>
> In Beaver burning next to the curb was OK on concrete streets (we lived on one) or brick ones (still several left in the 50s) but not on asphalt nor tarred ones!<br>
><br>
> Tar? When I was in first or second grade I came home from school for lunch. On the way back to school the alley that I used as a shortcut was being freshly tarred. I followed the tar dispensing truck, fascinated. When I got to school I was sent home immediately. I looked like the proverbial tarbaby. Lots of turpentine and stiff scrubbing later, and a new suit of clothes, I returned and was admitted.<br>
><br>
> And we still had plenty of coal furnaces in our town back then, although our house used gas. I well recall the smell of the coal burning on cold winter days whilst delivering the Pittsburgh Press to my paper route customers. The last time I encountered that smell was just a few years ago in a suburb of Budapest while fotting the trams there. Brought back many memories!<br>
><br>
> Dwight<br>
><br>
> From: Herb Brannon<br>
> Sent: Monday, 21 October, 2013 10:48<br>
> To: Western PA Trolley discussion<br>
> Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves<br>
> When I was a child, in Akron, the common practice was to burn the leaves<br>
> in the street but along the curb stones. Sometimes the piles of leaves were<br>
> so large that the fires would become too large and would spread to the<br>
> treelawn. Then the fire department would be called to put out the fires. It<br>
> made for an exciting day or evening. Ranking right up there with the smell<br>
> of burning leaves are also the smell of coal smoke and the smell of fresh<br>
> tar.............three of the "little joys of life" now gone by the wayside.<br>
><br>
><br>
> On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 10:33 AM, Dwight Long <<a href="mailto:dwightlong@verizon.net">dwightlong@verizon.net</a>>wrote:<br>
><br>
> ><br>
> > Herb<br>
> ><br>
> > I can remember back in the 50s coming back to Beaver from auto trips to<br>
> > the East that involved the Pa Turnpike—we would use the Warrendale exit and<br>
> > the back roads to Beaver. Coming down into the (Beaver) valley off the<br>
> > hill the whole floor of the valley would be engulfed in leaf smoke.<br>
> ><br>
> > Unhealthy, they say, but it sure did convey the impression that Autumn was<br>
> > upon us!<br>
> ><br>
> > Dwight<br>
> ><br>
> > From: Herb Brannon<br>
> > Sent: Sunday, 20 October, 2013 10:36<br>
> > To: Western PA Trolley discussion<br>
> > Subject: Re: [PRCo] Phil asked about music<br>
> > You mentioned something I really miss.............the smell of burning<br>
> > leaves in October.<br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> > On Sun, Oct 20, 2013 at 8:37 AM, DF Cramer <<a href="mailto:alto_trombone@hotmail.com">alto_trombone@hotmail.com</a><br>
> > >wrote:<br>
> ><br>
> > ><br>
> > ><br>
> > ><br>
> > > Well, what have I been up to? The beginning of the month I performed<br>
> > > Copland, Brahms, & Dvorak with the Butler County Symphony,our (my wife<br>
> > > plays cello) 28th season with the ensemble. I am back at IUP and<br>
> > delivered<br>
> > > two arrangements of French Noels from the Baroque period to begin the<br>
> > > semester and last week conducted a first reading of my "The Eternal<br>
> > Flame",<br>
> > > a commemorative piece for double trombone choir and narrator I wrote to<br>
> > > mark the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination. All of that will<br>
> > be<br>
> > > performed on November 19 at the university. Next week I perform with IUP<br>
> > > brass & organ faculty at Zion Lutheran in Indiana for Reformation Sunday<br>
> > > and the following week we are doing Charlie Chaplin's "City Lights" in<br>
> > > Butler. Chaplin created the musical score for this silent film and we<br>
> > will<br>
> > > be showing the film as we perform. (Side note: if you want tickets let me<br>
> > > know as soon as possible--I usually get 4 free ones)<br>
> > > Other than that, I spent quality time with Ed at the Alle-Kiski<br>
> > Historical<br>
> > > Society, led a new operator training class at PTM, printed and stuffed<br>
> > > ballots for PTM, and am going to the opera today to see Aida (football<br>
> > fan<br>
> > > alert--Franco Harris is leading the Grand March in the opera today)<br>
> > > I spend lots of time practicing and cleaning up leaves. I mulch some and<br>
> > > burn others---yes we are still permitted to burn here.<br>
> > > If you missed it--I also performed at the PTM 50th Anniversary luncheon.<br>
> > > See the most recent issue of PTM Trolley Fare, Fred Schneider took some<br>
> > > great images.<br>
> > > Dennis F. Cramer<br>
> > > <a href="http://home.windstream.net/dfc1/" target="_blank">http://home.windstream.net/dfc1/</a><br>
> > ><br>
> > > > Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2013 05:49:49 -0700<br>
> > > > From: <a href="mailto:pcc_sr@yahoo.com">pcc_sr@yahoo.com</a><br>
> > > > To: <a href="mailto:pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org">pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org</a><br>
> > > > Subject: Re: [PRCo] still having issues<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > Stereo-vision isn't it Mr.Cramer! Soapbox opportunity; make the most<br>
> > of<br>
> > > it!<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > You have not recently mentioned anything about your concert or music<br>
> > > engagements.<br>
> > > > I find them fascinating. Music is not at all unlike laughter is it;<br>
> > > both speak a universal language.<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > Yes; BB are the last posts I have seen. There was not much of anything<br>
> > > before your BB posts for several weeks. You mentioned a book in relation<br>
> > > to this; please tell more.<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > Phil<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > --------------------------------------------<br>
> > > > On Sat, 10/19/13, DF Cramer <<a href="mailto:alto_trombone@hotmail.com">alto_trombone@hotmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > Subject: [PRCo] still having issues<br>
> > > > To: "<a href="mailto:pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org">pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org</a>" <<br>
> > > <a href="mailto:pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org">pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org</a>><br>
> > > > Date: Saturday, October 19, 2013, 3:52 AM<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > it seemed very interesting that after<br>
> > > > I posted on the list, several emails came through. I assume people<br>
> > were<br>
> > > responding with reply all. I have received no posts from the list other<br>
> > > than those dealing with Billy Baxter.<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > Dennis F. Cramer<br>
> > > > <a href="http://home.windstream.net/dfc1/" target="_blank">http://home.windstream.net/dfc1/</a><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > _______________________________________________<br>
> > > > Pittsburgh-railways mailing list<br>
> > > > <a href="mailto:Pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org">Pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org</a><br>
> > > > <a href="https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways" target="_blank">https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways</a><br>
> > ><br>
> > ><br>
> > ><br>
> > ><br>
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> > ><br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> > --<br>
> > Herb Brannon<br>
> > *In Pittsburgh...*<br>
> > *......the Greatest City In The U.S.*<br>
> > Let's Go Pens<br>
> > Let's Go Steelers<br>
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> > Pittsburgh-railways mailing list<br>
> > <a href="mailto:Pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org">Pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org</a><br>
> > <a href="https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways" target="_blank">https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways</a><br>
> ><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> --<br>
> Herb Brannon<br>
> *In Pittsburgh...*<br>
> *......the Greatest City In The U.S.*<br>
> Let's Go Pens<br>
> Let's Go Steelers<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
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<div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5">_______________________________________________<br>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div dir="ltr"><div><div><div>Herb Brannon<br><b>In Pittsburgh...</b><br></div><b>......the Greatest City In The U.S.</b><br></div>Let's Go Pens<br></div>
Let's Go Steelers<br><br></div>
</div>