<div dir="ltr"><div><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=ZUHrL7tQVS8C&pg=PA30&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false">http://books.google.com/books?id=ZUHrL7tQVS8C&pg=PA30&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false</a><br>
<br></div>appears to cover some of this issue<br></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Dec 22, 2013 at 3:32 PM, Herb Brannon <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:hrbran@cavtel.net" target="_blank">hrbran@cavtel.net</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">I have been led to believe that up until "home rule" came about all laws in<br>
D.C. were written and approved by the U.S. Congress. There was no other<br>
agency except the U.S. Government to oversee the operations of the District<br>
of Columbia. Some history books do have a habit of being wrong, however.<br>
<br>
<br>
On Sun, Dec 22, 2013 at 2:38 PM, Fred Schneider <<a href="mailto:fwschneider@comcast.net">fwschneider@comcast.net</a>>wrote:<br>
<div><div class="h5"><br>
> Did not take any act of Congress, Herb. The previous restriction was<br>
> written into the franchise. Once Capital Transit and its predecessors<br>
> were gone, so was the need to use underground conduits.<br>
><br>
> London used a system in which the plough simply hung in a track or frame<br>
> under the car which ran the entire width of the car. The conduit then<br>
> crossed the running rail to a storage area between the inbound and outbound<br>
> tracks. Outbound the car simply shot the plow … the "driver" came into<br>
> the change area fast enough that the flow simply followed the conduit and<br>
> shot out from under the car. And a man on the street walked up to the car<br>
> and raised the pole. In bound the street man used an insulated fork to<br>
> guide the flow to the frame under the car … he walked along beside the car<br>
> as the car slowly pulled ahead and simply guided the plough into the car.<br>
> With proper timing, you probably could have done it in 15 seconds.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> On Dec 22, 2013, at 12:53 PM, Herb Brannon wrote:<br>
><br>
> > Interesting is the fact that the reasons (dreamed up by Capital Transit<br>
> in<br>
> > 1947) for conversion of the Benning Road service from streetcar to bus<br>
> were<br>
> > first, the fact that during rush hour periods the service frequency had<br>
> to<br>
> > be less than 60-seconds between cars. These lines (Rosslyn-Kenilworth;<br>
> > Washington Circle-Seat Pleasant; Washington Circle-Kenilworth Junction;<br>
> > 15th & New York-Kenilworth Junction; and Potomac Park-Seat Pleasant)<br>
> > required the use of a "plow pit" at the interface between conduit and<br>
> > overhead operation. The changeover from conduit to overhead and vice<br>
> > versatook an even 60-seconds and could not be<br>
> > speeded up using Capital Transit methods (London (UK) accomplished this<br>
> > faster than 60-seconds) Therefore headways could not be less than<br>
> > 60-seconds. Buses were the answer. Second, eastbound cars at 15th & New<br>
> > York Avenue were being delayed do to heavy traffic and the fact that<br>
> > streetcar movements at that intersection caused missed opportunities for<br>
> > cars to go on their proper routes. Streetcars were always backed up two<br>
> or<br>
> > more blocks waiting for a green light to go their respective ways at<br>
> 15th &<br>
> > New York. Third, traffic congestion along Benning Road was increasing and<br>
> > those two lanes of streetcar track would make more room for autos. Now,<br>
> > nearly 70 years later, suddenly traffic is no longer a concern for the<br>
> > operation of streetcars on Benning Road.<br>
> ><br>
> > Not to mention that the new Washington streetcar system uses overhead<br>
> wire,<br>
> > hanging above the streets, inside the District of Columbia. I supposed<br>
> that<br>
> > this took "an act of Congress" to allow overhead wire in D.C.<br>
> ><br>
> > I'm glad the streetcars are coming back, however, why did they have to go<br>
> > in the first place?<br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> > On Sun, Dec 22, 2013 at 11:47 AM, John Swindler <<a href="mailto:j_swindler@hotmail.com">j_swindler@hotmail.com</a><br>
> >wrote:<br>
> ><br>
> >><br>
> >><br>
> >> Benning Road from front of tour bus during recent TRB meeting. About<br>
> half<br>
> >> the span wires were in place, but no contact wire. Work was underway at<br>
> >> turnback near Union Station. Grading completed no construction yet on<br>
> >> carbarn at east end of the line. A stated purpose is to help<br>
> revitalize a<br>
> >> run-down area.<br>
> >><br>
> >><br>
> >><br>
> >><br>
> >><br>
> >><br>
> >>> Date: Sun, 22 Dec 2013 16:00:29 +0000<br>
> >>> From: <a href="mailto:bobrathke@comcast.net">bobrathke@comcast.net</a><br>
> >>> To: <a href="mailto:pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org">pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org</a><br>
> >>> Subject: Re: [PRCo] DC Streetcar<br>
> >>><br>
> >>> An interesting animation teaching people the things we learned from<br>
> >> parents and friends in the "old" streetcar era. Attached are a couple of<br>
> >> photos I took in Georgetown on 11/3/78. I had thought that the sign was<br>
> a<br>
> >> remnant of the streetcar days in D.C., but it may have been posted<br>
> later to<br>
> >> warn bicyclists of the rail that was still in the street 16 years after<br>
> >> trolleys ended in the District.<br>
> >>><br>
> >>> ----- Original Message -----<br>
> >>><br>
> >>> From: "DF Cramer" <<a href="mailto:alto_trombone@hotmail.com">alto_trombone@hotmail.com</a>><br>
> >>> To: <a href="mailto:pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org">pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org</a><br>
> >>> Sent: Sunday, December 22, 2013 6:26:15 AM<br>
> >>> Subject: [PRCo] DC Streetcar<br>
> >>><br>
> >>><br>
> >><br>
> <a href="http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/21163/watch-ddots-beautifully-animated-streetcar-video/" target="_blank">http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/21163/watch-ddots-beautifully-animated-streetcar-video/</a><br>
> >>><br>
> >>> We now have to teach people how to react.<br>
> >>><br>
> >>> Dennis F. Cramer<br>
> >>> <a href="http://home.windstream.net/dfc1/" target="_blank">http://home.windstream.net/dfc1/</a><br>
> >>><br>
> >>><br>
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> >>> _______________________________________________<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>
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> >>> _______________________________________________<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>
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> >> _______________________________________________<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>
> > --<br>
> > Herb Brannon<br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> > *In Pittsburgh.............................A City And.........A State of<br>
> > Mind *<br>
> > Let's Go Pens<br>
> > Let's Go Steelers<br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> > -------------- next part --------------<br>
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> > _______________________________________________<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>
><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>
--<br>
Herb Brannon<br>
<br>
<br>
*In Pittsburgh.............................A City And.........A State of<br>
Mind *<br>
Let's Go Pens<br>
Let's Go Steelers<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br></div>