Charters & Overhead

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

Fredbruhn at aol.com wrote:

> Didn't we "heave-ho" several (or at least one) car onto the
> sidewalk to continue our trip?  Getting old replaces facts with at least good
> memories.

	That could be anywhere on the PRCo system!  I remember moving autos on
the 40 line to get by!
	I was only on a few charters, mostly before 1963 and one afterward with
the closing of the 65 line - there were two diffferent charters for the
latter.

	FRED:::  if you remember anecdotes about your charters, how about
telling them here!

> I also seem to remember Rick knew the PRCo. lines, electric and manual
> switches,
> routes and rails better than most motormen we had on our trips.

	I was riding with one of my regular drivers - Isadore (Izzy) Reichert -
who was quite laid back and easy going.  I seem to have a 6th sense
which quickly picks up on overhead irregularities.  We were heading
inbound on the 38 thru the yard and as we passed the grade crossing
north of Palm Garden and headed into the turn, I noticed a broken
hanger.  The wire caught on the outside of the hanger with the remains
of the hanger perpendicular to and under the running wire which knocked
our pole off.  It happened too quickly to say anything in advance but
Izzy didn't believe me!
	That is, he didn't believe me until we were heading outbound and an
inbound 16 at good speed hit this and threw his trolley.  He was almost
up to the switch coming out of the East yard before he stopped!
	In all my time of riding PRCo trolleys - and I rode  m-u-c-h-o - I can
only remember a handful of dewirements, was on board one car which
derailed, and know of only one or two other such mishaps.  Certainly
doesn't mean they didn't happen, but these unusual incidents seemed
rather rare!

James B. Holland
------- -- ---------
        Pittsburgh Railways Company (PRCo), June of 1949 -- June of 1953
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