Overhead

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

HRBran99 at aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 12/05/1999 5:22:51 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> pghpcc at pacbell.net writes:
> 
> << 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! >>
> 
> After the emergency crew arrived we found out the
> trolley-wheel had worn to the point where it had split into two pieces. The
> trolley wire got wedged in between what now amounted to two trolley wheels on
> the end of the pole and caught there. The car was moving and kept taking out
> hangars, span wires, and other assorted hardware until the wire broke and the
> car was without power.

	Fascinating anecdote, Herb; share some more!!!

	While the hangers PRCo used clamped onto round wire from above, PRCo
often wrapped a sheath around the bottom of the wire and against the
hanger to prevent wear on the hanger.  This caused the trolley wheels to
bounce a little in going across hangers.  This was most notable on the
interurban where it was possible to operate a little faster.  I could
detect the faint interruptions to power and of course see a minor
flicker if the lights were on.  And this would be a little exaggerated
if a groove had been worn into the wheel.
	I was heading to downtown from the Northside and was on a city 17 about
1957-1958.  As we started up on a green traffic signal, the trolley
dewired  --  and dewired two more additional times on dead straight wire
on acceleration from a dead stop!  Must have been a pretty good groove
in that pulley too  --  but nothing like the one you experienced!

	Hope you have more stories to tell!

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