Lougee Report

[Charles Brown]

Jim asked about this, so here it is.  This is from Interurbans Special
#7 (June 1949) which dealt with the Pacific Northwest Traction Company.
The report appeared in the back under the notes section.

PITTSBURGH BUS SURVEY RECOMMENDS RAIL

Pittsburgh, March 23 (Special)--- Electric street railways have won a
resounding victory in the report filed this week with Federal Court by
N. A. Lougee & Co. of New York, nationally prominent engineering firm.

"The modern trolley cars are more practical vehicles for transportation
on heavily traveled lines in Pittsburgh than are busses" the report
observed.

The report was based on a survey of transit facilities here which had
been ordered by the court and which lasted several months and cost
$90,000.  The survey by the Lougee firm was instigated by the City of
Pittsburgh and the Securites & Exchange Commmission, which contended
that Pittsburgh Railways' policy of purchasing PCC cars instead of
busses was contrary to the nationwide trend. 


The Lougee survey found that a changeover to busses could not be
justified by savings that would result.  It added that congestion in the
Triangle would be greater and that Pittsburgh Railways Co. would hve to
junk a large quantity of streetcars and other property now in good
condition.

The report, however, did recommend the substitution of busses for
trolleys on 19 routes, and a 12 1/2% reduction in service on these
routes, principally during off-peak hours.  The cost of shifting over to
busses on the 19 routes was estimated at close to $9 million; of this,
$6 million would go for new busses.  To carry out this change,
Pittsburgh Railways would have to take more than $13 million worth of
trolleys, track and other equipment out of service.  In addition, the
job of retiring all this property and restoring streets to good
condition woud cost another $3 million.

It will be up to the Federal Court to either order the conversion to
busses on the 19 routes or reject the recommended changes.

The report said the trolley system here is "well and efficiently
operated" and that its operating costs "compare most favorably" with
transportation systems in other large cities.

Newspaper reaction to the publication of the findings of the Lougee
Survey was for the most part highly favorable to streetcars.  The
Pittsburgh "Press" in an editorial stated:
     "Now that the report is in and the $90,000 has been spent, suppose
we let the trolley-bus controversy die.  The conclusions of the report
were fairly obvious before the survey was ordered.  Regarding the
suggestion that busses be substituted on 19 routes, it is admitted this
changeover would be expensive.  It would cost about $9 miliion---not
counting about $13 million worth of trolleys and facilities which would
be scrapped.  To pay for the cost of this switch it would be necessary
to curtail services on these 19 routes by 12 1/2%.  In which case we
ask:  'What's the point?'"





Charlie

Charlesebrown at webtv.net