Monessen Junction

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

	I have an absolutely super photo from John Brinckman (#23.01) dated 1949.08.22 (cheese 
whiz!!  --  that is 50 years ago!!) of PRCo PCC interurban 1713 northbound clattering through the 
remains of Monessen Junction on its way northbound displaying a PITTSBURGH destination sign!

	Incidentally, *Kramers Drugs  --  ??? Bus Depot* is on the bridge side of 88 inside the turn 
to the bridge with *Beer - Whiskey* with a bench labeled *Charleroi Lumber Co.* sitting in front of 
it on the west side of 837.  The Bus depot sign looks like the *AAA* symbol in a diamond but I can't 
make out the (bus) company.  All of this is probably long gone!

	Trackwork approaching the bridge is still complete - although the rear truck of 1713 is 
sitting on the point, it appears as though it is still a point and all the diamonds in the crossing 
are still there.  This in spite of the fact that the line to Monessen had been abandoned many years 
earlier (can't find the date at this time.)  In later years, PRCo would remove the points and 
diamonds and replace them with regular rail when a switch is taken out of service.  The connections 
from the West End to the North Side were like this  --  the tracks were there but the point, mate 
and diamond of the switch were replaced with matching girder rail after the West End closed.

	([BTW, Don, the PCC mentioned is all-electric, air-cooled with ceiling fans and a long roof 
monitor, sealed windows, and unlike some very early low-floor cars which had only center doors, this 
PCC has two front and two center doors!!!!!!!])

EDWARD H. LYBARGER wrote:
> 
> Monessen Jct. was where Route 88 and the Monessen Bridge met, and the
> Westside (actually the other company with the long name that I'd have to go
> in the back to get in its entirety!) tracks went across the river.  Lockview
> was just north of this spot, where the side-of-road r/w diverged from the
> highway (Rt. 88 turns left here, going north).  If anyone is familiar with
> the photo of the PRCo spray car we published a couple decades back, take
> note that the photograph was taken at or very near Lockview!
> 
> Ed
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Don Galt <GaltFD at compuserve.com>
> To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
> Sent: Saturday, June 05, 1999 5:10 AM
> Subject: Re: Eldora
> 
> > >> But I also know you as a person of precision, so would discount that
> > possibility!!! <<
> >
> > Dunno. Leave us don't forget Righty-eight, Pennsylvania (typo, of course,
> > but nevertheless....)
> >
> > I'm still frustrated about where I saw a picture taken at Eldora Park.
> > Certainly not in any book in my possession. Maybe I'm confounding your
> > mention of a picture with my own recent discovery that there had been such
> > a place.
> >
> > My next question will have to do with precise locations of various
> > stations/spots along the Charleroi line that can't be easily identified on
> > modern maps. Like Monessen Junction, Lockview, etc. Hope The Archivist is
> > watching still.
> >
> > Come to think of it, I didn't acknowledge his Eldora response. So, Thank
> > You, Ed.
> >
> > D
> >

-- 
James B. Holland
       To mail a personal reply *off-list,* please click here::   mailto:pghpcc at pacbell.net
              PITTSBURGH  RAILWAYS  COMPANY  (PRCo),  June of 1949 -- June of 1953
      Pennsylvania Trolley Museum (PTM) member #273;  http://www.pa-trolley.org/
National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) Life member #2190;  http://www.mcs.net:80/~weyand/nmra/