Route "#s" Etc - 10/15

[John Swindler]

>Jim Holland wrote in reply to my question:  Did 10/15 cars always take 
>layover time at West View terminus (location of three crossovers on Center 
>Ave. vicinity Cornell - don't have schedule or map handy) in later years?.
>
>I think the official layover point was the outer *end* but exactly what is 
>considered the *end* of a loop-line is arbitrary (Smith's book noted later 
>indicates the 3-crossovers area as the official end of the line as does the 
>map by PRMA - all of this in the area of Princeton, Yale, and Harvard 
>Avenues!)
>

Yes, official layover point was at 3-crossover point.  But there is this 
nagging impression (four decades later) of some Sunday cars in the summer 
taking their fallback time at West View Park.  Was this a summer only 
modification, operator convenience, or faulty memory?  Whatever, it provided 
opportunity for a certain teen to take several photos of cars at both West 
View Park and at 3-crossover point "in later years".


>Jim also mentioned, concerning schedules and layovers,
>
>Layover was a function of several items - sometimes unions wanted a certain 
>amount of time per trip and sometimes layover was by design to give a 
>cushion when running late - the latter preventing short turns to return to 
>schedule or operator trades to return to same.  Layover is also a function 
>of running time and headway.
>

How about cycle time equals twice one-way running time plus layover time?   
Then divide cycle time by policy headway or required headway to determine 
required number of vehicles. (rounded up)

>
>Jim also mentioned:
>Take a look at the odd ball headways of 17, 18, or 19 minutes on many of 
>the PRCo schedules.  It seems that headway was a function of running time 
>and this would seem to be the most efficient.
>
>

Yes, Jim, and the 55 min. headway on 49 Beltzhoover on Sundays.  But there 
was a reason for that.  With 55 min. headway, Pittsburgh Railways could 
operate the same number of trips at less cost by avoiding some overtime pay. 
  Likewise, some 22-23 minute headways were a split of 45 min. headways with 
two routes.  As you mentioned, this was for efficiency.

Meanwhile, has anyone noticed that PAT parks an LRV at Simmons Loop all day 
long on Sundays?  (ok, they rotate vehicles every half hour).  I don't think 
the PRC management would have tolerated a 28-32 min. layover with a 30 min. 
headway - they would have found something creative.  Today, schedules are 
put together by computer, and the schedulers are in same union as bus 
operators.

>
>The picture on page 22 of *Touring Pittsburgh by Trolley* by Harold A. 
>Smith shows 1788 on one of the crossovers right near a *time clock.*

Thank you for "time clock" term - had forgotten.  But is 1788 heading 
inbound on 10 or 15?

>We kids used to punch these clocks on a very regular basis - lots of ghost 
>streetcars on the 42 line!
>

You too?  Time clocks for 64 were at Jane St. Loop, not E. Pitts.  There 
were also two time clocks for 76, arrival and departure.  When about 10 or 
so we would punch 76 departure clock for motorman couple min. after he left. 
  That may have been the bribe for some transfers!

>(About changing rollsign on 35/36 cars on Sundays). . . was supposed to be 
>changed, but maybe it was Washington Jct or Castle Shannon. . . or South 
>Hills Jct.
>

Don't think it was South Hills Jct., Jim.  Sign had to be correct by South 
Hills Jct. for outbound trip, and there was a route foreman at this 
location.  Might be that the railways company didn't want an operator 
blocking another car to change the front and side signs.  How about Bon 
Air???

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