South Hills Junction

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

Dietrich, Robert J. wrote:
> 
>> Jim:  Thanks for the response about South Hills Junction.  Your comments
>> trigger more questions.
> 
>  -----Original Message-----
> From:   Jim Holland [mailto:pghpcc at pacbell.net]
> 
>         I don't believe that the loop around the admin building was there from
> the beginning but it was probably added very early on.  Some very early
> drawings I have seen omit this loop.  But the track behind the admin
> building might have preceeded the loop and was originally connected to
> the inbound 38-39-40-42 lines. . .

>> This is confirmed by a couple pictures.  The second pix on my web, the old
>> one from the P&CS article, shows no loop track and no track behind the
>> building.  A have another pix that I haven't posted yet showing tracks in
>> the back but still no loop.

	I missed this detail - will have to go back and look!

> . . . (instead of entering and exiting the yard off Warrington).
>> Where was the access to Warrington Ave.?

	In the general vicinity of the Palm Garden loop - just north of that
location.  Whereas Warrington Ave is higher than the yard on the north
end and lower on the southern end, there is a point where they are close
to the same level just north of Palm Garden - that is where the
streetcars accessed Warrington.

>         But what really stumps me is the track that joins the outbound 40 line
> from a point just south of the tunnel portal.  I can only assume that it
> was a temporary bypass, possibly part of the original configuration,
> while some of the other junction tracks were reconstructed.  Photo #PI 0303 
> from Harold A. Smith shows 3813 signed for CHARLEROI and at a point
> near the boarding point for interurbans southbound with this track
> apparent as well. . .

>> Another perplexing thing about this track is the location of that newsstand,
>> or resturant.  On the map I posted, taken from a '30s copy from the museum,
>> this track appears and it is right in front of the newsstand.  But later pix
>> (http://www.voicenet.com/~dietrich/SHJ/cd10.htm) don't allow room for that
>> track.  Was the building and steps moved or rebuilt?

	Agreed - forgot to mention that in the original post.  The rails to
this track in the above mentioned photo by Harold A. Smith are almost
parallel to the other running track - these rails are close enough to
look like guard rails for each other!  I am *assuming* that they
continued this way past the little restaurant.  My recollection of this
track as a stub off the 40 line would be consistent with this
configuration - the two tracks are almost one until they pass the
restaurant.

>> I'm currently trying to make drawings of the Admin Building, it appears to
>> have quite an evolution also.  Does anyone know when the roof overhang was
>> removed?  Also was the first floor "porch" on the rear (the side facing the
>> single track) ever enclosed?  Some pix after 1950 appear to have it bricked
>> in but none I've seen are clear.
> 
>> Thanks.
> 
>> Bob Dietrich
>> Member of only EPTC.

	What is *EPTC?*

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