Westinghouse PCCs on Route 21

[Kenneth and Tracie Josephson]

> > I recently reviewed my route 21 photos, and don't recall having a single
> > photo of a 1700 series car on Fineview.  Years ago I remember reading
> > that trolleys used on Fineview had special gearing.  True?
> 
> I read that, too. It was in Harold A. Smith's book. But since the cars
> of the 1776-1799 group had similar controls for hilly operation (though perhaps not the special
> gearing) and were used on Route 8, I "supposed" (as in speculated) that
> a GE 1700 could have been used on Route 21. But 1502?!? Unless there was
> something special about that particular car (modifications), I can't
> imagine why it was "up there" on Route 21. But I have a half dozen shots
> from the early '60's showing it on Route 21. Go figure. :-) Ken J.

>From CuZin Bruce:

The GE cars were preferred because Keating carhouse was 98% GE and the
21 ran out of
Keating.  The photos you have of 1502 I would bet is from a 1964 PRMA
(now PTM) fantrip.
I have recently seen pictures of 1641 running on 21 but this was after
Keating closed and
it was running out of Tunnel.  Tunnel did keep 1678 and 1697 running
until the line quit
April 30, 1966 and they were the cars run on the last day.

The feature of Fineview cars that made them special was a gang switch to
turn on
the rail brakes to hold the car on the hill if needed.  The WABCo car
1467 (at PA Trolley
Museum has such a switch.  Fineview cars also carried a coal bucket full
of extra sand
under the motorman's seat.

Legend has it that all electric cars were not used as a rule because the
shaft brakes were
spring applied and electrically released and didn't have holding power
on hills if
slightly out of adjustment.   We rolled back a lot at photo stops on
Arlington Avenue on
the last day of the 48 (1968) when we decided that we should use a GE
1700 (1780) and the
shaft brakes didn't want to hold.

CuZ