What the H*ll was HE Doing There?!? (Formerly Westinghouse PCCs on Route 21)

[Robert E. Rathke]

I just re-reviewed my slides from the last day of Fineview (4/30/66), and
the 1678 is definitely the last scheduled car on the line.  I was out
taking photos from about 9AM that day, and have photos of both the 1678
and 1697 throughout the day.  My last photo of 1697 was in daylight
(probably around 4PM) turning onto Perrysville Ave. inbound from Charles
St.  Interestingly, 1678 is right behind the 1697 at the layover point. 
After dark, I have photos of only the 1678, and I doubt if 1697 was on
Fineview at all that evening.  Could there have been a fantrip using 1697
on May 1?  If so, this would be the first time I heard about it.

As for the John Dameron photo: the 1678 was very crowded on its last run,
and I was sitting in the middle of the car.  When we left the car
downtown, we were very surprised to see John Dameron on the car (he was
the only passenger wearing a suit and tie).  I remember thinking there
should be a caption on his photo - "Get off my trolley now, and don't
touch anything on the way out."  By the way, John is on the front steps,
and the motorman is standing at the operator's seat, but his head is out
of the photo so he can't be identified. 

Ken - send me your e-mail address.

Bob 10/3

                                       -------------------------------

The 21st Century starts on January 1, 2001.  Just a reminder.

On Sun, 03 Oct 1999 10:16:46 +0000 Kenneth and Tracie Josephson
<kjosephson at sprintmail.com> writes:
>Robert E. Rathke wrote:
>> 
>> This subject of PCCs on 21 Fineview became too interesting, so I 
>made a
>> complete review of photos I took on Fineview in the months the 
>trolleys
>> operated out of Tunnel Car House from 9/5/65 to 4/30/66 (or very 
>early in
>> the morning of 5/1/66, to be precise).
>
>I appreciate that. Thank you! :-)
>> 
>> Here are the cars I photographed (dozens of times for some) in that
>> period: 1637, 1676, 1678, 1681, 1683, 1684, 1686, 1687, 1689, 1690, 
>1693,
>> 1695, 1696 and 1697.
>
>All GE cars except 1637 and (Bruce's sighting of) 1641.
>> 
>> 1637 ran on Fineview on Easter weekend, 1966.  I rode it and took
>> interior and exterior
>>          night photos.
>> 1678 was on Fineview a lot in April, 1966, and it was the last car 
>on the
>> line on 4/30/66. 1697 ran on Fineview a LOT in the first four months 
>of 1966.  It was the second-last car on the line on 4/30/66.
>
>I have a shot of 1697 with a sign in the window stating it was the 
>last
>car. I have seen pictures of 1678 with captions stating it was the 
>last
>car as you indicated. Was one revenue, the other a "second section" or
>"fan car?" When I was riding the Drake line last month, I met a small
>elderly man who claimed he was the motorman on the very last Fineview
>car. He did not resemble either motorman (1697's nor 1678's) from the
>last day photos. Things that make a guy say, "Hmmmm...." ;-)
>
>>          The second-last photo I took of this car was around 
>Midnight on
>> 4/30/66 - it shows
>>          John Dameron at the front door directing passengers off the 
>car!
>
>What the H*ll was HE doing there?!? I'd like to purchase a copy of 
>that
>picture... or swap a copy of one of my pix with you. E-mail me 
>privately
>if you are interested.
>
>>  My last photo of 1678 was at 12:10 AM at 9th and Liberty as the
>> car (with a Car House sign)
>>          headed back to Tunnel.  Then we all ran down the street to 
>catch
>> the last 6/14
>>          trolley (PCC 1799) to Avalon.
>
>I have a beautiful "Carbarn Sally" night shot of 1799 on that run. See
>Dave's Train pictures...I had Dave place it along side a shot of the
>first Pittsburgh PCC car (when it was M-11) for a contrast.
>
>http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/jpg/pitt455.jpg
>
>http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/jpg/pitt456.jpg
>
>In any event, 1697 seems to have been the mot frequently assigned 
>Fineview car. I have a friend and coworker here in Las Vegas whose
>mother lived in the area at the time. She even noticed 1697 was on the
>line quite a bit in the mid 1960's. Incidently, her father was a crane
>operator at Pressed Steel Car Company. Ken J.

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