Destination Signs

[Vigrass, Bill]

Thanks much. Now I recall a place where the Donora cars turned.  I never
stopped there and took no pictures there or at Black Diamond Jct., surely an
appropriate name in that region.  Bill V.

> ----------
> From: 	Jim Holland[SMTP:pghpcc at pacbell.net]
> Reply To: 	pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> Sent: 	Wednesday, October 06, 1999 1:53 PM
> To: 	pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> Subject: 	Re: Destination  Signs
> 
> Greetings!
> 
> Vigrass, Bill wrote:
> 
> > What was "Riverview"?  I am not familiar
> > with it.  Bill V.
> 
> 	Riverview was a combination loop and wye about two miles south of
> the 
> Crookham Siding, 4-5 miles south of Finleyville.  It was just north of New
> 
> Eagle and Monongahela.  The Donora local cars ran this far north and
> turned 
> here to return south.
> 	Rush hour trippers from Pittsburgh would wye here and return to Pgh
> or 
> the Car House.  I have a photo of PCC interurban 1616 backing on the loop
> and 
> wye at this point.
> 
> > > ----------
> > > From:         Jim Holland[SMTP:pghpcc at pacbell.net]
> > > Reply To:     pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> > > Sent:         Tuesday, October 05, 1999 6:14 PM
> > > To:   pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> > > Subject:      Destination  Signs
> > >
> > > Greetings!
> > >
> > >       BLACK DIAMOND is the destination sign on 3753 at Charleroi Car
> > > House; photo #PI-0348 by Harold A. Smith.  Separate information also
> > > confirms that some of the *single-end* cars of the 4824-5549 series -
> > > those in this group that were based at South Hills - not only carried
> the
> > > full complement of local city lines but also the Black Diamond reading
> > > and the full complement of interurban routings *including* the
> Washington
> > > local lines.  What would a single ended car be doing with destination
> > > signs for routes for double ended equipment?!?!
> > >       ROSCOE is the destination sign on 3710 heading north and coming
> > > out of the Charleroi Car House; photo #N14066 from M. D. McCarter.
> This
> > > is the small destination sign immediately above the front center
> window.
> > >  The sign-board handing on the front of the car simply says CHARLEROI.
> > >       CAR BARN is displayed on 3802 sitting beside the Charleroi Car
> > > House; photo #PI 0353 from Harold A. Smith.  This is the sign
> immediately
> > > above the center front window and is a larger sign than found on the
> > > 3700-3714 series but probably not large enough to display the
> customary
> > > CAR HOUSE destination!
> > >       LIBRARY was a standard destination sign during the heyday of the
> > > interurbans but the cars turned by the substation at West Library as
> > > Simmons Loop didn't exist then.
> > >       During the heyday of the interurbans, Washington and Charleroi
> > > cars ran express or at least limited to Castle Shannon outbound and
> from
> > > there inbound; the cars ran in tandem with both leaving downtown Pgh
> on
> > > the hour and half-hour.  Shannon or 37 Shannon cars filled in all day.
> > > Some time after the 3700 and 3800 series interurbans were retired,
> > > destination signs were changed to read SHANNON-CHARLEROI and
> > > SHANNON-WASHINGTON and the cars ran local.  Drake was never a terminal
> so
> > > why PCCs carried DRAKE in addition to SHANNON-DRAKE is a mystery
> unless
> > > it was planned that DRAKE *might* be a limited or express during the
> rush
> > > hour.  SHANNON-LIBRARY or SHANNON-DRAKE was the most correct sign
> > > although DRAKE or LIBRARY was often seen displayed.
> > >       SPECIAL is displayed on 3754; photo #PGH-105 from Ben Rohrbeck
> > > dated 1942.04.12.  A hand-painted sign board reading National Railway
> > > Historical Society SPECIAL is on the front dash, probably made by the
> > > group who chartered the car.
> > >       The original PCC interurban signs read RIVERVIEW, LIBRARY,
> CASTLE
> > > SHANNON, CANONSBURG, CHARLEROI, PITTSBURGH, WASHINGTON, CHARTERED, and
> > > CAR HOUSE.  Added later were SHANNON-LIBRARY and SHANNON-DRAKE at the
> > > beginning and SHANNON-WASHINGTON, SHANNON-CHARLEROI after Charleroi
> and
> > > before Pittsburgh.
> > >       Apparently some of the 3800 series interurbans displayed MON
> CITY
> > > and MONONGAHELA was added later.  Car 3812 also had the Washington and
> > > Charleroi local signs in addition to 37 SHANNON and
> > > CASTLE SHANNON-MtLEBANON SHUTTLE.
> > >       Some of the signs for the single end low-floor cars at South
> > > Hills with 1928 signs had readings for the 47 McKINLEY and
> > > 59 CARRICK-CARSON.
> > >       Some of the low-floor cars at Craft had 1930 curtains with
> > > 79 SHADY and 81 ATWOOD.
> 
> James B. Holland
> ------- -- ---------
>         Pittsburgh Railways Company (PRCo), June of 1949 -- June of 1953
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