Speed

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

Vigrass, Bill wrote:
> 
> Several years ago I wrote Bill Millar then at PAT comparing running times
> from Mt Wash Jct to downtown via PRC 1951 timetable that I copied compared
> to 1994 or 95 or thereabouts via LRT via Mt. Lebanon & Beechview. After
> spending a half billion dollars, running time was exactly the same (in part
> because of circuity).

	But this also includes a tunnel of almost a mile under Mt. Lebanon 
which also eliminates several stops and much surface traffic.  And this also 
eliminates the downtown loop on surface streets and the number of stops is 
probably cut to 1/4 or better than the surface PCCs.  So there is a sense to 
which the LRV line is even slower than its predecessor.  I am rather surprized 
that the amount of time for the LRV is not greater.
	Castle Shannon to downtown was 30 minutes in 1951.  This went to 25 
minutes after the interurbans were truncated within Allegheny County.  While 
this is in part due to lower ridership, it is mostly because of the two extra 
sidings and peppier operation of the PCCs.  Five minutes savings in seven 
miles is very significant!

	I remember seeing a news article many years back where the authority 
was complaining that only 6 minutes would be saved by upgrading the Overbrook 
line - one way!  Twelve minutes roundtrip is one headway - a very significant 
reduction.  If Library is made straight through Overbrook, bet many people 
from the Village line will transfer!  Then they might want to terminate that 
line at Castle Shannon and leave the Village line a shuttle!  Of course, a 
trip to the Village might be much more popular by transit now.

> I used that argument to stimulate rebuilding of the
> 47 Overbrook to provide fast direct service to Library.  I dunno if it had
> any effect, but perhaps it lent one more stimulus to the decision eventually
> made.

	The Overbrook line is being rebuilt - MANY  THANKS  for the good input 
to the authorities to help justify its use!

> > From:         Kenneth and Tracie Josephson[SMTP:kjosephson at sprintmail.com]

> > To get back on topic, when I was in Pittsburgh last month, the buzz was
> > the governors on the LRVs were reset to 31 mph. . . Scott Davis showed
> > me signalling hardware which indicated that some sections of the system
> > *could* support 70 mph operation. I see no reason why the line isn't
> > operated in the 40-60 mph range.

	W-H-E-R-E-?-?-?-!-!-!  Forget it thru Dormont and Beechview.  Too many 
curves on the prw from Palm Garden to Beechview Streets.  The only section for 
any speed is between Mt. Lebanon and the Village, and that is severely 
limited.  Maybe 40 mph, but I have an extremely difficult time visioning 70 
mph.  Outer Library if upgrade for maybe one second!  There isn't any light 
rail today running that fast.  Most new systems held top speed to 50 mph; 
Portland was the first with 55 mph - don't know if others have followed!

> > Seriously, I would like a comparison of present running times between
> > Downtown and Mt. Lebanon and the best schedule of the 42/38 before
> > rebuilding. I have PAT schedules of the line from 1972, 1975, 1979 &
> > 1982. What I need is the current schedule. Ken J.
> >

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