Tinted Windows ?

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

raymond at nauticom.net wrote:

> Also when did PRCo begin to paint around the front windshields black?
> 
> Thanks  Ray

	The 1700 series were delivered this way and faded or chipped away 
to a lighter shade.  On some of the photos I have from 1950, a few of the 
17s had a cream center post between the two windows but the majority were 
all black (or that very dark chernak green which looks black) around the 
front windows including the center post.

	On the July 1952 *ERA Electric Railroads* sold by PTM, 1713 is on 
the front cover as a new car with completely black around the front 
windows including center post.  Page 3 shows 1707 the same.
	Photo #0234 from Scholes photos shows 1724 on a flat car being 
delivered with completely black front windows.  Scholes photo #0136 shows 
1723 the same about 1950.
	The photo from Railroad Avenue Enterprizes #PN-1046 shows 1716 
with a completely black front window and 1763 behind it is the same!
	The photo of 1714 from the May 1996 PTM calendar shows a black 
front window with a center post of cream - but it looks like a fade or 
chipping of the black.  The car is entering Finleyville southbound.  
HOWEVER, a photo of 1714 by John Brinckman dated 1949.08.22 with the car 
southbound entering the streets of Charleroi shows a black center post.
	Photo #PI-0295 from Harold A. Smith of 1722 in the Charleroi Car 
House shows a completely front black window.
	The October 1999 PTM calendar photo shows a 17 interurban at 
Downes deli southbound with a completely dark front window.  Car 1721 as 
the September 1996 PTM calendar photo at Mesta IB Labor Day of 1949 shows 
a completely black front window.
	Car 1712 in RRE photo #PN-12630 shows a possible cream center 
post but otherwise dark front window 1952.07.02.
	Car 1715 OB to Washington at South Hills Jct is completely black 
front window in Harold Smith photo #PI-0350 dated 1949 as well as 1709 in 
RRE photo #PN-2176 dated 1949.05.29.
	Car 1711 at Meadowlands in August of 1953 shows a completely 
black front window arrangement.  This was on a PTM one-page calendar but 
I don't know the year.
	It seems that the original 17s had a completely dark front window 
area and the cream center post was a result of fading or chipping of this 
black.  Later cars might have been painted with a cream center post but I 
believe that the first widespread used of anything but black for the 
front windows of a 17 was with the PAT gray and white.

	Don't know about the tints.

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