Signals (was: I miss Drake)

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

Concerning signals, red-over-red, and dark boards, Don wrote::

> The way Jim expounds it in the
> second message, I should think so. But then, how could anybody run it 
> and keep his job?

	Unless the opposing operator informs, who is going to know?  
Nothing recorded by computer, certainly, nor other means in those days.

	Also, on the Drake line, this pre-empt did not work - it would be 
theoretically possible to get four cars each direction approaching a two 
car siding and get it bogged down!  Operators there knew who they should 
meet and when they should wait at a siding to prevent this possibility.  
Jamming would only be a possibility in the rush hour as mid day service 
was 30 minute headways more or less; same for the evening.  Less frequent 
on the weekends, especially Sunday when in the late 50s / early 60s 
Sunday headways were ONE HOUR giving Castle Shannon residents 30 minute 
headways!

	Also, on Sundays an inbound Library car became an outbound Drake 
and an inbound Drake became an outbound Library.  This cut overhead for 
PRCo by 25% as it required only 3 cars to keep an hour headway on each of 
the interurban lines.  Having cars dedicated to one line would have 
required four cars.  Have  m-a-n-y  photos at Simmons loop with Drake 
destination signs.  Either a prank to satisfy the photographer or a 
Sunday schedule - more than likely the latter.

James B. Holland
       PITTSBURGH RAILWAYS COMPANY (PRCo), June of 1949 -- June of 1953
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