Trolley Pole Wheels

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

Bob Schmidt wrote:

> Easter Greetings:

> but all have the "V" slot
> configuration which is about all they do have in common.

	Maybe that explains why the poles held the wire so well - trolley
dewirement was very rare!  But when I came to SF in the 70s, trolley
dewirement was common - seemed like every trip!  And SF uses shoes -
supposed to be better!

> On another note, I may have one of those wood insulators as well???
> Didn't know exactly what role it played in the overhead arrays until it
> was recently described by J.H. The piece I have has an unpainted old
> hardwood leg that measures 5" long x ~1-3/4" diameter at its thickest
> tapering at each end where mating with opposing cast sleeves with eye
> rings.

	Guess business was a little more modest in those days - thickness in
the catalog is measured at the smallest diameter!

> The entire piece tip to tip measures 11-3/4."
> Does this meet with the description of a wire insulator, or do I have
> something else in the cable arena?

	Sounds like the real Wood Strain Insulator!


> Subject: Trolley Pole Wheels
> Date: Sat, 22 Apr 2000 20:19:04 -0700
> From: Jim Holland <pghpcc at pacbell.net>
> Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> Organization: Holland Electric Railway Operation
> To: PRCo -- WP -- JTC -- The Big *3* -- <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>

> Greetings!

>         Ohio Brass offered trolley pole wheels with three different groove
> formations:

>         1)--U-groove with 7/16" radius.
>         2)--A.T.A. groove with 3/8" radius.
>         3)--V-groove with a 5/16" radius at the bottom of the V.

>         This is not trivia - I am actually searching for an answer - which did
> PRCo use?

>         Other interesting info quoting from Ohio Brass Catalog #25:::::::

>         "While the Form-6 Trolley Wheel and Harp is designed primarily for high
> speed city service, it is being used successfully on all types of city
> cars.  Basically this wheel differs from former O-B wheels only in the
> fact that the size of the axle has been reduced from 1-5/8 to 1-1/4
> inches."

>         "This smaller axle makes possible increased mileage with much less wear
> on axle and bore of wheel.  Due to the fact that there is a definite
> relationship between the diameter of the axle and the diameter of the
> wheel which is particularly effective at high speeds, the wheel size for
> all types of service is limited to 5-3/4 inches."

>         ". . . The fact that it is unnecessary to oil this wheel after it has
> once been installed accounts for much of its present popularity.  As
> illustrated in Figure 2, the axle is constructed so that lubrication is
> accomplished by three force-feed graphite plugs.  The axle is hardened
> and ground to insure minimum friction and long service life."

>         ". . . So that this device will have ample current carrying capacity it
> is provided with two side current collecting contact washers which are
> held in constant contact with the hub of the wheel by phosphor bronze
> springs, see Figure 1.  This provides a direct and excellent current
> path from wheel to harp."

>         ". . . Trolley wheels are cast from high-grade bronze developed for
> this particular service and made only from new metal."

> James B. Holland
> ------- -- ---------
>         Pittsburgh Railways Company (PRCo), June of 1949 -- June of 1953
>     To e-mail *privately,* please click here: mailto:pghpcc at pacbell.net
> N.M.R.A.  Life member #2190; http://www.mcs.net:80/~weyand/nmra/

James B. Holland
------- -- ---------
        Pittsburgh Railways Company (PRCo), June of 1949 -- June of 1953
    To e-mail *privately,* please click here: mailto:pghpcc at pacbell.net
N.M.R.A.  Life member #2190; http://www.mcs.net:80/~weyand/nmra/