Skybus

[Bob Rathke]

You're correct, Ken.  Those little Skybus vehicles looked like old Samsonite
suitcases, minus the handles!

As I recall, the test loop was about 2 miles in length.  One end of it circled the
shops building, and the other end encircled the stadium at the Allegheny County
Fairgrounds in South Park.  I took photos of it in its first year of operation in
1965 when they gave free rides to fair visitors.  I also took photos of the elevated
steel structure over the next few years before it was torn down.

Bob 12/20

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Kenneth Josephson wrote:

> > Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 17:29:55 -0600
> > From: Bob Rathke <brathke at mediaone.net>
> > Subject: Re: Darwin Award Monument?
> >
> > And there's more irony to this story about PAT donating a PCC for display in
> > Bethel Park:
> >
> > I lived in Bethel Park in the 1970's when PAT was attempting to abandon both
> > the Drake and Library interurban lines, and replace them with the then
> > experimental Skybus (small, 4-wheel, rubber tire, automated vehicles like
> > those now used at airports).  Peter Page, the mayor of Bethel Park, led the
> > bitter fight to overturn PAT's plans.  The Feds eventually approved funding
> > for the more appropriate light rail system, PAT was forced to abandon its
> > plans for Skybus, and the Skybus test track.in South Park (adjacent to
> > Bethel Park) was eventually torn down.
> >
> > So, the donation of the PCC is not the result of any long-time buddy-buddy
> > relationship between PAT and Bethel Park.
> >
> > The jogger story is true, and I'm surprised that a different location wasn't
> > selected for the PCC display.
>
> As I mentioned to Paul Weyrich and Harold Geissenheimer at the Kenosha fantrip
> and to Ed Lybarger during the Drake closing weekend, Skybus evolved into a fine
> airport shuttle. Let me add it should remain simply that! :-)
>
> Years ago, when we visited Pittsburgh one Christmas, my cousins took my older
> brothers to see the Skybus demonstration loop. My oldest brother referred to the
> train as "suitcases on wheels."  Ken J.