Car Life

[John Swindler]

>Derrick J Brashear commented to Ken's comment:
>
> > And things haven't changed in the motor coach era. Will anything built 
>in the last twenty years ever last as long as a GMC Old Look or even a 
>Fishbowl?  On Dr. DeArmond's trolley coach discussion lists, a number of us 
>frequently lament how nothing built in North America today for service 
>under twin wires (and on pavement) will ever touch the Marmon-Herringtons, 
>Pullman-Standards or CCF/ACF-Brills for longevity. It is amazing what a 
>struggling private sector industry can demand quality wise as compared to 
>today's taxpayer supported systems with their "use it or lose it" funding 
>mentality.

Ken J.


What about SEPTA's AM General trackless trolleys delivered in 1979 for use 
on 29, 79, 75, 66 and 59?  No plans to replace and still 66 on the roster 
last time I checked.


>
>And in an odd twist to "on-topic", I remember Johnstown picked up some
>used TCs (They bought St. Louis TCs for Horner St. line conversion, I
>think in 1951, and then supplemented the fleet later with used
>Marmon-Herringtons and others, but all the details are filed away
>somewhere now) and I know that at least one manufacturer made trolley
>coaches which were apparently difficult enough to operate in Johnstown
>(where the lines were actually pretty flat compared to somewhere like San
>Francisco, because by and large they served the river valleys, the notable
>exceptions being the Southmont carline, and the trolley coach loop in East
>Conemaugh) that they were parked at the earliest convenient date. I'll
>have to find out which. But, just because it had longevity, don't assume
>it was necessarily "better" than today. I won't argue that the Boeings
>were better than the PCCs, though. Not by any stretch.
>


Speaking of Johnstown, reminded of a comment from their General Manager 
concerning the TDH 3501 bus.  PAT bought about 45 around 1966, but all were 
gone by mid-1970s.  But Johnstown was still running some in early 1980s.  
The comment?  "They're a good little bus - if you keep after them."  Then 
followed some discussion about Johnstown vs Pittsburgh maintenance 
practices.

John

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