Drake Loop In-Service Info

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

	Thanks, Ed.  This reinforces my assumption of PRCo's service oriented
approach for building the loop; otherwise, they could have lost more
passengers and revenue.

Edward H. Lybarger wrote:
> 
> Reading from the PUC Order on A-78890:
> 
> (The applicant's Commercial Manager testified that) "...the Drake Stop
> appears to be the most practical point to terminate the street railway
> service and still achieve maximum operating economy.  He stated that the
> applicant owns sufficient land at Drake Stop for a turn-around loop and a
> parking area; that continuation of street railway service through the first
> fare zone south of Drake Stop, comprising six station stops, would result in
> a yearly operating loss of $25,273, and through the second fare zone south
> thereof, embracing five stops, would result in an additional annual loss of
> $23,839, or more that 1/3 of the total operating loss on the entire portion
> of line herein proposed for abandonment..."
> 
> The "adjusted annual net operating loss" between Drake and Washington was
> stated to be $133,449.
> 
> I don't have any of the testimony on this Docket, since PTM's copy came from
> PRCo files and not PUC microfilm.  John, perhaps you want to pay our old pal
> Laila another visit and upset her for weeks to come because you're not a
> lawyer!  She's certainly not the most user-friendly person the state ever
> had greeting the public, is she?
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> [mailto:owner-pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org]On Behalf Of John
> Swindler
> Sent: Monday, February 07, 2000 9:38 AM
> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> Subject: Re: Drake Loop In-Service Info
> 
> Jim Holland wrote:
> >
> >       It is interesting that a wye was built for Drake first knowing that a loop
> >would follow.  And I am sure that the loop would be far more convenient for
> >the passengers than the wye so the wye would be only an interim solution.
> >It is interesting to note that PRCo was quite focused on service at this
> >point.  I am sure PRCo had plans for truncation for quite some time but
> >probably didn't act until it received PUC approval.
> 
> Drake Wye not necessarily built knowing that loop would follow. Drake Wye
> and West Library Loop existed for short turns while lines still extended
> into Washington County.  Decision was made to truncate Washington and
> Charleroi within Allegheny County.  That's the interesting question to ask
> of PRC management.  What do the PUC abandonment petitions say?
> 
> Drake Loop was not built because of location of Drake Wye.  It was built to
> avoid cost of rebuilding Drake trestle.  Drake Loop was not a cheap
> solution.
> 
> John Swindler
> 
> >From early photos of the Drake loop it looked like considerable fill was
> >needed plus the grading necessary for the connection from the loop to the
> >main line.  This would add to the time necessary to get the loop built.
> >       It would have been nice if the Drake line were terminated closer to the
> >Allegheny line - then it might be called *Shannon-Fifeshire* -
> >*Shannon-Valley-Farm* - *Shannon-Cremona* - *Shannon-Orchard* -
> >*Shannon-Paris-Lake*  But the density was not there and even though the
> >Drake trestle would probably last until the time Overbrook was closed, it
> >was probably the excuse to terminate at Drake!
> >       The Fantasy of what could have been!
> >
> >James B. Holland
> >------- -- ---------
> >         Pittsburgh Railways Company (PRCo), June of 1949 -- June of 1953
> >     To e-mail *off-list,* please click here: mailto:pghpcc at pacbell.net
> >N.M.R.A.  Life member #2190; http://www.mcs.net:80/~weyand/nmra/
> 
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James B. Holland
------- -- ---------
        Pittsburgh Railways Company (PRCo), June of 1949 -- June of 1953
    To e-mail *off-list,* please click here: mailto:pghpcc at pacbell.net
N.M.R.A.  Life member #2190; http://www.mcs.net:80/~weyand/nmra/