Car Stop Signs & Low--Floor Trucks

[Kenneth and Tracie Josephson]

Jim Holland wrote:

>         I quickly check the *MSR* book by Smallwood and the two Muni books but
> could not find Car Stop Signs ala PRCo design and as the one listed on
> ebay.  I quickly looked thru Harold Smiths PRCo book and the Car Stop
> signs literally stuck out like sore thumbs - even those in a distance.
>         Doubt this one came west because of corporate ties thru *Untied* RR or
> whatever.  More likely a fan named Ken brought it out here and sold the
> extra from his collection!  Didn't know they were porcelain!

Hard to say. My Milwaukee car stop sign is definitely porcelain coated
instead of painted. I have two Pittsburgh car stop signs (sorry, I'm
obsessive-compulsive and can never have enough Pittsburgh Railways
items, including duplicates) and I can't tell if they are porcelain
coated or have baked enamel paint on them. The only way a Pittsburgh car
stop sign would make it to California via me is if I gave one to you or
Charlie! :-)

>         Either MSR or Muni used a pair of low-floor trucks from PRCo under one
> of its cars but it did not perform as well here as in the Burgh.  Don't
> know if corporate ties produced that experiment or just curiosity.

Hard to say. For example, Insull's South Shore Line bought some steeple
cabs that were compatible with all three "super interurbans" radiating
from Chicago. As far as anyone knows, they never left the SSL until they
were retired. Some companies under the umbrella of the North American
group swapped all sorts of equipment. The on topic question would be if
Pittsburgh Railways and West Penn ever loaned or leased equipment from
each other. Ed??? Bruce???   Ken J.

P.S.- There is a copy of the "Trafford" book on eBay, too. Search under
Pittsburgh Railways.