Disabled PCCs

[Fred Schneider]

Back in the 1980s I was driving into Philadelphia and I heard on KYW Radio
that a trolley had rolled over on its side at 34th and Baltimore.  It ran
into the loop going hell bent for election, then rolled over on the curve.
Why?  The motorman had disconnected a blown out motor, which eliminated half
the propulsion power but all dynamic brakes.   That evening, I was riding
out to Eastwick and questioned my motorman about the incident.  He stated
that the rule book was very precise ... that only shop personnel were
allowed to move cars with a motor circuit cutout.  He predicted that the
involved motorman would be fired the next day.  

Remember the car that rocketed through South Hills Tunnel out of control
about 1986?  The following day, the Post Gazette had a picture of Exec. Dir.
Bill Millar holding a motor lead and explaining that it had become
disconnected ... same as a cut out circuit ... no dynamics.  The motorman
and Millar blamed it on not being able to stop on damp rail.  But didn't
that operator, who became a hero in the newspapers, recognize that the car
also wasn't accelerating right?    

		-----Original Message-----
		From:	Kenneth and Tracie Josephson
[mailto:kjosephson at sprintmail.com]
		Sent:	Tuesday, February 29, 2000 7:21 AM
		To:	pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
		Subject:	Disabled PCCs

		It simply amazes me after reading Fred and Jim's dialog
concerning
		operation practices that a car without full braking capacity
would be
		allowed to travel to the Junction a.) under its own power
and b.) with
		passengers aboard. I don't doubt Matt's story. What I'd like
to know is
		if this was the motorman's judgement call and if so, how
long did he
		remain on the payroll after the brass found out?

		Remember, the incident Matt reported occurred during the
days when you
		couldn't run a red flag, ram a stopped car full of
passengers, get
		fired, get reinstated, get your boss fired for firing you
then sue the
		Port Authority for allowing you to be fired in the first
place.

		I have a mid 1960's photo of a line truck towing a disabled
air car. I
		believe it was on the 71 or 73. I thought they had M-200 for
that sort
		of assignment. Ken J.