Disabled PCCs

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

Fred Schneider wrote:

> But didn't 
> that operator [runaway in South Hills Tunnel],
> who became a hero in the newspapers, recognize that the car
> also wasn't accelerating right?

	That operator had been given a notice that the car had new wheels and
might slip-slide easily.  As I remember, the day also saw alot of
moisture on the rails which would increase the chance of sliding and
spinning.
	But the control would have been very rough.  For any power he had it
would come on with a bang.  It was standard practice here in SF to move
a car with a motor cut out - which is actually a truck - can't cut just
one motor on a PCC.  I was outbound on the M_Ocean View on 19th Ave prw
when a motor blew.  The extension to the yard had already been built so
I was instructed to cut-out the one truck and move it back to the barn -
which I did!
	Someone new on the cars, as this motorman was, probably didn't
recognize the difference.  Many of the veteran motormen here were
surprized that I caught on so quickly to the problems with the cars -
they say it took them much time before they recognized what was
happening.  I had the advantage of being somewhat familiar with the
equipment when I started being a fan - they came in cold turkey!

James B. Holland
------- -- ---------
        Pittsburgh Railways Company (PRCo), June of 1949 -- June of 1953
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