Carhouses, Dave's, Etc./Boeing Vertol and M11

[Edward H. Lybarger]

One?  If history is any guide, they'll take seven!

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
[mailto:owner-pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org]On Behalf Of Kenneth and
Tracie Josephson
Sent: Saturday, July 08, 2000 3:46 AM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Subject: Re: Carhouses, Dave's, Etc./Boeing Vertol and M11


>
> > Just as we are criticizing the Pittsburgh area railfans of the early
1960s
> > concerning M11, as a railfan living in California, so to will you be
> > chastised (collectively with all other middle age and older railfans) as
> > being short-sighted for your failure to help save a Boeing-Vertol car at
the
> > Rio Vista trolley museum.
> >
> > Is there any difference?

None! Perhaps Seashore will have the foresight to save at least one MBTA
Boeing-Vertol
car.

As over-engineered and troublesome as these cars were (funny how no one ever
hears any
complaints about CTA's B-V rapid transit cars) they certainly filled a gap
between the
PCC era and the modern lightrail era. And their problems have contributed to
keeping
the PCC era alive and well in Boston.

One thing some fans don't want to face or discuss is that the (first
generation) PCC
era would have ended in North America as the cars wore out, even if the
systems they
served had survived as rail operations. Even if PCC production continued
through the
1950's and up, the body style would have changed, the technology would have
continued
to evolve, etc.

The Boeing-Vertol is not one of my favorite rail vehicles. Not that my
emotion driven
railfan opinions matter. That said, I believe the Boeing-Vertol still
deserves a place
in the history of traction evolution. So there! :-)

Ken J.