Craft CB photos

[brathke at juno.com]

It's difficult to tell from the "Playhouse" photo, but those old-look
buses could be the small buses (30 or 35 ft.) that PAT bought in 1964 or
65 for lightly travelled routes.  GM introducedhe fishbowl buses in 1959,
but that same year PRC opted to buy the very last of the "old look"
models that GM made.  PRC didn't buy its first fishbowls until 1962; they
were called "Downtowners" and ran mostly on the East End express routes. 
PAT bought air conditioned fishbowls in 1964, and then a batch of small
OLD LOOK buses nearly 5 years after GM had replaced that design with
fishbowls.  The mid-60s old look buses were air conditioned, but on the
Playhouse photo you can't see if the bus roofs have AC fans.

An interesting fact, even if I didn't answer the questions (when was the
photo taken?).

Bob 6/26

-----------------------------------------------------------

On Mon, 26 Jun 2000 14:33:56 -0400 mrb190 <mrb190+ at pitt.edu> writes:
> I believe Craft was used for buses for a short time after the January 
> '67 East
> End streetcar abandonment.   I distinctly recall being at the 
> Playhouse in the
> late summer of '67 with relatives, waiting for the doors to open to 
> a small
> screening room on the 2nd or 3rd floor (Charlie Chaplin Film 
> Festival).  From
> this vantage point, I looked out a Playhouse window at the buses 
> parked in the
> yards and garages.  That's a long time ago, but I do think they were 
> older model
> buses that had been painted in the blue-grey, white, red belt paint 
> scheme.
> 
> When PAT actually sold the property to Magee, I don't know.
> 
> Matt
> 
> John Swindler wrote:
> 
> > >From: brathke at juno.com
> > >Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> > >To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> > >Subject: Craft CB photos
> > >Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2000 17:03:24 -0500
> > >
> > >Greetings!
> > >Some comments on this string of questions about the two photos at 
> Craft:
> > >
> > >1)     http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/rhp014.htm 
> confirms that
> > >trackwork was going on behind the location shown in the URL 
> below.
> > >Whether it is replacement or removal is uncertain, but it appears 
> like
> > >replacement.  If it was permanent removal, the rail would just be 
> ripped
> > >out resulting in quite bent rail but it appears that attempts are 
> being
> > >made to take out and replace portions without disturbing other 
> rail.
> > >
> > >---
> > >
> > >I may be wrong, but I believe that someone commented that this 
> photo may
> > >have been taken on 1/27/67, but I don't recall any heavy work 
> being done
> > >on rail at Craft immediately after abandonment. In fact, the row 
> of buses
> > >in the backgropund suggests that the property was being used by 
> buses,
> > >not trolleys.  And yes, they are carefully removing the frog, so 
> it
> > >probably was intended for re-use elsewhere since it wasn't needed 
> at
> > >Craft anymore.  My guess is that this photo was taken shortly 
> after
> > >February, 1967, in part, because of the heavy clothing worn by 
> the
> > >workers (see item #2 below).
> > >
> > >I believe that the building in the background, behind the buses, 
> is the
> > >old Pittsburgh Playhouse, so the view is probably looking toward
> > >downtown.
> > >
> > >Bob 6/25
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Some further comments and questions.  If February 1967, rail was 
> being
> > removed.  Question:  When was East Liberty garage opened???  and 
> was Craft
> > ever used as operating station for buses???  (I don't think 
> so-Harold??) By
> > 1967, PAT would be taking delivery of additional new look buses in 
> 2200 and
> > 2300 series, so these "old looks"  MAY be sharing same fate as 
> remining 1400
> > and 1500 series cars with recent consignment to dead storage prior 
> to
> > scrapping.  This view is looking south towards Mon. River and the 
> Pittsburgh
> > Playhouse.  Site is now part of an expanded Magee Hospital.
> >
> > John Swindler
> >
> > 
>
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> 

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On the other hand, you have different fingers.
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