Snow clearing

[Fred Schneider]

The resident cynic strikes again!

 The comment is not about PAT but refers to transit in general in a tax
subsidized era.  When one looses money on every passenger carried, why would
one spend money to remove snow?  We use strikes to balance a budget, so why
not use snow?   Snow is nice.  You can blame it on God. The operating losses
cease for the duration.  The subsidy continues.  And you need not spend any
money on snow removal equipment.   Think of all the snow removal equipment
that has disappeared over the years ... the P&W pickel car, more than 50
snow sweepers in Pittsburgh.  .  My favorite government snow removal
photograph was in the Washington Post in the early 1980s and showed one man
in the New Carrollton Yard with a shovel, and miles of track and snow
covered trains.  
 
Private companies had a somewhat different attitude.  If they didn't
operate, they didn't make money.  They plowed snow.  If you parked your
automobile too close to the tracks, they'd simply send a few guys out with
arms bigger than my legs.  Those goons would simply pick the auto up and
move it ... perhaps to a refuge between several poles so you thought twice
before doing it the next time.  

		-----Original Message-----
		From:	Edward H. Lybarger [mailto:twg at pulsenet.com]
		Sent:	Monday, March 06, 2000 9:18 AM
		To:	pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
		Subject:	RE: Snow clearing

		1.  Moving LRVs.
		2.  There was some kind of effort at this a few years back
but I don't know
		if they're still on the cars.
		3.  All new work equipment is diesel powered.  There's a
line car and a
		utility car that In know of, plus the track equipment.

		-----Original Message-----
		From: owner-pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
		[mailto:owner-pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org]On Behalf Of
Charles
		Brown
		Sent: Friday, March 03, 2000 2:10 AM
		To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
		Subject: Snow clearing


		Just a quick question:  What does PAT use to clear snow from
the tracks
		now?  Are any of the LRV's fitted with snow plows?  And do
they have any
		work equipment left?  (okay okay, 3 quick questions).

		Charlie

		Charlesebrown at webtv.net