Rebuilt 1600 series PCC cars

[Kenneth and Tracie Josephson]

Harold Geissenheimer wrote:
> 
> Greetings
> 
> I have followed the various comments about the rebuilding of 1600
> series cars and renumbering in the high 1700's.
> 
> Perhaps Ed Lybarger might help us all by listing each rebuilt
> 1600, its new 1700 number and the date it was rebuilt.

Perhaps this would clear up the question Jim Holland has raised about
1799(II) possibly not being 1613. In the Trolley Fare, there was a
question about not being able to restore the car to 1613 since the parts
for B-3 trucks with air brakes aren't available. Jim has noted that the
experimental B-3 trucks were removed from both 1613 and 1614 and that
the cars spent a good part of their service lives with B-2 trucks
anyway. It should be noted that 1613 lost its pilot at some point and
had a regular "city car" fender reinstalled. 1613's pilot was different
from the pilots on all other interurban PCCs. When the second 1600 to
receive the "light rail" front end (it was 1781(II) prior to the
collision) was redone the second time, I believe it's rear pilot was
removed. It had been one of those freaky "double ended" cars for a
while. Too bad that pilot didn't find its way onto 1613's front end. :-)
> 
> I left Pittsburgh in March 1976 and I dont believe we had
> completed the job

The last rebuilt car was completed in 1979 according to a PTM
publication.
> 
> Also, what about the two PCC's with LRT fronts added as a
> result of accidents?  The first of these we called the "Extra
> Special" car.  It should be pointed out that the rebuilding
> of the 1600's was an important part of the Marketing Program
> that John Mauro and I developed.  The cars were needed
> and PAT Maintenance did an excellent job.  Maintenance
> Manager Ken Hussong and his Engineer, Phil Castellana,
> deserve a lot of credit as did the workers at Tunnel Shops.

The cars did look great. How much longer did PAT expect the cars to
remain in service at that point? Ten, fifteen, twenty years? 

Also, did PAT every consider purchasing front end pieces from retired
cars on other properties before the first 1600 was given its "light
rail" front end? Imagine a Boston Pullman-Standard "war baby" PCC front
end grafted onto a St. Louis built 1600....ugh!

Here is my shot of 1781(II) right after its collision in 1976:

http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/jpg/pitt385.jpg

Note that companion 1669's Pittsburgh Railways paint, dampened by the
slushly snow, looks almost presentable. I'm sure it returned to its
washed out and faded appearance as soon as it dried off. Since this
picture was taken a couple of days prior to Christmas, 1976, I suspect
1669 entered the New Year unrehabilitated. There were one or two other
red 1600's still running around at that time, as I recall.

One question for Harold: Did PAT continue to apply the "PAT Gray" color
scheme to 1700 cars after the decision was made to retain the system? I
remember some 17s in rather nice condition still in gray during visits
in 1979, 1982 and 1984. In fact, TGM's South Hills video shows a gray 17
sporting a rear mounted pantograph mixing it up with 4000s and 4100s.

Ken J.