Remnants & Archaeological Request - - - - - - - - -

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

	I don't know if it is a record but the 68-McKeesport via Kennywood line
was abandoned 1958.09.15 and the dual tracks in cobble stone streets
just outbound of Kennywood were still there in 1984  --  my last time in
the Burgh!!!  The street was in excellent condition!

	I am very much interested in what is still visible of PRCo thru track
and overhead, property and structures, and am enjoying these discussions
although I am not able to read most posts all the way thru.  Is there
someone who has time available that would be willing to compile this
information - possibly by line / route - so it would be easier to
identify?  I would hope to return to Pgh. someday and would like to see
what remains - and reminisce for myself as well!

	THANKS!!!!!!!

brathke at juno.com wrote:

> The record for post-abandonment longevity of remnants may be the DCT line
> in Georgetown which was abandoned in 1962, but both the tracks and street
> signs remained in place until at least 1978.  See the photos I took in
> November, 1978:

> http://gelwood.railfan.net/other/lightrail/dct-track-a.jpg

> http://gelwood.railfan.net/other/lightrail/dct-track-b.jpg

> I was in Washington last week, but didn't have time to go over to
> Georgetown to see if any of this was still there.

> Bob 5/1

> --------------------------------------------------------------

> On Mon, 01 May 2000 11:27:52 -0400 mrb190 <mrb190+ at pitt.edu> writes:
> > At the intersection of Penn Ave. and Main street where the 77/54 and 88
> > Frankstown met, the wiring remained in tact almost two years after
> > abandonment.  In fact, while the 77/54 rails were being removed from
> > Main street, the wiring remained from Penn all the way up to the
> > connection with 87 Ardmore on Liberty.  The 77/54 rails were ripped
> > out
> > while the 88 still ran in 1966.

> > Anyway, it was kind of strange to still see the complex intersection
> > wiring come in to view as one climbed Main Street, from Butler, to Penn
> > Ave., only see that it lost connections at both ends on Penn Ave.

> > I also recall that the wire cutters weren't much for finishing the job
> > too quickly as they'd remove just the wire first, then some days or
> > weeks later, they'd take the suspension wires and -what do you call
> > them- frogs?? off later.   At one point on Penn Ave., I remember seeing
> > a long bar-like gadget instead of frog, flipping back and forth in high
> > winds.  Those long bar-like things --->  what were they, contact points
> > to let a station know if a car had passed that point?

> > I was too young?  too shy?  too afraid of doing something illegal? at
> > the time, but at the corner of Penn & Main, there was a cut suspension
> > wire, with a clipped on car stop sign, hanging all the way down a
> > utility pole, just in reach -- but I never took it---the car stop sign,
> > that is.  Hmmm...

> > Guess it's probably futile wondering where I could get one at this
> > time.

> > Jim Holland wrote:

> >         A classic case was Los Angeles.  Within weeks after abandonment the
> > streets were tarred - not dug up to remove rails, simply tarred - but
> > the wire was still up.  Saw this myself after I got out of boot in June
> > of 1963.

James B. Holland

        Pittsburgh  Railways  Company  (PRCo),   1940  --  1950
    To e-mail privately, please click here: mailto:pghpcc at pacbell.net
N.M.R.A.  Life member #2190; http://www.mcs.net:80/~weyand/nmra/