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

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

	I *assume* it to be Duquesne Blvd and I use the term *cobblestone*
loosely.  It was some kind of stone / brick that was quite smooth - I
didn't pay too much attention to that aspect because I was surprized to
see the tracks remain for such a distance at that late date!  It was not
paved with asphalt or concrete.  As I was on a family outing at the
time, I didn't feel free to stop and investigate further and I never
made it back to that location.
	I rode the streetcar to the school picnic one year.  We boarded at
Bower Hill on Washington Road.  I was there early enough to watch all
the charters heading to Clearview Loop.  There was one city-17 in the
group and it was a treat to ride one of these cars as South Hills only
had 7-city-17s originally (1763--1769) because it had the
25-interurban-17s!  Additionally, they had the super soft riding Clark
B-2B trucks and I really enjoyed them.  Lo-and-behold, I was in the
right place in line and I got on the 17 when it arrived!
	We went inbound on the 38-line, then outbound on the 50-line probably
to the 22nd-St bridge where we picked up the 68-line on Forbes.  It was
a spectacular ride - don't remember anything about the day at Kennywood!

mrb190 wrote:

> What street just outbound of Kennywood was cobblestone?  Was this
> Duquesne Blvd?   Do you know what street(s) the carline travelled after
> passing Kennywood?

> Matt

> Jim Holland wrote:

> > 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.

James B. Holland

        Pittsburgh  Railways  Company  (PRCo),   1940  --  1950
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