Great tidbits!

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

mrb190 wrote:

> . . . OR tell me folks, was it a common thing to
> have a car coming up behind to push a disabled car to a car house?   Maybe that
> was the most efficient way to correct such a situation?

	Yes - that was / is extremely common.  Rarely anything in front of a
broken down car to pull so the one coming up behind has to push.  If
there is ever a possibility of turning another car to come in front of
the broken down car, that can be done and has been done.  Either way it
is a strain, esp on hills.
	And if an old work-car was used for this, it would be arranged so it
would be in front.
	Saw this a couple times when I was growing up in the Burgh but rode one
in the very late 60s.  I was out on Library in the AM rush and had seen
1619 head outbound so I waited to ride that car in.  Just inbound of
Mesta was a broken down-17 and we hooked up and pushed it all the way
back to South Hills with passengers on both cars!  I asked the operator
how long he had been doing this and he said about 8-years.  I said: 
"Eight years of pushing cars?!?!"  He just laughed!

	I was still in line-training (operating the car with the regular
operator on board) on the PCCs in SF several decades ago when our leader
broke down on Taraval and 19th inbound in the AM rush hour.  This is a
good 8-percent or better grade *uphill!*  Nineteenth Ave is the main
street between the Golden Gate Bridge on the north and freeway 280 just
south of SF and is six lanes wide with a center divider and parking on
both sides.  Once across 19th, the 8+percent grade continues for four
more blocks.
	The line-trainer allowed me to do all the work.  Hooking up the car was
relatively easy.  We then sanded the rails by hand (since the onboard
sanders never worked) and it took three attempts to get across 19th but
we made it!  Did this many times!

	And concerning *which bus* on the 27 - how about  N-O-N-E  --  that's
the best choice!

> In earlier years on Penn, I recall seeing one of the old yellow cars towing a
> PCC.

> So I guess the question here is, does anyone know the most common method of
> towing/removing a disabled car off the line to the repair barn?

> Thanks,
> Matt

> Fredbruhn at aol.com wrote:

> > Would we see this today:

> > 1428  @ 220pm  4th & Smithfield  Well dressed man boarded car at center
> > doors, along with three negroes and he had wallet removed from pocket.  The
> > three negroes jumped off car and ran down 4th. Avenue, pursued by the victim.
> > His name was not obtained.

> > 1488  438am  glenwood station -  headlight out and high voltage indicated on
> > voltmeter.  replaced by car 1563

> > 1475  806am  Glenwood Station - operating on time, forced to pass kup patrons
> > from Second & Hazelwood to Greenfield and Irvine.

> > 1430  250pm  Greenfield & Irvine  dynamic brake cutting in strong and car
> > operating rough.  Replaced by car 1455

> > 1426  550 pm  Forbes and Braddock   no air pressure pushed by route 76 car
> > 1135 to Craft Ave. station where both scheduled.

> > Rt. 64 1125  4th & Grant  157pm  losing power at intgervals.  bumped by
> > follower and proceeded.  Relief opr sent outbound from Craft Ave Station at
> > 2:05pm  car 1750 and late car off.

> > Rt. 96  1150  740am  Penn & Negley  Taken out service and used to replace
> > disabled car 1503 Route 82.

> > Rt 82  1601  840am  outer terminus  cold car, replaced by car 1532.

> > Say what ??

> > Rt. 27  "Bus 300  1110AM  Crafton Jct.  top water hose broken.  Traded with
> > bus 265 off tr. 3, route 30 at 11:19 AM and disabled bus sent to Ingram
> > Station and replaced on Route 30, Tr. 3 by bus 296 off route 31, Tr. 10 at
> > 11:41 AM which was replaced by Bus 273 at 11:50 AM.  Disabled bus serviced by
> > mechanic.

> > If there was a quiz, which bus ended up on Rt. 27?   Just kidding

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/