[PRCo] Re: Pittsburgh_PA about 1945--1948!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thu Dec 13 08:36:08 EST 2001

Re: bvp007 - Bill Vigrass rode the 1600 in regular service and took the two
shots of the car on the 48 ARLINGTON.  I asked Bill specific questions about
the two negatives - it is Friday Oct 31, 1947 and IT IS NOT A FANTRIP.  The
car is operating out of Tunnel CH, however briefly, as are at least a pair
and perhaps as many as 10 of the 1500s (1542 on the 44, 1545 on the 37, see
photos of each car) which also were generally were not assigned there.
There's another view of 1600 ruining down to the tunnel after Bill got off
to go photograph cars around the junction.

I have no clue, Jim, where you got that bit about 1600 "possibly" being
built for Baltimore.  BTC was a Pullman buyer and the only all-electric ever
laid down for Baltimore eventually became Cleveland 4200 and Toronto 4625.
There was evidence in hat car of a removed backup controller, which
Baltimore required and which Cleveland (and Toronto) did not.  This is how
rumors get started.

bvp030 - all Bill's shots on Washington interurban were taken in 1948- sorry
if the car isn't "equipped to your liking."  Bill wasn't always specific
about dates when he made up his negative envelopes (a problem encountered
when I did his Cleveland negs as well, the first three groups of which are
also on Dave's site).  Those on his list showing simply 1940s bore no dates
and all and may have been traders.

bvp031 - Dave's gotten the caption wrong and I've written with the
correction.

I printed all of these photos and made the jpegs available to Dave's site
through Bill's generosity and willingness to share his views with others.
The negatives were returned just yesterday on completion of phase 1.  Next
come low floors and interurbans  watch for 'em around the end of
December-early January.

John Bromley

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Holland" <pghpcc at pacbell.net>
To: "*-*> Transit--Fans" <Transit-Fans at Here-There-Everywhere.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2001 6:08 AM
Subject: [PRCo] Pittsburgh_PA about 1945--1948!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>
> Greetings!
>
> Interesting new photos on Dave's site of Pittsburgh:::::::
>
> http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/bvp006.htm  is just up the
street from
> my house.   Motorman in 1156 has left car to punch time clock to show
arrival
> time  --  this clock was later moved down the hill and across Biltmore,
the
> first grade crossing seen.   Probably moved there because cars would line
up all
> the way down the hill in the evening rush hour well into the 1950s waiting
for a
> turn at the wye and they would be punching the clock mighty late if they
had to
> wait for a turn at the top of the hill.   Service car would back out deep
to
> allow a car returning to the barn to go ahed of it.   PCC--1234 has
stopped to
> do similarly inbound.   Used to play in the woods to the right.   Track
into the
> foreground leads into the wye.   Motorman backs up unassisted from the
front
> seat!
>
> http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/bvp007.htm  "The Queen
ry"   ---
> the post-war All-Electric Demonstration Car.   This car was  *possibly*
under
> construction for Baltimore when PRCo decided to buy it.   It arrived on
the
> property after the first 30 or so air-electrics of the 1601--1699 series.
This
> could have been the first charter by the Pittsburgh Electric Railway Club
(PERC)
> which later became the PRMA and is now PTM, the trolley Museum near
Washington.
> 1946.06.23 1600 PRCo 37, 38A, 38, 42, 13, 15, 10, 9 is the first charter.
Line
> 48- is not listed.   Car was based at Craft Avenue so it could have worked
> 50-Carson Street as well as other Craft lines (at that time!)   48-line
could
> have been based out of Carrick but more likely South Hills.
>
> http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/bvp025.htm  particularly like
this
> shot for it shows lots of human activity at Kennywood Park, a trolley
park, even
> in PCC days!!   PCCs operated here until 1958!!
>
> http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/bvp030.htm shows PCC-1613 in
> interurban demonstration service almost 30--miles from Pittsburgh in
Washington,
> PA.   Pilot can be seen on car.   Question 1948 date because the spare
trolley
> pole is not attached to the trolley cowl.   The 1600--series interurbans
> received their roof lights about the time the 1700--series interurbans
were
> delivered from St.-Louis Car.
>
> http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/bvp031.htm - caption says
interurban
> is backing  "into" wye - actually backing out of interurban wye.   The
North
> Washington and East--West local lines passed by the wye and the
> Jefferson--Maiden local was just up the hill to the left as we look at the
> photo!
>
> http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/bvp032.htm reveals the second
PCC
> interurban demonstrator, 1614, southbound to Washington in Canonsburg.
>
> http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/bvp033.htm - one of the
1601--1699
> series air cars, 1630, with fan monitor.   Before rain guards were placed
over
> the screens which did add to its appearance.   Based at Highland Car House
until
> closed in early 1950s, then moved to South Hills where it lived out its
days.
> Fans and roof monitor removed by PRCo in 1961 and trolley cowl from
> 1000--1199--series placed on car.   Overhauled electrically and
mechanically as
> well as cosmetically with fresh paint.   Excellent performing car.
Reportedly
> rejected by  ({[pat]})  in 1964 because of different look resulting from
short
> trolley cowl.
>
> http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/bvp037.htm - a  VERY   R-A-R-E
shot
> of 1644 as interurban in Canonsburg heading northbound to Pittsburgh ala
the
> destinatino sign.   This car reverted to city car in 1950 and probably
never
> received the roof light but did sport the spare trolley pole, pilot,
retriever,
> horn, and other interurban equipment.   Equipped with the experimental
Clark
> B-2A trucks, the fore-runners of the Clark B-2B trucks placed under PRCo
> 1775--1799 city cars and TTC 4500--4549.
>
> http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/bvp038.htm - PCC
Interurban--1646  in
> 1948 at Bon Air inbound on Overbrook displaying  PITTSBURGH  destination
> sign!!   This portion is currently being rebuilt for light rail service!
>
> http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/bvp039.htm - all 1600--series
PCCs
> were delivered as city cars but 1613--1619 and 1644--1648 were converted
for
> interurban service.   Here is 1646 as city car at the eastern most end of
> Pittsburgh just shortly before being selected for interurban service on
> 1948.02.25.   She then remained in South Hills until the end.  Wonder what
has
> happened to the front truck?!?!
>
> http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/bvp.htm is the main page for this
series
> if you want to take a tour of the rest of the photos in this particular
group.
>
> http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/pitts.html - is for the Pittsburgh
main
> page for a plethora of photos.
>
> --
> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
>
> James B. Holland
>
> Holland  Electric  Railway  Operation.......
> ......"O"--Scale  St.-Petersburg Trams Company Trolleycars  AND...
> ............"O"--Scale  Parts  mailto:pghpcc at pacbell.net
>
> ............Pennsylvania Trolley Museum http://www.pa-trolley.org/
> ......Pittsburgh  Railways  Company  (PRCo),   1930  --  1950
> N.M.R.A.  Life member #2190; http://www.nmra.org
>
-- Trailing quotes stripped by Listar --