[PRCo] Re: Dormont Junction Wye

[John Swindler]

>Fred W. Schneider III commented:
>
>
>For all intents it was abandoned in April 1963 when the 38 Mount Lebanon 
>line was abandoned north of Dormont Junction, and 42 was combined with 38 
>south of the junction.  Beginning in 1963, regular cars ran to Clearview 
>Loop, Mount Lebanon, and in the rush hour service was extended to Castle 
>Shannon.  A track renewal project in October 1976 appears to have 
>eradicated the access to Neeld loop, but my pictures are inconclusive.  
>After 1963 I cannot imagine any regular use of Dormont Junction wye unless 
>it was to turn back off schedule cars to get them back on time, or perhaps 
>if there was a fire or police action on West Liberty Avenue between there 
>and Clearview Loop.
>


Not entirely so, Fred.  Dormont Wye was in use until the end of PCC 
operation on 42/38.  The wye was used on last day fantrip around 1983 (??)

As Fred mentions, with end of 38 Mt. Lebanon streetcar service in 1963, 
route 42 Dormont was extended to Clearview Loop as route 42/38.  Changes 
included double tracking of track connection between the 42 and 38 lines at 
West Liberty Ave. and McFarland.

However, Dormont wye continued in regular use after 1963 for rush hour 
trippers.  That's why the passing track was constructed on outbound 42 line 
several hundred feet before Dormont wye.  Cars turning short at Dormont wye 
could pull into siding and allow through 42/38 cars to Clearview Loop to 
pass.  Siding had space for about two - maybe three cars, but I'll defer 
that vague impression to anyone else with a better recollection.

42 short turns were frequent enough in am peak that I might let a 42/38 car 
pass so that I could grab a seat on a car that would soon 'wye'.  In pm, I'd 
try for 4th St. short turn car, but these were less frequent. As for 38A 
extension to Castle Shannon from Clearview Loop, that was an infrequent rush 
hour proposition, perhaps every 20 min.

To again beat people over the head with that economic 'thing', Pittsburgh 
Railways was not in business to waste money.  The 42/38 line was short 
enough, and ridership intense enough, to warrent attempts to get a second 
rush hour trip out of some employees work day by turning cars short at 4th 
St. in the Golden Triangle and at Dormont Wye.  However, most rush hour 
service ran betwee Clearview Loop and 7th & Smithfield.

John



>Macmarka at cs.com wrote:
> >
> > Thanks for the heads-up Jim!  Dormont Junct. is where my Grandmother 
>took me
> > to catch the streetcar downtown. Of course this was mid to late sixties. 
>One
> > question about the Dormont wye. Me and a couple buddies used to watch 
>the
> > streetcars during the early to mid 70s. I remember that the wye was used 
>very
> > infrequently. Could you possibly tell me how often in the early 70s the 
>wye
> > was used and when it was finally abandoned? Thanks!
> >
> >                                                                 Mark 
>McGuire
>


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