PURE Fantasy -- PRCo 1800s -- Modelers License -- WHAT IF......?????--!-!-!-!-!-!-!

[Edward G Skuchas]

I too will have the DE PCC cars painted for something other than Dallas or Boston.  These cars will be for Wilkes-Barre Rys and will feature a scheme somewhat similar to the WB trolley coaches.  I had been told by a variety of individuals that it was a distinct possibility that WB could have purchased this or a similar car order.  What fun it is to speculate what could have been in the various company car rosters if the systems were still in operation.

Edward G. Skuchas, P.E.
Senior Mechanical Engineer
Parsons Energy & Chemicals Group, Inc.
2675 Morgantown Road
Reading, PA 19607
610-855-2532 voice
610-855-2161 fax
edward.g.skuchas at parsons.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Holland 
Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2001 2:38 PM
To: --(062)- PRCo -- WP -- JTC -- The Big (042)3(042) -(060)--
Subject: PURE Fantasy -- PRCo 1800s -- Modellers License -- WHAT
IF......?????--!-!-!-!-!-!-!


Greetings!

	Mr. Fred Bruhn mentioned that SPTC has an "O"--Scale Dallas Double-End
PCC painted in PRCo colors.  There  IS  a reason for this, Virginia, but
this reason has not as yet been mentioned here and I would like to set
the record straight!  I shall attempt so to do with some observations on
the Past (background), Present, and Future!

Past  --  Background  --  I grew up on PRCo and vividly remember the
interurban operation to Charleroi and Washington and have fond memories
of rides down there  --  I even waved to Ed Lybarger from 1647 enroute
to Canonsburg on 29--Aug--1953  (alright, I said this is  PURE  Fantasy,
but it was most definitely possible  --  see PTM *Trolley-Fare* Vol 35,
#1, May--June 1988, cover and page-7!-!-!-!-!-!-!   These 2-pages are
permanently fixed in archival sleeves in my Washington Interurban Photo
Album!)
	I lived by the 42--Dormont Wye and saw much trolleycar action there.  I
talked to many operators, rode with a few as their  *go--fer*  for
sandwiches and sodas, punched the time clocks for them, talked to line
crews, and used every excuse possible and impossible to ride the
trolleycars!  It was in my blood  --  I am told that even as a very
young baby that I would go completely bananas when we got near
trolleycars.
	By age-10 I had a PSM (PA Scale Models) PCC trolleycar in HO and used
their overhead system for operating the model.  The hangers were
castings in those days and I had the whole family (honestly) punching
holes in the hangers to accommodate the wire.

	At this point, a little philosophy is necessary.

	"Everything comes if a man will only wait."--Tancred.  I remember this
one being stated:  "Everything comes to the person who waits."
	"Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet."--Rousseau.  This is
something I learned by experience, partly revealed in this discussion.

	The HO PSM PCC (Philly all-electric) and an "O"--Scale All-Electric kit
were the only PCCs available in the mid-1950s and with the prototype
trolleycars dwindling in number, there didn't seem to be much hope for
more models.  So I decided to plan a fictitious trolleycar system  -- 
Cumberland and Charleroi Valley  --  loosely based on PRCo.  I had
discovered Suydam within a few years and systematically saved my
allowance to purchase these models, 2-3 a year at $30.00 each.  The
strikingly handsome Oregon-Electric observation cars would be my
1700--series interurbans and I had 2-each of them.  The long, all-wood
coaches were the 1600s and I forget the rest!
	While in Uncle Sam's Canoe Club, I had these models custom painted by
Richard Keegan, known by several on this list!  I built a transistorized
throttle from scratch as well as some PCC-type foot pedals (I now have
the real thing!) and operated my models this way.
	But I had bought one of those "O"--Scale PCC kits about 10-years
previously and finally made an attempt to assemble it - what a job! 
This is Strictly A Personal Decision - I find I like the realism
available in "O"--Scale as the car overhangs turns - very easy to see! 
So I made the switch!
	Using Vane Jones ICC window units, I scratch built a wood observation
platform car for my "O"--Scale PRCo 1700 series, still following the HO
plan.  Then a PCC air-car became available and I purchased one of those
and my brother bought me a San Diego brass 400-class car which I
completely detailed ala San Diego - spent my Navy time here so it had
significance for me!
	Family concerns kept me busy for a couple decades and modelling was way
on the backburner with the control turned off!!

That brings us to the Present::  --  I discovered the SPTC cars and
finally, after 40-years of  *Learning--Patient--waiting,*  PRCo specific
models are available  --  super-detailed, incredibly accurate,
stunningly beautiful models of PRCo!-!-!-!-!-!-!   And the 1700--series
PCCs as interurbans and city cars are just the first of many models to
give a good sampling of what PRCo operated over the many decades.
	I now have the opportunity to collect a small fleet of actual PRCo
models.  My plans are for a retirement layout where, using the latest
buzzword(s), I can  *Selectively--Compress*  PRCo into a model system!
	I have learned the Patience angle.  I am planning for the future but
definitely recognizing that it may not come to pass.  At this point in
life - ANY point in life, really - anything can happen!

FUTURE:::	It is interesting to note that, of the many orders I have
received, over 90% want the original design as the cars were delivered
to PRCo - even to the point of rejecting the winged logo which didn't
debut until the early 1950s!  But there is also such a thing as
modelling license!!

FANTASY::  Again, this is Personal  --  this is a Personal--FANTASY  -- 
so it is not really open to discussion.  As a Personal Fantasy, the
individual decides the criteria for the Fantasy!

	I decided that, for What Ever Reason, people did not desert public
transit but that ridership actually increased annually and maybe
modestly at times  --  but interest in public transit remained high. 
ALL the factors for public transit remain  *reasonably*  favorable -
economic, social, political, etc., etc., etc. and these need not be
listed.
	When I approached SPTC about the idea, I was told that  m-a-n-y  had
already inquired about such a possibility - I wasn't the first - and
their present  *What--If..*  offerings were in the planning stages.
	It is important to recognize that the emphasis of SPTC is to provide
incredibly accurate models  *As--Built*  for the prototype.  A secondary
line for SPTC is the  *What--If..*  series based on comments in the PCC
books about who considered the purchase of second--hand PCCs.
	It just so happens that the first  *What--If..*  does not have
historical basis but is pure fantasy on my part!  MY fantasy has PRCo
continuing the interurbans to Washington and Charleroi and the local
cars on these lines need upgrading.
	Pullman had built some double-end PCCs for Dallas so PRCo purchases
these new for the Washington local lines and numbers them in the high
1800--series.  These cars could also be used on Donora, Glassport, Evans
Ave., Thornburg, Schoenville, 12--Evergreen, 78-Laketon and maybe even 
*expansion*  through Snodders Switch to Verona, Oakmont, etc. or where
ever double end equipment is needed.  These are air-cars with big
windows that open!
	There shall also be an 1800--series interurban to debut later, but not
the Dallas cars!
	I have plans for 2-more series with 1900s divided into interurbans and
city cars.  While no historical basis exists for this, the actual cars
to be used could be said to have some equipped for interurban service
and others for city service.
	I shall personally stop my fantasy with the 2000 series, an extremely
appropriate number and suffice it to say that these are very futuristic
cars to be used exclusively as interurbans!

	My  MAIN  emphasis for PRCo is 1949--1950  --  a time when virtually
everything owned was in service with older equipment converted to work
cars but the big Brill and St. Louis interurbans themselves were still
in service along with the latest PCC interurbans and many low-floor
cars.  But you will note my signature line says 1930--1950 for PRCo and
I hope to accumulate enough low-floor cars to run a little system solely
with the older equipment  --  pre PCC if you will!!

	The Fantasy cars  *may--not*  operate all that frequently and  *may* 
be hidden in the back of the barn for normal operations.  But they will
be there to continue the dream of trolleycars well into the future!

James B. Holland

        Pittsburgh  Railways  Company  (PRCo),   1930  --  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/