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

[Fred W. Schneider III]

Reply from Fred Schneider:

In the abandonment petition to shut down McKeesport, Joe Fritch of West
Penn was quoting what it would cost to keep the lines open.  He went
through all normal operating costs, then the street paving costs that
the city wanted to impose and he came up with FAR more nickels than the
conductors were turning in. Then, as a way of saying, and this is only
the beginning, he suggested that, in order to look as modern as
Pittsburgh Railways, West Penn would have to buy PCC cars ... he gave a
small number ... something like 7 or 10, and plugged that price in.

So while you're off in a dream world, you could order a double-end car
in orange paint, with cream window surrounds and cream roof, perhaps
tuscan red doors, have them numbered 850-856, and put the West Penn
herald on the sides.  Destination signs such as JENNY LIND, BOSTON
BRIDGE, CHRISTY PARK, GRANDVIEW AVE. OR BRYN MAWR would be appropriate. 
And if you really want to dream, then the new double end PCCs put West
Penn in such a wonderful earnings position, they were again able to
compete with Pittsburgh Railways, and for the first time since the
1920s, West Penn would restore service over their own tracks to
DUQUESNE. 

BFS/FWS

Edward G Skuchas wrote:
> 
> 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/