3750s etc.

[Tom Phillips]

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
[mailto:owner-pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org]On Behalf Of Jim Holland
Sent: Friday, January 05, 2001 10:52 PM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Subject: Re: 3750s etc.

Hi Jim

Clarification is in order -- mea culpa!

> Tom Phillips wrote:

> And, also, the one-of-a-kind 3554(?) -- it obviously
> was an add-on to an existing group of cars.
> But what has always puzzled me is the numbering of the 3750's --
> why start in the middle of the 3700 series?

You wrote:
	I don't know anything about this car.
	O-R  do you mean 3556?
	O-R  3555?

	3551--3554 were the ex-Canonsburg-Washington interurbans so 
	they easily	pre-dated the 36s.
	3555 is listed as 1912.
	3556 is listed as 1910 which is the same as  *one--source*
	indicates for the 3600s.

I was working from memory - I intended to say 3556 which, per 
"Electric Railroads" (Number 20 - July 1952) dates this car to
1915.  This experiment must have been relatively successful as 
1) the 3700's followed just one year later and 2) the car was 
in service at least through WWII.  This source also states the 
carbuilder to be Standard.  Could this have been a rebuild of 
a trailer or two?  The other fact that is interesting is that 
the car was only 7'9" wide, 

> Another thing that always bugged me was the paint:  3554(?),
> 3700's, and 3800's were red -- the 3750's yellow (were they
> always so? -- I don't know).

> What color were the 3600's?  
> The 3600's preceded 3554(?) by several years -- again a play 
> with numbering -- should the 3554(?) have been numbered 3650?

	First Guess:	Maroon
	Second Guess:	Green

	While geared for interurban service, appointed for interurban service
	(lavatory, seats), and initially assigned to interurban service, it
	seems that the Genes of the low-floor cars predominated in color
	choice for the 3750's!  

I agree, Jim, with the following -- again a correction of my errors.
But I have no information on 3555.

	3551--3554 were the ex-Canonsburg-Washington interurbans so 
	they easily pre-dated the 36s.  3555 is listed as 1912.

 
You wrote:
	3556 is listed as 1910 which is the same as  *one--source*  
	indicates for the 3600s.

The date of 1910 OK for 3600's but I question 1910 for 3556 unless 
the 1915 date which I cited above is a rebuild date.  Would the 
construction dates for the trailers offer any insight here?  Also, 
would the 3556 predate the powered trailers you referenced.  I have 
no dates.  When were the 4200's built (I'm guessing 1912)?  

You wrote:
	I have seen reference to 3556 as being the prototype low-floor car  -- 
but don't know why.  3556 does not look as low-floor as the other 1,000+
low-floors.  Additionally, trailers of low-floors already existed, Yes? 
I think of the prototype for the low-floors being the trailers and then
those motorized, A217 and 3-others, for independent operation.  The 3556 
as built is a striking looking car with only a motorman's door with ladder 
up front and that super-pointed pilot! 


> Tom

James B. Holland

        Pittsburgh  Railways  Company  (PRCo),   1930  --  1950
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