Missing Blocks of Car Numbers

[HRBran99 at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/11/01 3:36:05 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
j_swindler at hotmail.com writes:


> But the real question is, who has a copy of the labor agreement between ATU 
> div. 85 and PRC from 1930s or 1940s?  And what does it say about seniority 
> and picking of runs?  Because I'd bet a value meal at McDonald's (ok, so 
> I'm 
> cheap!) that seniority for picking runs was why Tunnel maintained a city 
> and 
> a interurban seniority list.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

Having worked at SHJct, with some of the remaining "interurban" operators, I 
can offer this.

Several of the operators at SHJ in the 1970s and 80s were operators who were 
former interurban operators working out of Castle Shannon when it was in 
operation. I can remember three men who would talk to me about the days when 
there were two lists. This apparently came about through the clauses in the 
labor agreement and the fact that "interurban" operators were considered 
higher in status than regular city operators. The training was more intense 
on the interurban lines what with a different type of car and such additional 
equipment as the 'trolleyphone', extra trolley pole, tool kit, etc. These 
operators were required to know more and do more in the event of an emergency 
or breakdown than a city service operator. The fact that they may break down 
miles from the nearest service facility or route foreman required that they 
had the knowledge and skill to start remedial action before a route foreman 
arrived in order to keep service operating.

One could easily see that the former interurban operators were in a class by 
themselves. They had a very different attitude than newer, younger operators. 
Most of them (those still around in the 1970s, at least) were former WW II 
service men and had that "do or die" attitude now missing in society. Even 
the way they wore the uniform indicated a group that was, to paraphrase a 
quote from the US Marine Corps, "the proud, the few, the interurban 
operators."

I am certain that to have that group integrated into the regular seniority 
list at SHJ would have caused problems with moral. So two lists were 
maintained until the end of interurban service.

Interesting too, was the fact that all the men remaining from the 
Washington/Charleroi days always picked 35 or 36. Seldom would I even see one 
of them on the 37 and never on 42/38 and certainly not on 49.

I heard some interesting stories from these guys about the last of the 
interurban days in Pittsburgh.

PATransit did have a combined garage at the E. Liberty Division. It was a 
combination of Craft Ave. and Homewood. However, there was only one run pick 
held for the entire seniority list. Operators were assigned to either E. 
Liberty 'A' or E. Liberty 'B' for administrative purposes only. A was old 
Craft Ave. and B was old Homewood. There were also two superintendents, one 
for A and one for B.

I really never asked, and do not know, if there were two superintendents at 
SHJ when there was both a city and interurban division at the one car house.

HrB 
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