Missing Blocks of Car Numbers

[John Swindler]

As a teen in early 60s, there were two operators that I seemed to frequently 
encounter on Sunday/Holiday pass riding on Library and Drake cars.  One was 
named Walther (not of next to last stop on Drake fame) who later picked a 
42/38 run.  The other was Brill (not of car builder fame) who later picked a 
56 run.  Both were WWII vets, and Brill may have operated last Charleroi 
car.  So I would guess/assume that it was a consolidated pick list by then.

John


>From: Jim Holland <pghpcc at pacbell.net>
>Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>Subject: Re: Missing Blocks of Car Numbers
>Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2001 14:40:09 -0800
>
>Greetings!
>
> > HRBran99 at aol.com wrote:
>
> > 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.
>
>	Who was still working there who had worked at Castle Shannon barn  --
>didn't it close in 1932.  *Might*  be possible, but doesn't sound
>realistic  --  think someone might have been giving you a long yarn!!
>
> > "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 ser! ! vice operating.
>
>	Good to emphasize these points again - there is a distinction for
>various reasons.  Had forgotten about the pride and class distinction
>from nearly 100--years ago!  We aren't allowed to say let alone think
>such things today!!
>
> > 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.
>
>	Was this in 1953 - when Charleroi and Washington were cut back to
>Library and Drake?  These were still considered interurbans and the
>equipment was most definitely segregated even into early  ({[pat]})
>days.
>
>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/

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