[PRCo] PRC track construction near the B&O station

[Bob Rathke]

I'll have to look through my photos of the B&O station demolition in July, 1957,
but I believe that the Water St. (Ft. Pitt Blvd.) trolley trackage was not
affected much by the railroad station changes.  In 1958, Grant St. between the
Blvd. of the Allies and Ft. Pitt Blvd. was totally rebuilt and received new rail.
There was also pavement and substructure work on Ft. Pitt Blvd., but it related
more to the building of the Penn Lincoln Parkway through downtown, and not the
demolition of the B&O station.

A couple of years ago, the B&O RR Historical Society's magazine had a lengthy
feature article on the railroad in Pittsburgh, and the old B&O station got a lot
of coverage.  I'll also check the text and photos in that magazine for any
references to trolley service.

Just got back from downtown Chicago, and had to wait for a Skokie Swift train at
one of the street crossings in Skokie.  It was at the point where- at speed - they
lower the pantographs and switch to third rail operation.  The pantograph lowering
at that location is quite obvious, and would make a good video.  I was third in
line at the crossing, and by the time I drove over the tracks, the inbound CTA
train was out of sight.

Bob 7/4/01

---------------------------

Jim Holland wrote:

> Good Morning!!
>
> > Jim Holland wrote:
>
> > FOUND:::::::    The URL for this bridge  --
> > photographer standing on it looking south down the prw:::::::!!!!!!!
>
> http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/wvp234.htm
>
>         The May--1960  *ERA--Headlights*  (pg.12) says this:::::::
>
>                 "An 1,100' temporary shoo-fly single track was put
>                 into operation on April--22 on Rt. 35--Library near
>                 Mesta Stop to permit removal of trestle over South
>                 Park Road and installation of a grade crossing in its
>                 place, as ordered by the Penna. PUC."
>
>         THAT  is a little over 1/5th--mile!!  Grading was necessary on either
> side of the trestle so maybe this shoo-fly length is not out of line!
>
>         Twould be nice to see more pictures of this.
>
>         ALSO  --  anyone have photos of the shoo-flys (if they might be called
> that) at Smithfield and Water during the time the B&O was removed from
> that location and a new ramp installed??
>
> >         Doesn't appear to be as long as I guessed (110--150--feet) but the
> > photo does appear to be telephoto which shortens apparent lengths!!
>
> ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
>
> James B. Holland
>
> Holland  Electric  Railway  Operation
>     "O"--Scale  St.-Petersburg Trams Company
>         Trolleycars  &  "O"--Scale  Parts  mailto:pghpcc at pacbell.net
>     Pittsburgh  Railways  Company  (PRCo),   1930  --  1950
> N.M.R.A.  Life member #2190; http://www.mcs.net:80/~weyand/nmra/