[PRCo] Re: Patronage of the Rail Lines (Was: Pittsburgh 7-Charles Street abandonment)

[John Swindler]

You really don't want to look at the Boston PCC rebuilding programs.

At a time when Harold Geissenheimer was mentioning costs of around $21,000 
per 1600 series car to rebuild into the high 1700 group (that's reasonable 
for ten additional years of vehicle life), Boston was issuing a press 
release proudly announcing a 50-car overhaul program at $300,000 per car.  
That's 10% higher then the US Standard light rail vehicle price.

And that wasn't the final price tag.  Costs got out of control and I've 
heard that more then $500,000 was charged to some of the cars that went 
through this program.

In retrospect, I've wondered if George Krambles and the CTA were the only 
ones who 'got it right'.  Buy an new body shell and reuse the worthwhile 
components.  Because essentially, that's what the CTA 6000 series was. 
(sorry about grammer) Same goes for some of the Brussels PCC cars.

I haven't seen any press releases on Boston's current PCC overhaul program.  
Has anyone seen some figures????

John



>From: Kenneth Josephson <kjosephson at sprintmail.com>
>Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>Subject: [PRCo] Re: Patronage of the Rail Lines (Was: Pittsburgh 7-Charles 
>Street abandonment)
>Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2001 19:00:17 -0700
>
>
>
>
>John Swindler wrote:
>
> > Notice I said that separate 'asset maintenance' funds forces transit
> > authorities to at least make a SHOW of maintaining equipment.
> >
> > As for maintaining equipment, Harrisburg is still operating some new 
>look
> > buses acquired around 1975 in base service.  Yes, they went through a
> > rebuild, but this shows that it still can be done - if management wants 
>to.
>
>...and Milwaukee is just getting ready to retire some Fishbowls purchased 
>new in
>1966 and '67 and rebuilt during the '80's. And look at Boston's 
>PCCs....(back on
>topic) the aborted 4000 program of PAT....
>
>

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