[PRCo] Re: Curves do wear faster, Ken

[ROGER Jenkins]

The double end cars of today do not need retrievers or two trolley poles
due to the advent of pantographs. Of course dual controls and fareboxes
are needed but with the advent of fare tickets , monthly passes , and
honor system method of no fare collection , the farebox is un-needed.
The San Diego Trolley  system has no loops as all lines are stub-ended
with x-overs . There are ways to reverse units using a Y at the yards ,
but hardly used. One advantage of double ended ,articulated equipment is
in case of a catastrophic accident where one unit is totaled. The good
unit is kept as a spare and in the cases in Boston and San Francisco ,
another useable car is born . The downside , as in one Boston accident ,
two A units were totalled and in the case of most lite rail cars of
today, one is an A unit and another is an B ., due to different
equipment carried on each. [say the compressor on one and the controller
electronics on the other ]