[PRCo] Re: Self-Motivated PCC cars

[John Swindler]

And then there was the time three railfans wanted some pictures of a Brill 
trackless trolley on the streets of Chicago.  So they showed up at North 
Ave. garage one Saturday afternoon, told a policeman to please move his 
vehicle (this was during the Democratic convention in 1968) and took one on 
a spin around northwest Chicago.  Even had quite a few photo stops, 
particularly when vehicle had to be coasted through an intersection. (when 
wires didn't exist for desired turn, someone trots behind the vehicle as it 
picks up some speed and pulls the poles while the vehicle is turning.)

Naturally the suspects shall remain nameless to protect the guilty.

Oh yes, this electric powered transit vehicle was built in Pennsylvania.



>From: Kenneth Josephson <kjosephson at sprintmail.com>
>Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>Subject: [PRCo] Re: Self-Motivated PCC cars
>Date: Fri, 08 Jun 2001 07:42:24 -0700
>
>
>A documented case of this sort of thing happened in Milwaukee after 
>Speedrail
>shut down. The mayor was trying to get the city to purchase the line, so
>everything was left intact until the end of 1952. The power was left on and 
>a
>"ghost" car was run at night to discourage scavengers from stealing the 
>trolley
>wire.
>
>A couple of young traction fans took advantage of the situation by "poling 
>up" an
>interurban car sitting in the yard near 7th Street. They took the car to 
>about
>27th Street and abandoned it there.
>
>I may not have the exact locations of where the car was taken and 
>abandoned, but
>it was about twenty blocks.
>
>I know this isn't Pittsburgh related, but it may be one source of the 
>"legend."
>There are other documented cases of youngsters taking trolleys and rapid 
>transit
>equipment for joy rides.
>
>I was allowed to operate NSL 757 and Milwaukee Electric steeplecab L-7 for
>several hundred feet at East Troy (the original museum group) when I was 
>14.
>Against the rules, but a once in a lifetime experience. I promised myself 
>to
>never run another trolley car again until I pay my dues by volunteering 
>some
>serious time in the shop helping with a restoration. Ask Charlie about his
>adventure running a NSL coach in Ohio! :-)   Ken J.
>
>HRBran99 at aol.com wrote:
>
> > In a message dated 6/8/01 7:45:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
> > bob.dietrich at unisys.com writes:
> >
> > > I just thought I'd pass this along in case anyone remembers such 
>happenings
> > > on the PRCo.
> > >
> > >
> >
> > I don't remember any "coffee shops", or for that matter, any places near
> > Simmons Loop which were withing walking distance. Sounds like "Urban 
>Legend"
> > to me. PRCo and PATransit rules forbid leaving a car unattended. And if, 
>do
> > to an emergency situation (a coffee shop would not qualify), a car had 
>to be
> > left unattended the reverser handle should have been placed in the 
>'locked'
> > or forward position and removed to prevent moving of the car. Again, 
>sounds
> > like urban legend to me. If it did happen, the operator most likely was
> > unemployed after that.
> >
> > HrB
>
>

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