[PRCo] Re: 46--line vs 49--line --- & 47--line

[Donald Galt]

On 9 Jun 01, at 2:54, Jim Holland wrote:

>  Many  THANKS  to Tom, John-F, and Don who all chimed in to
>  give
> direction and clarification.
> 

Except, of course, that Don's contribution seems repudiated.

In answer to John-F's attempt at mediation, all I can say is that my 
map definitely does show the 46 running on Arlington Ave between 
Warrington and South 18th, and definitely shows nothing except 49 
along Climax and Gearing.

That said, the map appears to be wrong by all other evidence.

(In answer to Ray's caution about switches [and curves] at 
Arlington and Warrington: none whatever, according to any map I've 
seen. Not even so much as a crossover on Warrington - surprising, 
I'd say, since that surely put PRCo into an operational 
straightjacket at this busy intersection.)

Okay, this from an article by Roy G Benedict written to 
commemorate the closing of the last of the Hilltop lines (ERA 
Headlights, Nov/Dec 1970) with the word order slightly changed:

"Originally, the route number 49 designated the Beltzhoover via Mt. 
Washington Tunnel service ... with the service via Arlington Avenue 
being designated 46 Brownsville. Except for the first two outbound 
cars beginning in 1968 in order to save a second early weekday 
car, the Mt. Washington Tunnel routing was dropped on Jan 11, 
1940 with the introduction of PCCs to the line and the 46 
Brownsville designation was changed to 49 Beltzhoover on 
September 30, 1946 with no change in routing."

I can't help being mildly surprised that the Beltzhoover branch 
could have generated enough traffic for two services. 

Several years ago Jim H sent me a list of car assignments as of 
July 1929. Compiled by ????, giving route cards as its source.

The combined requirement for the 46 and 49 was three cars base, 
six cars peak. Would three cars have been enough to provide a 
credible service to Beltzhoover up New Arlington (Brownsville) 
Avenue and another through the tunnel? Or would the 49 have been 
a peak hour route? Just wondering.

Don