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

[John F Bromley]

49 was peak.  Each route used 3 cars.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donald Galt" <galtfd at att.net>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2001 5:38 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: 46--line vs 49--line --- & 47--line


> 
> 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
> 
>