[PRCo] Re: Exterior Ads on PCCs

[Edward H. Lybarger]

PRCo had money in 1950, in spite of the city's best efforts to confiscate
it.  But after the reorganization, there was always a need for cash since
the company had been separated from its former parent and some of the cash
was sent off to creditors. Advertising dollars were now more important.  A
review of exterior advertising, often on the less-photographed side of the
car, leads to a couple conclusions.  (I chose to review interurban cars
because that's what I have the best coverage of, and it's right here in the
office!)

1707, Pike & Main, Houston, 1953...ad in left rear side sign holder
1721, County Home Siding, August 1953...ads in both holders, left side of
car
1720, Arden Stop, August 1952...ad behind front door...ditto 1708 at same
spot a year later
Row of 3 1700s at Tylerdale CH, 1953...one car has two signs on the left
side; the other two cars don't even have the holders
1706, Washington, 1953...two ads on left side
1719, Washington, Summer 1953...sign behind front doors...AND A PRCo EMBLEM
BEHIND THE CENTER DOORS!
1614, Thompsonville, July 1952...two ads on left side
1716, near Cheeseman, August 1953...two ads on left side, one behind front
doors
1614 at Cheeseman, August 1953...two ads on left side
1701, Morganza, 1953...ad behind front doors (same car had none on 7-2-52.
Number was centered in 1952, offset in 1953).
1709, Pittsburgh, 1953...two ads on left side
1432, SHJ, May 1953...ad behind front doors, Drake Wye sign taped to dash
1710, Washington Jct., May 1953...both racks on left side are empty

Conclusion #1:  The ad racks went on the cars' exteriors during the same
procedure in which the front numbers were moved.

Conclusion #2:  The work was accomplished in 1952.

I think if someone looks at a large assortment of photos of the urban
system, similar conclusions about the time frame will be appropriate.
Placement of the ad racks was a simple procedure but still couldn't be done
overnight.

Comments?

Ed

-----Original Message-----
From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org]On Behalf Of Jim
Holland
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2001 10:28 AM
To: -->- PRCo -- WP -- JTC -- The Big *3* -<--
Subject: [PRCo] Exterior Ads on PCCs



Hi!
	Just checked a wide variety of photos of PCCs from all over Pgh. and
found many from all series in the 1949--1952 time frame and the Only One
with exterior ads was already mentioned  --  1616 at Riverview.  That
photo is 1952--1953.
	Wonder if it had something to do with the bankruptcy?  Seems that
business continued during the bankruptcy proceedings and one would
assume that advertizing would be solicited.
	WW-2 kept business up and ads might not be needed then as well as the
boom which continued for a year or 2-after the war.
	But  --  considering that the low-floors and non-PCC interurbans had
exterior ads in the 1940s, and it seems even in the 1930s, why didn't
they start with exterior ads on the PCCs right away?
	Seems that the first exterior ads on PCCs were after the bankruptcy
proceedings of the early 1950s was complete.  And they seemed to appear
quite rapidly after that  --  photos in 1954, 1955, 1956 show many cars
with ads, multiple ads - at least one on the right, sometimes two, and
usually two on the left.

--
James B. Holland

        Pittsburgh  Railways  Company  (PRCo),   1930  --  1950
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