[PRCo] Re: Exterior Ads on PCCs

[Jim Holland]

> Edward H. Lybarger wrote:

> 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.

	Had meant to include that  *Annie--Get--Your--Gun--X--Alpern*  probably
cast a pall on the whole process.  And bankruptcy certainly isn't a
pleasant experience but maybe negative enough where the Rwys thought it
might be over for them and thus they did not seek any new ads until
after the proceedings!
	The ads I did find seemed to show on the left side of the car more
often than the door side but as the ads proliferated, they seemed to be
on both sides.  I didn't check everything in detail but was kind of
astonished at the number of  *blind--left--side*  photos that I have.
	I have a fair selection of photos from 1952 from across the system and
am hard pressed to find any cars with ads except for the 1616, but I
certainly don't have the number of photos available to me that you have
in the Museum.
	Didn't check my Washington albums but I have the Schramm collection
which were taken in 1952 and later and I am sure they will probably
reveal some ads as well (the Riverview photo of 1616 with ads is from
the Schramm collection.)
	JUST  check my Washington albums and the first car I found with 2-ads
on the left side is 1619 in the Tylerdale yard.  The next one is 1711
with 2-ads on the left side and 1711 is turning from prw onto Jefferson
heading into downtown Wash.  This picture probably predates the one of
1711 at Meadowland in August of 1953 and used on a PTM one-page yearly
calendar.  The right side is seen here and no ads!
	I also have a photo of 1700-herself leaving Jefferson northbound and
the right side can be seen and a rack exists for an ad behind the front
doors.  And another photo at Tylerdale revelas 2-1700s in the yard in
addition to 1619 and all have 2-ads on the left side.
	The photos in downtown Canonsburg by  *Railroad Avenue Enterprizes* are
the summer of 1952 and left side ads are not apparent on these cars - in
fact none of the 6-cars has any ads.
	No ads visible on 1701.
	My album of Little Washington shows no left side ads on 1711 at the
downtown wye - Schramm collection, obviously an earlier date!!  But 3711
has an ad for Duquesne Beer on the rear and Tech(?) Beer on the front -
Pgh. liked its beer, No?!?!  And a winter time photo of 1700 downtown
reveals a sealed beam headlight but an absence of ads on the right
side.  Car 1709 northbound on W.-Chestnut shows a right side ad and 1707
in the same place shows 2-left side ads.

	This information won't do anything to improve my chances of an earlier
retirement, but it is trivia that's interesting to know.
	I wasn't too far off in the assessment  --  THANKS  for checking
further and making a more precise determination!!(:->)

	By the way  --  any ideas on why  NO  ads on PCCs until 1952??

> 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

>> Jim Holland wrote:

>>         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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