[PRCo] Re: http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/kjpgh300.htm

[Donald Galt]

On 15 May 01, at 11:58, mrb190 wrote:

> 
> Why didn't Pgh Railways just have route 7 Charles end at
> this point?  OR - even have the entire route be a shuttle
> between Brighton and Perrysville?

That is a wonderful picture!

Can there be any among us who hasn't given at least a passing 
thought to Matt's question?

Okay, it's a given that single-ended cars couldn't be run up Charles 
Street to terminate at Perrysville because there was no way to turn 
them.

Furthermore, given the track layout, there was no alternative to the 
"Charles Street Transfer." 

Here's how it stood: After the disappearance of the Charles Street 
carhouse, a northbound car had no options once past Columbus 
Ave. It was either continue on to loop via Strauss and Irwin, or back 
down the wrong side of the street. No crossovers.

Furthermore, there was no right turn from Irwin Avenue to upper 
Charles Street. A double-ended car could presumably reach this 
stretch from below by taking the #7 loop and reversing at Irwin and 
Charles. But one assumes that the Transfer was served from 
Keating by means of the double-tracked west-to-north connection 
at Charles and Perrysville.

Since there was no other junction there, it was impossible to 
operate any sort of loop service involving either the 8 or the 21 
(actually, not *quite* impossible: a 21 car could theoretically turn 
south onto Perrysville, back north across the intersection and then 
turn down Charles Street to return to the city!)

But with the relatively simple expedient of a right turn curve from 
Irwin to Charles - double-tracked except for 100 yards or so 
immediately above Irwin - this route could have served as a useful 
bi-directional alternative to the Perrysville Avenue hill. And with 
some additional specialwork at Perrysville and Charles, the 7 might 
have been something more than a short branch line connecting 
with an orphaned shuttle.

Don