[PRCo] Re: Route 9

[Jim Holland]

> Fred W. Schneider III wrote:

> Remember that railways in Pennsylvania are taxed on track that is
> usable.  Only days after the 12 Evergreen line quit running, the points
> were removed down at East Street, effectively making the route
> inoperable and no longer subject to taxation. Makes a good example,
> doesn't it?  So why look at 1950s pictures for track going inbound from
> Charles to Perrysville?  It wasn't needed.  It wasn't there.  The only
> track needed then was the access to Perrysville Avenue in the opposite
> direction to get to the carbarn.  This is one of those uninteresting
> financial things that we don't care about that bring all the other
> details into perspective.

	Not uninteresting - explains why PRCo was so quick about making
modifications!  Remember some of the crossings in downtown Pgh. -
specifically 7th and//or 9th crossing Penn - the diamonds were removed
which technically made them inoperable and smooth passage for cars on
Penn, but the rails on the cross streets were raised and a car could get
thru by bumping across.  We did on a charter with 1709!

	And the photo on the bottom of pg.35 of Smith's  *Touring Pgh by
Trolley*  shows Charles and Perrysville with the tracks from Charles to
Perrysville outbound very much in evidence.  Only the mate has been
removed from the outbound turn from Charles, but that certainly renders
it inoperable!  An inbound car sits over the other turnout but it
appears that the point is removed here - the curved rail suddenly ends
just before the car and PRCo usually placed the point on the inside rail
of a turnout.

-- 
James B. Holland

        Pittsburgh  Railways  Company  (PRCo),   1930  --  1950
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