[PRCo] Re: Baggage Rack & Other INterurban Equipment

[Jim Holland]

> Harold Geissenheimer wrote:

> I believe that the little steel platform was removed after
> the interurbans quit.  A motormans type seat was used
> as the replacement if I remember this.

	The racks most definitely remained into the ({[pat]}) era.  PRCo
started removing them and as Herb indicated, they were completely
removed by the time he was operating.
	I  *always*  rode in the railfan seat - on the baggage rack - when
riding the interurbans and when I knew the motorman.  I was
super-frequent-rider in the late 1950s, early 1960s and never remember
sitting on a motormans seat in place of the baggage rack, although I
knew a couple interurbans had such seats replacing racks!

	The only things removed when the interurbans of Charleroi and
Washington were truncated at Library and Drake respectively were the
spare trolley poles strapped to the roof, the fare register which was
replaced by a fare box, fire-fighting equipment, tools, and the 2-way
radios.  Literature comments always say that  *most*  of the interurban
equipment was removed, but this is not true!
	The Earll retriever remained (but was gradually replaced by catchers as
they failed in the 1960s, starting with PRCo), the roof light remained,
the pilot remained, the horn remained, the left-rear window remained
operable, the baggage rack remained (but was systematically replaced
with motormans seats starting ca.-1960,) and the B-3 trucks remained!!
	Then under ({[pat]}) the radios came back to all equipment!
	Also interesting to note is that when ({[pat]}) thought they were going
to build quite a few 4000s, they ordered quite a few new B-3 trucks and
outfitted quite a few remaining 1700s preparing for the conversion. 
Sunburst Trolley 1730 had B-3 trucks in her latter days, starting at
least in 1984 when I was there last!  And quite a number of other
original city cars had B-3s as well.

>> Bob Rathke wrote:

>> I rode the 36-Drake line nearly every day from 1972-83, and was on many 1700
>> interurbans, but never saw one with a baggage rack.  Only in early 1950's
>> photos.

>>> HRBran99 at aol.com wrote:

>>> Be advised that during the years I operated those cars (1973-1979) the racks
>>> had all been removed. I operated 1711 many times and it did not have a rack.
>>> It is possible that shop personnel attached the rack back into the car prior
>>> to sending it to Arden.

>>> HrB

-- 
James B. Holland
        Pittsburgh  Railways  Company  (PRCo),   1930  --  1950
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