[PRCo] Re: Pittsburgh 7-Charles Street abandonment

[Vigrass, Bill]

I rode the Charles St. Transfer one time along with my friends Jim Greene
and Bob Leech.  The three of us plus one regular passenger made a slightly
above average load.  The car was an older single door double ender that
ground up and down the hill. I think that we rode it in the late 1940's or
early 1950's.    Charles Street itself still had low floor low speed cars.
This may have been 1947 or '48.  I have one neg of the car.  
BillVigrass.

-----Original Message-----
From: John Swindler [mailto:j_swindler at hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2001 4:46 PM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Cc: ALLMANR at aehn2.einstein.edu; rwan at dejazzd.com; csiebert at paonline.com;
stennyson at webtv.net; elmerfry at desupernet.net; JacksoRE at STVINC.COM;
billvigrass at hillintl.com
Subject: Pittsburgh 7-Charles Street abandonment



For those who haven't had enough about route 7 Charles Street operations, 
here is information from two PUC abandonment proceedings.  Some operating 
statistics are included which seem to imply that ridership almost evaporated

during late 1950s.  Sort of a pre-1955 strike vs. post 1955 strike.

These PUC records are not intended to provide complete picture, but are an 
important piece of the larger picture when researching 'why things 
happened.'

Enjoy

John

p.s.  any interest in PUC proceedings at A-7933 of 1923 concerning agreement

to run and operate streetcars through Mount Washington Tunnel???




Pittsburgh Railways application A-80472 of 1953

para. 4:  Application of PRC to abandon street railway service and 
facilities beginning at a point in single track on Arch St. 200 feet north 
of North Ave., then north on Arch 990 feet to Jacksonia St., then west 1180 
feet on Jacksonia to Monterey.

para. 7:  Approval necessary because:

1.  City of Pittsburgh proposes to resurface Jacksonia St.

2.  Present use of track confined to outbound route 7 Charles St.  Inbound 
direction this trolley uses Monterey St. and West North Ave.  It is proposed

to operate the route in both directions over the present inbound route.

3.  It is proposed to retain switching facilities, curves and existing 
single track on Arch St. for 200 feet for emergency purposes.

signed:  C. D. Palmer (notarized 24 Sept. 1953)


Hearing held in Pittsburgh Nov. 13, 1953.  PRC testimony included the 
following:

1.  Traffic check made on Wednesday, March 8, 1953 on outbound route 7 
Charles St. using this track on Arch and Jacksonia.  166 passengers used the

three car stops to be eliminated, or 2.7 passengers per trip.

2.  Present route 7 outbound service:  weekdays 60 trips between 5:32 am and

12:18 pm.  Frequency is 15 min. peak, 20 min. midday, and 30 min. after 
7:18pm.  There are 56 trips on Saturday, and Sunday schedule is 37 trips on 
a 30 min. headway.

3.  Service furnished by outbound 6, 13, 14, 15 over North and Monterey 
consists of 308 trips on weekdays, 266 on Saturdays and 182 on Sundays.

4.  Outbound service furnished on Federal St. by routes 8 and 21 consists of

207 trips on weekdays, 173 trips on Saturdays and 137 trips on Sundays.


By PUC order dated 25 January 1954:

1.  Approved PRC application to abandon street railway service on route 7 on

Arch and Jacksonia

2.  That PRC remove overhead except poles used by others

3.  That PRC cover track structure with 3 inches asphalt

4.  That work to be completed by DEc. 31, 1955.



And now onto Pittsburgh Railways application A-88103 of 1961

For approval to abandon route 7 street railway facilities from 
Brighton/California to Charles/Irwin.  Reasons:

1.  City of Pittsburgh sewer work in Charles St. will require economically 
unjustified track expenditures.

2.  For number of years route 7 Charles St. was confined to peak hours of 
the day.  At other periods, service handled by means of transfer connection 
between City View bus at Brighton/California and street railway routes 6, 13

and 15.

3.  Applicant intends to provide replacement bus service during peak hours 
between Charles St./Irwin Ave. area and Liberty Ave. in downtown Pittsburgh 
by combining rights presently held by applicant at A-76720, folder 47 and 
folder 17.

signed: C. D. Palmer, notarized 19 April 1961


Hearing held 28 June 1961

Testimony of Robert A. Hamilton, manager rates and service planning:

1.  Proposed substitute bus service will duplicate route 7 streetcar line 
between outer terminus and intersection of California and Charles.  Then by 
way of Brighton Rd. to Ridge, to Stockton to Sandusky, to 7th St. bridge to 
Liberty.

2.  Reasons for changing routing "would be to use wider streets more 
suitable for bus operation."  "I might also add that the capacity furnished 
by the Charles St. street car line is not needed in the area where it is 
common with the other three streetcar lines."

3.  Under present schedules, route 7 Charles St. streetcar service consists 
of nine a.m. peak trips and eight p.m. peak trips

4.  We (PRC) have necessary bus equipment on hand and will be able to 
establish it prior to city's sewer work.

Testimony of Mr. Hunttinger, Engineer of Way and Structures:  Total length 
of track of street railway facilities to be abandoned:  4569 feet single 
track, 650 feet double track.  Total round trip mileage route 7:  5.15 miles

or about 2.57 miles one-way.

Testimony of Stewart Dunn, Assistant City Solicitor:  "We want this 
substitution order made as quickly as possible because we are letting a 
contract for the sewer work" (trunk sewer on  Charles between Brightridge 
and Farris St.)

Attached to record is agreement dated 15 May 1961 between City of Pittsburgh

and Pittsburgh Railways Co.

1.  Contingent upon PUC approval, PRC will abandon 7 Charles St. street 
railway route.

2.  Upon abandonment, PRC will leave in place its track facilities, 
including rails, ties and accessories.

3.  PRC surrenders to city track facilities left in place and poles which 
may be required for city use.

4.  PRC will remove poles not required for city use.

5.  City accepts ownership and responsibility for track facilities and poles

left in place.

Signed by Mayor Barr for the city and C. D. Palmer for PRC.


PUC Order approving abandonment of street railway facilities dated 7 Aug. 
1961.


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