[PRCo] Re: A Change in Scenery, MBTA PCCs, etc.

[Fred W. Schneider III]

It is a little late to find anyone to answer these questions ...

But it might be possible that St. Louis Car had sufficient orders of
standard PCCs that they didn't need to bother engineering deviants, and
P-S needed work to stay in business and therefore was willing to spend
the time and dollars to engineer changes for small lots of cars.  St.
Louis built the 83 long cars for Chicago in 1936 -- but it was a large
order and it would be a lot easier to design a lengthened real platform
than to move everything under the car to fit in a left door.  When
Pullman built the 20 cars for Boston, St. Louis had a full order book of
standard PCCs and Pullman had zip.  Note also that Pullman not only
built the first left door cars but also the first MU cars (I imagine the
platform framing had to be heavier to accommodate the coupler), and the
first and second orders of double-end cars.   

John Swindler wrote:
> 
> Suspect you just answered why 3001 was scrapped several years before last of
> the Type 5s were removed from service.  Had nothing to do with manufacturer.
>   And electrically, MTA/BERy bought both GE and Westinghouse cars.  However,
> 3001 and no left door.
> 
> Likewise, why subsequent orders from Pullman instead of St. Louis??  Keep
> the plant down the road in Worcester in business.  And that would keep the
> local politicians happy.
> 
> As for the MBTA's PCC overhaul programs, you really don't want to know the
> sordid details (recently received from an engineer assigned to oversee the
> project).  Could be best characterized as politics, and lack of internal
> controls.  Cost was over $600,000 for some of the cars (at least that is
> what the records would show) at time when SEPTA was spending $112,000 per
> GOH car.
> 
> John
> 
> >From: ROGERTROLLY at webtv.net (ROGER Jenkins)
> >Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> >To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> >Subject: [PRCo] Re: A Change in Scenery, MBTA PCCs, etc.
> >Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 22:16:07 -0700 (PDT)
> >
> >
> >Only car that didn't have a left hand door was the 3001 ,ST LOUIS CAR
> >CO.diverted from Brooklyn order. All the rest , BUILT BY PULLMAN IN
> >WORCESTER MASS.had left hand doors , My info on the cars problem and
> >disposition was derived from personal records that dont seem to jell
> >with other facts . Your right Greg , they are unique being air cars and
> >built by Pullman . Pacific Electric DBL enders were also built in
> >Worcester by Pullman . The first dbl ended PCCs !!
> >
> >
> 
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