[PRCo] Re: Spare trolley poles -- and Emergency tool kits

[Fred W. Schneider III]

This certainly makes sense.  As Ed has said many times, we must judge
historical events in the context of their times, not now in relation to
things that happen today.  It is neither reasonable nor proper to judge
sawing up a tree limb in terms of what the transport workers union might
say today but in terms of acceptable practice in 1950.

The interurban routes were, in many instance, a long distance from both
road access and from the nearest carbarn containing a work crew. In the
entire distance from Black Diamond Junction, at the south end of
Monongahela, to North Charleroi there was (again if my memory serves
correctly and it is becoming flawed at this age), only a brief
encroachment by a road of any type between Summit and Eldora Park. 
There were many other places on both lines that were simply not
accessible from any highway.  The Washington Division cars had radio
frequency carrier telephones; Charleroi had line side phones.  If the
motorman was a stubborn (perhaps someone would define it lazy) cuss, he
might find himself walking a mile to report in that he didn't want to
saw through a six inch tree.  

The interurban seniority lists were separate from city lists.  These men
were often considered a cut above city men.  They were expected to do
whatever was necessary to get over the road and not simply sit dead in
the water and "call traffic."  

Of course there had to be exceptions.  I remember one gigantic motorman
assigned out of Washington who had a love for cream puffs.  He and I
would have had great difficulty climbing on the roof of any car.  And
I'm sure we would both have experienced some loss of dignity trying to
use non existent muscles to saw through a log.  But at least we would
have tried.  And I would imagine there would have been passengers who
would have helped in any emergency because they wanted to get over the
road too.  And the latter would have been allowed to help because it was
a less litigious society. 

ROGER Jenkins wrote:
> 
> Maybe the saw was for downed tree limbs that might fall on the track
> during windy days or due to ice binging them down . A hacksaw would take
> forever to saw thru a tree limb.