[PRCo] Re: 32--Line__&__3750s

[Jim Holland]

Good Morning!

> John F Bromley wrote:

> I'm looking at the track map (second edition) published by ERA, noted as
> corrected to June 1949, and it shows the Carson-Smithfield-Sycamore St
> intersection as having double track curves on all four corners, straight
> tracks from Sycamore a the Tunnel entrance into Smithfield but no east-west
> through tracks on Carson.  This was drawn by an R Saxon based on data
> provided by W A James, J G Kneiling and Charlie Dengler.  The crossover on
> Smithfield north of the shed at the P&:E is also shown (and it's in one of
> those Vigrass negs currently at Fred's.  If the map is accurate what's all
> this talk of using the crossover?  Also solves the Sewickley route egress
> and ingress to Tunnel CH.  Look it up, people.  That's why maps are
> polished.

	Yes - this comes from ERA Headlights or Electric Railroads or something
similar.   BUT.......   that does Not solve the entire question raised.  
It was even asked if the 32-line was always based at South Hills and if
Documentation exists for the X-Over on the bridge being used by the
32-line.

#######

***>>	Please  NOTE  that the first printing of the above mentioned map in
1946 shows  NEITHER  TURN  in place  *to-and-from-Tunnel*  to 
*to-and-from-W.-Carson*   --   so either the 32-line went into town and
looped at 4th or it used the X-Over On the Smithfield St.Bridge  IF  based
at Tunnel.   As trolley traffic increased over the years, it  *might*  have
looped town to avoid conflicts at the X-Over.
	So.......   Prior to 1946
		1)--WHERE  was the 32-line based?
		2)--DID  the 32-line use the Bridge
			X-Over from Tunnel?

	And to add a little more - the same one who wants documentation of the
Smithfield St.-X-Over usage has also questioned the reliability of the
above mentioned maps   ---   they are, after all, compiled by  *railfans.*

>> Fred said:::::::

>> But what about the Sewickley cars.  Possibly cars going into service ran
>> over the Smithfield St. Bridge into Pittsburgh, then back out over the
>> Point Bridge.  Returning cars could run through town also, or run empty
>> over Carson St.  There may also have been another curve from northbound
>> on Smithfield to westbound on Carson when 23 was running.

>> The answers are there Jim.  It is just a matter of time to research
>> everything.  The track records (at least the early ones are at Arden).
>> The car barn assignments are also on the route cards ... I don't have
>> copies of everything at home.  I probably have route 32 / 33 but don't
>> have time tonight to look for it.  We also have railfan pictures of
>> 3750s at Tunnel bearing Sewickley signs.  It is no rumor.

>> Certainly assigning the all the 3750s to Tunnel makes sense.  Why
>> doesn't it?   PRC assigned cars according to apparatus
>> in a transparent policy of simplifying parts inventories.

	Agreed it makes sense on a parts basis, but that is not the only
consideration.   On an operations basis, tremendously more overhead expense
in getting the cars from route to barn or barn to route.   Ingram would be 
m-u-c-h  closer and would cut down considerably on deadhead.   Ok, so
passengers were carried and they didn't deadhead,  BUT  other cars on line
could accomplish the same.

	In all honesty, not really interested in verification and definitely not
worth your time pursuing it.   We know the cars were used on the 23-line.  
More pictures of their usage would be far more interesting than justifying
the storage here and there.

	And the 82-line MU demo  --  we discussed this location and identification
a  l-o-n-g  time ago as well.

	Maybe it would be more accurate and safe to say that the 3750s were solely
based in the South Hills which would include the car houses along the
interurban.(:->)

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James B. Holland

Holland  Electric  Railway  Operation....... 
___"O"--Scale St.-Petersburg Trams Company Trolleycars and...
______"O"--Scale  Parts  mailto:pghpcc at pacbell.net

______Pennsylvania Trolley Museum http://www.pa-trolley.org/
___Pittsburgh  Railways  Company  (PRCo),   1930  --  1950
N.M.R.A.  Life member #2190; http://www.nmra.org

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