[PRCo] PCC rebuilds and asbestos

[Bob Rathke]

Yes, things were different then.  In 1976 we bought a GE hair drier.  A few
weeks later we read in Consumer Reports that these hair driers were being
recalled for modification.  We took the hair drier to the local service
station where they replaced the insulation in the blower tube - the original
models had asbestos-lined tubes, blowing contaminated air right into your
face!   By the way, we still have that hair drier and it works perfectly
after 26 years - I guess it was well-designed - except for the asbestos.

I was thinking about the many PCCs that were scrapped in the upper
(Warrington Ave.) area of SHJ in the mid-60s.  The PCCs were quickly cut
into smaller pieces using sawzalls, torches and pry bars, then loaded onto
trucks.  No one even thought about hazardous materials then, but those were
all air-cars.  I don't recall ever seeing a 1700 there.

Bob 4/13/02

---------------------------------------------

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Schmidt" <SaturnV at webtv.net>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 13, 2002 11:15 AM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Rebuilds


>
>
> Greasings!
>
> The asbestos material...an asphalt/chrysotile matrix, had been applied
> in a 10" swath around the periphery of the roof interior, and on the
> cross members The material;s  .125 thickness is simiiar to, and looks
> very much like an application of Ziebart undercoating found, and .
-- Trailing quotes stripped by Listar --