[PRCo] Re: Bill Vigrass Images on Dave's

[Fred W. Schneider III]

No, its not Perrysville and Charles. Perrysville and Charles was a
neighborhood commercial center with all tracks paved in streets. 
Perrysville Avene was double track with
stores.  Charles to the west was double track; no stores but no
buildings with rows of identical side windows.  Charles to the east was
where 21 cars laid over ... concrete street, a bridge over head, no
buildings on the street but sides of house visible.  
 Looks like the east side of Keating Carhouse.  Bob suggested the West
Side, but that side would probably have been filled with single-end low
floors for rush hour service.  Both sides looked the same.  The fact
that there is no sun on the near end of the car suggests that is the
north end, which makes only the east side possible.  

Also note that this is a one-man conversion of a double end car.  The
clue is the white sign on the center doors, which were sealed.  The sign
tells one to enter front.  These were common on routes with very limited
traffic.  Another good example would be 29 Thornberg. There were also a
few cars like 4208 rebuilt as single end cars ... Keating in the 1930s
had some for use on 21 Fineview.  Keating has mostly K-control cars
which makes this HL car unusual, but not totally alien. Keating, over
time had a strange mix.  There were even 4700s up there in the 1930s. 
MU cars during the war.  About 1952, every last one of the 5500s with
K43 control were there.   

Back to the fare configuration. Why enter front signs?  Because the
standard Pittsburgh pattern for two-man Jones cars was enter at the
center, and leave by the center or the
front.  The signs were cast when two-man cars were still running. 

I have no date, but since it is a Vigrass picture it would be about
1948.   At that time cars like 4208 were working Charles Street Transfer
and the 4350s were on Evergreen.  For the few passengers that Charles
hauled, a motorcycle sidecar would have been much more appropriate.

Which brings out one last point ... who has seen the pictures of the
Pittsburgh Railways motorcycle sand cars?  In the 1930s, they had such
critters. 

Something appropriate to all this diatribe ... I had to run an errand
for Grandma ... walked down to a store on Perry just south of Charles
about 1952 ... to get a plumbers plunger.  

Good night. 

Donald Galt wrote:
> 
> I'm hardly an expert, but is this really Charles and Perrysville?
> 
> http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/bvp077.htm
> 
> Don