[PRCo] Re: SUNDAY RIVER VIDEO: PITTSBURGH AND JOHNSTOWN

[Russell E Jackson]

John - A typical Sunday River Laughathon.  Some years ago when they did a
N. Shore tape I gave them the right sounds from my own tapes. I told them
which types of cars had which whistles.  And when you look at the tape
you'll hear the Electroliner sound like a standard train.  The basic
footage is very good, but as you have noted, when viewing a SR tape, turn
the sound off.

Frank and I took a lot of our footage side by side, he in 16 and I in 8.
16 is very nice, but in the end it comes down to coverage.  I opted to go
for the greater coverage.  The end results are found in TGM's videos.
There's quite a bit of footage on hand for the E. End, but TGM is going to
do DC next.  The recent snow tape has been a big seller, as I predicted.
About 50% is my footage.  I'm one of those nuts enough to go out in the
snow.

Russ J.

____________________Reply Separator____________________
Subject:  SUNDAY RIVER VIDEO: PITTSBURGH AND JOHNSTOWN
Author:   "John F Bromley" <johnfbromley at rogers.com>
Date:          3/12/02 4:38 PM

       The Legendary  Trolleys of Pittsburgh (and Johnstown) 1958 from
       Sunday River (some scenes  actually as late as 1962, however).



       As with all SR tapes  they have added their own sound to the
       footage,  Odd to see PCC cars sounding more like  subway
       trains!  Several comments and  not a few captions are highly
       incorrect a few almost laughable.  Despite this the scenes are
       very nice  for the most part and the errors should not dissuade
       you from viewing the  tape,



       - Starts off with a  few scenes of interurban 1600s downtown



       - Fort Pitt and  Smithfield



       - South Hills Jctn  including 1711 from the rear with a black
       number painted on the door side of the  stoplight rather than
       between the retriever and the off-side stop  light.



       - Spoken error:  reference to Pittsburgh trolley shoes ? should
       have been wheels



       - Palm Garden  Trestle and Dawn Av Jctn ? comment about Palm
       Garden being named after a dance  hall of the 1890s at the
       north end of the trestle ? I never knew (assuming it to  be
       correct)



       - reference to  Belair line rather than Brookline



       - scenes on 35-36  south from McKinley Park, Bonair I think
       (not identified), Saw Mill  Run



       - map has the Drake  and Library lines almost the same length
       (Library a bit longer)



       - reference and  potted history of PCC cars ? I won?t go there
       except to say the reference was  incorrectly spoken as
       Presidents? Conference Cars (no Committee).



       - more on 35-36,  Oak, Central Stop, Castle Shannon, Bethel
       during the diversion work with the  crane car



       - scenes along  Drake, Ft Couch?, Brookside, loop etc



       - switches to 38A  line, referred to simply as Mt Lebanon,
       scenes with 38 and 37 cars at  Poplar& Pennsylvania, others, C
       S Muni Bldg



       - switches to 42  south from Cape May Trestle, Wenzell, Dormont
       Square, Dormont Wye then another  shot on the 38A of a 37 car
       out of place



       - switches to east  end map but scenes only of 56 McKeesport
       via 2(superscript: nd) Av



       - Glenwood Bridge,  PRW along Mifflin, Lincoln Place,
       Dravosburg, Mansfield Bridge, downtown  McKeesport, B&O
       Crossing (scene of B&M diesels ? no Sharks)



       - cuts to North end  map, narrator dwells on Fineview (spelled
       Fine View) and he seems to mix it up  regularly with West View,
       anyway no scenes at all of 21 on the tape



       - PRW below and  above Keating and at Keating CH, then along
       Center St through West View, one  scene of Emsworth at
       Avalon-Emsworth boundary I think



       - few scenes  downtown including 22 Crosstown and 1664 as
       Mohawk car



       - one shot of Route  40 on Mt Washington



       - back to Fort Pitt  and Smithfield with a 50-Carson car
       described as being on the SOUTH side of the  Monongahela



       - next a 58  Greenfield car at Greenfield and Winterburn single
       track labeled as being a  Greenfield car on the north side of
       the Monongahela (technically correct I  suppose but oddly put)



       - now we seem to be  well and truly into East end views, why
       not after the 56 is a mystery.  Views on 55 on Braddock Av nr E
       Pgh,  then in E Pgh.  View of Westinghouse  Bridge mislabeled
       East St Bridge, downtown E Pgh, then scenes down the 65 line
       from Homestead and Main St and  Interboro Av



       - downtown again, by  Civic Arena with 82 cars and some brand
       new asphalt paving



       - back out to East  Pittsburgh and the 87 line, Penn Lincoln
       Parkway and other views



       - M200 towing  sweeper M35 on Rankin Bridge and down to Rankin
       CH for store or scrap



       - switch to  Johnstown.  No commentary at all but  several
       scenes misidentified, one or two rather badly.  I have some
       knowledge of JTC but will  leave the nitpicking to others more
       knowledgeable.  Nice scenes including among others some  views
       from the incline of the city, Ferndale line single track over
       the creek,  Roxbury Av (at one point described as climbing the
       hill to Morrellville!!),  Franklin, some winter scenes not by
       Frank Phuhler but by Ron Schliessman.  Imagine that those
       trucks, motors and  some of the body parts (such as the trolley
       stand housing and roof vents)  actually continue to operate in
       daily service on Brussels PCC cars  7156-7171.



       My advice,  concentrate on the scenes and ignore large parts of
       the commentary and try not  to pop a vessel over some of the
       captions ? you?ll live longer.  The scenes are nice but this
       tape badly  needed vetting before being released.



       Tape available from  Sunday River Productions, PO Box 565,
       Concord MA 01742 or by phone at  1-888-791-5179 extension 4078.
       $29.95 + 4 post.