[PRCo] Re: M454

[John Swindler]

The 76 car is on the normal layover track.  The 87 car is on the track 
usually used by afternoon 'put on time' cars for route 76.  The church in 
background must have been a new addition, as I (vaguely) recall it as being 
just an open field in the days I would hang out here around circa 1960.  
(Jim H. - this is where several of your pads of PRC transfers passed out of 
PRC motormen possession)  There was also a wooden structure to right of 87 
car with hold down hook for trolley pole.  Never saw it used, though.

76 Hamilton cars originally terminated on Center St. loop in Wilkinsburg.  
76 Hamilton-Jane St. was the designation for extension to this loop.  66 
cars, at least the few that existed around 1960, would turn back at switch 
at Swissvale and Coal St.  (I wonder if 66 motormen had option of using Jane 
St. loop if one track was unoccupied, or else would continue to Coal and 
Swissvale if both regular service 76 car and put on time 76 car were 
blocking both tracks at Jane St. Loop - Harold????)

The 87 Ardmore car terminating at Jane St. was a PAT era route change.  
Former independent bus operations (was it Trafford Motor Coach,  -  
Harold???) provided adequate bus service along Ardmore Blvd. No need to 
still provide competing duplicate service.

For the really old timers, at one time, a spur from PRR main line crossed 
this scene from right to left about where the photographer was standing, and 
contined to left to some coal mines in eastern Wilkinsburg in vicinity of 
Ardmore Blvd.  This spur appears on some of the old maps available on 
digital history of Pittsburgh.

It's a far - far different world today.

John



>From: Derrick J Brashear <shadow at dementia.org>
>Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>Subject: [PRCo] Re: M454
>Date: Sun, 22 Jun 2003 21:49:25 -0400 (EDT)
>
>On Sun, 22 Jun 2003, Mark McGuire wrote:
>
> >
> > Thanks guys!  This photo looks as though M454 is going down hill. I
> > never saw a photo from this angle before. Did rt. 76 use one of the
> > loops and rt. 66 the other or was one just a layover spot? On the 1959
> > PRMA map, it shows two loops one above the other. Which one was this
> > photo taken of? I am unable to pinpoint quite a few locations on the
> > East End lines. Thanks for the help!
>
>This was the 76 "loop"/layover spot. Maybe if I get a minute I will go
>take a couple "now" photos.
>
>It's effectively between Coal and Swissvale at the east end of
>Wilkinsburg.
>
>For another perspective:
>http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/wvp169.htm
>

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