[PRCo] West End - Part 4

[Matt Barry]

The Pittsburgh Press, January 17, 1961.
 The Public Utility Commission today gave Pittsburgh Railways Co. final 
approval to run buses instead of trolleys on its West End lines.  Its 
also ordered the firm to remove rails and restore disturbed areas in 
five suburban Pittsburgh communities which objected to the conversion.

Commission action, vigorously pressed by the City, clears the way for 
completion of the long-delayed State Highways Department work in the 
Point Park area in Pittsburgh.

 Delayed pending permanent approval of the bus operation was:

 1.  Completion of the Penn-Lincoln Parkway Point interchange street 
pattern providing quick access between the Fort Pitt and Fort Duquesne 
Bridges.

2.  Needed improvements by the City and State in the affected West End 
area, particularly the resurfacing of W. Carson Street in the Fort Pitt 
Bridge area.

3.  Completion of the eight million dollar State Point Park because part 
of the park area is occupied by trolley tracks.

 The PUC approved agreements under which the City, Allegheny County and 
Highways Department take over track facilities to be abandoned by the 
company.  They will be left in place and the City said it agreed to this 
arrangement to expedite completion of the Point Park improvement.

 The Railways company is directed to burn off or remove railheads at its 
own expense in the boroughs of Crafton, Ingram, McKees Rocks, Carnegie 
and Stowe Twp. In "absence of appropriate or controlling" agreements 
with the communities.

 In addition to removing poles and overhead construction not needed by 
other utilities, the company must burn off railheads imbedded in 
concrete, remove rails in block stone, brick and cinder surfaces and 
restore the torn areas with appropriate material.  Ties stay in place.

 An official deadline for the completion of the conversion work was set 
for Dec. 31, 1962, but the job is expected to be finished much sooner.

 The line was given temporary approval to substitute buses for trolleys 
on June 8, 1959, pending completion of hearings at which objections of 
the protesting communities were aired.

 Borough officials protested that no provisions were made for removal of 
rail facilities and repaving of the track strip in their streets.

 In addition to contending that trolley service is adequate they said 
numerous "potholes" created hazardous traffic conditions.  Company 
witnesses maintained, however, that they were caused by heavy motor 
traffic and not by trolleys.

 The record shows, the PUC said, that paving in the track areas 
"generally is in as good condition as in the adjoining shoulder pavement."

 Many of the recommendations by the borough engineers for restoration of 
the track areas, it added, "would impose greater obligations" on the 
company that its franchise or common law dictates.

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 The following is a caption under a photo of a PCC being dismantled at 
Ingram.

  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 4, 1961

SCRAPPED - Old trolleys never die - they're just scrapped.  Workmen of 
the Iron and Metal Co. of Monongahela, Pa., are ready to swing half a 
trolley (PRC PCC #1097) aboard a trailer for the trip to the company's 
yards, where the trolley will be pounded into scrap.  All but four of 
the 29 trolleys consigned to scrap by the Pittsburgh Railways Co. have 
been dismantled at the Berry Street carbarn where picture was taken.