[PRCo] Second Avenue

[Bob Rathke]

Yes, 2nd Avenue along the J&L mill and B&O tracks was paved with blocks, and
in terrible condition because of the heavy truck traffic. In many places,
the block surface was several inches below the rail head.  That area of 2nd
Avenue was finally rebuilt using concrete - I'm not sure when this happened,
but trolleys were still running there, so it was probably in the early
1960's.

I don't know the origin of the term, "Belgian block", but people in the know
will correct others who call them "cobblestones."  Some of the block streets
on Spring Hill were rebuilt with asphalt paving in the early 1960's, and the
City removed the old blocks.  Residents went out to the piles of blocks and
helped themselves to a supply of blocks which made great garden walls and
walks.  I still have four of these Belgian blocks on the floor of my garage
here in Illinois - they're used as tire-stops for our cars.

Bob 12/29/04

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Swindler" <j_swindler at hotmail.com>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 2004 7:54 AM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: T3 in Pittsburgh


>
>
> Wasn't Second Ave. 'Belgium blocks'??  (and if anyone can explain the
> background on that term, I'd be glad to hear it).
>
> I only remember the unrebuilt section east of Brady St., and it was badly
> beat up with truck traffic to J&L plant.
>
> John
>
>
>
> >From: "Bob Rathke" <bobrathke at comcast.net>
> >Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> >To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
> >Subject: [PRCo] Re: T3 in Pittsburgh
> >Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 17:25:19 -0600
> >
> >Second Avenue in the 1950's was not as well paved as the  street in this
> >view!
> >
> >Bob 12/28/04
> >-----------------------------
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Boris Cefer" <westinghouse at iol.cz>
> >To: "PRCo" <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
> >Sent: Tuesday, December 28, 2004 8:43 AM
> >Subject: [PRCo] T3 in Pittsburgh
> >
> >
> > > Content-Type: text/plain;
> > > charset="iso-8859-2"
> > > Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
> > > Does anybody remember this Tatra T3 being tested along 2nd ave blast =
> > > furnaces in Pittsburgh?
> > >
> > > Boris
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > -- Attached file removed by Ecartis and put at URL below --
> > > -- Type: image/jpeg
> > > -- Size: 121k (124239 bytes)
> > > -- URL :
> >http://lists.dementia.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/T3%20furnace.jpg
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
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>