[PRCo] Re: Scrapped PCCs

[Fred Schneider]

I have several color slides of cars being scrapped on the plot at Warrington Avenue circa 1966.  You may see
them when you  come here.  I have no scanner.

I never bothered to investigate Rankin car house when the 76 cars (mostly 1200s) were being scrapped
there.    Beginning with the 1937 collapse of part of Rankin Bridge, the car house was isolated and
schedules and crews working from it were reassigned to other divisions.  (Notice how nicely I got out of
trying to figure out which divisions?)  Rankin was never again served operating cars; when access was
restored it was used to store cars excess to normal demands of the company.

Rankin was an old facility and was entirely under roof.  Therefore my suspicion is that cars were either cut
in two inside and hauled away, or were hauled off as complete bodies.  Therefore, Boris, you may never find
what you desire.

Rankin was a rather intriguing place because all the oldest cars were hidden down there as protection
against future traffic peaks.  For the most part, each route closure meant that cars hidden in the dark
interior at Rankin would be scrapped and slightly newer cars would be taken there to wait for their ultimate
demise.  It was the sort of a place where elephants go to die.  Charlie Dengler took a few pictures inside
it ... a medley of relics any of us would love to have at Arden today ... a single truck passenger car that
had been converted to a sand car, the last low-floor single end Jones cars, a floor full of 5100 series
low-speed, multiple-unit cars no longer needed because World War II had ended.

Boris Cefer wrote:

> Hello, folks!
> Does anybody have photos of Pgh PCC bits and pieces at Braddock scrapyard or other photos of PCC wrecks?
>
> I would accept mid resolution scans.
>
> Boris