[PRCo] Re: Scrapped PCCs

[Harold Geissenheimer]

Fred
thanks for information.  I did not know of the 1937 incident.

Where was the damage?  At the circle or out over the river?

The bridge structure was fragile at best!

I moved to Pgh in 1950

Harold

Fred Schneider wrote:

>You may or may not be aware, Harold, that there are two distinct events with the Rankin Bridge.   One was the
>partial collapse in 1937 because Pittsburgh Railways ran an overloaded work car onto it.  The other was the 1950
>replacement which you cited here.
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>Harold Geissenheimer wrote:
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>>Boris and Fred
>>Part of the Rankin saga was the building of the replacement Rankin Bridge.
>>
>>PRC retained rail service and built track on the Rankin side on sidewalks
>>while the bridge was under construction.  PRC did a good job of working
>>with the county to keep the trolleys running.
>>
>>Boris...are you familiar with the old Rankin Bridge which included a
>>traffic circle (rotary) on structure?
>>
>>Harold Geissenheimer
>>
>>Fred Schneider wrote:
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>>>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:
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>>>>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
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