[PRCo] Rankin C.B.

[Bob Rathke]

The front of Rankin Car Barn was open, but blocked by a chain link fence.
In 1965-66 I tried to photograph stored PCC's in the barn, but there was
very little light inside.  The entire location was dismal at that time.

Bob 2/22/04

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----- Original Message -----
From: "Fred Schneider" <fschnei at supernet.com>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2004 4:53 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Scrapped PCCs


> 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
>
>
>