[PRCo] Re: Rankin Car House - Munhall last run

[Matt Barry]

To John and to everyone with these recent stories of the Rankin Bridge, 
carhouse assignments, last runs,
I very much enjoyed reading these stories, because my Pittsburgh 
traction riding was limited to parts of the East End and the North Side 
when I was growing up.  Later, when I moved to the Munhall area, and 
also travelled through areas where the cars used to run, I only saw the 
remnants of course,   So even if they are vague recollections, thank you 
for sharing them.  I am glad that you, John, and others, "played with 
trolleys," (as your father put it)  during your years in the 'burgh.

Matt
John Swindler wrote:

>Hi Matt
>
>That's the trouble with trying to remember back 40 plus years......
>
>Pulled up a chart of streetcar line conversions, and it lists 22 Crosstown 
>as 3 July 1964, and 55, 57 and 58 on 4 July 1964.  The 65 Lincoln Place was 
>converted on 5 Sept. 1965.
>
>And in trying to remember that night trip, assumed it was the last 65 car - 
>but apparently instead, it must have been last route 55 car.  Yet I have no 
>recollection from that night on whether we looped at Munhall or E. 
>Pittsburgh.  It's the 65 ride I remember (vaguely) and that I passed out on 
>the car inbound around 4am in West Homestead. (dozed off)
>
>I have a group of slides taken while walking the 58 Greenfield line downtown 
>almost to end of line near Murray Ave.   Did I take these on July 3rd 
>mid-day before heading back downtown for a last couple rides on  22 
>Crosstown car??  Possibly.  It was a sunny summer day.
>
>Another vague recollection from that day was that there were quite a few 
>other railfans on Second Ave., but don't recall any during the 22 Crosstown 
>pm rush hour.  Was anyone else on this list there???
>
>So going back to Fred the third's original question concerning owl cars:  
>maybe I found out about that 55/65 owl trip on the last 58 trip in late 
>pm????
>
>And the memory of being on the last Castle Shannon Incline down trip?  That 
>was 20 June 1964.  Apparently my memory of these two events has merged over 
>the years.
>
>So apparently rt. 65 continued operating for another year after conversion 
>of Second Ave. routes.  I was in high school in Pittsburgh's east end at the 
>time, but have no recollection of its continued operation.  Then again, my 
>father started getting on my case during senior year;  preaching that I 
>needed to stop 'playing with trolleys' - or I'd never be able to earn a 
>living.  (:>)
>
>Strange how things work out. (Fred, Ed L., HHG or Jim can provide the rest 
>of the saga)
>
>John
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  
>
>>From: Matt Barry <mrb190+ at pitt.edu>
>>Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>>To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>>Subject: [PRCo] Re: Rankin Car House - Munhall last run
>>Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 10:19:15 -0500
>>
>>Hello John,
>>
>>I didn't know that about the 65 Munhall, that it made it's way out 2nd
>>avenue to reach it's route for its last run.   That would mean that the
>>old Glenwood Bridge was still in service in Sept. 1965.  I thought it
>>had closed after the 55 East Pittsburgh route made it's last run in July
>>1964.
>>
>>I thought that after the 55 made it's last run, that is when the 65 was
>>extended to East Pittsburgh, and that the 65 was probably then operating
>>out of Craft Avenue car house.
>>
>>It always seemed strange to me that the 65 Munhall was retained after
>>the 55 service had been discontinued.   It seemed so isolated from any
>>other operating carlines.  But I did believe that it's point of entry
>>into and out of the Munhall/Homestead area was via route 67 Braddock
>>trackage off the Rankin Bridge.
>>
>>Incidentally, I recall seeing a half-page ad run in an old Pittsburgh
>>Press from 1965 that announced the arrival of the air-conditioned bus on
>>the 65 Munhall route.  There was an illustration of a PCC with a big "X"
>>going through it.   Pretty rough.
>>
>>Matt
>>
>>
>>John Swindler wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>Speaking of PRC having some early runs to get guys to work:
>>>
>>>Last 65 car was a run that I never knew existed.
>>>
>>>Rode last 22 car in pm rush.
>>>Then rode last Castle Shannon Incline trip around 10-11 pm.
>>>Then the Arden crew told me about the last 65 car:  it was a pull out 
>>>      
>>>
>>from
>>    
>>
>>>Tunnel Car house - went out Second Ave. to Munhall or E. Pittsburgh 
>>>      
>>>
>>around
>>    
>>
>>>1am, then trip on 65 to Lincoln Place around 2am, then to Munhall or E.
>>>Pittsburgh around 3am, then back to Tunnel Carhouse as the sun was 
>>>      
>>>
>>starting
>>    
>>
>>>to rise.  I have no recollection of passing Mesta Machine on that last
>>>inbound trip - apparently that's where sleep finally won out for a while.
>>>
>>>Very grateful that I grew up in Pittsburgh at that time.
>>>
>>>John
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>    
>>
>
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