[PRCo] Bus terminals and trolley hotels

[Bob Rathke]

Continental Trailways had a small terminal on Penn Ave. and 12th St. in the
late 1950's.  Later it moved down to Penn and 10th, on the north side of
Penn Ave. and west of 10th St.  I know that this location was operating in
1962-63, and possibly later, because I bought a bus ticket there in
November, 1962.  The Harmony bus terminal was in the building on 10th  St.
and Penn Ave. that became the Eiben & Irr department store in 1968-69 (I
bought a Zenith b&w TV set there in early 1969).

Like the William Penn and Webster Hall Hotels, the Fort Pitt Hotel was
favored by trolley fans who reserved rooms with a view of trolleys on the
streets below.

Bob 7/17/04

-----------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Harold Geissenheimer" <transitmgr2 at earthlink.net>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2004 3:37 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: 1965 PAT fantrip


> Greetings
>
> The Fort Pitt Hotel was on 10th street at Penn Ave.  It was across the
> street from the
> Harmony Short :line bus terminal where I worked from 1951 to l961..
>
> It was a simple business man's hotel.  The Pgh Rotary Club met there.
> It later
> moved to the Wm Penn.
>
> The Harmony building was an old furniture store.  Their office was on
> the 2d
> floor.  Upstairs was a warehouse area connected to the building next on
> Penn Ave.
> My desk was at the large window third from the alley.  I looked out at
> the hotel.  Our buses stopped on the street from Liberty to Penn.
Allegheny
> Valley buses to New Kensington stopped across the allley.  Long distance
and
> suburban buses stopped in front of the terminal.
>
> The waiting room, tckets and coffee counter were on the ground floor.
When
> Harmony abandoned, the terminal was taken over by Continental American
> Trailways.  Community Transit buses stopped across the alley but did not
use
> the waiting room.
>
> The building still stands.  It is diagonal to the new convention
> center.  Entire area
> being redevloped.  Courtyard by Marriott has opened a new hotel down
> Penn Ave
> toward 9th street.  May Sterns furniture  on Penn Ave toward  9th.
>
> Anew hotel stands where the Fort Pitt was,
>
> Each time I return to Pgh  I go back to this area.  I worked there 10
> years, longer than
> any other building I ever worked in.   Pgh Rys (and PAT) was down Penn
> on 7th Streetr
> toward Ft Pitt Bkvd,.  That building is also still there
>
> The Roosevelt Hotel on Penn Ave at 6th Street in now a senior apt.
>
> The entire Penn Ave area is a nice bit of Pittsburgh history.
>
> Trolleys on Penn southbound (one way then), on Liberty two way and on on
> 9th, 7th
> and 6th.  No trolleys on 10th.   Freight trains once ran on Liberty
> There was a PRR
> elevated structure for freight on the Blvd.
>
> Once again, thanks for pleasant memories,
>
> And to Boris, when you come to visit, we will check out where all
> the old bus terminals were.   PRC interurban tickets were sold
> nearby at the Greyhound termina at Liberty and Grant.
>
> Harold Geissenheimer
RR