[PRCo] Re: Bus terminals and trolley hotels

[Harold Geissenheimer]

Greetings to Bob and all
Here are the details about Continental Trailways bus terminals.

This was called American Buslines (coast to coast) a very high class 
operation.

they used a storefront on Liberty Ave opp Greyhound  (PRC interurbans sold
tickets at Greyhound and the PRC name was on the building front)

About 1949, several individuals deciced to build a new off street bus 
terminal
at Smithfield street and the bridge (opp the House building)  This was a 
very
nice place with saw tooth bays and a Rea's bakery and coffee shop.  This
location was convenient to the B&O and P&LE.

Several other bus lines (Montour, Dortne (To Connelksville), Ritchey (To
Kittanning), Route 80 shortway (To Indiana) joined American in moving
there. 

Montour formerly had a store front  on the Allies Blvd at Market street.
When I joined Montour in 1950 they used the Union Bus Terminal.

In the 1950's, no other bus lines moved in and the terminal had to close.
This despite a city rule about on street loading which might have forced
more tenants to move in.

This building then became the Blue Cross Hq.

American, now Continental Trailways went back to Liberty Ave
opp Greyhoiund.  Then in the late 1950's, they took over a parking lot
at 10th & Penn.  When Harmony quit in 1961, they moved into the
Harmony waiting room.  Eventually they moved back to Liberty Ave.

All these moves the result of a lack of money.

Later Grehound moved to a new terminal on 11th street and their
old location became the Federal Reserve bank.

I believe the PRC Grey Line sightseeing bus used the old Greyhound.

A lot of bus history in 20 years..

Harold Geissenheimer



Bob Rathke wrote:

>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
>
>
>
>  
>