[PRCo] Re: Liberty Avenue

[John Swindler]

I remember single track on 32nd St. being used by outbound 88 Frankstown, 94 
Sharpsburg and 77/54 cars to Bloomfield/Carrick, and inbound 87 Ardmore 
cars.  Don't recall 87 continuing inbound on Liberty beyond 32nd St.  No 
recollection of use of tracks on 22/23 St.

Penn Ave. was somewhat slow operation through produce area.  But outbound 
Liberty from 12th to 32nd St. was a raceway.  Cars had to really slow down 
when jogging from right lane to center lane, vicinity of double track on 
Liberty around 22nd.  Wasn't there also a safety stop for a railroad 
crossing???  (can't remember)

In earlier years, (way before my time - this is from PUC decisions) Penn 
Ave. was double track, used by routes: 94, 95, 96 (was extended to 
downtown), 88, Bloomfield loop and Fifth-Shady-Penn loop.  There may have 
also been a Larimar car.  An early 1920s rationalization simplified this 
scheduling mess.

Liberty Ave. was double track from Grant to 32nd St. for use by 86 East 
Liberty Express.

Brings back memories (1st paragraphs - not latter paragraphs <g>) of 
Sunday/Holiday pass riding from early 1960s.  Thanks, guys.

John


>From: "James B. Holland" <PRCoPCC at P-R-Co.com>
>Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>To: - 1714 PRCo__WP__JTC - <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
>Subject: [PRCo] Re: Liberty Avenue
>Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2004 03:35:49 -0700
>
>matt wrote:
>
> >Hi Bob!
> >
> >Liberty Avenue is still a two-way street.  I believe at one time there 
>were
> >two tracks on both Penn and Liberty which carried two-way trolley 
>traffic,
> >long, long ago.  Then, Penn was made one way from 32nd street into town.
> >
>
>Liberty was one way outbound in 1950s between 11th and (32nd?); Penn was
>one way inbound during same period and was one-way through downtown as 
>well.
>
> >I think that second outbound track was sometimes used for opposite 
>direction
> >trolley traffic if there was disruption of service on Penn, or perhaps it
> >was never used for this, but it was there just in case.    I say this,
> >because there was a direct connection of inbound 87 Ardmore track at 32nd
> >street that led into the outbound Liberty track.   I'm fairly certain 
>that
> >some of you can clarify this better.
> >
> >Matt
> >
>
>The PTM map clarifies some of this.       The Inset of
>*Downtown__1917*  shows double track on both Penn and Liberty  --  and
>this includes Penn in downtown itself  --  while the Inset for
>*Downtown__1959*  reveals only single track on each street.       Donut
>know when Liberty became one way  --  have video which shows 1100s when
>new and it  *appears*  as though Liberty is one-way so this is latter 
>1930s.
>
>A further study of the map reveals that once converted to one way,
>double track existed on Liberty between approx. 20th and 24th and as
>Matt indicates, the inbound 87-Ardmore line continues straight past 32nd
>for a short distance and then joins the outbound line on Liberty to give
>the appearance of bi-directional operation on single track on a one way
>street!!!!!!!       This double track near 22nd is possibly left over
>from when Liberty was double  --  But the rails, points, and mates
>matched that in regular use in the 1950s so it would seem that this
>section was rebuilt for a purpose when Liberty was converted to one way.
>
>Don't know of Liberty being used for reverse running once converted to
>one way but this is certainly a possibility  --  at least as far as 23rd
>where a trolleycar could turn toward Penn  --  a car could not continue
>wrong way on Liberty to town because it could never get back on the
>correct track!!!!!!!      An inbound car on Penn and an outbound car on
>Liberty could turn at 22nd and 23rd respectively and head back in the
>other direction.       But it would have to be a Real Emergency to run
>against traffic this way!       Wonder if this special configuration
>--  at 32nd and between 20th and 24th on Liberty  --  had anything to do
>with the 1936 flood experience.       First blush would say no as if
>Penn is under water, Liberty is probably swimming as well.
>
>
>Jim__Holland
>
>

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