[PRCo] PTM festivities

[Dennis F. Cramer]

For those of you who were not at Arden over this past weekend:

Rollout of Red Arrow 14 was a huge success.  The car is immaculate and runs
very smoothly.  All the members of the museum should be very proud of the
work accomplished.  Patrons filled the car all day Saturday to ride to the
McClane Loop.

The loop was also dedicated on Saturday and in the words of Bernie Orient,
president of the museum,  "We have talked for years about having a
destination and part of that reality has come true today."  Visitors and
museum members also had the opportunity to visit the new trolley display
building and see another part of that destination.

Having a rollout of a restored car is always exciting news and putting the
loop dedication with it doubled the fun.  The antique car show and 2 bus
loads of visitors from the TCA Convention in Monroeville really added to the
crowds.  Four car service was offered most of the day with PRT 5326 and
NOPSI 832 carrying guests from the museum to Arden Loop and Red Arrow 14, 66
& PRCo 3756 sharing the duties to the McClane Loop.  Later in the day there
was a Red Arrow parade to celebrate 14's return to service.  It was great to
see so many people riding streetcars.  Often all four packed at the same
time!

In preparation for the "big move" JTC 350 has been regauged and put over the
pit and the open car has been uncovered.  Overhead wire has been taken down
from the standard gauge track to enable moving that equipment next month.

The loop will probably be closed for a while to finish tamping and putting a
slight slope to it.  Right now it is dead level and a crest needs to be put
in the middle of the girder rail section to keep water from laying there.  A
spur track is also going to be added. inside the loop.

I was not able to stay for the entire weekend, but what I saw was a great
future for preserving history.

Dennis F. Cramer--Teacher-Trombonist-Historian-Conductor
www.geocities.com/armconband