[PRCo] Re: Operator Training - and murders

[Matt Barry]

On the lighter side of transit crime, I recall in the 1970's, that the 
local media (KDKA, I believe) reported a streetcar robbery as rather 
humorous.   Apparently, a robber placed a large tree branch across the 
private right or way tracks of a Shannon car (Drake, Library or 
Shannon).   When the conductor stopped the car, the robber boarded and 
got passengers to hand over $.    The media made it sound like the 
"great train robbery."    They also reported that a previous conductor 
of another streetcar simply plowed right through the tree branch and 
kept on going.
Then, of course, there is the infamous Pgh Railways story of an 
enebriated man (in the 1940's) who drove a streetcar out of a car house 
(Manchester, I believe) and even stopped to pick up a passenger or 
two.   Nobody hurt, and the man was fined.   I'll see if I can find the 
whole story and share.

Edward H. Lybarger wrote:

>This was in 1968.  Ready-Fare came about almost instantly as a result.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
>[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org]On Behalf Of
>Harold Geissenheimer
>Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2004 1:05 PM
>To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>Subject: [PRCo] Re: Operator Training - and murders
>
>
>Greetings
>Yes..a murder at South Hills Jct about 330AM.  Man on
>his way to work.  Harold
>
>Boris Cefer wrote:
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>>Motorman murdered at South Hills? Strange!
>>
>>Boris
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Harold Geissenheimer" <transitmgr2 at earthlink.net>
>>To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
>>Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2004 5:58 PM
>>Subject: [PRCo] Re: Operator Training
>>
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>>>Greetings
>>>
>>>Ready Fare came to Pgh after a murder of a motorman at South
>>>Hills Jct on a stairway down from a parking lot.
>>>
>>>About learning routes...In the 1970's we split the very large
>>>East Liberty Garage into two lists.  Drivers had to learn only
>>>half of the former routes.  It worked then.  I dont know if
>>>they still do it.
>>>
>>>Harold Geissenheimer
>>>
>>>hrbran99 at adelphia.net wrote:
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>>>><When you started, Herb, where you required to make change?  If so, did
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>>that cause a problem for some operators?>
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>>>>No, change making had become a thing of the past almost all over the US
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>>do to robbery. "Ready Fare System" was the buzz phrase of the day in 1972.
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>>>><Did you ever meet an operator that could not tell time?>
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>>>>No, I can't say that I have. However, here in Cleveland there was one who
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>>had a hard time learning the routes. Especially on routes with several
>>branches such as 20/20A/20B/20C. Several times his bus and passengers who
>>were supposed to be heading to Parma or Broadview Heights  ended up at the
>>Zoo. I think they (management) convinced him to become a Rapid Transit
>>Station Attendant.
>>
>>
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>>
>>>>============================================================
>>>>From: Fred Schneider <fschnei at supernet.com>
>>>>Date: 2004/06/29 Tue PM 06:05:43 EDT
>>>>To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>>>>Subject: [PRCo] Re: [PRCo]
>>>>
>>>>I really liked Herb's response. Thanks.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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