[PRCo] Stealing a trolley

[Bob Rathke]

I remember more than one story about people taking PRC trolleys for joy
rides, and often picking up passengers en route.  I also remember being told
that the crime was not stealing a trolley since the vehicle was not removed
from PRC property (the tracks), but the charge was something like disorderly
conduct.  An urban legend?

Bob 6/30/04

-----------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Matt Barry" <mrb190+ at pitt.edu>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2004 2:32 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Operator Training - and murders


> 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.
RR