[PRCo] Re: Route 56

[Matt Barry]

As some of you on the list have told me, there was an obvious bias 
toward bustitution of the lines by the Pittsburgh Press management.  So, 
perhaps the "5-6 such delays" comment was an exaggeration.   Also in 
that article (I believe I have a copy of the same one) the people 
interviewed sounded happy the cars would be gone.  I recall statements 
such as, "the bus will run closer to my house."   The photos reflected 
some sad expressions, though:  a sad motorman who had manned the route 
for several years, and a elderly woman who took the cars to shop every week.

The Press in writing about the abandonments of North Side and East End 
lines, typically used the line, "to be replaced by air-conditioned 
buses," and played up the versatility, it seemed, of the buses.

Speaking of tracing abandoned lines, the 56 McKeesport is a rather 
challenging one to trace.  I have done it by walking (just from the 
Mifflin Road- Interboro Avenue intersection to the hill above Buttermilk 
Hollow) and by automobile.   Rather difficult by auto.   And I wonder if 
walking the abandoned prw after it crosses Buttermilk Hollow road (the 
crossing trestle is gone), is possible, 1.) due to the possibility of 
absorbtion of the prw property into private owner back yards and such, 
and 2.) because of growth of woods.   What I may do this Spring is get 
out the old 10-speed bike and see if I can manage a trace that way.  
I'll keep you posted.

Matt


Bob Rathke wrote:

>In looking for newspaper clippings, I found a two-page photo feature in the September 1, 1963 issue of the Pittsburgh Press Roto Magazine. The article contains a number of photos, including:
>- 1633 on PRW near the Grandview stop, "just before the Lebanon Church Road...bridge."
>
>- 1449 on Second Avenue beside a wide angle view of the J&L mill.
>
>- 5234(?) with a 56 sign - an earlier photo identified as being on Evans Avenue.
>
>There's also a photo of a PCC on narrow Fifth Avenue in McKeesport - it is stopped because an automobile is blocking the track. The article states that motormen on route 56 encountered 5-6 such delays every day.
>
>Bob 2/29/04
>
>  
>