[PRCo] Re: PCC Maintenance Comparisons

[James B. Holland]

ktjosephson at earthlink.net wrote:

>Harre was a journalist, you were a motorman. I would certainly take your
>word over his, since you lived it and it was just his hobby. I also noticed
>(after looking at over 10,000 photos from just Roberta Hill) that bent poles
>seemed to be very rare on both PRCo and PAT PCCs. Ms. Hill took photos in
>the Steel City between 1962 and 1974, sometimes visiting for a month or two
>at a time.
>
>And even if Mr. Demoro was partial to San Francisco, that is no excuse for
>denying anything was wrong. Many hardcore Pittsburgh fans of all  system
>aspects and eras will readily admit, and some even wax nostalgic, over the
>shortcomings.
>

Clarification:      Original intent was to rebut contention that PRCo 
handed over crappy cars to  ({[pat]}).      SF-Muni mentioned as Good 
Example of Bad Crap during decade of 1970s to end of PCC service.      
So to give Mr.Demoro credit, it was the late 1960s when SF-Muni cars 
started their run downhill best as I have been able to determine from 
those here  --  SF-Muni cars certainly looked better than  ({[pat]})  
cars in 1969 and, as you mentioned, SF is not subject to snow and road salt.

             Don't give much credence to Demoro's statement about  
({[pat]})  cars being good electrically and mechanically  --  How Long 
was he in Pgh for his first time in 1969?     Might get an impression 
but hardly a substantial opinion.     In fact, it sounds like a copy cat 
statement that many others have made and others may not have had actual 
verification of same  --  sounds more like they are trying to make up 
for observing the faded paint.      In fact, as I mentioned, SF-Muni 
neglect was criminal and SF has many hills  --  it was downright scary 
much of the time here.     So if SF can get away with poor mechanical 
maintenance in hilly terrain, so could Pgh.

                I am glad I got to run PCCs in revenue service here in 
SF but Would  NOT  want to repeat that experience.     In fact, the Very 
First Car I operated while still in training, 1023, felt as though I had 
done that all my life and I knew instantly that I could turn my back on 
that job and walk away satisfied  --  If Only I  had something else 
available I would have done it without regrets!     Indeed, with my 
seniority now, I could hold down an extremely good run on the current 
PCCs   ---   but they Do Not Interest Me!      I signed into Green 
during time of conversion of signaling in subway  --  subway shut down 
about 9-PM and PCCs used on entire J-line.      Trained on PCCs, didn't 
like it, went right back to Trolley Coaches and never operated the PCCs 
in service.     Do  NOT  regret that.      Would be interested in 
operating the Baby Tens again here in San Francisco, but fat chance of 
that.      Not overly interested in operating the  ({[pat]})  
4000-series PCC that is here  --  and doubt it will be operable before I 
retire!

             Don't have time to check but doesn't PCC book mention that 
Baltimore was cited by a state agency for derelict PCCs  --  And This 
While PRCo was still PRCo  --  BTC totally ended service about the time 
that  ({[pat]})  took over.     BTC trackwork makes PRCo track look 
pristine.     And Philly SEPTA wasn't known for good maintenance until 
forced into their GOH programs.

>P.S.- Maybe a trip up to South Lake Tahoe, that Muni PCC graveyard right
>here in Nevada, would allow us to investigate and you could point out and
>document the various flaws evident. Some of those cars haven't been touched
>since retirement, though I heard somebody attempted to butcher an ex-St.
>Louis 1700 into a double ended car. :-/
>

             Twas a couple of Baby Tens that were converted to 
double-ender at the local prison, if not mistaken.     Have photos 
somewhere.


JIM