[PRCo] Last car on 6/14

[Bob Rathke]

April 30, 1966 was a busy day - the last day for trolleys on the North =
Side.  I was out early that Saturday morning driving back anf forth =
among photographic locations on 21-Fineview and 6/14 Avalon.  By =
afternoon it was raining, but fans were appearing everywhere, especially =
on Finevew.

Later in the afternoon the rain stopped, and after sunset I started to =
take photos using a tripod and #5 flashbuls.  Then I rode the last =
scheduled car - 1678 - on 21-Fineview.  When the last trolley returned =
downtown (it then went to Tunnel Car House), I got off and ran to catch =
the last trolley on 6/14-Avalon outbound from Penn Avenue.  The car - =
1799 - was jammed, but there was an even larger crowd waiting for us at =
the Avalon loop.  By that time it was near Midnight, and the Mayor =
(Burgess?) of Avalon and other dignitaries made brief speeches.  Then =
the riders re-boarded the trolley for the silent ride back downtown.  It =
was now May 1, and trolleys were gone from the Northside.

I am attaching low-res scans of a couple of the B&W photos that I took =
of 1799 that evening:

The first shot was taken as I ran to board 1799 downtown.  It was =
already SRO.  Note the black flag, and the two photographers running in =
front of me.

The crowd photo was taken at the Avalon loop as we reboarded the car.  I =
believe that the man in the black suit and hat, talking to the motorman, =
is John Dameron.

Bob 10/11/04


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