[PRCo] Re: PRCo__Interurbans

[Mark McGuire]

  No, I was referring to the tape on the front of the roof monitor.
By "covering the side openings" you're no doubt talking about the
slight awning-like ledge over the vents? I have to look at an old photo of newly acquired 1700 at Millvale to see the difference.

                       Mark

-- Fred Schneider <fschnei at supernet.com> wrote:
I suspect that any tape on the roof monitor was put there to keep out 
water.  If you look at the earlier pictures of 1700, back when it was 
the only car of its type, the roof shroud had nothing covering the 
openings on the side.  They were covered very shortly afterwards, 
probably to keep water from getting into the fans and being blown into 
the car.  I imagine the tape at the front end served an identical 
purpose.  I think the fans originally blew only into the car which would 
result in a lot of water ingestion on a less than clement day.   PRC 
and/or PAT did play with the fans over time.  Half the fans on 1711 at 
PTM (I think there are four altogether) blow in and the other half blow 
out, probably because, with the doors closed there was no place for the 
air to go if they all blew in.  The original fan ventilated cars in 
Boston and PRC 1600 had opening windows and therefore that 
pressurization (or vacuum) problem didn't exist. 
I believe Mark was talking about tape around the motorman's vent, which 
was not uncommon in the PAT era.   Without even looking at the cars, I 
would imagine that they were built with a rubber seal around those vents 
and that the preferred maintenance was tape as the rubber aged and 
hardened and broke off. 

James B. Holland wrote:

>Fred Schneider wrote:
>
>  
>
>>Interesting. 20 kw versus 10 kw. But my background is insufficient to 
>>tell me what this means in terms of comfort. But it does say that 
>>someone thought about the problem up front ... PRC's engineering staff 
>>was not totally oblivious to the different demands of city and 
>>interurban service.
>>
>>I think the tape was more likely a result of less than adequate 
>>maintenance as the cars aged. It would be easier to cure a heat damper 
>>problem with tape so that there is less cold air coming into the car.
>>    
>>
>
>
>I believe the tape Mr.Tennyson referred to was put over the curved end 
>of the roof monitor on ALL 1700s, not just the interurbans.       Look 
>at photos of newly delivered equipment  --  definite gap between monitor 
>and roof at the rounded front end of the monitor.       These URLs 
>clearly show the cars as delivered WithOut Tape::
>
>http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt155.htm
>
>http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt142.htm
>
>http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt156.htm
>
>http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt144.htm
>
>
>Tape was later placed over this end and remained until The End!       
>Never saw tape over the side screening  --  nothing for tape to stick to 
>here  --  tape wouldn't stay on screen very long.       The following 
>show the tape over the end:::::::
>
>http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt143.htm
>
>http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt138.htm
>
>http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt141.htm
>
>http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt140.htm
>
>http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt114.htm
>
>http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt122.htm
>
>http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt127.htm  --  tape pulled loose here!!
>
>
>Coverings of metal  *may*  have been placed over the screening but don't 
>know if it was the 17s, 1600, or 1630  --  Probably None Of These.       
>Seems I saw a reference to such but not a clear memory.
>
>The small air scoops fore and aft on the 16s and 15s were regularly 
>covered in winter In The East End but Not in the South Hills  --  donut 
>know why that is!       Don't know about North  --  didn't go over there 
>much.
>
>
>Jim__Holland
>
>
>
>  
>
>>Boris Cefer wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>According to original wiring diagram, interurbans had 20 kW heaters, 
>>>city cars 10 kW heaters. If PRCo disconnected the circuits or reduced 
>>>the number of heating elements, I don't know :-)
>>>
>>>In any case, during cast at higher speeds the accelerator provided 
>>>heating capacity of approx. 12 kW, but I have no idea how the 
>>>thermostat control handled the air circulation. Did the 
>>>thermostatically controlled accelerator doors send it into the 
>>>interior or outside the car???
>>>
>>>Boris
>>>
>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>From: "James B. Holland" <PRCoPCC at P-R-Co.com>
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>>>How Many?
>>>>
>>>>As PCC books say, dynamic brake was primary source of heating with 
>>>>supplement heaters for colder climes!
>>>>
>>>>Even in the 1950s when the Interurban lines were shortened it was 
>>>>still mighty cold up front - that long run from Ft. Couch road 
>>>>outbound to near Walters is where it was particularly noticeable on 
>>>>Drake!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Jim__Holland
>>>>        
>>>>
>
>
>
>  
>