[PRCo] 01 - SF Operations and Training!

[James B. Holland]

Good Morning!


Thought some might like to hear information about a variety of 
situations within operations - here we start with training.       All 
this is from perspective within San Francisco but has applications 
elsewhere.       Herb might mention similarities / differences with  
({[pat.]})

I was initially assigned to the TrolleyCar division but training starts 
with motor coaches as same are used as substitutes for any rail / 
electric equipment and especially for TrolleyCars in this time of 
rebuilding the system to accepts lrvs.



A__Little__About__Equipment::


1006-1015 - double-end PCCs, about 50-feet long, GE with B3 trucks, 
internal expansion drums.       Later converted to essentially 
single-end cars.       Left-side doors sealed / removed with bench seats 
installed; only enough controls at Rear End for simple reversing 
moves.       Affectionately Known as Torpedoes.

1016-1040 - single-end PCCs, Westinghouse, B3 trucks.       Somewhat 
similar to PRCo 1700-1724 without fans and interurban gear.       One of 
these cars was once outfitted with an electric horn.      Last PCCs 
built for USA.       Known as Baby Tens.

1101-1170 - 2nd hand cars from St.Louis.       Air-Car bodies with 
standee windows thrown in - non symmetrical styling; modified front end 
to accept windshield layback; shadow apron for knocking out teeth of 
motormen; GE; Clark B2 trucks with klunky drums.       Non typical 
2-pedal system - right foot for brake with heel interlock for service 
brake parking; left pedal power with heel interlock deadman.

1180-1190 - ex TTC, ex KCPS All-Electrics.       Brought to SF during 
BART construction as length added to tunnel routes K L M and extra 
equipment needed.



A__Little__About__Routes::


Five Lines::
                J Church
                K Ingleside
                L Taraval
                M Ocean View
                N Judah

(I have lived on the N Judah west of 19th for the whole time here in SF  
--  known as Sunset.)

Car House beyond the end of the K-line referred to as Geneva.

ALL  lines used Market Street to First to East Bay Terminal then Fremont 
and back to Market.

N-Judah first to leave Market at Duboce by the SF Mint.       Within 
3-blocks the Sunset Tunnel is traversed to Carl and Cole then along Carl 
and S onto Irving to 9th to Judah and Ocean Beach.       9th to 19th is 
raised, paved prw as experiment for faster lrv service - unliked by 
neighbors so no more was built.       Rest of Judah is diamond lane on 
tracks for transit and left turns only.       On street wye at 30th for 
short turns.       Heaviest TrolleyCar line - 6-minute mid-day PCC 
headway's.

J-Church next to leave Market one long block beyond the N-line.       
Three long blocks of street running to 18th, then very hill prw through 
a park and S curves to negotiate the hills.        Back to Church at 
22nd to 30th and on street wye.       After advent of lrvs, line 
extended through Bernal cut to the new lrv metro center across the 
street from old Geneva.       Well into 1960s Only Baby Tens allowed to 
operate here; anything that could operate was sent out in 1970s.

A wye exists at Market and 11th for turning J and N cars to and from the 
barn and to hold dead cars.       11th consisted of what looked like a 
double track stub with an Xover between the two tracks and room for at 
least 2 PCCs beyond the X-Over.       Js and Ns pulling out to their 
lines would turn into 11th, two cars going beyond the Xover at the same 
time.       Poles would be changed, the two cars would then operate in 
tandem while backing through the Xover and out onto outbound 
Market.       Poles are changed again and cars proceed to respective 
destinations!

K L M all travel several blocks further to Twin Peaks tunnel, well over 
2-miles long with a couple curves.       Outbound there was a station at 
Eureka, long separated curve and upgrade to Forest Hills Station, then 
downgrade to West Portal.

                    L-Taraval turns west at through wye onto Ulloa to 
15th to Taraval and downhill to 46th then south to loop at Zoo.       On 
street wye at 35th for short turns.      Line also extends straight down 
Taraval from 46th to LaPlaya with single track stub for double end 
equipment.

                   K & M travel through Heavy West Portal Business 
district to St.Francis Circle Jct.

                   M Ocean View then moves straight through to backyard 
prw for several blocks, then center of the highway prw for about a mile 
on 19th Avenue, California Highway-1 and mainstreet to / from the Golden 
Gate Bridge.       This 87-Ardmore like section of prw was the roughest 
on the Muni system  --  but more like the smoothest on PRCo!       Then 
street running to an on-street wye at Broad and Plymouth.       Just 
before lrv service commenced the line was extended down to the Geneva 
Barn about 1978 or 1979.       Very rough section of street track now.

                   K Ingleside turns down center of the highway prw on 
Junipero Serra, about 1/5th mile then runs out Ocean Avenue to the 
Phelan loop.       Running past the loop and making a right at San Jose 
with a couple blocks to go to the Geneva Car Barn.


Training__


My first day was mostly orientation  --  getting to know Muni.

Days 2-4 were specific training sessions in the AM with on-hands 
training onboard GM, AMG, and Mack diseasels respectively.       Fifth 
day was GM motor coach all day as this was the bulk of the fleet.

Day-6 was training in AM  --  hands-on, or Feet In This Case, with 
TrolleyCar 1023 in the afternoon.       I was the first in my class to 
operate this car and felt as though I had done this All My Life.       I 
operated my  [Then]  HO models using foot pedals and an home built 
transistorized throttle complete with overhead contactors for activating 
track turnouts.

We then took out both 1011 and 1013 for a day.

Next day was an obstacle course at Candlestick Park using GM diseaseal.

This was followed by three days on 1150, 1106, and 1103.

This was followed by a couple weeks in Line Training with an experienced 
operator.

I was still in training working 70L - we were inbound on Taraval at 20th 
with 1156 and come in behind dead 1039 sitting on about a 6% or better 
upgrade.       Harold Blatch allowed me to do all operating in getting 
the car close enough to hook tow-bar and to push it back to the barn 
about 7.45-AM, height of the morning rush.       Several operators on 
the scene and we all put sand on the rails by hand since car equipment 
didn't work.       Took 3-tries but finally made it across 19th, Main 
Street to GG Bridge!       Other ops on scene didn't seem to mind that 
this rookie was messing with the fingers when setting the pins on the 
tow bar!

Ron Bower was one of my line trainers who taught me the trick of 
efficient door operation to maintain schedules.       Along with Harold, 
Bob Shines, and Herb Nelson, I operated with some of the Real Masters of 
the equipment,  ALL  with high work ethics and excellent advice.       
Learned much from each.



Jim__Holland


I__Like__Ike.......And__PCCs!!

down with pantographs ---- UP___WITH___TROLLEYPOLES!!!!!!!