[PRCo] Re: Horns__and__Gang__Switches

[James B. Holland]

Hi Bob!


Tis true  --  seems to be San Francisco tradition  --  I put that in my 
original comments which are quoted below!!!!!!!        Gives me pause  
--  I use horn more than I should and I would prefer to emulate PRCo so 
I need to adjust.

Liked your report on the series  --  brother went to DU I believe  
(probably a decade behind you)  --  got degree in comical engineering!!


Jim__Holland



Bob Rathke wrote:

> And Jim will probably concur that on the Embarcadero trolley line in 
> San Francisco, some motormen ring the bell almost constantly.
>
> Bob 2/26/05
>
> -----------------------------
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Edward H. Lybarger" <trams at adelphia.net>
>
>> Good Morning, Jim,
>>
>> This all makes sense. It's also like the policy on salt...PRCo used 
>> it sparingly; the authority pours it on and has to reconstruct new 
>> granite station platforms in 15 years as a result!
>>
>> Ed
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
>> [mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org]On Behalf Of James
>> B. Holland
>> Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005 6:41 AM
>> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>> Subject: [PRCo] Re: Horns__and__Gang__Switches
>>
>>
>> Hi Ed!
>>
>>
>> Believe this is true. When I speak // write, I do so purely in terms 
>> of PRCo unless otherwise specified ---- 1970s is under ({[pat]}) and 
>> ethics by that time had changed considerably.
>>
>> I believe it was PRCo policy for minimal use of BOTH Bell and Horn 
>> from personal observations -- it was extremely rare that either was 
>> used. When the bell was used it was to identify that the trolleycar 
>> was in the vicinity to an individual // motorist who may have been 
>> unaware of such. This is the conservative approach and one that is 
>> actually still recommended by transit agencies but hardly enforced. 
>> (By Contrast, my first visit to SF in 1963 saw constant uninterrupted 
>> use of the bell like it was signaling to Get Out Of My Way---Or 
>> Else!!!!!!!)
>>
>> [[[>>-- SNIPPED  HEAVILY  --<<]]]
>>
>> Each time I returned home after ({[pat]}) took over I saw distinct 
>> changes in style of operation considerably more liberal than what was 
>> apparently allowed by PRCo. And the way motormen whipped the cars 
>> around curves after installation of pantographs was definitely 
>> wreckless in not a few cases and borderline wreckless the rest of the 
>> time --  believe this strongly contributed to the trailing switch 
>> derailments on the loop at Wash Jct. The discipline of the trolley 
>> pole made for much smoother curve negotiations.
>>
>>
>> Jim__Holland
>