[PRCo] Re: Pittsburgh Overhead

[Boris Cefer]

In my opinion, the US PCCs look ugly with PTG. Everything is only a custom.
But the rolling bronze wheel does not provide good current supply at the
points where the trolley wire is kept by the hanger sleeve.

I know that each my disagreement with you will force you to come with some
of your PCC memories. And that's the intent! :-) ;-)

B

----- Original Message -----
From: "James B. Holland" <PRCoPCC at P-R-Co.com>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 11:57 AM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Pittsburgh Overhead


> If the pantograph has any real  *Operational*  advantage over the
> trolley pole, it is just marginal at best.
>
> Dewirements of Trolley Poles do  *Not*  Mean Damage  --  can Not Think
> Of Even One Instance where a TrolleyCar Trolley Pole dewirement caused
> damage  --  It IS possible, but It IS unusual!
>
>
> A catcher works via centrifugal force and just stops the upward motion
> of the pole and since the pole is at wire height when it dewires the
> best a catcher can do is stop the pole so the Top Of The Pole is several
> feet above wire height.       There is a crescent shaped lever on the
> back of the rope take up spindle which is held in place by a spring  --
> fast outplay of the rope  --  centrifugal force with which You Are Well
> Familiar  --  causes the crescent lever to move out and engage teeth in
> the outer perimeter which then stops the upward movement.       Relaxing
> the tension on the rope and allowing the wind up spring to wind the rope
> in releases the crescent lever which is spring returned to its holding
> pattern and the rope wheel will move both in and out freely.
>
> So the pole dewires, the catcher stops it with the top of the pole
> 3-feet above wire height, the pole hits the next span which, low and
> behold, pushes the pole down which is same as taking the pressure off
> the rope and crescent lever so the wind-up spring winds rope in and
> crescent lever resets in holding pattern allowing free upward movement
> of the trolley pole again.       As the pole slides off the span it
> starts up rapidly which then activates the crescent which then stops the
> pole with the top above wire height.       Rarely does the catcher hold
> the pole below wire height.       It is possible but this is usually the
> result of the pole slamming hard against a span with a good bit of
> forward momentum to the car which then causes the trolley pole to
> descend well below wire height  --  Then the catcher can catch the pole
> below wire height and hold it there  --  the uninitiated will then say
> the pole was retrieved but This Is Not The Case.
>
>
> Egg--Zample:::::::      Riding early morning 38-Mt.Lebanon Inbound with
> Isadore Reichert.       After crossing the Palm Garden Trestle we hit
> the prw which is gentle downgrade at first with very gentle right
> curve.       We then start modestly upgrade, go through a road crossing
> from the lower buildings, then into a sharper right turn with storage
> tracks of PCCs on either side.       I note a broken hanger whose ear
> has obstructed the trolley wire on this sharper turn and sure enough,
> the pole dewires.       I tell Izzy but he says:       ""Doubt the
> broken hanger; just the way the car rocks and rolls here.""
> Outbound Izzy confirms the broken hanger and calls it in but not before
> we witness a good 1601-City Car at speed 3-4 times of ours hit the
> hanger and dewire.       He traveled almost 6- car lengths modestly
> upgrade before getting the car stopped and that pole was above wire
> height and had smacked into Quite A Few Spans in the process.       NO
> damage to pole nor overhead.       Pole put back on overhead and off he
> goes.       Didn't even knock the ear loose from under the contact wire!
>
> Dewirements like this on TrolleyCars in SF in the 1970s were Multiples
> of Times Daily  --  No wire damage.       Terrible Trolleywire here in
> SF then.       Trolley coach is a different story because the swivel
> shoe allows it to snag in something Much More Easily even though
> controlled by retrievers instead of catchers.
>
> Believe it was pantographs causing derailments on PCCs in the Burgher
> after they were pan equipped!       Yupp    ----    you read that
> correctly.       Pans don't dewire so operators were whipping it through
> turns Much Faster than they should have causing dewirements  --
> witnessed this personally at Wash.Jct. and, sorry to say, but believe
> many of the derailments at the turning loop here was speed through the
> trailing turnout because of pantographs  --  trolley poles would force
> slower operation because the operator thought the pole would dewire  --
> with pans it is the trucks derailing.       Another case for maintaining
> the Trolley Pole :-) ;-) :-D
>
> Trolley Pole damage is Much More Likely to occur in backing maneuvers
> although damage to poles can not be ruled out from forward movements,
> but I have never witnessed such.
>
> Everything has its positives and negatives.       Not really worried
> about power draw with light rail so that advantage of pans is ruled
> out.       Pans fail witness your URL below and poles dewire.
> Simple to rewire a pole but not so with a pan.
>
> I have always been Ultra Fascinated with Trolley Poles, Overhead wire,
> wheels, flanges, and track work.       I am strictly a trolley pole
> person personally and for my model work, pantograph equipped models
> Shall Not Be Allowed On The Property For Any Reason, NOT  EVEN  to set a
> pan equipped car on the tracks for pictures  --  NOT  EVEN    ----
> TROLLEY___POLE___ONLY.
>
>
> Jim