[PRCo] More Spring Hill trolley recollections

[Bob Rathke]

Norb Nathanson, our next door neighbor on Splring Hill in the 1950's, sent me some recollections of the 5-Spring Hill trolley when he was a teenager in the late 1930's (see message below).  Norb worked at WQED in the 1950's and then he went on to New York Public Television.  He produced programs at WQED, and he illustrated a book about Fred Rogers' program, including the trolley.  Norb is now retired in Maine, but I'm still in contact with him via e-mail.
Bob 3/20/05

------------------

Bob,

When I was a teen ager we used to spend a lot of time at the end of the line (Rhine St.), and we befriended a few of the streetcar motormen.  With them we used to ride free and on a boring night we'd take several trips to downtown and back.  It was like having a clubhouse, especially on a rainy night.  We used to ride free over to where the old Fort Pitt Hotel was, across Liberty Ave. from Penn Station.  Across from the hotel was a second floor pool hall where we'd spend the evening and then ride home again for free.  For those few motormen, we used to change the trolley and the seats.

Norb