[PRCo] Re: rebuilt pcc cars

[Boris Cefer]

Jim has made several correct points and I can try to complete the subject.

1) All 4000s received B-3 trucks with shock absorbers. These were assembled
by the South Hills Car Co from new sideframes, motor cradles, gears, truck
bolsters and possibly some other parts manufactured by the Hall Industries,
Pgh. The rest were old and spare parts: main motors, track brakes, drum
brakes and actuators, wheels, springs. As far as I can say from my head
knowledge, the Hall Industries manufactured more truck sets than was
nesessary for the new 4000s and the surplus new trucks were placed under
some old 17s, including city cars. And there was that swapping already
mentioned by Jim, but the exact extent of it is unknown to me.
I don't know when the new truck sets arrived, but the very first car
possibly got original B-3 trucks built by St. Louis Car Co and overhauled at
South Hills.

2) All 4000s and four 1700s got a new wiring.

3) All 4000s received entirely new electrical apparatus manufactured by
Westinghouse. It included new improved version of accelerator, contactor
panel with field shunting resistors, line switch, master controller,
inductive field shunt, overspeed relay, auxiliary panel with solid state
voltage regulator and lock-out relay. New MG sets were not part of the
supply and PAAC installed overhauled machines. Also door engines were
salvaged.
There were also various improvements like new interior (fluorescent lamps)
and exterior lights including turn signals, and at least one of the cars was
equipped with an air conditioning unit (4006). Entirely new motorman's desk
was installed. There were also some improvements in heating, but I am not
familiar with any details.

I don't remember seeing any fingure concerning those cars' weight. Neither I
know whether PAAC operated the cars with standard (50 %) or high (67 %)
field shunting, so the balancing speed is unknown to me.

Boris

----- Original Message -----
From: "Harold G." <transitmgr2 at earthlink.net>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 4:53 AM
Subject: [PRCo] rebuilt pcc cars


> Greetings to all...especially Jim, John and Boris
> Allow this non technical person to ask a question.
>
> The several rebuilt PAT PCC cars (4000's?)
>
> Did these cars receive any of these characteristics?
> Was the balancing speed changed?
> were they rewired?   which trucks?
> any thing else different?
>
> Harold Geissenheimer
>
>