[PRCo] Re: comparison with Cleveland

James B. Holland PRCoPCC at P-R-Co.com
Mon Mar 28 16:49:02 EST 2005


John Swindler wrote:

> Wasn't there a reorganization around 1950?        What underliners 
> still existed within Pittsburgh Railways (II) corporate structure by 
> late 1950s/early 1960s???
>
> Just wondering.
>
> John


First Off  --  if we need a comparison to Cleveland, Detroit, Any other 
property  --  go to Dave's  --  http://206.103.49.193/index.html  --  we 
don't need special emails here to see that.

 From what I have already posted, here is what Ed had to say in 2002  
(more below  --  and  PLEASE  check the archives to verify that I didn't 
alter anything:)

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

----- Original Message -----
From: "Edward H. Lybarger" <twg at pulsenet.com <mailto:twg at pulsenet.com>>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
<mailto:pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>>
Sent: Friday, 29 March, 2002 8:44 AM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: PRC PCC scuffs

During WW II PRCo was still painting cars on about a 4-year cycle.     
   Maintenance was far better than we think...they had cash: near record 
passenger loads and the protection of the Bankruptcy Court (no bond 
interest to pay out) meant (relatively) good times. It was after the 
final iteration of PRCo emerged in late 1950 that the real money crunch 
started. But the worst trolley maintenance of all was John Dameron's.

Ed

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

NONE  (underlier after 1950 reorganization)  as far as I know  --  but 
what you are  *apparently*  hinting at is the decrepit condition of PRCo 
by 1960  Which  Is  Not  True  if you look at the photos  --  we have 
been through this before!       There were basket cases of bad  
*cosmetic*  equipment, but it was not the rule.       It is a Given that 
PRCo body  *appearance*  left much to be desired;  It is also a Given 
that PRCo Safety Standards were considerably higher than on other 
properties  --  And This Has Been Discussed Here Before  (And  *I*  
personally am on record here in San Francisco and now on this email list 
claiming that San Francisco Municipal Railway PCC maintenance in the 
latter 1970s to end was  *Criminal__Neglect.)       Now which do you 
consider more important?       The public at large goes for cosmetics  
--  The__Hollywood__Approach  if you will  --  is this the camp into 
which we fall???????



Lettuce look at 1950s:

01.>--   PRCo absolutely hated by politicians and this was personified 
in the person of Anne_X._Alpern

02.>--   Had been many attempts by city politicians to undermine PRCo 
and do it in.

03.>--   It was 1955 when the formation of PAAC was approved by public vote.

04.>--   For the vote for PAAC to take place, much discussion went on 
for Years before this.

05.>--   Thus the handwriting was on the wall that the end was near.

06.>--   How Would You Spend PRCo Money Knowing That PRCo Demise Was  
Just__Around__The__Corner???

07.>--   Answer to #06:       Sparingly.

08.>--   Others have pointed out that PRCo did track renewal along 
5th(?)  Forbes(?) in the very late 1950s, maybe even early 1960s, so 
this is  *evidence*  that PRCo did not shirk responsibilities.

09.>--   It was  THE  Very late 1950s, early 1960s when I did the most 
active railfanning and it was  STILL  POSSIBLE  to get the PCCs up To  
TOP  SPEED  and I personally experienced this on Not A Few Occasions in 
the early 1960s  --  can't do that with unsafe equipment.

10.>--   Over and Over and Over and Over when museums go to refurbish 
equipment,  Coast  To  Coast,  the complaint is that so much bondo was 
used that it is a wonder the car didn't just collapse.       So what  
*appears*  nice on other properties is just what we have already 
mentioned  --  pure  *cosmetics*  and little to nothing of substance.

11.>--   PRCo had to go to court to get fair value for what was taken 
over by  ({[paac.]})


As I have already mentioned, I wrote a treatise like this before but 
cannot find it  --  when I find it, I'll resend it.       PRCo cosmetics 
left much to be desired, but it Was  NOT  gross negligence which seems 
to be claimed here.       Rail maintenance by  ({[pat]})  on the other 
hand was considerably worse than that of PRCo in  ALL  categories  --  
INTENTIONALLY   worse.


John Swindler wrote:

> But Ed Tennyson also had some caustic comments about Charlie Palmer.
>
> John 


And?????????????       Get 100 different people together and we can have 
1,000 different comments about Mr.Palmer.       Where is the substance 
to support these claims  (see more below???????)



GIVEN:

IMPERFECT___WORLD  --  ALL    VERY    FAR    FROM    PERFECT.

                         ALL    VERY    FAR    FROM    PERFECT.

PRCo cosmetic body appearance fell far short of what it could have been, 
but it was not utterly gross as has been claimed here.       Think about 
this:   everyone at PRCo in the 1950s was from the Greater Pittsburgh 
Area    ----    A  Very  Visible  and  Public  representation of the 
area    ----    and as such, PRCo was just a cross section of  ALL  the 
people of the Greater Pittsburgh Area  AND  representative of the 
character of the People of the Greater Pittsburgh Area  --  doesn't 
speak so highly of the people in this regard, does it?       PRCo is 
just a cross section of  ALL  the people of the Greater Pittsburgh 
Area.       Scruffy place, it was!


Harold:

01.>--   You have been bitterly caustic toward Mr.Palmer on several 
occasions.

02.>--   Your language most recently leaves much to be desired.

03.>--   You Yourself say your comments are Emotional when they should 
be Objective.

04.>--   Your style in begging not to be disliked indicates that You 
Yourself have concerns about what you are writing.

05.>--   Much of your writing lacks substance to support your claims  
--  NO  Meat,  NO  Milk,  NO  Water    ----    Just soda which tastes 
sweet, goes down smoothly, but which  ALL  nutritians recognize is Very 
Bad For Us.


I recognize that you, Harold, are disappointed and even frustrated with 
what PRCo could have done better  --  but in the overall scheme of 
things, the cosmetics are hardly important when balanced against safety 
and other concerns.

But I shall also say that because of the above points you discredit what 
you say against PRCo and give me reason to doubt your other assessments 
as well.       Please note that I am not saying this behind your back as 
some are prone to do.




The  GOOD.......

             The  BAD.......

                         The  UGLY:::::::

Scruffy__Pittsburgh__Railways__Company__(PRCo).......

Non--Exhaustive  Listing  Follows:::::::


http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/ehpb005.htm

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http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt614.htm  --  just months after  
({[pat]})  takeover and still in decent shape.

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http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/jfp059.htm

http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/jfp062.htm  --  here's a bad one - PRCo 
didn't keep equipment much over 20-years and this one ready for retirement.

http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/jfp063.htm

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http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/jfp083.htm  --  in storage for repair!

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-- 
Jim__Holland


I__Like__Ike.......And__PCCs!!

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




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