[PRCo] Re: Braking Systems

[mtoytrain at bellsouth.net]

It may sound "dumb: but with the different "HILL Routes" in Pittsburgh, were certain cars equipped with different braking s ystems to cover the steep grades,    Also  were there reported 
stories of  a trolley losing its brakes?  

Jerry Matsick

> 
> From: "John Swindler" <j_swindler at hotmail.com>
> Date: 2005/10/19 Wed AM 08:17:56 EDT
> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> Subject: [PRCo] Re: Apology
> 
> 
> 
> Falls into the category, Fred, that we are both 'preaching to the choir'. 
> <g>
> 
> John
> 
> 
> >From: Fred Schneider <fwschneider at comcast.net>
> >Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> >To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> >Subject: [PRCo] Re: Apology
> >Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 16:46:30 -0400
> >
> >I'm not sure what you were saying John, other than they are older.
> >My comment would be that two motor, K-control cars are 1) easier on
> >the power bill, 2) easier for neophyte mechanics to understand, and
> >3) much easier to service because most of the routine oiling points
> >and service points are easily reached.   The only cars I can think of
> >that would be easier to keep running would be hand-brake cars.
> >Lamentably, most museums shun them because they have only one in a
> >field of air brake cars (such as Branford's former Wildwood NJ open
> >car) in a field of air-brake cars and most operators really don't
> >understand them.   I remember a comment from an Arden trained man
> >when he first ran a hand brake car in Baltimore, "This is the
> >original self-lapping brake valve."
> >
> >On Oct 18, 2005, at 1:10 PM, John Swindler wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >> Fred Schneider commented:
> > >>
> > >> You want a cool car in the summer?   Try the New Orleans or Philly
> > >> cars ... windows open completely at both ends making them wind
> > >> tunnels.   You won't find anything better until a museum tries to
> > >> maintain an all-electronic, air-conditioned ex Philly Kawasaki car.
> > >>
> > >> Unless the heat dampers are working properly, an air-PCC will not be
> > >> cool in the summer.   They have to properly close off the body from
> > >> the resistors and allow all the heat to be blown outside.  If you
> > >> want to run PCCs in museums, you need a good mechanical staff.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > > And the New Orleans and Philly cars (at PTM) are two-motor steel
> > > cars with
> > > K-type controllers.
> > >
> > > With an apology for being biased.
> > >
> > > John
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >> On Oct 18, 2005, at 12:44 AM, Mark McGuire wrote:
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>>   I wish it were ready for service. It would be nice to have a
> > >>> pre-war
> > >>> Pittsburgh PCC in service at PTM, especially during the heat of
> > >>> summer.  I'll settle for a double-end low floor car though. ;>)
> > >>> Can't wait to see the finished product.
> > >>>
> > >>> -- Fred Schneider <fwschneider at comcast.net> wrote:
> > >>> An open apology to Boris:
> > >>>
> > >>> Boris:
> > >>>
> > >>> You asked when the trolley pole was on 1138 and I quipped "sometime
> > >>> in 1937."   I didn't recall that anything had been done to get the
> > >>> car ready for service.   And for the most part, it is still sitting
> > >>> in service bay of the new "Trolley Display Building" in the same
> > >>> condition that it was in when it came back from Elmira.   But the
> > >>> pole is on it.   I asked the guy who put it back on and he does not
> > >>> remember when he put it back on.   "Sometime in the winter of
> > >>> 2001-2002 or maybe 2002-2003."
> > >>>
> > >>> But the car is no way ready for service.
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> fws
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> 
> 
> 
>