[PRCo] Re: Pittsburgh Railways maps

[James B. Holland]

Fred Schneider wrote:

> Pittsburgh Railways was not given to wasting their breath telling you 
> where their trolleys and buses ran.


Quite the contrary  --  this map lists every street over which the route 
operates  --  For Each Route  --  in the Description section  (arranged 
numerically)  and the map, not to scale, does exactly the same.


> .......If you are talking about one with a 1700 PCC and a GM diesel 
> bus on the cover, it was probably issued about 1952 - 53 and they were 
> still being handed out in until stocks were depleted. I know they were 
> still in stock in July 1958. ... I think I recall that, at one point, 
> they might have inserted a scrap of paper altering the fares.


This map shows up on eBay All The Time  --  some ridiculous prices as 
well  --  Check the Noah Ark(ives)  of this list and you shall see that 
we have all been astonished at the bidding wars on This Very Same 
Map!       Every so often one shows up in my mailbox here with a 
note:       """Know you are an PRCo fan  --  thought you might like 
this."""       So my collection is growing without asking!!!!!!!


> I'm pretty sure that the interurbans are not on that guide,


I understand this to mean that you are referring to Charleroi and 
Washington and they are not listed, of course,  But   --   the Very Last 
of the TrolleyCar descriptions  (following 94-, 96-, 99- lines)  comes 
under the heading:::::::

INTERURBAN    ROUTES    ----

which then describe the 35 Library and 36 Drake.       Interesting that 
they number the lines on the map but not on the vehicles!       
Following this are the Through and Express Bus listings.


Nice to see the distinction placed on the Interurban Lines  --  
segregated as Special and Prestigious, Just Like The Equipment!!!


37 Shannon is listed as the first entry under::

SOUTH    SIDE  --  SOUTH    HILLS    DISTRICT


> ..... And that juncture, the logical point would have been to withhold 
> release until after  ... the 12 Evergreen car (lower north side via 
> East Street) was replaced by the Manchester - Evergreen bus (it didn't 
> go in East Street but over the top of the hill), and that happened in 
> December 1953.


11 East Street and 43 Neeld are not listed, but 47 Carrick Rush Hour 
Service is listed and that is how it is listed  --  all three were rush 
hour so why list one and not the others?!?!       Not checking for others.

Feeder Bus Routes are shown in red and are included in the listing of 
TrolleyCar routes nearest to the TrolleyCar route that the bus Feeds.

I have noticed that regular street maps of the 1930s through 1950s don't 
seem to include a date, either  --  the date may be encoded into some of 
the other identifying marks that the publisher uses.       Quite 
disconcerting at times.


Another Interesting Entry is:::

20 Leech Farm Tuberculosis Hospital Bus  ----

listed following 88-Frankstown and 209-Squirrel Hill-Homewood Feeder Bus.

The 20 is listed as operating only on Wednesdays and Sundays.       Take 
routes 87 or 88 and transfer at Washington Blvd. - bus operates along 
Wash Blvd. into hospital grounds and along a private road to the 
hospital  --  guess that is in the direction of the DMV       I see a US 
Vet Admin and Howard Marcy State Hospitals in this vicinity, but not the 
Leech Farm Hospital  (on a more modern map, circa 1980.)       Fare was 
15-centavos WithOut transfer privileges.



Jim__Holland


I__Like__Ike.......And__PCCs!!

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


> On Sep 14, 2005, at 5:45 PM, Bill Robb wrote:
>
>> I was given a Pittsburgh Railways Transit guide by a friend on Monday 
>> night. There is no noticeable date on the map.
>>
>> I've been able to narrow it down to between 12/27/53 and 1/1/56 by 
>> the 20 cent trolley and feeder bus fare and the 25 cent cash or 5 
>> ticket for $1.15 through bus fare. Using the March-April 1975 Motor 
>> Coach Age article on Pittsburgh Railways I can narrow it down further 
>> to after 6/7/53 when the P&LE Transfer went bus.
>>
>> Is there any hidden indication of the date this map was issued? I see 
>> a code at the bottom of the front cover: 10316-26X.
>>
>> Bill Robb
>