[PRCo] Re: Donora and the PCC

[Fred Schneider]

I THINK JIM IS ON TO SOMETHING HERE.   I DON'T SEE THAT YOU COULD GET  
BACK ON SCHEDULE BY GOING TO DONORA INSTEAD OF TURNING AT CHARLEROI  
CAR HOUSE.     I THINK IT WOULD BE A LOT FASTER TO JUST RUN IT OVER  
THE MOUNTAIN COMPARED TO RUNNING THE STREETS IN DONORA.   IT'S KID OF  
TOUGH WITH A 30 MINUTE HEADWAY AND SINGLE-END CARS TO GET ANYTHING  
BACK ON SCHEDULE EXCEPT BY THE SIMPLE EXPEDIENT OF DROPPING A TRIP OR  
TWO.   BUT LETS GET AWAY FROM JIM'S INITIAL HYPOTHESIS AND FOLLOW THE  
THREAD A LITTLE FARTHER.....

  LET'S ASSUME THAT WE HAVE A DISABLED OR DERAILED CAR SOMEWHERE  
BETWEEN NORTH CHARLEROI AND BLACK DIAMOND AND YOU WANT TO PROVIDE AS  
MUCH SERVICE AS POSSIBLE ON THE LINE UNTIL YOU CAN GET THE BLOCKADE  
OPEN.  AH, RUN THE NORTH END TO DONORA ... THAT PROVIDES SERVICE FROM  
PITTSBURGH THROUGH THE FULL LENGTH OF MONONGAHELA, AND RUN THE OTHER  
END FROM ROSCOE TO CHARLEROI CAR HOUSE.    NOW IF WE ONLY HAD ROUTE  
CARDS THAT LATE, THEN WE WOULD KNOW.  BUT THE RAILWAYS COMPANY  
DECIDED IN THE LABOR SHORTAGES OF WORLD WAR TWO THAT RECORDING ALL  
THAT KIND OF TRIVIA WAS A WASTE OF STAFF.   NOW THAT I WOULD BELIEVE  
HAPPENED SOME TIME IN THE FOUR YEARS OF PCC OPERATION.

PROBLEM ... YOU STILL NEED TO SEND AN EXTRA MAN TO DONORA TO HELP WYE  
A CAR, WHICH IS A GOOD REASON FOR NOT SENDING A FANTRIP DOWN THERE IN  
THE FIRST PLACE.

On Sep 26, 2005, at 5:59 PM, James B. Holland wrote:

> mtoytrain at bellsouth.net wrote:
>
>
>> Jim
>>
>> I am very appreciative of your investigating the facts concerning a
>> PCC making a trip to my old hometown of Donora. I only wish I had my
>> "Brownie" box camera and was able to take a picture. I have always  
>> had
>> an infatuation with Street Cars from the earliest age, sitting in
>> First thru Sixth grades at the Castner School on Mcken Avenue between
>> 10th and 9th Streets, many a day I would get reprimanded for looking
>> out the windown when I heard a Jones Low Floor pass by, and yes the
>> familiarity of the old yellow (orange) cars was imprinted on my mind,
>> but I also remember that beautiful day that I could not believe my
>> eyes and there was a PCC in Donora, now I can remember that there was
>> a significant diference between the Jones Low Floor and a PCC car.
>>
>> Anyway, thanks for your investigation and the facts you emailed will
>> be saved with my PRCo data. And yes it was in 1952, I was in Mrs
>> Browns Englsh class on the 2nd floor! Thanks again.
>>
>> Jerry M
>>
>> PS - I remember saying is it only me that cares about that car being
>> in Donora?
>>
>
>
> Were you in Mrs. Brown's English class before or after summer  --  or
> were you at summer school?
>
> Like Ed says, it would seem that If this were a railfan excursion that
> we would have All Kinds Of Photos.
>
> *-A-*  possibility is that a regular Revenue car was sent down  
> there to
> turn around to get back on schedule, because the line was blocked,  
> etc.,
> etc., etc.       Do you remember What Kind Of PCC It Was?
>
> And, No, I don't think it is you that only cares.       I asked the  
> same
> question onlist some time this year and was totally shot down on the
> idea but also have to wonder why the railfan community hasn't been  
> aware
> of any PCCs being down on Donora.       Sopme of the  *-Members-*  of
> PERC, PRMA, PTM  were // are  PRCo // ({[pat]})  employees.
>
>
>
> Jim__Holland
>
>
> I__Like__Ike.......And__PCCs!!
>
> down with pantographs ---- UP___WITH___TROLLEYPOLES!!!!!!!
>
>
>