[PRCo] Re: Experimental B3 trucks

[Fred Schneider]

Jim:

You're asking me to remember what I wrote a quarter of a century  
ago?   Or what Steve wrote?    I can't even remember which one of us  
wrote it.

fws

On Apr 5, 2006, at 5:45 PM, Holland Electric Rwy. Op. H.E.R.O. --  
Import SPTC 1.48 Models // James B. Holland wrote:

> Quoting from photo caption on pg.132 PCC Car Fought Back  --  """Note
> the spring-applied, air-released tread brakes, used only on  
> Pittsburgh's
> 1200s and the New York  'Bluebird'  trains, which replaced a separate
> parking brake."""
>
>  From the photo captions here,  <apparently>  the main difference
> between the First Two Sets of Experimental B3s  (for 1230 and 1278 and
> whatever 12 had them after being shopped)  is that the first set  
> had the
> motors suspended from the upper framing which also held the bolster  
> and
> sat on the spring pots.       The second set also had a double spring
> pot But the motors were supported on separate transoms.       The  
> photo
> shows super resilient wheels.       The top left photo on pg.133
> indicates that Before The Second Prototype  (with separate motor
> transoms but still 2 spring pots)  was delivered it had drum brakes
> installed instead of wheel tread brake shoes.
>
> Continuing on pg.133 the caption for the Upper right photo says:
> """The third And Final prototype was almost identical to the  
> production
> B3 trucks.       The principal exception was the  carriage of the  
> motor
> transoms on steel instead of rubber springs.       BELOW:       These
> <Two Pairs>  went on PRCo's 1613 and 1614......."""
>
>
> May we deduce the following???????
>
>
> Three  (3)  Prototypes:::::::
>
>              +++   Double Spring Pot Each Side
>                          Upper Frame Carries
>                          Bolster & Motor support
>                          Wheel Tread Brake Shoes
>                          One  (1)  Set Under 1200s
>
>              +++   Double Spring Pot Each Side
>                          Separate Motor Mount
>                          Drum Brakes
>                          One  (1)  Set Under 1200s
>
>              +++   B3 Nearly Identical to
>                          Final Prototype.
>                          Two  (2)  Sets, One Each Under
>                          1613 and 1614.
>
> Four Sets of Experimental B3 Trucks
>              Please See Above.
>
>
> Because 1225 has wheel tread brake shoes
> http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/jfp073.htm  may we deduce that this  
> set
> is The Very First Set of Experimental B3 trucks?
>
> And  <<a>  possible reason>  for 1225 not being listed in the  
> literature
> as sporting the experimental B3 trucks could be as I described below
>
>
>
>
>
> Holland Electric Rwy. Op. H.E.R.O. -- Import SPTC 1.48 Models // James
> B. Holland wrote:
> .
>
>> The books mention 1230 and 1278    ----    because equipment was  
>> in short supply during WW2 if the experimentals were pulled from  
>> the car For Any Reason they probably just pushed another set of  
>> regular trucks under the car and sent it right back out  -- thus  
>> we have 1225 with experimentals as it had its trucks removed when  
>> the experimentals were ready to go back out.
>>
>> Believe there were only 4-sets  --  two sets with double spring  
>> pots each side under the 1200s and 2-set with single spring pot  
>> that went under 1613 and 1614.       Or maybe one of the twelves  
>> also had a set with only one spring pot.
>>
>>
>>
>> Boris Cefer wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Is there any reliable list of PCCs which were used for truck  
>>> tests in Pittsburgh?        Car 1225 was one of them, but the  
>>> Books do not mention it.
>>>
>>> Boris
>>>
>>> http://lists.dementia.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/B-3%20test.jpg
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Jim__Holland
>>>
>>>
>>> I__Like__Ike.......And__PCCs!!
>>>
>>> down with pantographs ---- UP___WITH___TROLLEYPOLES!!!!!!!
>>>
>
>