[PRCo] Re: Why was the Drake Loop Built?

[Edward H. Lybarger]

Wyes are best two-man devices.  And visibility was better in Dormont.

-----Original Message-----
From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org]On Behalf Of Mark
McGuire
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2006 7:13 PM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Cc: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Why was the Drake Loop Built?


 I feel like I have asked this question before. Why was the Drake 
Loop built when they had an operating wye in place? Couldn't they 
just use the wye like 42 Dormont cars?
  And thanks, Jim and Fred for your explainations of the switches.

-- Jim Holland <prcopcc at p-r-co.com> wrote:
Fred Schneider wrote:
.

> This was explained in an e-mail that I just sent in response to 
> Dennis. Drake was installed to allow the service frequency beyond 
the 
> Pittsburgh suburban area to be reduced.

.
My comments concern Drake//Walthers  WYE  only  --  not Drake 
Loop.     
  As you mention, Drake  WYE  was built in early 1953 and did not 
always 
exist as had W.Library.       Was the  WYE built because of reduced 
ridership and thus to reduce the number of trips to Canonsburg   O-
R   
was the wye built in anticipation of the loop and as a short term 
remedy 
until the loop was ready?       Yes, have the photo of Ed with 1647 
in 
my photo album.       I have the schedules as well.       Believe 
they 
were interlining Library / Drake cars on Sunday from 01-July through 
30-August 1953 with Interurban to Washington still operating 
hourly.       Also have photos of Shannon-Drake cars on weekdays, AM 
rush, in the July to August 1953 period.
.
.
.
Jim___Holland