[PRCo] RESEND 3-Why was Drake Lp Built?

[hrbran99 at adelphia.net]

One of the main reasons PRCo wanted out of Washington County was the high (and 
getting higher by the year) taxation rate applied to PRCo property and 
operations. Also, competition from unregulated private bus operations was 
draining a lot of revenue in those 'traffic free' days. The bus could make it 
from Washington County to Pittsburgh in less time than the trolley took. The bus 
just rolled along the auto free/traffic signal free roads of that day at a 
higher average speed than the streetcar. The PRCo system was plagued with miles 
of single-track operation which caused delays. Also just the general way a 
streetcar riding on rails had to be operated in order to be safe ate up precious 
minutes that the bus operations did not (or would not) have to put up with. Had 
there been as many registered automobiles then, as now, the story would be quite 
different, I am sure. Just think what two double-track light rail lines 
(Washington to Pgh and Charleroi to Pgh) could do for traffic congestion today! 
 
About West Library Loop. For years that loop was used to turn Fairground cars. I 
would like to know what year the County Fair started at South Park and what year 
the W. Library Loop was constructed. 
 
Also, when I operated those lines in the 70's/80's most passengers were off the 
car by the time it arrived at West Library. Library Loop (Simmons) had a very 
small parking area in those days. Had PATransit built a first-class transit 
center at Library (Simmons) with plenty of paved/lighted/secure parking and a 
decent waiting area with plenty of passenger ammenities I feel sure that the 
ridership on route 35 would have been substantialy higher. The mindset of the 
early/mid 70s was that "Skybus" was the future and the Library line would be 
discontinued and replaced with shuttle buses feeding into Skybus. Again, my main 
complaint about government funded public transit in the USA.........they always 
want to jump on whatever Rube Goldberg invention is being touted (and funded) 
and do not want to see 20 or 30 or more years down the proverbial road. 
 
-- 
HrB 
 
---- Mark McGuire <macmarka at netzero.net> wrote: 
>  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? 


--
HrB