[PRCo] PRCo_1700s--Delivery

Mon Jul 17 16:56:20 EDT 2006

The following is gleaned from *--Mass___Transportation--*  January_1949, 
pgs.48-51:::
.
.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
.
"""Last month Pittsburgh, perhaps the strongest of the street car's few 
remaining strongholds, took delivery on the first of 100 new 
streamliners. These 100 new cars will bring the company's streamline 
fleet to 666 cars, with nearly as many old timers of various vintages 
swelling the total of cars covering the hilly steel city's more than 500 
miles of track...."""
.
"""Addition of the new cars received heavy play in the Pittsburgh 
newspapers (possibly influenced by some big ad spreads from such 
suppliers as Westinghouse, GE, St.Louis Car Company [SLCCo], U.S.Steel 
and Clark Equipment) and Tom Fitzgerald and company doubtless hoped that 
the pleasant publicity would lessen the public's antagonism to the 
company's current request for another fare increase..."""
.
"""But getting back to the new cars... here is what the press had to 
say.......:::
.
"""One hundred of the finest streamline trolleys in the world, embodying 
the most recent improvements in modern streetcar construction, will soon 
ply the streets of Pittsburgh, providing Pittsburghers with riding 
comfort, convenience and safety undreamed of a few years ago. Purchased 
in keeping with Pittsburgh Railways' [PRCo] policy of continuously 
modernizing and improving their transit system to the benefit of the 
riding public,..."""
.
"""The new group of trolleys [1700s, 100 cars] is costing the company 
$28,350.00/Each... almost twice the cost of the first streamline 
streetcars [1000s, 100 cars] which were bought by the company in 1936 at 
a cost of $15,715.00/Each..."""
.
.
"""The purchase of this last lot of 100 cars brings the total 
expenditures of PRCo for new streamline streetcars since they were 
introduced in 1936 to $12,346,000.00 [For 666 PCC cars!!!]"""
.......
.......
"""Improved control circuits make the operation of the cars smoother.   
These improvements include:"""
.
"""1:___Extended dynamic braking......."""
.
"""2:___An improved method of cushioning the shutting off of power, 
called Easy Power Shut-Off, prevents jerking of the car when operator 
has to make repeated power applications and shut-offs, as is frequently 
the case in traffic."""
.
"""3:___A change has been made in the motor control which permits 
carrying the acceleration rate to a higher speed which, in effect, means 
that the cars can operate up grades faster. This is tied in with a Speed 
Governing Relay, which will not permit the cars to exceed a 
predetermined maximum speed."""
....
.....
"""Twenty-five of the new cars [1700--1724] will be specially equipped 
for use on the interurban system. These will have whistles, baggage 
racks, special trucks and headlights, and cowcatchers in addition to 
their many other features."""
.
"""The selection of many of the features of the new cars was influenced 
by PRCo experience with a streamline experimental trolley [1600] which 
the company had built in 1945 and has since been operating on a test 
basis, to determine which of the numerous features developed for modern 
streetcars were desirable for inclusion in the cars now being delivered."""
..
..
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
.
.
At this time (December-1948,) and since the late 1930s, PRCo has been in 
bankruptcy proceedings and will emerge in 1952 unencumbered by old time 
999-year leases (in some cases) it purchased from other organizers in 
the early 1900s. Mr. Fitzgerald, pictured with 1700 at Millvale Car 
House where All PCCs were received by PRCo, was exceptionally good to 
the railways as trustee - in fact, the trustees approved the purchase of 
the bulk of the PCC fleet and did not a little track renewal while PRCo 
was under Chapter-Whatever!  Mr. Palmer, also pictured here, will become 
the president of PRCo.
.
.
It has been reported elsewhere before by others (who were apparently 
quoting railfan material / publications of the day) that PRCo 1700 was 
delivered as a city car, was converted to an Interurban by PRCo, and 
then sometime in the ({[pat]}) era, 1700 reverted to city car again.  
This Is Totally False -- 1700--1724 inclusive on both ends were 
delivered from SLCCo to PRCo as Interurban Cars and remained such their 
entire lives -
.
http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/wvp231.htm
.
Car 1700 was delivered over a month before the rest arrived and was 
pressed into service on the 22-Crosstown line where it would receive 
high exposure to the riding public downtown
.
http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/wvp230.htm
.
During this Demonstration Service, the pilot was removed and replaced 
with a standard lifeguard. The cowcatcher replacement could have been a 
PUC requirement since the car was assigned for purely city service 
albeit temporarily on the 22-line, but once the other cars arrived 1700 
was re-equipped with full Interurban gear As It Was Delivered and 
remained such to the end.
.
http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt138.htm -   Here is 1700 in downtown 
Washington heading to Pittsburgh in the last winter of its run here!  
Note that the car number is in black and offset to the right - golden 
glow has been replaced by sealed beam (smooth, fresh looking paint on 
dash from rebuilding after accident?!?!)
.
.
Here is a roster of PRCo PCCs with a few notes::
.
.
.
0100____First production PCC in operation in the world.
..........By 1950 or 1951, it will be converted to Instruction
..........Car M11 with its rotary accelerator inverted and
..........glass encased inside the car!!
....... http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/wvp068.htm
.
....... http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/wvp069.htm
.
....... http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/wvp070.htm
.
.
.
1000--1099
....... http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/wvp352.htm
.
.
.
1100--1199__only difference from 10s is lack of external
..........sandbox filler and lack of split in front destination
..........sign. Ordered while the 10s were still being delivered!
....... http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/bvp004.htm
.
.
.
1200--1299__first PRCo PCCs to use forced air motor
..........ventilation. SLCCo Experimental B3 trucks tested
..........under several of these cars, including but apparently
..........not limited to 1230, 1225, and 1278.
.......http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/jfp073.htm - Here is
..........1225 equipped with a set of experimental B3s at
..........the Kennywood Park loop
....... http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/prys34.htm - PCC 1276
..........converted to unsuccessful snow plow about 1960
.
....... http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/wvp342.htm
.
....... http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/wvp361.htm
.
.
.
1400--1499
.
.
.
1500--1564__originally a 100-car order which was reduced to 65 cars by 
the WW2 board. Lack of center post between doors front and center on 
both 14s and 15s. Both 14s and 15s had 24-degree slant to front 
windshield with butterfly air vents in upper right and left corners.   
15s also had fore and aft air vents on the roof.
....... http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt106.htm
.
.
.
1600____Post WW2 All-Electric Demonstrator.
.
....... http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/bvp007.htm
.
....... http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/bvp008.htm
.
....... http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/wvp104.htm
.
.
.
1601--1699__Last Air-Electrics delivered to PRCo in 1945 but were 
equipped with some features of All-Electrics including Extended Range 
Dynamics and drums instead of wheel tread brake shoes. All previous 
Air-Electrics delivered with wheel tread brake shoes but many converted 
to drums, some not long after delivery. The following cars converted to 
Interurban usage for the Washington line by PRCo in 1946--1948:::
.
....... 1613 - http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt116.htm - first time 
to Washington in January 1946!
.
....... 1614 - http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/wvp106.htm
.
....... 1615 - http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/wvp315.htm - delivery as 
city car!
.
....... 1616 - http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/wvp323.htm
.
....... 1617 - http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/wvp324.htm
.
....... 1618 - http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/wvp325.htm
.
....... 1619
.
....... 1644 - employed experimental Clark B2A trucks which apparently 
eliminated the need for torque arm and replaced bolster swing link with 
springs. (B2A trucks were the forerunner of the B2B which did have 
torque arms as well as sprung bolster and was used only under PRCo city 
Cars 1725--1799 and TTC 4500--4549.) PCC 1644 probably never received 
its roof light (most of the 16s were not so equipped until the 1700s 
arrived in 1949) and 1644 reverted to City service 19490519 not long 
after all the 1700--1724 series Interurbans were placed into service.
....... http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/bvp037.htm
.
....... 1645
.
....... 1646 - http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/bvp038.htm
.
....... 1647
.
....... 1648
.
For Interurban Service The Clark B2 trucks were replaced with SLCCo B3s, 
the only air-operated B3s built for TrolleyCar service, pilot replaces 
life guard, back window hinged for opening, Earll retriever lower right 
replaces catcher centered above windows, spare trolley pole strapped to 
trolley cowl, 2-way FM radio, tool kit, fire fighting equipment, whistle 
in addition to gong.
.
.
.
1700--1724____All-Electrics built by SLCCo as Interurbans have baggage 
rack behind motorman which replaces a seat in this location (but makes 
Excellent RailFan seat as one can look over the motorman!)
.
....... http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt156.htm - 1716 within months 
of delivery at South Hills Junction OB on way to Charleroi, almost 
37-miles one-way! That is City Sister 1763 on my hometown route of 
42-Dormont behind and a 1601-series interurban on the other side heading 
into downtown Pittsburgh. Looks like Fred and Ethyl Mertz walking toward 
the 1601!!!
.
.
.
1725--1799____All-Electrics for City Service utilizing Clark B2B trucks 
for exceptionally smooth, cloud like ride!
.
....... http://206.103.49.193/pitts/htm/pitt155.htm shows 1796 in 
downtown possibly just days after delivery - prospective railfan in the 
background??
.
.
First 75% of ALL PRCo PCC orders were Westinghouse equipped, Home Town 
Mfgr., and the balance were GE!
.
.
The 666 PCC fleet remained intact until the disastrous May 1955 Homewood 
fire where the following PCCs were lost:::
.
1026; 1051; 1155; 1220; 1281; 1294;
.
1600; 1648; 1682; 1701; 1725.
.
.
.
Jim___Holland

-- Attached file removed by Ecartis and put at URL below --
-- Type: image/jpeg
-- Size: 129k (132664 bytes)
-- URL : http://lists.dementia.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/1700%20Fitzgerald%20Palmer%20194812xx%2072.jpg

[PRCo] PRCo___1700s-__-Delivery

[PRCo] PRCo_1700s--Delivery