[PRCo] Re: PCC2s

[Boris Cefer]

The cause of the problem appears to be gear suspension arm, something far
different from the B-2 truck torque arm.

B

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Holland" <prcopcc at p-r-co.com>
To: "- 1714 PRCo__WP__JTC (WP-Cleveland;__DCT) -"
<pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>; "- 1717 PRCo__WP__JTC
(WP-Cleveland;__DCT) -" <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>; "- > PRCo--
Cefer, Boris Geo-Westinghouse Original <-* -" <westinghouse at iol.cz>
Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 1:02 PM
Subject: [PRCo] PCC2s


> This Just In From Philly  --  seems  More  Like  'Speculation'  so
> far:::::::
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
> 2a. Route 15 is down!
>
> Date: Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:06 am ((PST))
>
> I `ve told by Bill M via e-mail and telephone that Route 15 is currently
> being served by buses only. Apparently, the PCC II's have suffered
> cracks in the torque arms and, since this has been an on-going problem,
> all but two of the cars have been moved to Elmwood, apparently for
> repairs. Bill thought that two cars remained at Callowhill.
>
> The saga began in earnest last Friday. A car had broken down and PCC II
> 2336 was hooked up to the disabled car to tow or push it in. Apparently,
> the torque arm on 2336, which holds the motor in place, came loose. The
> drive shaft then hit the ground and derailed the car some two feet off
> the rail.
>
> Bill has gotten all of these data second hand, and so he could offer no
> prognosis. The change to bus-only operation, in other words, is
> apparently for the foreseeable future until the torque arms can be
> repaired or replaced.
>
> The danger, of course, is that SEPTA could decide to throw in the towel
> and return Route 15 to a permanent bus-only operation. Bill thought that
> was unlikely; SEPTA, he felt, has too much money invested in Route 15 to
> give up that easily.
>
> I'm planning a trip to Philadelphia tomorrow to do some riding and will
> sniff around to see what I can see or find oiut. Naturally, other list
> members should pass along whatever information they come across. Let's
> hope the repairs are done with some degree of dispatch so that Route 15
> can soon return to a rail operation.
>
> D
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
> 2b. Re: Route 15 is down!
>
> Date: Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:57 am ((PST))
>
>
> You would think that if this is an issue that it could have been
> addressed while they were out of service for the water main break. On
> another issue, is this a design problem for Brookville? Strange that one
> year in the fleet is seeing problems. Hope it is not a Grumman Flixible
> thing.
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
> 2d. Re: Route 15 is down!
>
> Date: Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:25 am ((PST))
>
> I rode the 15 bus today looking for my operator friend , Roro Garrett.
> The 8:20 AM bus from 63- Girard was not her. I found out form the
> driver, Rodney, that she was sitting at Richmond & Westmoreland with bus
> 5130 and a bad oil leak. I rode with Rodney up to Richmond &
> Westmoreland and sure enough she was there. They had a mechanic drive a
> frankford bus down for a bus change and they brought 3443, a Neoplan, so
> Roro used that for her 9:45 trip after they figured out how to put up
> 63rd & Girard on the sign. About 10 minutes into the trip, the center
> doors would not close unless you recycled the bus (restart), so she
> called it in. We were met by a supervisor at 63rd St. who gave her 5057
> to drive, all set up with the talking announcements.
>
> Roro said the trolleys are in for inspection, I think you guys feel it's
> more than that. If it's a torque arm problem, we have a long road ahead
> of us.
>
> So it looks like neither the trolleys or buses are doing well on the 15.
>
>
>
>