[PRCo] Re: 1700-series PCC Interurban TrolleyCars

Mon Oct 1 21:51:39 EDT 2007

Hi Mark!

That Eldora Park project sounds very interesting doesn't it.    Look forward to seeing that myself.     Are you participating in the design of that site?     Two months puts us near Christmas which will make a nice present won't it; this will be something for all of us to look forward to.     You must like FL to stay there for a quarter century; I don't know if I could stand the heat and humidity.     FL did have some traction but compared to the rest of the US there was very little there and it disappeared early.     Sounds like you will move back to the Pgh area if you have a chance won't
 you.     That is after you retire.     You could then become a full time streetcar operator at the museum.     My dad claims to have ridden the interurban into Castle Shannon, then into Mt.Lebanon, through Dormont and Beechview and so on but if he did he was only about a dime old in the early 1900s wasn't he.     He liked to tell stories and I really believed them while a child but have to wonder now; he was a character.     He would embellish the stories with wide eyes all the time watching us kids for a reaction; he made the trek to Pgh seem like a weekend experience but maybe it was in those days.     To be honest his stories were much more fun than tvs and movies today.      I was born when we lived in Finleyville but immediately moved to Belle Vernon for a number of years and can't keep track of everywhere we lived around
 Pgh.  I continued that trend; maybe it is a wanderlust gene.     I lived near Shaker, Boston, DC, St.Louis, California and a number of other places with and without streetcars.     I did it because I could didn't I and have lived comfortably.     I really like Shaker and the Cleveland area but haven't been there in very many years.     Boston was nice into the 1950s but don't have any desire to go back that way.     DC streetcars were really exceptional but then so were all streetcars.     I am glad I had the opportunity to enjoy them.     Like you, Eldora, and streetcars, I also like streetcars and all I can say is because I do; I have always been drawn to them haven't I.     I should try to outline the various places I have lived and visited shouldn't I.

Phil

----- Original Message ----
From: Mark McGuire <macmarka at netzero.net>
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Sent: Monday, October 1, 2007 2:04:27 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: 1700-series PCC Interurban TrolleyCars

Forgive me all others who have already heard this.

Phil,

 You are correct in your assumption. I did not get to see alot of the PRCo system, but was born in Castle Shannon in 1962 and moved to Mt. Lebanon as an infant.. Raised in Mt. Lebanon right near the Dormont border. I did get my first ride as a 4-year-old on the 42/38 with my grandmother. Was fascinated with streetcars right after that. By the time I was old enough to explore on my own, all but the South Hills lines were gone. But I did do some exploring of what was left many times. I moved to Jacksonville, FL in 1982 and have been here ever since. 
  I am more of
 the archival type fan, although I still read about the technical aspects hoping some of it sinks in. This e-mail list has taught me most, if not all, that I now know. I have taken 3 tours of the interurban lines with one more forthcoming and they never get old.. I am fascinated by tracing old PRW for some unknown reason. One area that completely has me in its spell right now is Eldora Park. I would very much like to explore this area but realize I'll probably have to do it on my own and not on the upcoming tour due to time constraints. I will tell you this much. In a month or two there will be a website up about Eldora Park. The author has been keeping me informed of his progress and I promised not to divulge its location until it is completed. I do, however, wish to let Ed Lybarger get a sneak peak also as he is more qualified to give any input and/or constructive criticism. This upcoming tour will be my first in a non-foliage month so to speak so I'm
 really l!
 ooking forward to it. I'm also a member of PTM, although I wish I could be more active. Maybe when I retire I'll have more time for that. 
  Please tell us more about yourself, Phil. Inquiring minds do wish to know. 

                        Mark McGuire

                        Letter Carrier USPS since 1987
                        Dreaming of Operating a Streetcar since 1966
                        Railfan and a fan of what's left of
 them

-- Phillip Clark Campbell <pcc_sr at yahoo.com> wrote:
Questions are a route to understanding  --  never hesitate to ask.  Good to hear that you are healing but don't want to rush it.  Your trip to Pgh. shall provide opportunity to get more questions answered if you go to the library at the museum as you wish.  Then you can answer some of our questions.

I haven't read all the emails at the website and probably never will but have seen a few of yours..  Guessing you are a younger railfan who didn't see the streetcars of Prc.  It was a fascinating system.  I was very much impressed with your identification of Charleroi photos in an area that you haven't seen yourself.

Phil

----- Original Message ----
From: Mark McGuire <macmarka at netzero.net>
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Sent: Sunday, September 30,
 2007 7:02:19 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: 1700-series PCC Interurban TrolleyCars

That's quite alright, Phil. Most of the guys on this list are very up on the technical aspects of trolley operations. I am not. I have, however, learned to ask questions no matter how moronic they may be. I am glad I asked this question. 
  Fred III sent me an off-list e-mail once when I first signed up for this. In it he stated that everyone on this list puts their pants on one leg at a time. I took that to heart and became less ashamed to ask what I'm sure many percieved as "stupid questions". In fact, I once again thought of that before I asked this latest question. I thank Fred for taking the time to do that. 
  I have learned more than can be imagined just by reading the posts on this list and am very thankful to be here. 
  Oh, and welcome aboard Phil. You've already taught me something and I'm sure you'll teach me even
 more.

                            Mark

-- Phillip Clark Campbell <pcc_sr at yahoo.com> wrote:
Pittsburgh was one of those companies.  Power / coast used in the description because it is more !descriptive! than toggle / coast isn't it.  Please accept my apologies for the confusion.

Phil

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Boris Cefer <westinghouse at iol..cz>
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 10:04:14 AM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: 1700-series PCC Interurban TrolleyCars

It was strictly prohibited on some properties to set the switch by power 
application because it causes burning to the overhead contactor and may 
cause also further damage to the track setting circuits. Pushing the track 
switch
 button limits the setting current to +/- 70 amperes while power 
application is always higher than 220 amperes.

B

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark McGuire" <macmarka at netzero.net>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 6:30 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: 1700-series PCC Interurban TrolleyCars

> Now please explain to a rookie what the track switch is for. I thought the 
> switches were controled by either coasting through or applying power. Was 
> this button mainly used in the older days? 

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