[PRCo] Re: 1700-series PCC Interurban TrolleyCars

[Boris Cefer]

We also use second or third point and hand brake on two axle cars.

B

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Fred Schneider" <fwschneider at comcast.net>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 10:57 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: 1700-series PCC Interurban TrolleyCars


> Interesting point, Boris, but prior to the PCC cars there were no  
> separate track switch throwing resistors on cars.   You had one and  
> only one way to flip the switch (other than a manual switch iron) and  
> that was to pull power (or coast), or if the contactor was close to  
> the switch point, pull power with brakes on so that you had control  
> of the car.
> 
> PTM teaches motorman to thrown the track switch at Museum Road with  
> Red Arrow foot-control cars by just using the power pedal; I simply  
> won't do it ... too risky because if you misjudge how far behind you  
> that contactor is, the car accelerates too much just ahead of a  
> mandatory stop.   I always hand throw it with those cars.   I'm a  
> little conservative.
> 
> In some instances it is impossible to adjusted the threshold amperage  
> for all cars that might go through a contactor.   Let me give you an  
> example.   If you give set the contactor in the Baltimore Streetcar  
> Museum so that some of those small wooden 1896 and 1898 Brownell 2- 
> motor cars can work a switch contactor, then the static load on the  
> Peter Witt ... lights, heaters and air compressor in the winter will  
> be enough to trip the contactor.   If you set it so that the coasting  
> Witt will not trip it under any circumstance, then the small cars  
> will only throw it if you stop with the trolley pole right on the  
> contactor, and notch into the second point with the hand brakes tied  
> down tightly .    What's the answer ... their solution is dispatch  
> all the old wood cars out of the yard which allows coasting through  
> the contactor.   The other answer would be to hand throw every time.