[PRCo] PTC 3555

[Fred Schneider]

Jim Holland sent this picture out ...   The roster  sent out a  
several years ago shows 3555, the "Jolly Bachelor," built by Standard  
Steel in 1909 and riding on Standard C-50 trucks.   It was the first  
arch roof PRC car.   It had K-35 control and 4 Westinghouse No. 56  
motors.   There are conflicting weights in PRC records: 38,000 pounds  
versus 46,500 pounds.   PCC cars were in the 36,000 to 38,000 lb.  
range as were the low floor cars with arch bar trucks.   There is no  
way this critter could have only weighed 38,000 lbs. with Standard  
C50s.   Some sources show the builder as Kuhlman but PRC vouchers  
files show it came from Standard Steel.

The weight differences may have been for two different periods.   The  
side rods were used when it was a two-motor car.   They were removed  
when it became a four-motor car.  Four 40 horsepower motors might  
have weighed around 5000 pounds.  I have no clue what was on earlier  
but if we assume it had two 60 horse motors, that might have been  
3000 lbs. plus the side rods.   That still isn't enough to account  
for the 8500 pound difference.

Those side rods were not unique to this car.   All the 4000s also had  
them for a while.   They also started out as two motor cars and were  
converted to four motors.

I have no idea what the problems were ... keep the wheels  
quartered?   uneven wheel wear on sharp curves messing with the  
quartering?   I can only think they must have been high maintenance  
with those side rods.   I can also think of the liability of "boys  
will be boys."   Can't you just imagine a young lad wanting to ride  
on the rods?


http://mywebpages.comcast.net/shawncd/SHJ/cr3555.htm