[PRCo] Re: Low-Floor Pioneer

[Jim Holland]

 From previous reading I have the impression that PRCo can be considered 
A Leader in Low-Floor development, if not The leader.     Is this a 
fair  'impression?'     Certainly PRCo was a very successful Pioneer in 
the Low-Floor TrolleyCar field.
.
I would also dearly love a 4200 model as well  --  they look a little 
more modern than their sisters~!~!~!     They have been mentioned but I 
doubt will be developed  --  at least not soon.     Inflation in Russia 
is working against them as prices on models are up significantly  --  
and our falling dollar contributes to that significantly  --  as a 
result, SPTC doesn't issue pricing until the model is in production  --  
it used to be they issued the price on the announcement of a project but 
the production run could still be a couple years forward!!!
.
[-[--Info on Inflation and dollar relative to imports:::   """The 
Federal Reserve's decision last month to cut interest rates by a 
larger-than-expected half-percent point sent the already-weakening 
greenback to an all-time record low against a basket of six major 
currencies. In the third quarter, the euro appreciated more than 5% 
against the dollar, most of the gains coming in September alone.   
Weakness in the dollar means prices of imported goods, particularly oil, 
will go up, raising the risk of inflation. American consumers will be 
paying more soon, with the looming threat of paying even more later 
on."""   http://tinyurl.com/2vf6jo --]-]
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Please take some photos showing Godfrey's ad on your WP!!     I know 
people who have done very similarly with their models.
.
Speaking of Godfrey ....... seemed to have universal appeal and a 
Wonderful Gentleman let alone entertainer!!     Very High Quality 
Individual  --  Very Fond Memories!!!!!
.
.
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Fred Schneider wrote:
> ...My West Penn 700 even has a tailor-made sign advertising Arthur 
> Godfrey's radio show on WMBS, the CBS Uniontown affiliate.
>
> The history of low-floor, light weight, motor cars begins when P N 
> Jones of Pittsburgh Railways went to his former employer in 1911 and 
> ask Westinghouse if they could build a group of small or baby motors 
> that would fit 24 inch wheels so he could motorize trailers. The 
> result was a compromise ... the wheels were two inches larger than the 
> trailer wheels...... While it would never be likely that SPTC would 
> build a trailer model for me unless I want to underwrite the entire 
> $250,000 for the production run, we can at least dream that Jim can 
> twist their arm into doing the low 4200s which were built by St. Louis 
> on an order dated May 1913 and delivered between April and November 1914.
>
> Fred Schneider
>
> On Oct 4, 2007, at 11:07 PM, Phillip Clark Campbell wrote:
>
>> Mr.Schneider -- They will custom paint for you but the models are not 
>> part of the numbered limited edition series are they.     According 
>> to their website some of the regular DE low cars were painted in 
>> maroon and gold with black roof -- this is certainly not prototypical 
>> but it is representative of Prc. Someone even had the 1600 modified 
>> for interurban service.
>>
>> http://www.sptc.spb.ru/restwork.htm
>>
>> Phil
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----
>> From: Fred Schneider <fwschneider at comcast.net>
>> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>> Sent: Thursday, October 4, 2007 2:38:21 PM
>> Subject: [PRCo]
>>
>>  ... because it is the closest thing to what started all the low 
>> floor, light weight cars we built in the teens and twenties. Actually 
>> the four converted trailers were older but these were the first 
>> production motor cars.
>>
>> http://lists.dementia.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/thornburgh_stueben_noble_Jul1950.jpg