[PRCo] Re: Good Old Days

[Boris Cefer]

So tell us more!

B

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Holland" <PRCoPCC at P-R-Co.com>
To: "- 1714 PRCo__WP__JTC -" <pittsburgh-railways at lists.dementia.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2007 12:45 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Good Old Days


> Fibber McGee and Molly
> .
> Kukla, Fran, & Ollie
> .
> Kate Smith
> .
> Howdy Doody
> .
> Inner Sanctum
> .
> Early Years of TV
> .
> .
> .
> .
> .
> Bill & Walt's Hobby Shop on Smithfield near Blvd.
> .
> Recommended practice for placing overhead frog for models is directly
> above track frog - early to mid-1950s.   In those days we made our own
> frogs and mine were quite crude as very young teen.  Trolley would
> Always Follow the wrong wire because the pole would scrape against the
> large crude flanges I made to guide the shoe.     I finally went out and
> measured By Footsie the frogs at the Dormont wye, at Clearview Loop and
> walked to Castle Shannon to measure frogs there and found that
> """The__General__Rule"""  is that the overhead frog is located about
> 1/3rd the distance from the point to the frog and slightly offset toward
> the curve.    A span Should Be Placed At The Point to hold the wire at
> that location directly centered over the track  --  this allows the
> slight offset toward the curve of the frog to be of practical benefit.
> .
> Told my experience to proprietors of Bill & Walt and they Soundly
> Laughed Me Out Of The Store!~!~!
> .
> Within a year or two, Suydam came out with his classic HO Catalog with a
> section on overhead at the very back which vindicated my observations as
> he stated exactly what I state above!~!~!
> .
> T~~H~~E    Hobby Shop in Pittsburgh was A.B.Charles_&_Son on W.Liberty
> Avenue in Dormont.     Originally located immediately across from the
> leg of the 42-wye, I Often Crossed the street there to watch their
> beautiful HO RR located in the back of the store.
> .
> Bud was a gem - he often helped me with problems and made parts for me -
> free of charge.     He got much business from me buying replacement
> trolley poles, overhead, hangers, equipment, track, etc.
> .
> Bud's Hobby Shop moved about 1/2 block inbound in the 1950s where it
> remained until just recently  --  understand it went through a
> relocation.     Last I talked to Bud his wife was ailing but they were
> still avid travelers if the opportunity presented itself.
> .
> Hobby was barely tolerated at home but wasn't appreciated.     I loved
> the Suydam equipment, esp the Niles and North Shore Cars and would save
> my money and hide it in the rafters in the attic, make the purchase at
> Bud's Hobby Shop, and take the model to my Aunt where she stored it
> until I left home.     No One knows about this To This Day!~!~!     Bud
> knew about all this, though!~!~!     What are  Y~o~u~r  Kids  Doing
> Today?~!~?~!~?
> .
> Remember TV news anchor taking the job as streetcar motorman and
> essentially denigrating the position on Live TV saying AnyOne could do
> this job - who wants it?     True - most could operate a TrolleyCar -
> hardly rocket science - but there is a special lore to it.
> .
> Built Very Crude 3-pedal foot pedal system and Transistor Throttle to
> operate model trolleycars after tour with Uncle Sam's Canoe Club was
> over with overhead contactor for operating switches.    Highly Realistic
> Operation  --  Look forward to DCC being even better!~!~!
> .
> Dad claims to have been hired by PRCo not long after he came home from
> WW2 - he worked the old cars as both conductor and motorman but said he
> was too nervous with all those levers, people on and off the car,
> traffic etc.     Shame  --  would have been real legacy had he
> stayed!!     Believe he quit within 2-weeks and moved on.
> .
> Mom & Dad would set up 8'X4' Lionel layout, Trim the Christmas Tree,
> 'build' the village around the tree and on the layout and set out the
> presents  A~L~L  On Christmas Eve After the chili peppers went to
> bed!~!~!     Christmas Morning was an Absolutely Amazing Time!~!~!
> .
> It was many years before I found the layout stored in the cellar - after
> that, the RR disappeared and TrolleyCars dominated the scene!~!~!
> .
> Remember the huge 1950 snow which shut down much of PRCo Including the
> Interurbans  (have story here from some Interurban motorman retired in
> CA who got stuck on Washington line  --  local people invited him home
> for the night where he had a warm bed and good food!~!~!)     All I saw
> On Occasion was the shovel as Dad shoveled out front!~!~!
> .
> Really Enjoyed shoveling Snow - was quite efficient at it.     Never had
> to tell me twice to shovel the snow  --  didn't not have to tell me the
> first time - just did it and enjoyed it.     CanNot say I feel the same
> now - snow in pictures is sometimes too much and SF weather is so
> temperate And Mild And Beautiful And Sunny (somewhere!~!) And Enjoyable
> weather overkissed, foggy, sunny, rainy - really enjoy winter rains and
> like to go to northcoast in winter during rain storms that I am really
> spoiled.
> .
> Paternal GrandMother grew up in Connellsville and the countryside near
> Somerset - Garrett  (was in General Store here where she used to play)
> and she Always told me stories about the WP TrolleyCars - '''...those
> were Big Cars'''   she would say!~!~!
> .
> First TrolleyCar publication I bought was PERC typed glossy with photos
> about WP - still have it.    It has Always been at my fingertips since
> day I purchased it  --  even in Uncle Sam's Canoe Club!~!~!
> .
> Second publication I bought was Trolley Car Treasury!~!~!
> .
> Has been All UpHill from there!~!~!
> .
> Worked as Soda Jerk in Potomac Pharmacy and walked the 42 tracks back
> and forth to work.     Owned by Solador Family and worked by 2
> pharmacists, Henry Solador and Ray who lived 1/2block away on Belrose.
>    Store open from 8-AM til 11-PM 6-days a week, 8-AM til 6-PM Sunday -
> 2 pharmacists with someone always there!~!~!     Soda fountain remained
> for only 6-months and the store went through a tremendous modernization
> - used to make Cherry / Vanilla / etc cokes, banana splits, etc.
> Many didn't like Henry's brash personality but he and I got along
> great.     He and I would compete at Christmas for sales!~!~!     I took
> over ordering of candy as I found if I kept it full stocked that it sold
> faster!~!~!
> .
> Henry's Mom had Parkinson and lived with Sister - Henry gave me keys to
> his Brand New Buick and I took Mom and Sis out for rides On The
> Payroll.     Henry would buy me lunch With His Money - learned about
> super corned beef and cabbage here!~!~!
> .
> Dad helped me file IRS return to get back taxes Henry had paid - I
> didn't owe anything - Henry quite surprized to have this returned to
> him!~!~!
> .
> Have gotten Op of Month Awards here at Muni where I get gifts and cash
> from various organizations.     Wrote Thank You Letters to each and am
> told that I was the first so to do - quite shocked at this!~!~!
> .
> We were just blue collar family but were taught to respect others and to
> say Thanks.     Thank__You__Mom_&_Dad  for teaching the Heart of 
> Living!~!~!
> .
> I always like to run when doing things and did so in running errands for
> the Pharmacy.     Others got on my case but that was Just Me.     Did
> help at the store.
> .
> Store got wifes old 52 Chevy and Often put brake on floor as it had a
> fluid leak - was that way til I moved on and when my brother went to
> work there.
> .
> Brother worked there after me and he and Henry would go hunting at Ohio
> Pyle - turned into a Family Friend!~!~!
> .
> .
> .
> Jim__Holland
> .
> .
> .
> .
> .
> Meeting John C. Swindler while RailFanning on PRCo  --  we have kept
> contact to this day!
> .
> Meeting Carol Swindler  --  that was in SF but Still Tremendous Fun  --
> A Decade Ago(?~?)!~!     They Promised A Return Trip.......
> .
> Meeting PRCo Op Walthers, friend of John, former Washington Interurban
> Operator who knew his equipment Well!!
> .
> Knew Every Rail Joint on 42-Dormont as well as Interurbans and could
> *-click-* them all off  --  threw me for a loop when they installed
> welded rail on some of the trestles in the 1950s  --  Smithfield and
> Palm Garden.     Didn't Not NoHow like the flared joints used with this
> welded rail  --  like RR point meeting railhead  --  they Were Not
> Smooth!     Never tried to learn these joints  --  just seemed to come
> naturally!~!~!
> .
> Delivering SnoozePapers for many years  --  Up Very Early Sunday morning
> to meet the last 42/38 Owl.     I would be finished with papers before
> 6-AM and on my way for All Day Pass Riding  --  home for Dinner only and
> back out until Mudnight in the summer.
> .
> Woke one Sunday AM to find tremendous amount of snow.     Trolley
> running very late but heard the Overhead Wheel first and some distance
> away  --  snow acts like excellent insulator  --  Much Better than
> Standard Resilient or even Super Resilient Wheels!~!~!     Car was close
> to 30-minutes late and Really Moving!     Multiples of grade crossings
> at all angles near Greenmount but NO traffic so that PCC Sailed!!
> Appeared as if snow came up to skirting which is 12" above railhead  --
> snow between rails packed to overflowing!~!~!
> .
> Watched line crew install Shining New Overhead between Owls one Sunday AM.
> .
> Line Crew looking for dewirement spot Outbound on the curve opposite
> Kelton.     I showed them the place where poles dewired and watched them
> fix it  --  No More Problem!!
> .
> Some of the first snows of the year melted on the way down and froze on
> the trolley wire for absolutely TanFasTic Horrendously Beautiful
> Fireworks Displays  --  we have disgusted this before and the
> installation of ice cutters but Never Saw Such Installed  --  they just
> burned the ice off with the normal wheel, as well as some of the
> overhead not to mention the wheel itself!~!~!     Ice Cutter wheel full
> of rough ridges so it would arc continually as well, ice or not, but
> probably no where near as much arcing as with ice itself.
> .
> Watching TrolleyCars wye at Dormont in Rush Hour in early 1950s  --
> Trolleys backed up All The Way to Park Blvd. waiting for entry to wye.
>      Service car would back deep and allow cars returning to the barn
> to back in front of it  --  some real cowboys  --  peebles walked around
> the wye as well but Never Saw An Accident.     Great fun with Jones cars
> as motormen often stood, had to work controller and brake handles in
> addition to reverser  --- All Right There In Sight!     Wish I had
> movies of this.
> .
> Ops in hurry didn't not pull up far enough over sprung overhead frog so
> trolley went on wrong wire when backing and ended up stuck in the
> overhead.     Road Call Time!~!~!
> .
> One car put large kink in the overhead this way and it was Amazing how
> many trolleycars made it over this kink when pulling into the wye  --
> only the rare car dewired.     Good thing the kink wasn't in the back up
> wire!~!~!
> .
> Saw one car that had broken torque arm which keeps the axles
> parallel.     Shop did hasty wire job to hold pieces together but was
> NoWhere Near Adequate.     Front wheel front truck would lift Well Off
> the railhead when backing out of the wye  --  I was cringing like crazy
> and the Operator saw this and would stop the car only to have the shop
> men tell him to continue!~!~!
> .
> One PCC  --  believe it was an 1200  --  had reverser failure and had to
> have inspector clear W. Liberty so he could head inbound on the outbound
> track for about 3-car lengths and then take the X-Over to the Inbound
> track to go back to the barn!~!~!
> .
> Standing at Biltmore to punch in time clock for ops heading
> outbound!~!~!     Free service!~!~!
> .
> ({[Punching Time Clock when No PCCs nor any other TrolleyCar 
> around!~!~!]})
> .
> Occasionally a pole would break when backing the 42-wye  --  amazing to
> watch them change it  --  standing a 14-foot pole on the ground beside
> the car made it seem twice as large as when it was actually mounted to
> the car!~!~!
> .
> .
> .
> Jim__Holland
> .
> .
> .
> Ed Lybarger wrote::
>
> Roth Carpet is indeed still in business.
>
> Nice memoirs!
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
> [mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org]On
> <mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org%5DOn> Behalf Of Jim
> Holland
> Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 7:31 AM
> To: - 1714 PRCo__WP__JTC -
> Subject: [PRCo] Re: Good Old Days
>
> > Dennis Fred Cramer wrote::
> .
> > Ah yes! We all get to remember the good old days focusing on those
> things we knew and loved.
>
> ------- [snipped] -------
>
> > I miss the orange sky's at night in the Mon Valley. I did get to ride
> the Jack Rabbit, Racer, walk through Noah's Ark and ride the train at
> Kennywood last Sunday. That will probably be the last time I go. I
> stopped paying to go to amusement parks long ago and my job is the
> reason I still attend.
>
> > Those of us in the world who have positive thoughts, that includes
> those on this list, remember the good and the bad. We just tend to focus
> much more on the positive. I think it has something to do with education
> level and life experience.
> .
> .
> .
> Individuality and gifts of the individual determine the thoughts --
> And Quite Often many people with lives that would be considered
> absolutely horrible by the masses have Nothing But Pleasant
> Thoughts!~!~! Tough Times and Challenges are very often Quite
> Humbling and are the stuff that build Character!~!~! A Big Theme of
> the 1950s was that Parents didn't want their Chilli Peppers to go
> through what they went through. Unfortunately, this is Bad!~!~!
> Challenges are real and having a parent Stand By // Beside for guidance
> *-Through-* Challenges rather than avoiding same is THE best way to
> build character.
> .
> .
> .
> West View Coaster nothing to sneeze at -- excellent ride as well.
> .
> Picnics in North Park with::
> .
> .......those Angelic Deviled Eggs!~!~!
> .
> .......Chipped Ham from Isaly's in Sandwiches
> .
> .......Heinz Pickles to Top Off the Sandwiches!~!~!
> .
> .......Heinz Ketchup and Mustard on those Sandwiches as well!~!~!
> .
> .......Real HomeMade Potato Salad!~!~!
> .
> .......""The__Dad's"" Playing Ball -- or attempting to!~!~!
> .
> .......or ""The__Dad's"" taking out the canoe, and swamping it!~!~!
> .
> .
> Remember debut of 7-Up in Pittsburgh -- SinFully Delicious and
> definitely different from Coca-Cola!
> .
> The Big Isaly's Plant with what seemed like Miles and Miles of seating
> at what looked like student desks!~!~!
> .
> Coca-Cola - """50-million times a day, at home at work or on the way,
> everyone drinks Coca-Cola, everyone drinks Coke!~!~!""" This Jingle
> Actually a part of Coke advertizing in the 1950s!
> .
> Get your rugs cleaned at Roth -- Emerson 2-2800 (Zeros pronounced as
> Ohs! in this TV Jingle which I can Still Recite To This Day -- Are
> they still in Beezness?~!~?)
> .
> The Hot Dog stand in E.Liberty that claimed to have sold millions of
> Foot Long Hot Dogs.
> .
> The roller skating rink nearby where USS often had Family Night!~!~!
> .
> Running with my Aunt for the TrolleyCar -- Ops *-Always-* Stopped
> for her!~!~!
> .
> Mom taking my sister and I for a ride on the 87-Ardmore Just To Ride The
> TrolleyCar!
> .
> Mom and Dad taking my Sister and I on the Washington Interurban before
> it was cut back!~!~!
> .
> .......Distinctly remember the Houston Leap! We were heading
> southbound, took quite sharp left turn at considerable speed and
> remember thinking that a city trolleycar would easily dewire at such
> speed. We raced across this trestle and dropped so fast into Grant
> at the other end that it left the stomach in the air -- m~u~c~h
> better than Any Roller Coaster!~!~! Motormen probably did this
> porpoisely!~!~!
> .
> .......As was typical with our family, we had to run to catch the
> Interurban Already Backing out of the wye!~!~!
> .
> .......On the way back my father had to ask the motorman to stop the car
> so he could take me Out In The Bushes! """Not On The
> Wheels!~!~!""" exclaimed my father!~!~!
> .
> Riding by Richfol in the Family car Multitudes of Times!~!~!
> .
> Visiting Cousins near Pleasant Hills and riding out along the Charleroi
> Interurban in various places.
> .
> Downtown shopping with Mom and Insisting that we wait for one of the Old
> TrolleyCars in rush hour to ride home. She didn't like that as she
> got her heels caught in the slatted floor -- but we did ride one of
> those Old TrolleyCars Home!~!~!
> .
> Mom and I walking to Horne's - more like she was dragging me - as I saw
> an Interurban coming along Wood and wanted to wait and watch it go by!~!~!
> .
> Clark Candy Bars!~!~! *-AYE-* -- Want A Clark Bar!~!~!
> .
> Annual School Picnic where Dormont Chartered about 20 TrolleyCars for
> the ride to Kennywood - quite a sight to see them all come out the
> 38-Mt.Lebanon line - we loaded in front of the Presbyterian Church on
> Washington Rd just opposite Bower Hill Rd (and inside Mt.Lebanon, Not
> Dormont!~!~!)
> .
> HORRIBLE 1955 TrolleyCar Fire in Homewood -- Paternal Grandparents
> lived just 3-blocks away. I saw the carnage firsthand!~!~!
> .
> Candle Light Christmas Eve Service at the Lutheran Church on Grant
> Street at Midnight followed by Dinner downtown! Then riding the
> 42/38 Owl TrolleyCar Home -- The Only Time we saw 42/38 on a 42-car in
> Real TrolleyCar Days!~!~! Had to catch it on Smithfield or Wood, Not
> Grant!~!~!
> .
> Riding my first PERC charter on M11 -- That Accelerator Got Hellishly
> Hot!~!~! We went out on Library Interurban, had M11 flat out on the
> floor coming back in but the Revenue Car from Library caught us at
> Shannon!~!~! We backed into 37-loop to allow Revenue car to pass.
> .
> Riding on a Baltimore charter on PRCo with Rocky Engleman on 1646 and
> 1709 -- operator looked and talked like actor Lee Marvin, was former
> Interurban operator to Charleroi // Washington, and was featured in
> newspaper with photo for their annual former Interurban Operator
> Get-Together. Op allowed Rocky to run the Interurban in Buttermilk
> Hollow on the 56-McKeesport. Have much of this on movie film and video.
> .
> On the above charter we went outbound on the 10-West View and Inbound on
> the 15. We charged down the center of highway prw toward one of the
> Very High TrolleyCar trestles converted to accept rubber tired vehicles
> and the Out of State auto approaching from the other side backed off the
> trestle when he saw the Interurban coming At Very Real Speed!~!~!
> .
> Racing outbound on Forbes(?~? -- 64/67 lines) and crossing trestle
> over Frick Park and Passing All Traffic on the above Charter!~!~!
> .
> My Dad and I going from Dormont to Homewood by TrolleyCar to visit
> Paternal GrandParents. Coming home we get off at 10th, walk up to
> and along Liberty to Smithfield where we spy a 42 about to turn onto 7th
> - we bolt to catch the car only to watch it Split The Switch with the
> back end heading straight down Smithfield. So Much For Our Ride
> Home!~!~!
> .
> Going to Grandma's myself on the 88 and racing out Liberty along the PRR
> retaining wall -- Really Racing in an old 1000-series car as there had
> been a delay.
> .
> Dad and I going to Forbes Field on TrolleyCar to watch Pirates - coming
> home on 42-Dormont 1454 (house number across the street from us -
> reason I remember the car number on this one!~!~!) the trolley pole
> dewired outbound at Dawn Jct -- donut remember NoThing about the game
> except that it was Very Slow!!!
> .
> Could tell series of PRCo PCC from 1/4-mile away and could tell series
> by sound!~!~!
> .
> Remember 1601-series Interurban filling in as tripper on 42-Dormont
> Displaying PITTSBURGH in the destination sign because it Didn't Not
> have a 42-sign (yet!) -- Interurbans originally sported destinations
> strictly for Interurban lines Only until some time Well After cutback in
> 1953.
> .
> Remember the Interurbans using the 38-Mt.Lebanon back to the barn in the
> PM rush hour. Would try to catch one of the Interurbans if going to
> an PRMA meeting at the downtown Y.
> .
> Remember riding PCC Interurban 1705 inbound on the 42-Dormont when going
> to PRMA meeting downtown on one very snowy evening -- Op told me they
> put the Interurbans out on the other lines after the rush hour because
> they were Heavier and tracked better in the snow. Think he tried to
> Snow Me with that one as the 17-series Interurbans were about 500-pounds
> lighter than the City Cars!~!~!
> .
> Gulf Building Weather forecasting -- blue / red, solid / flashing --
> never could remember what it meant and was Much Easier Just To Look At
> The Sky to see what was Happening!~!~!
> .
> Pirates winning Series in 1959 caused Gridlock in the city and a few
> deaths because ticker tape thrown out windows locked up TrolleyCar
> wheels which burned Overhead Down with 600-volt wire landing on lady -
> TrolleyCar service essentially shut down.
> .
> Pleasantness of TrolleyCar ride through Tunnel in Summer!~!~!
> .
> Beautiful smell of Ozone in Mt.Washington TrolleyCar Tunnel!~!~!
> That's a High to be Experienced!~!~!
> .
> Riding 1723 outbound on Drake one Mother's Day when she split the switch
> at Bon Air -- rear truck went on the ground and back wheel ran up on
> track brake which stopped us Instantly. Many people, esp kids, hit
> their mouth on the seat in front. I was sitting in center of back
> seat and found myself running up the aisle!~!~!
> .
> Walked back to SHJ to find a Drake Car Sub for 1723 having been sent
> around town just coming out of Tunnel. Jumped on board and rode
> outbound Express on the 38-Mt.Lebanon. Motorman normally a sleeper
> but he Really Moved It! Had it on the floor into one of the broad
> sweeping curves to the right -- Interurban heaved to the left,
> motorman released the power, car then leaned to the right, motorman put
> power back on floor, Interurban leaned back to left and stayed there as
> we negotiated the curve At Speed!~!~!
> .
> Auto parked on track at Clearview Loop so motorman blasted away on the
> Horn. Chinese Laundryman came racing out of his shop totally panic
> struck at a TrolleyCar Honking at his auto!~!~! Someone was at
> Shannon to set switches so we went straight outbound to Wash Jct without
> having to back around Shannon loop. When we got to Highway 51
> crossing inbound the disabled 1723 had just cleared the single
> track!~!~! (Motorman was operating 1601-Interurban on Dinky when
> it had cornfield meet with 1261!~!~! Said it looked like it was
> coming at him sideways it was such a surprize - coming around one of the
> gentle curves!~!~! Nachod Failure!~!~!)
> .
> Riding in Family 52-Chevy one summer along 88 at Pioneer Ave (Elwynn
> Stop on Interurban) with all windows down about twilight - most
> vehicles had lights on but wasn't really *-necessary-* yet. We
> were stopped in heavy traffic when we heard the thunder of an
> approaching 17-Interurban -- Roof Light Lit. It hit the trestle
> at speed with Roaring Thunder, back end bounced up and down, trolley
> pole appeared to scrape along low overhead causing a fireworks type
> display, pole never dewired, and PCC Interurban thundered off faster
> than it arrived on scene. """Wish we had been on that
> TrolleyCar!~!~!""" Exclaimed Mom.
> .
> Mom and Aunt would Always Say that Half the fun in going to picnics was
> the ride on the TrolleyCar!~!~!
> .
> Would be Gopher for motormen in the summer and would ride Many Round
> Trips on the *-Cars-*!~!~!
> .
> It was Extremely Rare to experience a Trolley Pole Dewirement in
> Pittsburgh -- probably saw / experienced as many trolley pole
> dewirements daily here in San Francisco in mid 1970s as I did for first
> 20-years of life in Pittsburgh!~!~! Trolley Overhead in SF in 1970s
> was absolutely abysmal!
> .
> A~L~L this is Just The Tip Of The Iceberg -- There I~S Much
> More!~!~!
> .
> .
> .
> Jim__Holland