[PRCo] Re: 1700-series PCC Interurban TrolleyCars

[Phillip Clark Campbell]

St.Louis had a different system didn't they.  There was a dash toggle but it applied the drum brakes only if the power was moderately applied; too much power or no power and the drums didn't apply.  This increased the current draw which would seem unwanted from the description Mr.Cefer gave.  Releasing the power while pressing the drum toggle (which was for track switch operation and may have been labeled as such) released the drums so another brake application would be needed to stop the car before the point.  St.Louis thus used power apply; assume the operation was the same or similar in San Francisco with the ex-St.Louis cars.

The old streetcars would use power / brake simultaneously but had the advantage of being able to cancel the power with brake applied to keep from overshooting the point.

If my memory serves me it was in the 1920s when Pgh first used electric track switches.

Phil



----- Original Message ----
From: Herb Brannon <hrbran at sbcglobal.net>
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 1:45:01 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: 1700-series PCC Interurban TrolleyCars

It is much safer to simply push one of the gang switches to get a switch to set for the curve rather than apply power. This gang switch took the place of applying power. If an operator were applying power and the switch did not set for the selected curve then the switch may be "overrun", that is, passing the switch point and ending up past the diverging track. This was one of the several "Cardinal Sins" when operating a streetcar. This 'track switch' was standard on all PCCs. I don't know when the frist 'track switches' came into use.
Mark McGuire <macmarka at netzero.net> wrote:
  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?

-- Jim Holland 
wrote:
http://www.pa-trolley.org/Roster/Images/PRC1711interior1.JPG
.
Really like this photo:
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Toggles in groups start from left
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.......Gong; Front Door #1; Front Door #2; Center Doors.
...............Both center doors operated as one.
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.......Track Switch; Dimmer Headlight; Windshield Wipe; Sander
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.......Headlight; blank; Interior Lights; Cab Heat.
.
.
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In __PRCo__ days:::
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.......Roof light rotary switch was under the dash on the far left.
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.......Electric Horn was an oval shaped press button on top of far left 
dash.
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.......Select cars had typical Home Light Switch in Jct.
..............box on top of right dash to set brush in
..............track brake for sweeping dirt off rails
..............to aid contact for signal system.
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Strong Box in center of dash with provision for padlock.
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.......Slots for rolls of coins
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.......Transfers, specials, tickets, Day Cards.
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Voltmeter
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Deadman, Brake, Power Pedals from left.
.
Air vent above pedals.
.
Heater under dash to right.
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Circuit breakers behind door ahead of heater.
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2 boxes under small side window:::::::
.
.......first is passenger bell
.
.......2nd is emergency buzzer.
.
.
.
^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
Jim Holland
.
Studying Pittsburgh Railways Company
.
....................From 1930 -- 1950
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Pennsylvania Trolley Museum (PTM)
.
http://www.pa-trolley.org/
.
N.M.R.A.
.
http://www..nmra.org/






Herb Brannon







       
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