[PRCo] Route 39 Brookline

[Gray, George]

On 6-4-2001 John Swindler posted the following in this group:
 

> For Jim's benefit, also looked up A-13958 of 1925 which provides for 
>extension of the West Liberty and Suburban Street Railway route in City
of 
>Pittsburgh and Overbrook Boro.  It didn't apply to 35/36/37, as
suspected, 
>but to route 39-Brookline.
 
>Under this application, PUC approved: extension of the West Liberty and

>Suburban Sreet Railway Co. over private of way, beginning at point on
curve 
>west of Birchwood Ave., then east 313 feet to city line, along proposed

>extension of Brookline Blvd., then east another 333 feet in Overbrook
Boro 
>to a loop.  Purpose, according to testimony, was to service land owned
by 
>West Liberty Improvement Co., suited for residence purposes, and
provide a 
>loop (for 39-Brookline cars).  Total round trip distance listed as
2,000 ft.
 
>So the 39 Brookline loop was not original, but later add-on.

 

The extensive website on the Brookline community
(http://www.spdconline.org/history/Trolleys/Trolleys.html) gives the
following chronology.

 

1905 - single track trolley line through Brookline. Service went from
the Brookline Junction (West Liberty Avenue) down the length of
Brookline Boulevard, extending down through the wooded valley to
Fairhaven, near the old Overbrook School at Saw Mill Run. This connected
to the old Charleroi rail line that ran along Saw Mill Run. (The tunnel
near Overbrook School at the far eastern edge of Brookline was built for
that first trolley line, and the brackets for the power lines are still
there, over 100 years later!)

 

1906 - the line was terminated at Edgebrook Ave.

 

1909 - work began on a double-track line that ran from the junction at
West Liberty Avenue past Edgebrook and Breining Street. It terminated at
a trolley loop near Witt Street on the eastern end of Brookline
Boulevard.

 

So, does anyone know what the 1925 PUC application was about?

 

George Gray

Georgia Technology Authority

47 Trinity Avenue 1st Floor

Atlanta, GA 30334

404-656-7327