[PRCo] Re: 3800 Series LOST

[Ken & Tracie]

Thanks, Fred.

The general feeling I've accepted over the years is it is best to preserve 
what is most representative (typical) of traction equipment rather than what 
may be considered a "crown jewel" by the fan community.

We're all getting older....I remember driving home to Milwaukee from a 1984 
visit to the Steel City. Somewhere in Ohio, I overtook a somewhat battered 
convoy of retired PAT GMC Fishbowls. I have no idea if they were being 
driven to another property for continued service, a used bus broker or a 
scrap yard. But the irony of seeing these 1960s representatives of John 
Dameron's vision for Pittsburgh's transit future leaving town while 1940s 
PCCs continued to run (under pantographs) was somewhat satisfying. The Mt. 
Lebanon line was closed for rebuilding at that time and I believe the last 
of the air cars were just (or just about to be) retired. I didn't see any in 
use that weekend, just the all electrics.

Upon moving to Las Vegas a year later, I was surprised to find a privately 
run transit system which was still 100% Fishbowl. The RTS era was extremely 
short here. NABI, Flyers and an occasional Orion now rule our streets. The 
Gilligs just couldn't get a toehold here.

When I was a child, anything electric was a treat to ride or see. On the 
internal combustion side, GMC Old Looks, Brills, Twins and and the 
occasional Mack, White or Ford was a delight. The Fishbowls, Flxible or GMC, 
were common and boring.

Now a Fishbowl will catch my attention the same way a PCC or trackless 
trolley did nearly forty years ago.

There is an entire generation of riders who never rode in a Fishbowl and has 
but the faintest of the RTS.

K.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Fred Schneider" <fwschneider at comcast.net>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 11:09 AM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: 3800 Series LOST


> This is for Ken.
>
> Most of you have read it before.