[PRCo] Re: Backing interurban cars

[Jerry Matt Matsick]

Thank you Thank you for all this fantastic History,  "You Need to write a book!"
Oh you did, what I need to know is how can I get one or where do I order one
Wow - what a rush to be riding a 3800 hundred once again!  Wow what a rush
to be just riding a street car again.  Thanks to you and alot others on this list
we can relive he past - THANKS!
--
>From the River City by the Sea! 
Jerry "Matt" Matsick 
"Jacksonville" 

-------------- Original message from Fred Schneider <fwschneider at comcast.net>: -------------- 


> Here is the reply from Art Ellis on back up controls on Pittsburgh 
> interurban cars: 
> > The 3700 and 3800 cars both had backup controls. The 
> > 3700's could be used directly, like on 3756. 
> > 
> > On the 3800's one had to tie down the deadman handle 
> > with a wire hook (furnished). 
> > 
> > During the War (THAT one) I was on a 3800 on its way 
> > to Pittsburgh from Roscoe when a young sailor told the 
> > following: A year earlier, when he was still in high 
> > school, a group of kids were congregated in the back of 
> > the car while riding from Charleroi to Mon City to go 
> > rollerskating. As they were rolling down the hill into 
> > Black Diamond, they were surprised to see the operator 
> > standing among them., 
> > After gasps, they asked why he was there. "Oh, you 
> > seemed to be enjoying yourselves, so I thought I'd come 
> > back and join you." Fortunately, his stay was brief, 
> > and obviously he had the car under control by the time 
> > they reached the bottom of the hill. 
> > 
> > 3700 and 3800 cars were backed out of Washington terminal 
> > using the rear controls. (With the advent of the PCCs, a 
> > local operator was assigned to ride shotgun during the 
> > backout maneuver.) When local service was discontinued, the 
> > cars looped via College St., avoiding the backup. 
> > 
> > While I have ridden Canonsburg trippers which wyed , I 
> > don't remember the procedure exactly. I suspect that 
> > they depended on the operator of another car to 
> > assist. During special events, such as Washington Fair, 
> > street supervision was provided. I don't know, but I 
> > suspect most of the wyeing at Donora was done in the two- 
> > man days. 
> 
> So, until the PCC cars, all of the interurbans within memory of 
> anyone living today had back up controls. That includes 3556, 
> 3700s, 3750s and 3800s. 
> > 
> 
> 
>