[PRCo] Re: Gaps in Numbering

[John Swindler]

 I suspect the reasons changed over time due to lack of memory of reason for numbers applied to some previous car order.  People retire, get promoted, or take other jobs.  It was probably a series of individuals making the car number assignment decision over the years. PRC started out numbering cars bought under the consolidated system with 3000.  But in 1909 or so, PRC skipped to 4000 for two orders of mostly steel single end cars.  Perhaps that was to be the start of single end steel cars?????  What was the difference between the 3500s and the 4000s??????   Then five years later, some more steel cars arrive, so they got 4200 series - but they were double end cars.  Maybe that was an "oppps"   Why not in the high 3000 series???  Maybe because the 3600 cars had arrived, and next group of interurban cars went into 3700 series.   Was a block of 500 numbers allocated for double end low floor cars????  Who knows at this point, but a few years later the single end version started at 4700.  And why weren't the 5400s numbered in the 5300 series?  Was there a thought that they might get another 100 mu cars??  Again, who knows at this point in time.  But there was no consistent system - We are looking back and trying to make a consistent numbering system out something that perhaps wasn't as pre-planned as railfans expect.  And maybe that's the bottom line.  It's not all that important - except to us fans.
 
I see the same thing in Harrisburg where CAT went to a different numbering system in 2001.John
 
 
> Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 14:18:06 -0700> From: pcc_sr at yahoo.com> Subject: [PRCo] Gaps in Numbering> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org> > ----- Original Message ----> > From: John Swindler <j_swindler at hotmail.com>> > To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org> > Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 1:03:54 PM> > Subject: [PRCo] Re: MU service on Frankstown> > > > > > ....... By the way, you never asked the question of why there were > > no 5300s?? It might be the same answer as to why there were no volume > > purchases of 4400s, 4500s and 4600s. (the low 4400s that did exist were an > > afterthought) Or am I the firt to notice this???> > John> > > > Mr. Swindler!> > > There are a number of gaps in the numbering aren't there. I remember seeing something about this in the archives but I forget the details now don't I.> > 3600s> 3700s> 3750s> 3800s> > Then jump to> 4000s - SE> 4100s - SE> > 4200s DE thru> 4400s DE> > then gap to> > 4700s SE thru> 5500s SE> > > One could guess that 3600 thru 3999 were reserved for Interurbans couldn't one.> > > It would seem that the intention of the heavy high floors was for trailer pulling thus SE equipment was necessary. Then the numbering continues with DE equipment, gap, then back to SE equipment doesn't it.> > 3700s were presumably built from what was learned with the 3556 experiment. While the 3750s were otherwise identical to all the city low floor cars they were purchased for Charleroi service according to Mr.Baxter weren't they and they are kissing cousins to the 3700s so are numbered in this block. Thus the listing here for 3750s rather than numbering consistent with other low-floors. The PCCs were so distinctly different from other equipment that it could be guessed that Interurbans and City cars> were numbered with the PCCs but could otherwise have been something like this: 1601s for Interurban usage as 3900s and 1700--1724 as 3950s!!!> > > Phil> > > > > > 
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