[PRCo] Re: PRCo Volumn 2

[Edward Skuchas]

Just to clarify some of the discussions about this topic, and some  
other thoughts.

I do not believe that volume 2 is in production.  My notice about  
volume 2 was dated awhile ago when it was on schedule.  It would have  
been produced at that time, but some financial issues developed.   
Obviously, the printer would not publish the text without a payment  
plan.  To my knowledge, Vol 1 was paid for.  Ron's efforts to obtain  
alternate financing to get the books published (which would have paid  
for the financing) could not be completed.  There were also medical  
complications in his family which were very costly.

As for copies, I had purchased the last hard bound copies awhile ago,  
and I am sold out.  Soft bound I believe is still available.  From  
what has been posted, the museum has copies.  Buy them now before they  
are gone.

To avoid further excitement about a Pittsburgh book, I have asked that  
the old web listing be eliminated.  There will still be the problem  
with archived listings.

I also understand that the other Pittsburgh book that was prepared by  
Blaine Hayes(?) of Cleveland could not find a publisher.  About 6  
years ago I heard about the book being prepared about Pittsburgh  
advertising cars.  I gather that is also a lost cause since my efforts  
to contact that author have gone unanswered.  Some of the fellows with  
extensive photo collections indicated that they were supplying him  
with photos.  I gather that effort is dead.

What worries me is that the wonderful Pittsburgh photos and  
information that many of us have as well as the extensive holdings of  
the museum will go unused and not published or not made available via  
the web.  I think that a few different Pittsburgh trolley books could  
be considered.  Topics would be cars, routes and history.  I know that  
John Bromley has prepared various car spreadsheets which are very  
detailed.  Cramer (?) had published his soft cover book that covered  
the Mt Washington lines.  I thought that it was very effective, and it  
educated me about lines I did not see.  There are two issues about the  
lines with a lot of  people: curiosity and remembrance.  I am too  
young and was not from the area.  I only saw a Pittsburgh trolley  
starting in the 70's.

Various individuals have indicated that it would take a lot of time to  
research all of the underlining companies to correctly prepare the  
history.  I believe that is the least interesting portion of the book  
and not why a Pittsburgh book would be purchased.  Cars, route shots  
and photos will sell.

So what do we really need:

One page corporate history chart.
Photos of the various car types.
Vignettes about various car types.
Rosters
Route maps and Route Photos.  Detailed.  It may take 30 pages, not the  
8.5 x 11 current map.  Or, something the size of the combined  
geological survey maps.
Car paint schemes--"standard colors"
Advertising schemes.  The varied schemes are far more interesting than  
looking at the same scheme over and over again.

We have a 5-15 year window for any of this information to be  
considered.  After that, the Pittsburgh book that will be published  
will be about the LRV's.  It's not gloom and doom, but the end of the  
"what you remember" period.  There is a lot I do not know about the  
system that I most likely will not ever learn.  I have been very happy  
to see some of the individual efforts that have been shared on this  
group.  I thoroughly enjoyed the photos of the Charleroi trestles and  
right of way.  I hope other efforts will continue.

I think the history of the PRCo may be one of the least interesting  
topics to sell a book, so why worry about the research.  Work with all  
of the information on hand.

I  often thought that a simple process, although extensive, would be  
to scan all of the photos and just post them on a massive web site.   
Let the world identify them and constantly update the site.  I get  
very discouraged about the inability of someone to post a photo to  
show someone else, and having to pull the scan because it was taken by  
someone else whose name has been forgotten.  I wanted to see some OE 4  
truck loco photos that one web member had, but he pulled them because  
he did not take them, he did not know if the photographer was alive or  
dead.  So, he pulled the photos.  If the museum has all of this  
information, it would be nice for the world to see them.  Perhaps,  
grant money can be obtained so that purpose.  Or, sell DVD's of photos.

Lets hope that some good Pittsburgh material will be published via  
whatever printed or electronic media is available.

Ed


On Aug 21, 2009, at 11:12 PM, Herb Brannon wrote:

> I saw this notice on a website owned by "The Berkshire Car Shop".  
> They make
> HO scale streetcar bodies.
>
>
> PITTSBURGH RAILWAYS VOLUME TWO by Ron Beal will be available before
> Christmas.  Hardbound $80 /Special $64.  Softbound $65 / Special $52.
>
> If you did not purchase Volume One, very few are available.  Now is  
> the time
> to purchase a copy! $64 hard / $52 soft.   If you act quickly, your  
> can
> include a copy of McKeesport Trolleys by Beal for $25 (reg. $40  
> retail )!
>
>
> -- 
> Herb Brannon
> On America's North Coast
>
>
>