[PRCo] One-man cars in Pittsburgh

[Schneider Fred]

I don't know how Pittsburgh Railways got away with it.
I thought the first first one-man conversion was the Bon Air shuttle  
on December 7, 1923.  And I know they tried to convert 38-A Mount  
Lebanon - Castle Shannon in February 1920 and in April went back to  
two man because the trainmen refused to pick that run.  But in 1927  
they simply told the trainmen to go pound sand.

But what was the first conversion?   It was not recorded in route  
cards as a conversion but the platform hours versus the car hours  
show that route  Corey Avenue down in Braddock went from two-man to  
one-man on ... GET THIS ...SEPTEMBER 8, 1914.  I did a double take  
thinking someone screwed up with the hours but every subequent  
schedule shows crew hours for one operator matching the car hours  
plus a a few percent for dead head time.

And now the complete summary.......   The year shown is the final  
year of two man cars for the route.   In man cases Sunday or evening  
or night cars were one-man several years earlier.   If someone really  
wants the details right down to month-day-year, it can be provided.    
But what I think is amazing is that Pittsburgh Railways, in one of  
the strongest union climates in North America, became the system to  
convert first.

The last conversions I can find is routes 10 and 15 on February 8,  
1937 when the last trailers were removed and 13/14 on March 8, 1937  
(also trailers) and 27 Carnegie on March 15, 1937.  By then these  
conductors only were being used on a few rush hour trips.  Carnegie  
was the last line to use conductors on low-floor cars without trailers.

There were no conversions to one-man in 1934, 1935 or 1936.

In 1937: Routes 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 and 27 final rush hour conductors.

In 1933 routes 23, 25, 42, 43 (Neeld), 77/54, were converted to one-man.

In 1932 routes 8, 22/85, 39, 40, 46/49, 48, 60, 61 Library Street  
Transfer), 66 (when the last trailers came off), 67, 71.

In 1931 they took the the last conductors off routes 3, 5, 6, 7, 9,  
12, 17, 40, 41 (Shiloh), 44, 55, 56, 68, 75, 76, 81, 88,  94-94 (the  
last trailers), 97 (McKeesport-Duquesne).

Complete conversions in 1930 included routes 2, 21, 28, 38, 53, 69,  
82, Washington, Charleroi, Donora-Monongahela

For 1929 the list includes 24 (Schoenville), 30, 31, 58, 98  
(Glassport-Wilmerding)

In 1928 routes 18, 19, 20, 32, 65, 73, Jefferson & Maiden (Washington  
PA)

In 1927 routes 33 (Mount Washington via West End)

In 1926: 86 East Liberty Express (this happened before it was merged  
into 97 Ardmore), East and West (Washington PA)

In 1925: Route 57 Glenwood was changed to one-man. 62 Trafford, 79  
(Forbes - Shady)

In 1924: Routes  1, 4, 24, 29, 87 Ardmore (East Liberty to East  
Pittsburgh) , 96 (East Liberty-62nd St.)

In 1923: 51 (Bon Air), North Washington (Washington PA)

1914:  Corey Avenue

Hope I didn't miss anything.....   I know 34 Elliott is missing ...  
no route card.  Assume it is the same as 30 and 31.

Fred Schneider