[PRCo] Re: Bent Pole

[Phillip Clark Campbell]

Mr.Josephson;


That is a nice photo; is it yours?

PCC 1702 does have both wings and dash lights which are latter day additions
to rebuilds;  the first cars in 1972 did not have these items did they?  That dates the
picture to after 1972.  By this time all equipment has horns and roof lights so the
age old separation of 'Interurban' and City equipment is moot; i.e., anything could
be assigned to any route and it was.  Even in PRC days there were 'exceptions' to
the separation of equipment (I remember reading about some in the archives
somewhere) but they were rare exceptions.

Regardless, I would not attribute such a 'bent' pole to backing in a wye.  In fact,
relative to PRC this was 'normal;'  this pole is not bent.  I can't say 'how' common
this was but it was very far from unusual.  I kind of like this type of bend;  it seems
a 'little' more extreme than other cars.  It was common enough that it made an
impression.

Here are some photos from the web that reveal 'similar' bends;  'seems' to be in
the same location on each pole.  If this type of bend is labeled 'convex' then 'concave'
bends are even more rare and harder to explain!


http://www.davesrailpix.com/pitts/htm/pitt153.htm  --  not kinked but an
'Interurban' assigned to 42/38 'City' line.

http://www.davesrailpix.com/pitts/htm/pitt035.htm

http://www.davesrailpix.com/pitts/htm/pitt047.htm  --  1940s // early 1950s

http://www.davesrailpix.com/pitts/htm/bvp019.htm

http://www.davesrailpix.com/pitts/htm/bvp122.htm  --  modest.

http://www.davesrailpix.com/pitts/htm/pitt110.htm  --  not as extreme
but a 'kink' is there in the same location / same style.

http://www.davesrailpix.com/pitts/htm/pitt628.htm

A backing pole wants to stand on end doesn't it;  downward pressure from
the overhead could produce such a bend.  There is much backing in yards.
Could also be from dewirements;  sudden stopping of upward movement
by the catcher may also induce such a bend.  1702 would have a catcher in this photo;
retrievers were being replaced by PRC as they failed in the 1960s.


Phil




> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Ken and Tracie <ktjosephson at embarqmail.com>
> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 9:18:38 PM
> Subject: [PRCo] Bent Pole
> 
> I have a couple dozen shots of Pittsburgh cars with bent poles.
> Here's a shot of car 1702 with one. I wonder what happened?
> Not likely to for an interurban using the Dormont wye.
> Perhaps back-poling in the shop or yards?
> K. 
> 
> 
http://lists.dementia.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/pat1702.jpg