[PRCo] Re: PTM November 2009

[Edward H. Lybarger]

Yes, I have this book.  If I recall correctly, it was one of the earliest
traction books done by Indiana University Press and I was disappointed in
the photo reproduction.  They didn't understand the concept of contrast. 

-----Original Message-----
From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org] On Behalf Of Dwight
Long
Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 12:20 AM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Subject: [PRCo] Re: PTM November 2009

Ed

There WAS a decent history of the LSE, written by Herb Harwood and Bob
Korach.  No doubt you have it or have seen it.

Christiansen's work did have one good feature--directions to find  remaining
LSE artifacts.  It was helpful when I did a program for Hoosier Traction
Meet on what is left (or I should say was left because the program was +/-
ten years ago) of LSE.

Dwight

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Edward H. Lybarger
  To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
  Sent: Monday, 19 July, 2010 11:23
  Subject: [PRCo] Re: PTM November 2009


  Another literary light of the highest magnitude, of course [gag]. 

  -----Original Message-----
  From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
  [mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org] On Behalf Of Dwight
  Long
  Sent: Monday, July 19, 2010 10:51 AM
  To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
  Subject: [PRCo] Re: PTM November 2009

  Fred

  It was Harry Christiansen.

  Dwight

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: Fred Schneider
    To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
    Sent: Monday, 19 July, 2010 08:00
    Subject: [PRCo] Re: PTM November 2009


    The condition of the roadbed in many of our museums is vastly superior
to
  the actual railways we attempt to portray.   

    The original history (and I have managed to forget the author's name) of
  the Lake Shore Electric describes how you could walk along the line in
1937
  and simply lift the spikes out of the crumbling ties with your bare hands
  yet they were still running cars at mile-a-minute speeds.  

    Before its abandonment in 1957, the track gangs on the New York, Ontario
  and Western Railroad were moving cinders from one place to another to try
to
  hold the track ties up for a few more weeks ... they could not afford
  ballast.  

    I remember Wendell Dillinger telling me how he caught hell from the lady
  who owned the Iowa Terminal Railroad because he installed tie plates under
  the rail to protect the ties from being hammered by the heavy tank cars
they
  were hauling.   She simply didn't want her money spent.   

    We all remember Pittsburgh Railways.   I remember a motorman out on
  Charleroi in 1953 telling me, as he slowed for a major kink, "They quit
  fixing anything out here when they decided to abandon."   Frankly, who
could
  blame them.   You don't throw money down a rat hole.   

    I remember some of the Pennsylvania Railroad branches where gauge bars
  instead of ties held the track together between derailments.

    Frankly, there is no comparison between what I remember in the declining
  years of the privately owned "for profit" railways and what I see today at
  Orange Empire, Western, PTM, Baltimore Streetcar Musem, IRM and so forth.
  It's remarkable to have ties holding up the rails!   :<)   

    For those into steam ... stop by and I'll show you pictures of what the
  Strasburg looked like when the new management took over in 1958 with
flowers
  growing out of the rotting ties.   In the 1960s they were spending $20,000
a
  year on track maintenance just to gradually bring it up to snuff.
Believe
  me, in the first years you could loose $5,000 a mile and almost never see
  where you put it.     And there was nothing that beat up the track quite
  like an 0-6-0 doing 25 mph.   You could have it beautifully lined at the
  beginning of the summer and beat to shreds three months later.



    On Jul 19, 2010, at 7:22 AM, Dennis F Cramer wrote:

    > PTM is not a PRCo Museum, but one which reflects the Electric Era,
much
  of
    > it as centered in Pennsylvania.  The volunteers at the museum spend a
  lot of
    > time making sure the ride is safe and comfortable, so we can operate
the
    > antique cars.  We have received numerous positive comments on the
  condition
    > of the right of way and the overhead.  Our volunteers in those
  departments
    > work hard to keep up the great appearance.  Our typical guest would be
    > greatly disturbed if they had to ride over weed infested track, and as
  an
    > operator, I appreciate being able to see what lies in front of me.
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > 
    >          Dennis F. Cramer
    > http://home.windstream.net/dfc1
    >
    >
    >
    >