[PRCo] Re: Roll signs Interurbans

[Dwight Long]

Phil

The double track ended just below Finleyville and that would have been the logical place for DE cars to reverse.  There was also a crossover at a place called McChain just north of Finleyville, but if the cars reversed there, they would not have achieved Finleyville proper.

Dwight

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Phillip Clark Campbell 
  To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org 
  Sent: Tuesday, 02 November, 2010 11:05
  Subject: [PRCo] Re: Roll signs Interurbans


  > From: Dwight Long <dwightlong at verizon.net>
  > To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
  > Sent: Tue, November 2, 2010 1:56:34 AM
  > Subject: [PRCo] Re: Roll signs Interurbans

  > Phil

  > The Roscoe sign on 3769 makes sense as these cars were used
  > in interurban tripper service and as I pointed out in years gone by
  > there was some Charleroi-Roscoe (Elco) local service.
  > There may even have been in earlier years some local service from
  > Riverview to Roscoe, but I do not know anything about such.

  Mr.Long,   I remember seeing your comments recently.  Mr.Lybarger
  indicated this was a railfan entry;  not sure if he meant they installed the
  sign or just rolled it up for display.  I believe it was a valid sign on the
  cars at one point in history from all that has been written here;
  it would make sense to use it on local Charleroi Roscoe service but
  then the cars from Pgh should use same for consistency shouldn't they.


  > I would have to look up the facts on the alternating service to Donora which
  > you cite but my offhand impression is that it ceased before the 3800s were 
  > built.  But it would make sense for PRC to include that reading on the
  > original signs just in case they wanted or needed to run it again, even if
  > it had been discontinued by then.

  All this is true;  service to Donora commenced and ceased before the
  3800s.  I concur with your conclusions as well.

  > As to the temporary Finleyville sign, I have no idea why some Riverview
  > trippers used that reading and others more appropriately Riverview.
  > As Ed has pointed out, all the single end trippers went all the way to
  > Riverview, where they wyed.  At some point there may have been double
  > end trippers which DID turn at Finleyville--such as in County Fair
  > season--but again I have no specific info on such.

  In the archives Mr.Lybarger pointed out it made sense to the passengers
  at the time.  As you suggest maybe it was only at County Fair time when
  the rwy had reverse ride passengers from Finleyville to the Fair.  As for DE
  equipment, where would they turn?  Lanks?  I don't remember crossovers
  in that area.  They would need the faster DE cars for such; the unmodified
  DE slow cars could seriously affect schedules for others!


  > Now if someone can just come up with a 1700 or 1600 interurban with
  > a Finleyville sign up----------

  > Dwight

    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Phillip Clark Campbell 
    To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org 
    Sent: Monday, 01 November, 2010 22:12
    Subject: [PRCo] Re: Roll signs Interurbans


    Mr.Long;
    Here is 1442 with a temporary Finleyville sign:
    
  http://lists.dementia.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/1442%2035+%20Finleyville%20SHJ%20Pullout%20195xxxxx.jpg



    Roscoe sign on 3769:
    http://www.davesrailpix.com/pitts/htm/wvp011.htm

    Donora sign on 3805:
    http://www.davesrailpix.com/pitts/htm/wvp013.htm
    Yes; there was a time when every other car turned at Donora wasn't there.
    Short lived;  just a few years at most.

    I have seen others, Mr.Long, but they prove elusive to find don't they.
    One was on a Brill interurban.

    Phil
    Without  a   'coast'   but  not  a   'cause.'





    ________________________________
    From: Phillip Clark Campbell <pcc_sr at yahoo.com>
    To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
    Sent: Mon, November 1, 2010 10:52:54 AM
    Subject: [PRCo] Re: Roll signs Interurbans

    Mr.Long,
    The split signs with route and destination for terminal are nice
    in theory but don't work in practice;  people see the route but
    not the terminal and then moan about the rwy when forced
    out before their stop.  I mentioned this in a previous post.  I
    also mentioned the separate route number ala Prc which seems
    to work much better.

    I have seen photos with a Roscoe destination Mr.Long;  I shall
    try to find some for you.  There may be a PCC photo in the archives
    displaying Finleyville but it is hand drawn for the occasion.

    Phil
    Without  a   'coast'   but  not  a   'cause.'





    ________________________________
    From: Dwight Long <dwightlong at verizon.net>
    To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
    Sent: Sun, October 31, 2010 1:06:55 PM
    Subject: [PRCo] Re: Roll signs Interurbans

    Fred

    A number of PCC operators had split front destination signs.  The one 
    (typically) on the left (as one faces the car) had the route name and the one 
  on 


    the right had the destination.  This was a better system for companies with a 
    lot of cutbacks and alternate routings.  PRC tried to handle these by 
    establishing separate route numbers, i.e. 43, 69, 55B, etc.  Not nearly as 
    elegant a system as split signs!

    And, of course, it did not work on the interurban lines where, prior to 1953, 
    there were no route numbers, just destinations--and they were not always 
    properly displayed!

    Dwight