[PRCo] Re: PCC Left turn Smithfield to 6th!

Fred Schneider fwschneider at comcast.net
Sun Nov 14 11:19:39 EST 2010 

Blaine had one advantage that many of us didn't have.  He knew the MAJOR stockholder in the new Pittsburgh Railways (the 1948-1949) company and new what his motives were in buying the company when it was broken apart from Duquesne Light.   

I would rather read a good balanced transportation history than just something about cars, car rosters and where they ran.  Railfan books about they came, we rode them, we miss them rather leave me cold.   

Hays' book promises to be more than that.   At least the conversation I had with him over dinner two years ago showed me that he had a far deeper understanding of the company than most railfans would ever dream of knowing.   

Now, I'm going to stop before I disclose the ending.   Let's leave it a good mystery.   

Regarding Ed's interpretation of the captions, I was thinking the same thing but backed off because they seemed rather like a railfan created them.   Blaine worked for GE and was more than just a railfan.   Perhaps there was a railfan on staff at Hilman Libary or who visited the library and influenced them.   

Let us not throw stones unless we're certain.

fws


On Nov 14, 2010, at 10:05 AM, Edward H. Lybarger wrote:

> I concur with Herb regarding Blaine's writing ability.  He asked both Fred
> and me some time back to review his forthcoming Pittsburgh manuscript, and I
> can assure everyone that you'll want this book when it is published.
> 
> What I think happened on the photo mis-identifications is this:  Blaine's
> youthful fantasy of being the "Pittsburgh Railways Company" probably
> resulted in a rubber stamp being made, along with the letterheads.  In turn
> the rubber stamp was likely used to indicate the source of the photos, which
> I believe were given to Mr. Palmer, whose friendship Blaine had.  They ended
> up in the PRC material that was ultimately deposited in Hillman Library, and
> were incompletely identified.  The photo information was likely supplied by
> university staff, who have a poor track record in interpreting things (and
> don't seem to like to be told what the facts are).
> 
> Ed
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
> [mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org] On Behalf Of Herb
> Brannon
> Sent: Sunday, November 14, 2010 12:46 AM
> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> Subject: [PRCo] Re: PCC Left turn Smithfield to 6th!
> 
> Blaine Hays may have taken the photos. However, if you have read either
> "Cleveland's Transit Vehicles", or "From Horse Trails To Regional Rails",
> both well written, and correctly informative hard bound companion volumes
> tracing the history of Cleveland public transportation, you would see this
> is not the style of Blaine Hays. It appears someone else provided the
> information. I'm going to refrain from "head shakes and chuckles" until I'm
> sure of the source of the information.
> 
> On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 21:18, Phillip Clark Campbell
> <pcc_sr at yahoo.com>wrote:
> 
>> Mr.Lybarger;
>> 
>> But of course;  and your response is one of the rare ones from a 
>> gentleman!  The errors are why I put an exclamation mark at the end of 
>> the Subject line.  I noted this was from the Blaine Hays collection;  
>> it seems 'possible' he provided the 'mis'information isn't it!  t is 
>> worth a few head shakes and chuckles as well.
>> 
>> I searched for  'Blaine S. Hays'  and came up with a page of Pgh.
>> photos credited to him:  http://tinyurl.com/BlaineHayes
>> 
>> Looking at the descriptions on his pictures 'suggests' my hunch about 
>> him providing information is correct.  Note this one:
>> http://tinyurl.com/1696-21-1966
>> 
>> Isn't Mr.Hays reportedly working on a Prc book?  Isn't he in Cleveland?
>> Some of the misinformation is understandable but calling a Trolley a 
>> 'bus'  seems strange.  Comments about the Pat takeover seem to be in 
>> many of his photos as well.
>> http://tinyurl.com/1747-64-1966
>> 
>> "The 1600 Series were fully developed air cars and  the last air cars 
>> with no standee windows. Eleven of these cars were  outfitted as 
>> interurbans to prove that PCCs could make the long run  comfortably 
>> leading the way for the 1700 Interurbans."
>> Of course they were 'air cars without standee windows!'
>> http://tinyurl.com/1651-1967
>> 
>> "Buses 1729 and 1560 crossing side-by-side."
>> http://tinyurl.com/1729-1560
>> 
>> The other misinformation is less glaring.  If Mr.Hays is working on a 
>> Pgh. book,  I have lost interest.
>> 
>> There is another photo where 3-different car numbers are listed-- one 
>> on the car and two in the text (this one is not Mr.Hayes:)
>> http://tinyurl.com/1605-1506-1606
>> 
>> 
>> Phil
>> Without  a   'coast'   but  not  a   'cause.'
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ________________________________
>> From: Edward H. Lybarger <trams2 at comcast.net>
>> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>> Sent: Sat, November 13, 2010 7:07:58 PM
>> Subject: [PRCo] Re: PCC Left turn Smithfield to 6th!
>> 
>> There's a lot wrong with the identifying material accompanying this 
>> image.
>> First, the car is turning from 6th Street onto Liberty Avenue.
>> Second, it's attributed to the Pittsburgh Railways Company holdings.
>> At that time, the railfan photographer called himself the "Pittsburgh 
>> Railways Company" and even had letterheads reading it.
>> Third, the route was around long before 1940.  The University has been 
>> once again been misinformed...it's not part of the actual PRCo 
>> records.
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
>> [mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org] On Behalf Of 
>> Phillip Clark Campbell
>> Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2010 5:06 PM
>> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>> Subject: [PRCo] PCC Left turn Smithfield to 6th!
>> 
>> http://tinyurl.com/1537-87-1965
>> "View of PCC car 1537 making a left turn from Smithfield Street to 6th 
>> Avenue.
>> The 87 Ardmore route existed from 1940  to 1967.
>> It was discontinued as a result of Port Authority  modernization."
>> 
>> Phil
>> Without  a   'coast'   but  not  a   'cause.'
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> --
> Herb Brannon
> In Cuyahoga Valley National Park
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>

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