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

Fred Schneider fwschneider at comcast.net
Sun Nov 14 11:26:23 EST 2010 

This is a great example that you can't proofread your own writing.  

knew what his motives were; not new.


On Nov 14, 2010, at 11:19 AM, Fred Schneider wrote:

> 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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