[PRCo] Re: SLPS/SHRT/PTC/MUNI PCC Question

[Fred Schneider]

Because the 1500s were largely assigned to the Broadway line at the end and it was the first PCC line to go bus.    In 1940, before the second order of PCCs, Delmar was being serviced with motor cars (about the age of the Pittsburgh 4100s) pulling trailers.   The city may have still had Birneys ...  I have pictures of them in the 1930s.
By the late 1940s there were still Peter Witts on some routes, some incredibly ancient stuff still running and the 1600s were running on the county lines out to Kirkwood which were much more picturesque than following 1500s up and down Broadway through industrial districts.    It would be a question like ... would you rather photograph cars in Pittsburgh on Butler Street or running to Washington PA or in the middle of Ardmore Blvd.   You know what is going to win.

I have pictures of the 1500s.   Steve Maguire had one good negative that I printed years ago but I don't know if he took it ... just found it in his sand box and rewashed it.   He traded a lot and you never really knew what was his and what came from others.   

Bill Janssen had a quite a number of the 1500s ... he grew up in Peoria and I think he still had a sister (a nun for that matter) who lived in that area ... which gave him a reason to go back.   Today his collection is at the East Troy museum.    

Might also have something to do with an ideological thing .... 'When you have one the last midwest interurban network at your back door, would you waste your Saturdays or Sundays on PCCs or would you go out and photograph the Illinois Terminal?'  I think the ITS would win.   The Broadway line in St. Louis was abandoned in 1955; the Illinois Terminal was still running trains from St. Louis to Peoria until 1956.   You would ignore those (and I'm quoting Andy Maginnis) "steel wheeled buses" in the hope that the ITS would be forced to substitute an ancient orange interurban car for one the newer stainless steel cars this weekend.      



On Nov 19, 2010, at 6:48 PM, richard allman wrote:

> as long as we're on the subject, there a a ton of great shots out there by 
> excellent photographers through the PCC era in St. Louis, but hardly any of 
> the 1500's. Wonder why?
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Fred Schneider" <fwschneider at comcast.net>
> To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
> Sent: Friday, November 19, 2010 6:10 PM
> Subject: [PRCo] Re: SLPS/SHRT/PTC/MUNI PCC Question
> 
> 
>> OK ,,, so you guys are quoting what Steve and I put in the PCC books.   No 
>> way I can remember every detail we put in those books three decades ago 
>> nor would I even try.
>> 
>> It's much more fun keeping up with the new systems today.
>> 
>> On Nov 19, 2010, at 1:50 PM, Fred Schneider wrote:
>> 
>>> OK, I see what you are talking about.   Perhaps SLPS did have their own 
>>> in-house radio system.   It shows up best in color against a dark 
>>> background.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Nov 19, 2010, at 1:15 PM, Ken and Tracie wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Please view these photos:
>>>> 
>>>> http://www.davesrailpix.com/stl/htm/stl018.htm
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
>