[PRCo] Re: Rt 56 ROW

[Fred Schneider]

Bull.   Palmer knew it very intimately.   He lead the annual budget meetings.   He knew how every penny was being spent.   Trouble was, there were not enough pennies.   

One of his staunchest allies was Charlie Shauck, the Superintendent of Power and Inclines who watched Palmer cut his budget every year.   He knew Palmer knew what was going on.   And I knew Shauck as teenager.



On Aug 9, 2011, at 6:20 AM, Herb Brannon wrote:

> I guess CD Palmer didn't know his own company then.
> On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 00:12, Dwight Long <dwightlong at verizon.net> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> Herb
>> 
>> In 1951 PRC did NOT have sufficient PCCs to fill all the schedules.
>> Furthermore, PCCs could not fill all the schedules even had their been
>> sufficient numbers of them to do so, as there were still routes then which
>> required double end cars.  The latter situation was not changed until the
>> end of 1953 and Jones cars were still required as rush hour supplements
>> until 1954.
>> 
>> Dwight
>> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Herb Brannon" <hrbran at cavtel.net>
>> To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org>
>> Sent: Monday, August 08, 2011 9:53 PM
>> Subject: [PRCo] Re: Rt 56 ROW
>> 
>> 
>>> Both interesting and noteworthy are the comments of C. D. Palmer, PRCo
>>> President 1951-1964, given in a 1969 interview,
>>> "*The principal reason for substitution of buses for trolleys was the
>> high
>>> track investment....throughout the entire reorganization and receivership
>>> period, large sums were expended in construction of track and purchase of
>>> cars. For example, the trustees in the 77-B proceeding, who operated the
>>> property between 1938 and 1951, purchased PCC cars and carried on a
>>> considerable program of track construction. They considered it their
>> duty,
>>> and no one with any responsibility objected, to maintain and preserve the
>>> property in their possession pending reorganization of the system.
>>> Additionally, it was the belief of the trustees and the management that
>>> better service could be provided the Allegheny County community by means
>>> of
>>> trolleys than would be the case by substituting buses. The company and
>> the
>>> trustees used the bus for feeder service, in substitution for trolley
>>> service where it was economically indicated, and for express service.
>>> Thus,
>>> by 1951, Pittsburgh Railways, with sufficient PCC cars to fill all the
>>> schedules, had the benefit of a modernized system with track generally in
>>> a
>>> good state of repair.*"
>>> 
>>> From 1960 to the PATransit takeover on March 1, 1964, Palmer said of that
>>> period of time,
>>> 
>>> ".*.....the management of the Railways operated in a normal, businesslike
>>> manner and applied normal maintenance to its' property. However, we did
>>> scrutinize capital expenditures rather carefully......*"
>>> 
>>> Comments?
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Mon, Aug 8, 2011 at 20:17, Phillip Clark Campbell
>>> <pcc_sr at yahoo.com>wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Mr.Lybarger;
>>>> 
>>>> Did this happen to the PRC, a private company?  I understand
>>>> public authorities like Pat being subsidized but not the private
>>>> companies.  Could you please explain?
>>>> 
>>>> Your comments and Mr.Swindler's tend to dispel the idea that
>>>> PRC was anxious to replace light rail lines if one may use that
>>>> term for that time period--maybe light ridership rail lines is more
>>>> appropriate isn't it.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Phil
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> ________________________________
>>>>> From: Edward H. Lybarger <trams2 at comcast.net>
>>>>> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
>>>>> Sent: Monday, August 8, 2011 3:09 PM
>>>>> Subject: [PRCo] Re: Rt 56 ROW
>>>>> 
>>>>> Also never overlook the fact that they couldn't easily afford to buy
>> the
>>>>> replacement buses on their own...it always seemed to require some help
>>>> from
>>>>> someone -- usually you and me via the PA Department of Highways.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Ed
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> --
>>> Herb Brannon
>>> In Cuyahoga Valley National Park
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Herb Brannon
> In Cuyahoga Valley National Park
> 
> 
>