[PRCo] Re: Rt 56 ROW

[Edward H. Lybarger]

Palmer's interview was 15 years after the fact.  Memories fade.  I think he
simply omitted the word "base" before schedules.  The yellow car trippers
would have continued beyond 1954 had it not been for the extended strike
that year.  PRC management wanted in the late '40s to buy one more hundred
PCC cars, but the 1949 decline in ridership and the pending emergence from
receivership put an end to that kind of thinking.

Ed

-----Original Message-----
From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementix.org
[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementix.org] On Behalf Of Herb
Brannon
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 6:20 AM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Rt 56 ROW

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