[PRCo] Re: Washington Interurban Forensics

[John Swindler]

The problem is the house - it seems to eliminate 38A as a contender.  What the track does at the road in the background seems inconclusive.  I'll agree with either opinion - that it crosses the road or it enters the road.  Seems inconclusive.
 
We have managed to discover the location of quite a few pix based on houses in the background.  Most recently Ed and I went looking for houses in the background of some West Penn pix on the Irwin line.  Likewise Fred and I did the same with a couple Reading pix on the Mohnton line.   Ahhh, the challenge of counting the second story windows and chiminey locations.  Assuming house still there and hasn't been drastically altered.  It's fun, and a good excuse to get out of the house.
 
In the end, this is probably a picture to print, and then visit the area for some field work - for those so inclined.  March might be better weather.
 
Cheers
John
 
 

 

> Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2011 07:51:18 -0800
> From: pcc_sr at yahoo.com
> Subject: [PRCo] Re: Washington Interurban Forensics
> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
> 
> Mr.Swindler;
> 
> The problem is not the house is it.  It is the street with track.
> No such street operation on the 38A.  It crossed a few streets,
> one near Castle Shannon with never used double track, but
> the 38A did not operate on the streets.
> 
>  
> Phil
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: John Swindler <j_swindler at hotmail.com>
> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org 
> Sent: Thursday, December 8, 2011 9:28 AM
> Subject: [PRCo] Re: Washington Interurban Forensics
> 
> 
> 
> The problem with 38A might be the house in the background.  House is probably still there - just have to find it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > From: dwightlong at verizon.net
> > To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
> > Subject: [PRCo] Re: Washington Interurban Forensics
> > Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2011 18:13:12 -0500
> > 
> > 
> > Bob
> > 
> > I doubt this picture was taken on the Washington interurban line at all.
> > 
> > I believe all sidings on that line which were open track sidings were 
> > protected by USS track/impedance bond signals. This photo shows a Nachod 
> > signal OHL contactor, which suggests to me that it was not on the 
> > Washington line. Could this possibly be on 38A?
> > 
> > Dwight
> > 
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Bob Iannucci" <bob at rail.com>
> > To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org>
> > Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 1:09 PM
> > Subject: [PRCo] Washington Interurban Forensics
> > 
> > 
> > > Phillip Clark Campbell wrote:
> > >> In the archives is a picture of an old car that no one on this list can
> > >> identify isn't there. It is reportedly on the Interurban lines. A PCC 
> > >> was
> > >> also photographed at the same location. It is tedious trying to find the
> > >> photo in the archives. This looks like the photo in the archives,
> > >> again, location unidentified by anyone:
> > >> http://www.davesrailpix.com/pitts/htm/wvp009.htm
> > >>
> > >
> > > This is a really intriguing picture - I had never seen it before. The lay
> > > of the roadbed behind the car, the direction of the track, and the 
> > > location
> > > of the poles match a location in Upper St. Clair, just southwest of the
> > > former Drake Trestle. The area is now called Wiltshire Park. Analysis 
> > > of
> > > old maps shows that a walking path in that park was once part of the
> > > roadbed of the former Washington Interurban line. On my trip to 
> > > Pittsburgh
> > > this summer, I shot photos of that area. The poles are long gone, but
> > > there is still pretty clear evidence of them on the right hand side
> > > (relative to the direction in which the car in the picture is traveling) 
> > > of
> > > the former roadbed. The widening of the walking path in that area now
> > > corresponds to the passing siding we see in the picture from the 1940's.
> > > Can anyone say if there was a passing siding just southwest of the
> > > Trestle? The area is overgrown now, but when I was growing up in Upper 
> > > St.
> > > Clair in the 1960's, this area was just brush as in the 1940's photo.
> > >
> > > I've made up the attached for your review - to give you some context and 
> > > to
> > > invite analysis of these two pictures. Were they shot at the same
> > > location? At present, the evidence is somewhat thin. Any information to
> > > prove or disprove this will be appreciated.
> > >
> > > If anyone can find the picture of the PCC taken at the same location (as
> > > mentioned above), I'd really appreciate it. Also, I am looking for *any*
> > > photos of the former Washington interurban line in the area from Drake to
> > > the southwest edge of Upper St. Clair.
> > >
> > > Thanks.
> > >
> > > Bob
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > -- Attached file removed by Ecartis and put at URL below --
> > > -- Type: application/pdf
> > > -- Size: 2069k (2119165 bytes)
> > > -- URL : 
> > > http://lists.dementix.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/Interurban%20Forensics.pdf
> > >
> > >
> > > 
> > 
> > 
>