[PRCo] Re: PRC 3761 Southbound at Allenport Siding, July 27, 1952

[Phillip Clark Campbell]

Incredibly nice work, Mr.Lybarger; where do I write a letter of
commendation and recommendation for promotion?
 
Phil


ps - can you share her name--your distraction?  Please give
her "Thanks" for allowing this mission on your lunch hour.


________________________________
 From: Edward H. Lybarger <trams2 at comcast.net>
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org 
Sent: Friday, December 9, 2011 3:29 PM
Subject: [PRCo] PRC 3761 Southbound at Allenport Siding, July 27, 1952
 
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A couple days ago I said that I been troubled for several years that
something obvious was being overlooked in trying to positively identify this
photo location.  It's a nice day in suburban Pittsburgh, so I put my
distractions aside and spent my lunch hour visiting Allenport.  En route I
stopped at the PTM Library to recover my ledger book full of interurban
track sketches that I had copied years ago.

Last evening I had assembled two basic documents on the subject:  1) Tom
Phillips's drawing of Allenport, showing a long passing siding in the middle
of Main Street and the track on an old highway alignment, labeled "circa
1940," and 2) a PRC abandonment route map that showed the alignment through
Allenport as being solely on Main Street.  Needless to say, these were in
conflict with one another, and neither one supported my argument for the
location.

I believe that Tom's map has been circulated to the group.  The PRC map is
unwieldy and shows nothing I didn't describe.

The track sketches, however were most revealing, and I immediately
understood what was being overlooked.  It also reminded me that I had failed
to observe Rule #1:  Test Everything.  The passing siding shown on Tom's map
"circa 1940" had been removed in 1934.  To compound the problem, we have all
been thinking that the siding was at the north end of town.  Once sketch
34-029 disabused me of that notion, I drove directly to the spot that today
allows the same long view as the 1952 photo.  The PCC photo that Phil posted
was helpful...it gave an indication of something other than weeds on a
hillside at the left.  That in fact is PA 88; the road dead ahead is the
entrance to the Wheeling-Pittsburgh steel mill, from whence I took today's
pictures.

The following attachments clearly identify the location:

"Track Sketch 25-084" shows the siding in the center of Main Street.

"Track Sketch 34-029" shows the revision made in 1934, with the siding
clearly at the SOUTH end of town.

Photo "South Main Street, Allenport" shows the same view, including a brick
house with a double window at the roof peak

Photo "1852 Main Street, Allenport" shows that house and that window.  It's
at the southeast corner of Main and Washington Streets.

Case closed.

Ed

P.S.  Tom's map shows the car line on the old highway alignment; PRC's map
doesn't.  Tom was right about this...the grade is still very evident.

P.P.S.  The fifth attachment is the view north at Mapleview, clearly
demonstrating why it couldn't be the location.

http://lists.dementix.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/Track%20Sketch%2025-084.jpg

http://lists.dementix.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/Track%20Sketch%2034-029.jpg

http://lists.dementix.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/S%20Main%20St%20Allenport%2012-9-11.jpg

http://lists.dementix.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/1852%20Main%20St%20Allenport%2012-9-11.jpg

http://lists.dementix.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/View%20N%20Mapleview%2012-9-11.jpg