[PRCo] Re: PRCo Charleroi CH track

[Dwight Long]

Phil

I don’t see why Westside cars would have had to transit the PRCo car house.  Their own car house was north of the PRCo one, and their track to the west, according to the maps with which we have been provided, left that facility on Lincoln Avenue and then switched over to Fallowfield Avenue. They would not have had to use McKean Avenue south of the intersection of Lincoln and McKean.

Ed has previously provided info that shows that the short bit of track between the south end of double track from Lockview and the south end of the PRCo car house was unsignaled and operated line of sight, so your suggestion is correct.

The only Charleroi-Roscoe trippers in the June 1952 public timetable are the ones I mentioned in my earlier post.  That does not mean that there were not others, just that they were not publically timetabled by that late date.  Shift changes at the steel mill in Allenport, in particular, might have warranted additional service.  

Dwight

From: Phillip Clark Campbell 
Sent: Wednesday, 28 December, 2011 13:09
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org 
Subject: [PRCo] Re: PRCo Charleroi CH track
Attached is an earlier scan of the Charleroi Car House.
One track is shown entering from the south to the first track.
When rebuilt this track led to the 2nd-track and a loop formed from
southbound into left turn along 11th to the furthest track east outside
was installed.  A total of 9-tracks in both drawings remain.



The date on the map from Mr.Lybarger is 1922; I don't see a date
on this one but 'Pittsburg' still uses the old spelling.


I haven't found a date as to when the Car House was first used as
a siding; the other siding is so close.  I would 'guess' that this began
after West-side lines ended or those cars would have to pass through
the Car House as well.


Additionally, pictures show a lack of contactors in the overhead for
nachod signals between the Car House and the next northerly siding
suggesting this was operated by both schedule and line of sight.
Interurbans were every 30-min each direction; Donora locals would
only use the track for barn access when the day begins and ends.
Service is hardly intense; rare work-cars, cut-outs, the occasional charter
or Charleroi-Roscoe local service are the only additions to equipment
passing through here.



Does anyone have information on the frequency of Charleroi-Roscoe
service?  Rush hours only?


 
Phil




________________________________
From: Phillip Clark Campbell <pcc_sr at yahoo.com>
To: "pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org" <pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org> 
Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 10:38 AM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: PRCo Charleroi CH track
 
I am not sure I understand your observations.  These tracks
appear in maps and many photos don't they.  The photographer
is facing south.  Donora locals leave and return to the yard using
this track.  As the Car House was used as 'part' of a siding the
northbound interurban left the Car House to continue its trip to
Pittsburgh using these tracks.

The gantlet overhead is only at the barn for shop usage as shown
by the enclosed photo.  The dual contactors in the other wire reveal
the track is unidirectional for the siding; interurban 1719 turning
into the barn is doing so as part of its revenue run.  There is another
photo somewhere showing a PCC Interurban leaving the yard from
the Car House back onto the main using these very tracks isn't there.


Charleroi housed Interurbans over night so they could go to Roscoe
on pullout.  Those cars pulling in the previous evening
from Roscoe
would be facing north--all interurbans are SE--how did they turn
them to be ready for service going south?  Several ways:  NB car
goes straight thru instead of turning into the yard, throws the point (which
may need plugged if it is a spring return switch to insure it is always
set correctly for service,) place the trolley pole on the gantlet wire, then
back around the barn to the ladder track on the north side of the yard.
There are other more involved ways.

This then begs: how do the interurban cars leave the yard to head
south?  'I am told' with US&S signals a car can use either side of a
siding and all signals shall set correctly. Prc always operates to the right
through a siding--if a car needed to use the left track thru the siding
all signals still set correctly -- all opposing signals go to red as the car enters
single track.  I am not sure iff nachods operate this
way as wiring from the
contactors seem more dedicated.  If the nachods have a parallel operation
to US&S style control then the cars can be parked to leave the barn on
the northbound 'siding' track in the barn.  Otherwise the interurbans need
to back out on the ladder track in the picture you supplied, then head south
making sure the trolley is on the correct wire to activate the contactors for
the nachods.


The Car House was not always used as a siding was it.  One of the tracks on
the south was added for the siding, most likely the curve 1719 is using.
Mr.Phillips sent me drawings of this if I can find them.  I don't remember the
date of the addition.  Otherwise, as Mr.Lybarger indicates, the track here
remained essentially as built.

I would hazard a guess that the siding in the Car House was instituted after
the West-side cars quit
service.

Phil

________________________________
From: "Lattner, Raymond" <rlattner at pa.gov>
To: "pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org" <pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org> 
Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2011 11:25 AM
Subject: [PRCo] PRCo Charleroi CH track

Hello, I was reviewing the latest  Charleroi PRCoTPTrackMaps and noticed there was
no mention of any tracks at the front end of the Charleroi Car House that
lead to the left (see attached pic) as you are looking at the CH.
Any idea about this track or
tracks?
http://lists.dementix.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/wvp331.jpg

Regards

Ray


http://lists.dementix.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/1719-CCH.jpg


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