[PRCo] Re: F Market GPS

[Phillip Clark Campbell]

Mr.Brannon;
This is an aspect of PRCo I did not know.  Thank you for the
excellent details.  Minute by minute experiences are very
interesting.


Phil




>________________________________
>From: Herb Brannon <hrbran at cavtel.net>
>To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2011 8:56 PM
>Subject: [PRCo] Re: F Market GPS
>
>At PRCo and PATransit it was/is termed "Car On Time or Coach On Time
>depending as to streetcar or bus. Times when I worked the extra board I
>always enjoyed a "COT Car". At Library we would pull into the spur and at
>Drake we would pull into the short piece of track just before the beginning
>of the old bridge over Drake Road. There was just enough room to put a car
>into the former main line at Drake. When a Library car was running late I
>would pull back onto the main (loop) track, reset and plug the switch for
>the curve, then leave on the late cars time. I knew what car to look for as
>did the operator of the late car. When we met we stopped and exchanged cars.
>Then I took the late car to Library Loop, discharged the passengers, backed
>north again to clear the switch, set the switch for the old main, now a
>spur, reset and plugged the switch and waited for the next late car. Drake
>operated the same way using the old mainline spur to hold the COT car until
>needed. Resetting and plugging the switches had to be done properly to
>prevent a derailment at both locations. At Clearview Loop if it was during
>the times that the 42/38A (Shannon extension) was NOT running then I would
>set the COT car on the 38A track just clear of the switch at the car stop.
>If it was during the operating hours of the 38A then I waited at the "back"
>of Clearview Loop. As ON TIME cars arrived I just let the on time operator
>take the COT car and I took his/her car. I would keep trading cars until a
>LATE arrival was reported. Then I left on the late cars time and met up and
>exchanged cars again then back to Clearview Loop to exchange and wait for
>another late car. Buses were done in the same manner only without the track
>work involved with the streetcars.
>When I worked at Capital Metro in Austin I suggested the COT system and they
>started a version (similar to the Harrisburg plan) where a couple buses were
>held at S. Lamar Blvd & Barton Springs Road, downtown, and then sent to
>start the outbound trips of late buses. The driver exchange occured and the
>COT driver brought the late bus into downtown Austin then went back to the
>waiting area for another assignment.
>
>COT systems work nicely.
>
>On Sun, Jul 10, 2011 at 15:40, John Swindler <j_swindler at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> That's why PRC had 'put on time' cars.  (is that official name???)  One
>> location was Jane St. loop for route 76 in pm peak.
>>
>> CAT in Harrisburg is considering stationing an extra driver and bus at 7th
>> and Dock St. in pm peak.  This has been discussed with Tom Collins, which is
>> a name Fred will recognize from high school.
>>
>> Cheers
>> John
>