[PRCo] Re: 'maybe' not East McKeesport

Sun Nov 27 18:48:11 EST 2011

That possibility also exists that maybe this is something other than what
it appears to be. Remember, this is a photography studio. If you start
looking through the entire collection you will see both interesting and
absurd pics. One is the aforementioned "new Buick" (that car stayed new for
a looooong time) "waiting at Cincinnati, Ohio for the "pole ferry" to cross
the river." Now, if you think the Ohio River is a big river when it leaves
downtown Pittsburgh you should see it at Cincinnati. It's wider and deeper
than at Pittsburgh and has strong currents. I doubt if they were waiting on
a "pole ferry" to get across the river. The boat, the car and everyone on
the boat would be in Louisville before they could "pole" across from Ohio
the Kentucky. My idea of a "pole ferry" is a guy standing at the rear of a
boat with a long pole, pushing said boat across the water by touching the
bottom of the stream with the pole and pushing across the stream. The
stream would have to be very docile which the Ohio River is not. This is
not to mention the length of the pole and the torque required to push the
boat across would mean that Superman, Wonder Woman or Batman would have to
be the pole tender.
There are several of these types of explanations connected to photos in
this collection.

As for the photo we are looking at I am betting on a mislabeled or
contrived pic. Mislabeled do to the hill height, tree types and condition
of the electric railroad. Contrived, maybe. I'm not satisfied with the
perspective of the railroad tracks on the opposite side of what may be a
depression. The tracks are very close looking at the right side of the
photo but bend away what I perceive to be too quickly in relation to the
distance on the dirt road as they move toward the left side of the photo.

I'll keep looking. Maybe something will become available for comparison.

On Sun, Nov 27, 2011 at 18:07, John Swindler <j_swindler at hotmail.com> wrote:

>
>
> Hi Herb
>
> I saw that and thought --  canal?????   Then decided Naaah.  In 1906
> whould be more prominent.
>
> I don't know why I keep thinking Ohio river to left and somewhere between
> E. Liverpool and Wheeling.  But this is just idle speculation.  Need to
> consider some other possibilities - like perhaps one of those West Penn
> operations around Leechburg, or perhaps Westmoreland County Ry.  Wonder if
> Indiana County Ry followed any railroad in a valley.  What's down around
> Parkesburg/Marietta area??   Not good to have a pre-conceived notion with
> this sort of inquiry.
>
>
>
>
>
> > From: hrbran at cavtel.net
> > Date: Sat, 26 Nov 2011 18:30:25 -0500
> > Subject: [PRCo] Re: 'maybe' not East McKeesport
> > To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
> >
> > Now to confuse the issue even more.
> > Look very closely at the space between the crude "guardrail" at the side
> of
> > the road and the first railroad track. Look at this area where the last
> two
> > railroad cars are sitting. Between the closest railroad track and the
> fence
> > (in front of and below the hopper car) doesn't there appear to be a
> > depressed area running the length of the photo horizontally? Maybe a
> stream
> > or another railroad?? Look through the planks on the "guardrail" fence
> > (ignore the plant life below the guardrail fence) and all along that
> > horizontal line can be seen plant growth, debris and ballast on the side
> of
> > what looks like a depression.
> >
> > Let me know if anyone thinks that is what I am seeing. That's also a good
> > way to Photoshop two pics together.
> >
> > On Sat, Nov 26, 2011 at 13:11, Derrick Brashear <shadow at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > > Hm. None of the stuff near South Fork (Penn Central or Souther Cambria)
> > > had the electric track at roadside with railroad track to the north,
> did it?
> > >
> > > Derrick
> > >
> > > On Nov 26, 2011, at 1:04 PM, Herb Brannon <hrbran at cavtel.net> wrote:
> > >
> > > > One thing I thought about when I first looked at the photo is that
> the
> > > > trolley line construction does not seem up to the usually high
> > > construction
> > > > standards of PRCo.
> > > > It appears as though the tracks are sinking in the mud every time it
> > > rains.
> > > > Look at the wheel track marks in the road, next to the trolley
> tracks,
> > > and
> > > > the dark spot which has not yet completely dried from the last rain.
> PRCo
> > > > was usually good about keeping standing water off the tracks,
> > > > notwithstanding general floods, of course.
> > > > Also, to me, the "1974" on the auto looks superimposed. Maybe not,
> but it
> > > > just doesn't look right.
> > > >
> > > > On Sat, Nov 26, 2011 at 12:13, Derrick Brashear <shadow at gmail.com>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> On Nov 26, 2011, at 11:25, "Edward H. Lybarger" <trams2 at comcast.net
> >
> > > >> wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >>> What about the Lincoln Highway in the Loyalhanna gorge through
> Chestnut
> > > >>> Ridge, with the Ligonier Valley RR adjacent?
> > > >>>
> > > >>
> > > >> what would the rail line with the electric overhead be?
> > > >>
> > > >>> -----Original Message-----
> > > >>> From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementix.org
> > > >>> [mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementix.org] On Behalf
> Of
> > > John
> > > >>> Swindler
> > > >>> Sent: Saturday, November 26, 2011 9:38 AM
> > > >>> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
> > > >>> Subject: [PRCo] Re: 'maybe' not East McKeesport
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>> How about "east of McKeesport"???
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>> Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:20:19 -0800
> > > >>>> From: pcc_sr at yahoo.com
> > > >>>> Subject: [PRCo] Re: 'maybe' not East McKeesport
> > > >>>> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> I wondered the same about a river, Mr.Swindler.
> > > >>>> Coupling that with Mr.Barry's comments make the position of RR and
> > > >>>> Trolley track seemed reversed doesn't it. RRs often follow river
> > > >>>> valleys. Seems to be a rather large yard possible here, or several
> > > >>>> passing tracks. The few RR cars seem to be on a grade compared to
> the
> > > >>>> "main" in the foreground.
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> Mr.Brannon noted the foliage; the hill seems steep and high for
> Pgh.
> > > >>>> area. Because of OH reference I
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> thought of Ohio River Valley of Wheeling area. It has been
> 5-decades
> > > >>>> since being that way; I can't remember steepness of hills.
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> To reconsider the E-McKeesport link I am looking at the WP maps
> along
> > > >>>> the Youghiogheny yet all alignments here seem to put the RR
> against
> > > >>>> the river cancelling the alignment in the picture. I was never
> along
> > > >>>> this river so am not familiar with the hills; they would still
> seem to
> > > >>>> be lower than those in the picture.
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> The WP map shows "East McKeesport" as between Wilmerding and
> Trafford.
> > > >>>> There is a creek/river and RR running east-west; the RR branches
> to
> > > >>>> both sides of the river east of E-McKeesport. This would then
> suggest
> > > >>>> the Trafford line. Hills here seemed to be higher than those
> closer
> > > >>>> to Pgh. Still much of the trolley line allowed the RR closer to
> the
> > > >>>> river as I remember, at least latter day alignment. Mr.Barry may
> have
> > > >>>> hit the nail on the head.
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> "East McKeesport" must be marked on the photograph for it to be
> > > >>>> included here. Whether location or address of photographer or
> other
> > > >>>> could be debated.
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> It seems the Stewarts left one "key word" out of their
> > > >>>> description: "1974" Anyone familiar with local or PA state license
> > > >>>> plates in 1906?
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> Has everyone assured their Black Friday deals?
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> Phil
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>> ________________________________
> > > >>>>> From: John Swindler <j_swindler at hotmail.com>
> > > >>>>> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
> > > >>>>> Sent: Friday, November 25, 2011 9:29 AM
> > > >>>>> Subject: [PRCo] Re: not East McKeesport
> > > >>>>>
> > > >>>>> I was wondering if there was a river off of the left side of the
> > > >>> picture???? The collection includes some pix from southern Ohio.
> > > Could
> > > >>> this have been enroute, perhaps around the Steubenville area?? As a
> > > >>> disclaimer, this is total speculation NOT based on any evidence.
> > > >>>>>
> > > >>>>> Happy Thanksgiving holiday
> > > >>>>> John
> > > >>>>>
> > > >>>>>
> > > >>>>>> From: mrb190 at pitt.edu
> > > >>>>>> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
> > > >>>>>> Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:08:05 -0500
> > > >>>>>> Subject: [PRCo] Re: not East McKeesport
> > > >>>>>>
> > > >>>>>> The first thing that came to my mind was that it was the
> Trafford
> > > >>> route. But, the railroad tracks should be below the streetcar
> > > tracks....
> > > >> Not
> > > >>> sure.
> > > >>>>>>
> > > >>>>>> ________________________________________
> > > >>>>>> From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementix.org
> > > >>>>>> [pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementix.org] On Behalf Of
> > > >>>>>> Derrick Brashear [shadow at gmail.com]
> > > >>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2011 10:03 PM
> > > >>>>>> To: Pittsburgh Railways Group
> > > >>>>>> Subject: [PRCo] not East McKeesport
> > > >>>>>>
> > > >>>>>> so where the heck is it?
> > > >>>>>>
> http://bradystewartphoto.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/20th-Centur
> > > >>>>>> y-Automobiles-Trucks-and-Boats/G0000flbWWbccdiw/I0000RZxXcxRETYA
> > > >>>>>>
> > > >>>>>> --
> > > >>>>>> Derrick
> > > >>>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Herb Brannon
> > > > In Cuyahoga Valley National Park
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Herb Brannon
> > In Cuyahoga Valley National Park
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>

-- 
Herb Brannon
In Cuyahoga Valley National Park