[PRCo] Re: 1893 version of a PCC truck

[rejmhj at netzero.com]

Yes, the Siemens cars were standard design with DC monomotors.  My conversations with Siemens folks - who were very unhappy campers - was that wheel size difference limits were not being observed.  PAT brought in a consultant and its report was in my opinion all over the map, and PAT people I have met say monomotor was an unworkable design for Pittsburgh conditions.  My suspicion remains that most of what took place was intended as cover-up on the PAT side.  Anyway, a lot was spent on converting the cars to motor per axle as part of the mid-life updating process.  The entire Pittsburgh project stands as a case-in-point as to why quite a few of our public transit and commuter rail agencies should never be given anything but Monopoly money.
The Philly fleet is now 30 years old, no car has ever been scrapped and no car has ever left the property other than several wreck-repair jobs - there is always a car or two in the backshop getting traffic accident repairs; the fleet has received a number of hardware and electronic changes in-house to solve obsolescence and parts supply issues, and it is still working reliably in perhaps the most demanding service in the country, (single car subway operation on less than one-minute headways, lots of street operation in all kinds of weather, track conditions that any European would take out of service instantly, etc.), and it is now operating with a moving-block CBTC signal system.  And no fleet replacement is currently under consideration.
Russ J.
---------- Original Message ----------
From: "Dwight Long" <dwightlong at verizon.net>
To: <rejmhj at netzero.net>, <ge13031 at yahoo.com>
Cc: <billvigrass at verizon.net>, <oerm196 at yahoo.com>, <hassel8 at comcast.net>, <jackmay135 at gmail.com>, <pfuhler at msn.com>, <tracksofnyc at gmail.com>, <fwschneider at comcast.net>, <artwheeler at trolleybuses.net>, <pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org>
Subject: Re: 1893 version of a PCC truck
Date: Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:44:47 -0500

 Russ Weren't the first PCC-replacement cars in Pittsburgh monomotor?  I seem to recall that, and that when they went back for a second tranche they abandoned that idea, for the reasons you state--weight and maintenance. Dwight----- Original Message ----- From: rejmhj at netzero.net To: ge13031 at yahoo.com Cc: billvigrass at verizon.net ; oerm196 at yahoo.com ; hassel8 at comcast.net ; jackmay135 at gmail.com ; dwightlong at verizon.net ; pfuhler at msn.com ; tracksofnyc at gmail.com ; fwschneider at comcast.net ; artwheeler at trolleybuses.net ; pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2012 8:08 PMSubject: Re: 1893 version of a PCC truck
Somewhere in the files I have a shot or drawing of a similar truck proposed in the US - I forget the proposer's name, but it was similar vintage.  It is quite incorrect to relate it in any way to ERPCC, which according to Sy Kashin looked at the idea but rejected it as having too many maintenance implications.  The monomotor scheme works OK if you are careful with maintenance, but is weighty because you have cast steel from axle to axle.  There was a PCC in the Hague that was equipped with DuWag monomotor trucks as a test, and I did ride it.  It didn't ride any better and the maintenance engineer there said it increased the car weight by no small amount.  Eventually the trucks were sold to Dusseldorf.
Russ Jackson
---------- Original Message ----------
From: Dennis Lamont <ge13031 at yahoo.com>
To: billvigrass at verizon.net, "rejmhj at netzero.net" <rejmhj at netzero.net>
Cc: oerm196 at yahoo.com, hassel8 at comcast.net, jackmay135 at gmail.com,  dwightlong at verizon.net, pfuhler at msn.com, tracksofnyc at gmail.com,  fwschneider at comcast.net, artwheeler at trolleybuses.net,  pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
Subject: Re: 1893 version of a PCC truck
Date: Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:39:48 -0800 (PST)


A little before its time EH WOT ! Dennis

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