[PRCo] Re: West Carson Street curves

[Dwight Long]

George

While in general I agree with you, there was at least one exception.  That was in 1952 when a group—perhaps a dozen or more—of 3700s and 3800s ran together from Tunnel to Ingram, via Rt. 32.  I saw it.  These, however, were all operable cars—none were being towed.  Whoever operated them would presumably have either been ferried or taken service trams back to Tunnel.

This still leaves open the question of why the curves at the end of the tunnel connecting with Rt. 32 were not installed at the time Rt. 23 was changed to operate out of Tunnel, or shortly thereafter. The only logical answer of which I can think is that the Railways concluded that the cost of the additional stem time for morning runs could not offset the cost of installing the curves (actually only a Tunnel to Carson curve would have been required for this, or for running scrapper cars to Ingram).  After all, labor was not very pricey during the Depression, and both steel and labor were scarce during WW II.

Any other thoughts on the whys and wherefores of the delay to 1949?

Dwight 


From: George W. Gula 
Sent: Friday, 24 February, 2012 01:18
To: Pittsburgh Railways 
Subject: [PRCo] West Carson Street curves
Ingram at one time was the scrapping location of choice and Tunnel car house
offered a lot of storage room for cars awaiting the scrapper's torch. Since
Pittsburgh Railways moved shop cars to and from Homewood using a tow car, it
is possible that they would also move cars to the scrap pile via the same
way. And if that was the case, they would want to keep a two-car train,
including an inoperable car, out of downtown altogether away from traffic
and from the possibility of an accident tying up paying service. The tow-car
was a picked union job and I doubt that PRCo or the operators would violate
it by running a group of cars to Ingram together and ferrying the operators
back. Even if they had, I doubt that PRCo would want this parade going
through downtown. 
By 1949, PRCo would have known of the rebuilding of East Ohio Street, which
sealed the fate of the Millvale and Etna lines, and in its bankruptcy would
have been contemplating cost reductions. The as now, the closing of the
smaller car houses would have been a distinct discussion topic. These
closures would have required the relocation of cars and the scrapping of
others. The construction of new curves gave the PRCo additional flexibility
while keeping non-revenue moves in downtown to a minimum.
At that time downtown was an extremely congested area and the city would
have frowned at all but essential non-revenue moves there. That was always a
sore spot with the city when I worked in PAT's Operations and Schedules
Departments and still is today with the regular service.

George Gula