[PRCo] Re: Question about 69 Squirrel Hill Route

[Dwight Long]

Boris

I think this stems from what is probably, based on recent info from you, a 
misconception.  The late John Baxter, in his write-up on the PRC interurban 
lines and specifically the conversion of 1613 for interurban service, said 
something like "had some weight added to the trucks."  The assumption was 
that the trucks were simply the B2s with which it was delivered, but your 
research tells us it had the experimental B3 trucks.  No doubt these were 
the ones to which weight was added.

All this is assumption on my part based on the facts and suppositions as 
have been recently stated.

Dwight

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Boris Cefer" <westinghouse at iol.cz>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2012 1:01 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Question about 69 Squirrel Hill Route


> Let me ask a question: What does it mean "heavier B2 trucks"?
>
> Boris
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Phillip Clark Campbell" <pcc_sr at yahoo.com>
> To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2012 5:13 PM
> Subject: [PRCo] Re: Question about 69 Squirrel Hill Route
>
>
> Mr.Long,
>
>
> Mr.Cefer addressed your question. I am rewording my original post
> to make it more clear:
>
> There were nine cars with production B3s (as noted, 1613 & 1614
> received the upgraded [experimmental] B3s [first tested under
> 1200s.]) These are the nine cars:
>
> 1615, 1616, 1617, 1618, 1619, 1645, 1646, 1647, 1648.
> This leaves one set of air-equipped B3s as spares.
>
> Car 1644 received the Clark B2A trucks.
>
> All the production B3s for the 1600-series air-cars were
> installed when they were converted for interurban service;
> none of those cars operated [as interurbans] with B2s.
>
> Additionally, as you indicated, car 1613 began interurban
> service with heavier B2s didn't it. "It seems" 1614 began
> its interurban career May-1946 with a set of experimental
> B3s. Again, it would seem 1613 had received a set of
> the experimental B3s by this time. Apparently more
> modifications were made and these two cars could
> occasionally sport B2s for a short time.
>
> Some time after service south of Simmons and Drake ceased,
> cars 1613 and 1614 lost their B3 trucks. One of a kind is
> "4" in this case isn't it yet they were apparently different enough
> to offer unique maintenance challenges. Someone wrote
> recently that car 1614 received [production] B3s from 1645
> that was in the cornfield meet with 1261 in the early 1960s.
>
> Car 1613 lost its interurban retriever by the mid-1950s; the
> catcher above the rear windows was reinstalled. Car 1614
> retained its retriever until Prc replaced all retrievers with
> catchers about 1960 or later. Car 1613 rode hard on B2s
> and was not liked for this and possibly other reasons.
>
> About 1970 or later Pat removed the pilot from 1613,
> replacing it with a lifeguard. The roof mounted light was removed
> as well. Shop crews could still be those from Prc couldn't
> they; it would be interesting to know the reasons behind
> these changes. Not much later Pat put roof lights on all
> equipment, city and interurban--and 1613 when rebuilt.
>
>
> One of the PCC books mentions 1630 received B3s after
> 1648 was lost in the 1955 fire. This is very possible but
> has not been confirmed. This is as far from important as
> one can be yet it is interesting trivia which would be nice
> to know.
>
>
> Phil
>