[PRCo] Re: Question about 69 Squirrel Hill Route

Thu May 3 10:33:57 EDT 2012

Yes, I think it would have had to be late '45, since the car was on line
early in January.  But the general point is valid.

-----Original Message-----
From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementix.org
[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementix.org] On Behalf Of Dwight
Long
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2012 10:01 AM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Question about 69 Squirrel Hill Route

Ed

The information I have from Boris Cefer says they were applied at least to
1613 in late 1945.  But apparently trucks were swapped out from time to time
as the need arose to make adjustments, do maintenance, or otherwise change
the experimental B3s in ways that required their removal from the car.  So
at times 1613 may have had B2s in service.

Dwight

From: Edward H. Lybarger
Sent: Thursday, 03 May, 2012 08:27
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Question about 69 Squirrel Hill Route If you go into the
St. Louis Car order book, you'll find at least two sets of experimental
trucks for PRC during the 1940s.  It is my understanding that these four
trucks were what went under 1613 and 1614 in 1946, and the follow-on order
for B-3s came after the company concluded that the demonstration was a
success.

Ed

-----Original Message-----
From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementix.org
[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementix.org] On Behalf Of Phillip
Clark Campbell
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2012 7:58 AM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Question about 69 Squirrel Hill Route

I have wondered the same Mr.Schneider but I trust the information provided
by Mr.Baxter.  Car 1613 was pulled from Craft, had some weight added to the
B2 trucks, and started service to Washington in late January 1946 with B2
trucks didn't it.  The 1952 writings On the Prc interurbans was put together
by Mr.Baxter, an employee of Prc, and heavily relied on other Prc employees
didn't he.

Phil

----- Original Message -----
From: Fred Schneider <fwschneider at comcast.net>
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
Cc: 
Sent: Wednesday, May 2, 2012 10:36 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Question about 69 Squirrel Hill Route

Please explain, Phillip, where and how the weight was added.  

On May 2, 2012, at 9:17 PM, Phillip Clark Campbell wrote:

> Mr.Cefer,
> 
> 
> As mentioned earlier, the original B2s with which 1613 started service 
> to Washington in January 1946 had weight added to them.
> At least by the time that 1614 was converted for interurban service,
> 1613 and 1614 each got a set of "experimental B3s" that were on the 
> 1200s.
> 
> I do not know that 1613 received its original trucks back when those 
> B3s were removed by the mid-1950s but it was nevertheless a hard 
> riding car that was disliked.
> 
> One could assume from what I wrote below that the B2s were special 
> trucks; they were not.  But they were not good riding.
> 
> 
>  
> Phil
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Boris Cefer <westinghouse at iol.cz>
> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
> Cc: 
> Sent: Wednesday, May 2, 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
> 
> 