[PRCo] Re: More PRCo Trivia

Sun May 20 09:01:22 EDT 2012

Mr.Brannon

Let's look at this from another direction.  The Depression and
war forced frugality on all; that became a way of life until death
for many didn't it.  Think of your family when young; you can
probably remember many examples.

In addition to the above Prc also had hundreds of leases which
bled them financially.  It is very easy to say what Prc should or 

should not have done but the reality is Prc did not have the money.
Prc was frugal not cheap.  The bulk of the PCCs were purchased
during bankruptcy weren't they-- i.e., at a time it did not have money
to pay current bills and leases it spends much money on
new equipment.

Prc entered into a contract with the builder didn't they.  It would be
unwise to pay for the sign and refuse them only to purchase them
separately.  This is not frugality is it; the cost of the sign was not
part of the purchase price.

Hunter was a big supplier of such signs; it is most probable there
are many other sign suppliers. In addition to paying retail for the
sign itself, Prc must pay for installation by the builder.  Signs could
be considered a pecialty item.  Those for Prc were full width; some
2-part, others 3-part.  There may be other arrangements.  Labor for
installation on specialty items can be very pricey can't it.  This was
apparently good savings.  Nickel and dime savings for sure but this
is true for all budgets; real savings comes from frugality with many
smaller items.

Keystone-Hunter had branch offices in Pittsburgh.  Prc saved shipping
costs on these signs from Pgh. to St.Louis didn't they:
http://tinyurl.com/85wxpd3

I believe Prc used Ohio Brass catchers; at one time I thought they
had a variety.  The supplier is not important.  For 1200-being delivered
it is possible it is inside the car.  The ladder on the back does not
suggest the workers took it off but rather they retrieved the ladder
under the car while it was easy to do with the car raised.  Once the car is
unloaded they climb on the roof to release the latch on the trolley pole
spring base so the pole can be raised and the car moved under its
own power.

As signs were barn specific as opposed to system wide.  Prc would not
know specifically where the equipment would be assigned until
delivered.  As mentioned earlier, specialty items unique to a particular
party come at a premium.  Prc saves this premium and installs signs
for considerably less.  Nickel and diming a budget makes big savings
doesn't it.

It seems good to look back to those times to understand their business
techniques doesn't it; it may be totally different from today but hardly wrong.
In fact, adapting Prc frugality may be quite beneficial to all of us from
the smallest individual to the largest corporation.  Business like
Mr.Swindler describes where Hawaii builds 3-freeways because of
'apparently' free money hurts all of us doesn't it.

Phil

________________________________
 From: Herb Brannon <hrbran at cavtel.net>
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org 
Sent: Friday, May 18, 2012 4:58 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: More PRCo Trivia

I checked many St Louis Car Co "builders photos" of PRCo PCCs and found
that PRCo was the REAL "transits' stepchild", not the trackless trolley
bus.
Every other property in the US and Canada received their PCCs with
destination signs except Pittsburgh. To me that would seem like going to a
shoe store and getting a 40-cent reduction in the cost of a $125.00 pair of
shoes by not getting the laces and reusing your old ones. It just doesn't
seem practical especially when the destination sign was part of the price
of the car. In 1949, 15 to 20 feet of canvas, two strips of copper edging,
some black printers ink, and the screen-printing would not have been that
much to really fill the PRCo treasury with loads of money. Also the PCCs in
the SLCC builders photos appear to have the Earll Trolley Retrievers
installed. Maybe PRCo removed them and returned them for a couple dollars
of credit. Talk about being cheap !!

On
 Fri, May 18, 2012 at 4:55 PM, Phillip Clark Campbell <pcc_sr at yahoo.com>wrote:

> Most cars were delivered without signs weren't they.  A number
> of photos are attached as evidence.  I believe Mr.Lybarger
> wrote this reduces cost.  Signs, fare boxes, fare registers,
> and a number of other items are installed upon delivery.  Cars
> were sent to Homewood where they were inspected, these and
> other items installed, and then sent to a barn.  It appears the
> catcher is another item installed after delivery doesn't it.
> Signs in Pittsburgh contain destinations only for the barn not
> the whole system.  It is easier to make that determination after
> delivery isn't it.
>
>
> Phil
>
>
> ________________________________
> 
 From: Herb Brannon <hrbran at cavtel.net>
> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementix.org
> Sent: Friday, May 18, 2012 10:36 AM
> Subject: [PRCo] Re: More PRCo Trivia
>
> I thought of that too. 1794 and 1796 with such different spellings on one
> aspect and yet the destination signs were installed at St. Louis Car
> Company prior to shipping.
> On Fri, May 18, 2012 at 10:00 AM, BobDietrich <bob.dietrich1 at verizon.net
> >wrote:
>
> > But how did they manage to get different roll signs in the
> > same series car two numbers apart?
>
http://lists.dementix.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/1612-1613-1614-1615-08-12-1945.jpg
>
http://lists.dementix.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/1692-1694-11-11-45.jpg
>
http://lists.dementix.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/1715-02-28-49.jpg
>
http://lists.dementix.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/1764-1766.jpg
>
http://lists.dementix.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/1200.jpg