[PRCo] DC Streetcar

Sun Dec 22 19:32:19 EST 2013

http://books.google.com/books?id=ZUHrL7tQVS8C&pg=PA30&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false

appears to cover some of this issue

On Sun, Dec 22, 2013 at 3:32 PM, Herb Brannon <hrbran at cavtel.net> wrote:

> I have been led to believe that up until "home rule" came about all laws in
> D.C. were written and approved by the U.S. Congress. There was no other
> agency except the U.S. Government to oversee the operations of the District
> of Columbia. Some history books do have a habit of being wrong, however.
>
>
> On Sun, Dec 22, 2013 at 2:38 PM, Fred Schneider <fwschneider at comcast.net
> >wrote:
>
> > Did not take any act of Congress, Herb.   The previous restriction was
> > written into the franchise.   Once Capital Transit and its predecessors
> > were gone, so was the need to use underground conduits.
> >
> > London used a system in which the plough simply hung in a track or frame
> > under the car which ran the entire width of the car.   The conduit then
> > crossed the running rail to a storage area between the inbound and
> outbound
> > tracks.   Outbound the car simply shot the plow … the "driver" came into
> > the change area fast enough that the flow simply followed the conduit and
> > shot out from under the car.   And a man on the street walked up to the
> car
> > and raised the pole.   In bound the street man used an insulated fork to
> > guide the flow to the frame under the car … he walked along beside the
> car
> > as the car slowly pulled ahead and simply guided the plough into the car.
> >  With proper timing, you probably could have done it in 15 seconds.
> >
> >
> >
> > On Dec 22, 2013, at 12:53 PM, Herb Brannon wrote:
> >
> > > Interesting is the fact that the reasons (dreamed up by Capital Transit
> > in
> > > 1947) for conversion of the Benning Road service from streetcar to bus
> > were
> > > first, the fact that during rush hour periods the service frequency had
> > to
> > > be less than 60-seconds between cars. These lines (Rosslyn-Kenilworth;
> > > Washington Circle-Seat Pleasant; Washington Circle-Kenilworth Junction;
> > > 15th & New York-Kenilworth Junction; and Potomac Park-Seat Pleasant)
> > > required the use of a "plow pit" at the interface between conduit and
> > > overhead operation. The changeover from conduit to overhead and vice
> > > versatook an even 60-seconds and could not be
> > > speeded up using Capital Transit methods (London (UK) accomplished this
> > > faster than 60-seconds) Therefore headways could not be less than
> > > 60-seconds. Buses were the answer. Second, eastbound cars at 15th & New
> > > York Avenue were being delayed do to heavy traffic and the fact that
> > > streetcar movements at that intersection caused missed opportunities
> for
> > > cars to go on their proper routes. Streetcars were always backed up two
> > or
> > > more blocks waiting for a green light to go their respective ways at
> > 15th &
> > > New York. Third, traffic congestion along Benning Road was increasing
> and
> > > those two lanes of streetcar track would make more room for autos. Now,
> > > nearly 70 years later, suddenly traffic is no longer a concern for the
> > > operation of streetcars on Benning Road.
> > >
> > > Not to mention that the new Washington streetcar system uses overhead
> > wire,
> > > hanging above the streets, inside the District of Columbia. I supposed
> > that
> > > this took "an act of Congress" to allow overhead wire in D.C.
> > >
> > > I'm glad the streetcars are coming back, however, why did they have to
> go
> > > in the first place?
> > >
> > >
> > > On Sun, Dec 22, 2013 at 11:47 AM, John Swindler <
> j_swindler at hotmail.com
> > >wrote:
> > >
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Benning Road from front of tour bus during recent TRB meeting.  About
> > half
> > >> the span wires were in place, but no contact wire.  Work was underway
> at
> > >> turnback near Union Station.  Grading completed no construction yet on
> > >> carbarn at east end of the line.  A stated purpose is to help
> > revitalize a
> > >> run-down area.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>> Date: Sun, 22 Dec 2013 16:00:29 +0000
> > >>> From: bobrathke at comcast.net
> > >>> To: pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
> > >>> Subject: Re: [PRCo] DC Streetcar
> > >>>
> > >>> An interesting animation teaching people the things we learned from
> > >> parents and friends in the "old" streetcar era. Attached are a couple
> of
> > >> photos I took in Georgetown on 11/3/78. I had thought that the sign
> was
> > a
> > >> remnant of the streetcar days in D.C., but it may have been posted
> > later to
> > >> warn bicyclists of the rail that was still in the street 16 years
> after
> > >> trolleys ended in the District.
> > >>>
> > >>> ----- Original Message -----
> > >>>
> > >>> From: "DF Cramer" <alto_trombone at hotmail.com>
> > >>> To: pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
> > >>> Sent: Sunday, December 22, 2013 6:26:15 AM
> > >>> Subject: [PRCo] DC Streetcar
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>
> >
> http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/21163/watch-ddots-beautifully-animated-streetcar-video/
> > >>>
> > >>> We now have to teach people how to react.
> > >>>
> > >>> Dennis F. Cramer
> > >>> http://home.windstream.net/dfc1/
> > >>>
> > >>>
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> > >>> _______________________________________________
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> > >>> _______________________________________________
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> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> Pittsburgh-railways mailing list
> > >> Pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
> > >> https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Herb Brannon
> > >
> > >
> > > *In Pittsburgh.............................A City And.........A State
> of
> > > Mind *
> > > Let's Go Pens
> > > Let's Go Steelers
> > >
> > >
> > >
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> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Pittsburgh-railways mailing list
> > > Pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
> > > https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Pittsburgh-railways mailing list
> > Pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
> > https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Herb Brannon
>
>
> *In Pittsburgh.............................A City And.........A State of
> Mind *
> Let's Go Pens
> Let's Go Steelers
>
>
>
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