[PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal

Dwight Long dwightlong at verizon.net
Tue Oct 22 17:54:27 EDT 2013


Bob

Did they go into Brownsville Union Station at all or just turn on the wye?

Dwight
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Bob Rathke 
  To: Western PA Trolley discussion 
  Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 4:38 PM
  Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal



  There were six steam fantrips on the P&LE between Pittsburgh and Brownsville Jct. in 1975 and 1976, all sponsored by the Allegheny RR, a project of Steam Tours in Akron: 
  On the weekend of Sept. 20-21, 1975, ex-GTW 2-8-2 4070 pulled the train. Attached are a couple of the photos I took that weekend: 

  - Leaving the P&LE station on 9/20/75, with PAT 1704 on the Smithfield St. Bridge. 

  - Crossing the Monongahela River between the USS Homestead Works and Rankin on 9/21/75. 

  On the weekends of May 15-16 and 22-23, 1976, ex-Reading 4-8-4 2102 pulled the train. 

  Bob 



  ----- Original Message -----

  From: "Herb Brannon" <hrbran at cavtel.net> 
  To: "Western PA Trolley discussion" <pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org> 
  Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 2:45:30 PM 
  Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal 

  Bob & Dwight, 
  Interesting in that photo of the Clairton Works is the steam locomotive. 
  That was a railfan trip run by perhaps Midwest Railway Historical Society. 
  That may not be who ran the trip but I was on that train. I remember it was 
  a moderately long trip down the Mon Valley. Maybe one of you remember 
  exactly who ran the trip. 


  On Tue, Oct 22, 2013 at 3:37 PM, Dwight Long <dwightlong at verizon.net> wrote: 

  > 
  > Bob 
  > 
  > The Corporation would probably claim that the steam loco was generating 
  > more pollution than their coke works. 
  > 
  > Dwight 
  > ----- Original Message ----- 
  > From: Bob Rathke 
  > To: Western PA Trolley discussion 
  > Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 1:00 AM 
  > Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal 
  > 
  > 
  > I'm not sure if this is still the situation, but attached is a photo of 
  > the Clairton Coke Works that I took in 1975. 
  > 
  > ----- Original Message ----- 
  > 
  > From: "Dwight Long" <dwightlong at verizon.net> 
  > To: "Western PA Trolley discussion" < 
  > pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org> 
  > Cc: "Dennis Lamont" <ge13031 at yahoo.com> 
  > Sent: Monday, October 21, 2013 9:53:05 PM 
  > Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal 
  > 
  > 
  > Herb 
  > 
  > But Irvin works is not a primary producer but rather a rolling mill (as 
  > you said) and so would not generate the "fire and brimstone" that 
  > characterized a primary steel producer. 
  > 
  > I went by Clairton on a train in July and did not notice any smoke at 
  > all, just some condensed water vapor. I think the coking processes are so 
  > contained these days that very little emissions emanate from it. Besides 
  > environmental concerns, the steelmakers have learned that the effluents 
  > from the coke making process are valuable by products that need to be 
  > trapped and sold. The days of the beehive coke ovens that spewed all the 
  > byproducts into the atmosphere are long gone. 
  > 
  > Dwight 
  > ----- Original Message ----- 
  > From: Herb Brannon 
  > To: Western PA Trolley discussion 
  > Sent: Monday, October 21, 2013 10:41 PM 
  > Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal 
  > 
  > 
  > Bob R, 
  > It still had that "orange glow" when I first moved here in 1972. Plus, 
  > when 
  > atmospheric conditions were right, it smelled like fire & brimstone, 
  > everywhere. Even today, on humid days, I still smell the "fire & 
  > brimstone" coming from the Irvin Works just over the hill (on Camp Hollow 
  > Rd) to the south-east of my place. 
  > 
  > Contrary to popular opinion steel is not dead in Pittsburgh. The Clairton 
  > Works still produces coke as it always did, the Edgar Thompson Works 
  > makes 
  > primary steel, the Irvin Works produces rolled steel and the relatively 
  > new 
  > Mckeesport Tubular Works (old National Works, now reopened) makes tubular 
  > products for the Marcellus Shale drilling industry. So the sulphur and 
  > fire 
  > & brimstone can still be smelled on humid days and the orange glow is 
  > still 
  > available in Braddock and Clairton. 
  > 
  > 
  > On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 2:46 PM, Bob Rathke <bobrathke at comcast.net> 
  > wrote: 
  > 
  > > Driving south from Zelienople at night in the 1950's you didn't need a 
  > > compass to locate Pittsburgh - the sky there always had an orange glow. 
  > > 
  > > ----- Original Message ----- 
  > > 
  > > From: "John Swindler" <j_swindler at hotmail.com> 
  > > To: "Western PA Trolley discussion" < 
  > > pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org> 
  > > Sent: Monday, October 21, 2013 10:16:09 AM 
  > > Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal 
  > > 
  > > 
  > > 
  > > Was chatting with some PTM visitors yesterday, and among the "Pittsburg 
  > > smells" mentioned was J&L sulfur smell upon exiting Squirrel Hill 
  > Tunnels 
  > > and heading downgrade to Brady St. exit. They were old enough to 
  > remember 
  > > air pollution from late 1940s - (before my time). 
  > > 
  > > 
  > > 
  > > 
  > > > From: dwightlong at verizon.net 
  > > > To: pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org 
  > > > Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 11:04:35 -0400 
  > > > Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal 
  > > > 
  > > > 
  > > > Herb 
  > > > 
  > > > In Beaver burning next to the curb was OK on concrete streets (we 
  > lived 
  > > on one) or brick ones (still several left in the 50s) but not on 
  > asphalt 
  > > nor tarred ones! 
  > > > 
  > > > Tar? When I was in first or second grade I came home from school for 
  > > lunch. On the way back to school the alley that I used as a shortcut 
  > was 
  > > being freshly tarred. I followed the tar dispensing truck, fascinated. 
  > > When I got to school I was sent home immediately. I looked like the 
  > > proverbial tarbaby. Lots of turpentine and stiff scrubbing later, and a 
  > > new suit of clothes, I returned and was admitted. 
  > > > 
  > > > And we still had plenty of coal furnaces in our town back then, 
  > although 
  > > our house used gas. I well recall the smell of the coal burning on cold 
  > > winter days whilst delivering the Pittsburgh Press to my paper route 
  > > customers. The last time I encountered that smell was just a few years 
  > ago 
  > > in a suburb of Budapest while fotting the trams there. Brought back 
  > many 
  > > memories! 
  > > > 
  > > > Dwight 
  > > > 
  > > > From: Herb Brannon 
  > > > Sent: Monday, 21 October, 2013 10:48 
  > > > To: Western PA Trolley discussion 
  > > > Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves 
  > > > When I was a child, in Akron, the common practice was to burn the 
  > leaves 
  > > > in the street but along the curb stones. Sometimes the piles of 
  > leaves 
  > > were 
  > > > so large that the fires would become too large and would spread to 
  > the 
  > > > treelawn. Then the fire department would be called to put out the 
  > fires. 
  > > It 
  > > > made for an exciting day or evening. Ranking right up there with the 
  > > smell 
  > > > of burning leaves are also the smell of coal smoke and the smell of 
  > fresh 
  > > > tar.............three of the "little joys of life" now gone by the 
  > > wayside. 
  > > > 
  > > > 
  > > > On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 10:33 AM, Dwight Long < 
  > dwightlong at verizon.net 
  > > >wrote: 
  > > > 
  > > > > 
  > > > > Herb 
  > > > > 
  > > > > I can remember back in the 50s coming back to Beaver from auto 
  > trips to 
  > > > > the East that involved the Pa Turnpike—we would use the Warrendale 
  > > exit and 
  > > > > the back roads to Beaver. Coming down into the (Beaver) valley off 
  > the 
  > > > > hill the whole floor of the valley would be engulfed in leaf smoke. 
  > > > > 
  > > > > Unhealthy, they say, but it sure did convey the impression that 
  > Autumn 
  > > was 
  > > > > upon us! 
  > > > > 
  > > > > Dwight 
  > > > > 
  > > > > From: Herb Brannon 
  > > > > Sent: Sunday, 20 October, 2013 10:36 
  > > > > To: Western PA Trolley discussion 
  > > > > Subject: Re: [PRCo] Phil asked about music 
  > > > > You mentioned something I really miss.............the smell of 
  > burning 
  > > > > leaves in October. 
  > > > > 
  > > > > 
  > > > > On Sun, Oct 20, 2013 at 8:37 AM, DF Cramer < 
  > alto_trombone at hotmail.com 
  > > > > >wrote: 
  > > > > 
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > Well, what have I been up to? The beginning of the month I 
  > performed 
  > > > > > Copland, Brahms, & Dvorak with the Butler County Symphony,our (my 
  > > wife 
  > > > > > plays cello) 28th season with the ensemble. I am back at IUP and 
  > > > > delivered 
  > > > > > two arrangements of French Noels from the Baroque period to 
  > begin the 
  > > > > > semester and last week conducted a first reading of my "The 
  > Eternal 
  > > > > Flame", 
  > > > > > a commemorative piece for double trombone choir and narrator I 
  > wrote 
  > > to 
  > > > > > mark the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination. All of 
  > that 
  > > will 
  > > > > be 
  > > > > > performed on November 19 at the university. Next week I perform 
  > with 
  > > IUP 
  > > > > > brass & organ faculty at Zion Lutheran in Indiana for Reformation 
  > > Sunday 
  > > > > > and the following week we are doing Charlie Chaplin's "City 
  > Lights" 
  > > in 
  > > > > > Butler. Chaplin created the musical score for this silent film 
  > and we 
  > > > > will 
  > > > > > be showing the film as we perform. (Side note: if you want 
  > tickets 
  > > let me 
  > > > > > know as soon as possible--I usually get 4 free ones) 
  > > > > > Other than that, I spent quality time with Ed at the Alle-Kiski 
  > > > > Historical 
  > > > > > Society, led a new operator training class at PTM, printed and 
  > > stuffed 
  > > > > > ballots for PTM, and am going to the opera today to see Aida 
  > > (football 
  > > > > fan 
  > > > > > alert--Franco Harris is leading the Grand March in the opera 
  > today) 
  > > > > > I spend lots of time practicing and cleaning up leaves. I mulch 
  > > some and 
  > > > > > burn others---yes we are still permitted to burn here. 
  > > > > > If you missed it--I also performed at the PTM 50th Anniversary 
  > > luncheon. 
  > > > > > See the most recent issue of PTM Trolley Fare, Fred Schneider 
  > took 
  > > some 
  > > > > > great images. 
  > > > > > Dennis F. Cramer 
  > > > > > http://home.windstream.net/dfc1/ 
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > > Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2013 05:49:49 -0700 
  > > > > > > From: pcc_sr at yahoo.com 
  > > > > > > To: pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org 
  > > > > > > Subject: Re: [PRCo] still having issues 
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > Stereo-vision isn't it Mr.Cramer! Soapbox opportunity; make the 
  > > most 
  > > > > of 
  > > > > > it! 
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > You have not recently mentioned anything about your concert or 
  > > music 
  > > > > > engagements. 
  > > > > > > I find them fascinating. Music is not at all unlike laughter is 
  > > it; 
  > > > > > both speak a universal language. 
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > Yes; BB are the last posts I have seen. There was not much of 
  > > anything 
  > > > > > before your BB posts for several weeks. You mentioned a book in 
  > > relation 
  > > > > > to this; please tell more. 
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > Phil 
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > -------------------------------------------- 
  > > > > > > On Sat, 10/19/13, DF Cramer <alto_trombone at hotmail.com> wrote: 
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > Subject: [PRCo] still having issues 
  > > > > > > To: "pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org" < 
  > > > > > pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org> 
  > > > > > > Date: Saturday, October 19, 2013, 3:52 AM 
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > it seemed very interesting that after 
  > > > > > > I posted on the list, several emails came through. I assume 
  > people 
  > > > > were 
  > > > > > responding with reply all. I have received no posts from the list 
  > > other 
  > > > > > than those dealing with Billy Baxter. 
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > Dennis F. Cramer 
  > > > > > > http://home.windstream.net/dfc1/ 
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > 
  > > > > > > _______________________________________________ 
  > > > > > > Pittsburgh-railways mailing list 
  > > > > > > Pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org 
  > > > > > > 
  > https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways 
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > 
  > > > > > 
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  > > > > > 
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  > > > > > 
  > > > > 
  > > > > 
  > > > > 
  > > > > -- 
  > > > > Herb Brannon 
  > > > > *In Pittsburgh...* 
  > > > > *......the Greatest City In The U.S.* 
  > > > > Let's Go Pens 
  > > > > Let's Go Steelers 
  > > > > 
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  > > > 
  > > > 
  > > > -- 
  > > > Herb Brannon 
  > > > *In Pittsburgh...* 
  > > > *......the Greatest City In The U.S.* 
  > > > Let's Go Pens 
  > > > Let's Go Steelers 
  > > > 
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  > -- 
  > Herb Brannon 
  > *In Pittsburgh...* 
  > *......the Greatest City In The U.S.* 
  > Let's Go Pens 
  > Let's Go Steelers 
  > 
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  -- 
  Herb Brannon 
  *In Pittsburgh...* 
  *......the Greatest City In The U.S.* 
  Let's Go Pens 
  Let's Go Steelers 



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