[PRCo] LIBRARY 1953.06.28

[Holland, James B.]

>> On 2014-09-03 14:00, Holland, James B. wrote:
>>
>> Enclosed is a copy of the LIBRARY Schedule the day after service to 
>> Charleroi Terminated.  Apparently the Castle Shannon service 
>> continues -- whether or not interlined with Library I do not know at 
>> this point.  Washington service is hourly with hourly cars from Drake 
>> wye near Walthers stop, drake cars 30-min after a Washington car, by 
>> schedule.
>>
>> Castle Shannon had Owl service as well -- those times marked with an 
>> asterisk* left IB from Castle Shannon or OB to Castle Shannon from 
>> downtown Pgh.
>>
>> Castle Shannon cars used the 38-Mt.Lebanon outbound in the morning 
>> rush and inbound in the evening rush to lessen congestion through the 
>> single track.  The two extra sidings (McKinley Park and Edgebrook) 
>> were added "about this time" but may not have been installed by the 
>> time Washington Interurban service ended late-August-1953.
>>
>> 35_19530628_50.jpg
>
>
> On Wed Sep 3 17:16:22 EDT 2014, Dwight Long dwightlong at verizon.net 
> wrote:
>
> ------- [ --- Snipped --- ] -------
>
> I am pretty sure that the rush hour cars diverted from the 37 routing 
> used 42/38 rather than traversing West Liberty Avenue. But I would not 
> make book on this point!
>
> Dwight


Hi, Dwight!

That IS an emphatic negative!  The IB-Dormont Jct. turnout from 38 to 42 
line was Not Electrified until the 42/38 started 24-hour operation on 
"Saturdays only;" it had previously been Owl only. This is about 1962 
without checking files.  The 38-Mt.Lebanon was still operating so an 
electric turnout was needed.  This was in anticipation of abandoning the 
38-line for TrolleyCars as the portion of Truck-Route-19 was to be 
upgraded between Dormont Jct and Brookline Jct.

I lived right here.  I used to go to the wye in the PM rush Just To 
Watch The Interurban cars come through on the 38-line.  If attending 
'then P.R.M.A.' meeting downtown, I always went to the 42-wye and 
watched for an Interurban on the 38-line.  Several times I rode one in 
on the 38-Mt.Lebanon as far as SHJ and transferred to continue the trip.

Attached is a photo of 1703 at SHJ ready for vault pull displaying 
38-line but it was not uncommon for the motormen to display an 
interurban route when using the 38.  "Lemonade Squeeze" or Railroad 
Nails is selling PRCo prints // negs showing Interurbans IB at Dormont 
Jct. clearly on the 38-line.

Pg.083 of Harold Smith's book, Touring Pgh by Trolley, shows 1619 IB on 
the 38-line at Dormont Jct well IB of the switch to the 42-line. Another 
photo of a 1700-series Interurban IB on W.Liberty near Potomac is 
possibly in the archives for this list but IS floating around my files 
somewhere -- part of Roberta Hill collection -- again, returning to the 
barn and diverted to the 38-line because of congestion on the single 
track through Overbrook.

Equipment was segregated well into the pat years -- Interurbans for 
their lines with city car use ONLY if interurban cars not available.  It 
was Very Rare for an interurban to be in service on city lines until 
well into pat years when equipment availability was low.

Once the 42/38 became 24-hours_X_365 -- then the interurban cars used 
the 42/38 as a run-around both directions, AM and PM.

Jim



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