Let's look at the PCC as it was in the very late 80's and 90's. We'll begin by exploring Drake Loop. (Excuse these first few photos, they were taken with my then "state of the art" Sony Mavica Floppy Disc camera...)
This is basically going to be the 47D Drake in her last days...Other PCC's in this paint scheme can be found
The car used for the pictures is 4008, ex 1709
The Drake used to run between Washington Junction Loop, and Drake. We had a horrible storm here and it wiped out a lot of circuits, so to save trouble and more problems, The Drake started running to Castle Shannon.
The car is stopped at Highland, Outbound.
Next, we arrive at Ft. Couch Tunnel.
Brookside and Walthers.
Coming down the famous "S" turn.
2nd part of the "S" turn.
4008 sitting at Drake Loop.
Leaving the loop inbound, we pass over the famed switch.
Walthers bridge, Outbound. I loved this little bridge.
Dash controls...Definitely not original PCC issue.
Front to rear.
How about rear to front now...
PCC foot controls. L to R, Deadman, Brake, and Power pedal.
Me with good old 4008 at Drake Loop.
A little colder day... This was one of my regular riders... Young trolley fan...
Now for some more shots as we knew the Drake when I was lucky enough to have run her.
4006 at Drake Loop. 4006 is a air conditioned PCC! One of a kind. This is ex 1767.
4007 on display at the Bethel Park Recreation Center.
4004 at Brookside Farms.
4009 sitting at the Fort Couch Tunnel. This is ex 1700. It is also the car I operated on the Fantrip.
4008 passing Conner Rd, near Washington Junction.
4009 at Martin Villa, Inbound.
1765 sitting at Drake Loop.
Driver area of 1765, not redone like the 4000 series PCC.
1765 Interior, complete with original lighting.
4009 decided to split a switch at Castle Shannon,
Freshly painted 4004 at the carhouse.
4004 turning at Washington Junction loop.
Here I am, waving at my co-worker.
4001 departing the Martin Villa stop headed to Drake Loop.
1745 at Martin Villa.
4004 coming out of the Castle Shannon Loop.
4004 headed to Drake, with a inbound LRV beside it.
4004 at SHVRC, with the sleet cutter up on a sunny day...
4009 arriving at Washington Junction.
4004 at Drake Loop.
4004 arriving outbound at St. Annes stop.
4004 inbound past Brookside Farms.
4004 is looking at you from Drake Loop.
4004 sitting for a photo op at Brookside Farms.
4004 loading a passenger later in the day at Brookside Farms.
4004 emerging from the Ft. Couch Tunnel.
4004 at Brookside siding.
4008 at Bethel Village.
4008 at Brookside Blvd.
4008 just relaxing at Drake Loop.
4009 arriving at Drake Loop.
4009 rolling back towards Drake from Castle Shannon Loop.
4009 sitting on a layover at Drake loop.
1745 rolling toward Dormont station.
1745 outbound in Beechview.
4001 at Stevenson in Dormont.
4011 at Dormont Junction.
4004 at Ansonia stop on the Overbrook line.
1745 at Gateway center, Downtown.
4003 at Castle Shannon.
4003 at Wood St, Downtown.
1736 at South Hills Junction.
4012 on the South Busway.
4006 on the South Busway, headed inbound to Pittsburgh.
4005 at South Hills Junction.
4009 interior and operator, at Drake Loop... Guess who...
1713 and 4011 at SHVRC.
4001 at Drake loop.
4009 at Washington Junction. Last day of regular service.
1713 and unknown PCC inbound at Station Square. 1713 for a while was painted beautifully in the old school Pittsburgh Railways colors.
1713 emerging from the Mt. Washington tunnel at South Hills Junction.
1713 and 4011 at SHVRC.
4009 in the maintenance test loop at SHVRC.
4003 at Drake Loop.
4001 at St. Annes stop.
Here are a couple videos shot on the final day of operation.
After service ended in 1999, the Drake line was dismantled by the loop to the top of the hill. The remainder was used for testing the new CAF LRV's when they arrived.
Drake Loop a year and a half after the last run.
No more track up the hill, and the "S" turns gone too.
4/2/02...No more Loop as we knew it. Bathroom, does, however, still work.
I would like to take this time and this page to "memorilize" this car on the 47D Drake line as it was since it is no more. I, as a operator, have really enjoyed the time I spent in the PCC. (even in the winter when you froze your wazoo off, or the summer when you rode with the door open to get a little air in there! No passengers on board of course!) and at least, from what I know, these cars 4004, 4007, 4008, 4009, and the un-numbered 4001 in the yard, will most likely not be cut apart, but instead sold to various places such as museums and San Francisco. We are supposed to keep one as a "monument", so to speak. 4007 is now sitting at the Bethel Park Community Center, minus its numbers.
Although the end has come for the PCC in Pittsburgh, It will continue to live on in web pages such as this one.
Live on, dear friend!
We were hoping they would have refurbished some of the cars, painted them in the old Pittsburgh railways colors, and run them on the Allentown line. That would have been great thinking, historic trolley on a historic line... Boston, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Toronto have all saved a few, and they have met with great success. It could have worked here too, but, as always, they will do it 20 years from now...
Instead, here's where they went...
4001: Static display in front of South Hills Village depot.
4004: Preserved at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum.
4006: Stored by a private collector behind a warehouse in Columbus, OH.
4007: Static exhibit in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania with numbers removed.
4008: Acquired by San Francisco MUNI for the F line. Not likely to be used due to wheel gauge issues.
4009: Acquired by San Francisco MUNI for the F line. Also, not likely to be ever used due to wheel gauge issues.
More to come!
Let's go on the Drake Fantrip! Last PCCs to EVER run in Pittsburgh!
