80's & 90's PCC's

The PCC Car in the late 80's & 90's

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.

Let's look at the PCC as it was in the 80's and 90's. We'll begin by exploring Drake Loop.

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 this way.

The car is stopped at Highland, Outbound .

Next, we arrive at Ft. Couch Tunnel.

Brookside Farms.

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.

Arriving at Ft. Couch Tunnel. From here, we hit the main line, and got to Castle Shannon, and turn around.

Let's look at the inside of 4008.

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.

Now let's check out the PCC in service...

4004 at Brookside Farms.

The next two shots are of 4001, which is the old 1720...

4001 approaching Potomac stop.

4001 sitting at South Hills Junction.

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.

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.

4001 on display at the South Hills Rail Center.

4009 decided to split a switch at Castle Shannon,

Freshly painted 4004 at the carhouse.

1745 rolling toward Dormont station.

1745 outbound in Beechview.

4001 at Stevenson in Dormont.

4011 at Dormont Junction.

4004 turning at Washington Junction loop.

Here I am, waving at my co-worker.

4004 at Ansonia stop on the Overbrook line.

1730 at South Hills Junction.

1745 at Gateway center, Downtown.

4003 at Castle Shannon.

4003 at Wood St, Downtown.

Here are a couple videos shot on the final day of operation.

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 HOPE YOU REALLY ENJOYED LOOKING AT PITTSBURGHS PCC CARS HERE.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, ALTHOUGH THE END HAS COME FOR THE PCC HERE, IT WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE ON IN WEB PAGES SUCH AS THIS, AND IN PHOTO ALBUMS AS WELL! LIVE ON, DEAR FRIEND!

I WAS HOPING THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE RE-FURBISHED THE CARS AND PAINTED THEM IN THE OLD PITTSBURGH RAILWAYS COLORS AND RAN THEM EXCLUSIVELY ON THE ALLENTOWN LINE. WOULD HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM OF PEOPLE GETTING ON THE WRONG CAR IN TOWN THINKING THEY WERE GOING TO STATION SQUARE, WHEN THEY AREN'T. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT THINKING. HISTORIC CAR, HISTORIC LINE...BOSTON AND SAN FRANCISCO DID THIS, AS DID PHILADELPHIA AND I BELIEVE TORONTO SAVED A FEW TOO. THE CITIES THAT HAVE DONE THIS HAVE MET WITH GREAT SUCESS. A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT IDEA HERE TOO...