I rode and filmed all of those Pittsburgh East End streetcar lines, regular service and on many fan trips. My movies are all transferred to video now. Believe it or not, I actually 'walked' the Pittsburgh streetcar lines to film them. Who could have imagined that almost 50 years later, I'd be a sick old man in his late-70's, hooked up to oxygen 24/7 and hardly able to walk a few steps anymore, even with a cane or walker. I even filmed cars at the old Craft Avenue car house back then. I filmed cars speeding along Forbes Avenue through Frick Park. There was a long stretch between stops and the operators would really open up there....at least 45 mph. They had the power pedal to the peg !! Another spot that I filmed back then was Ardmore Blvd., with the 87 Ardmore cars. I can imagine what that private right-of-way must have been like years before the track got so bad. In the last days, the rails were in dirt, no ballast or ties showing. The track was so bad that if you tried to go fast, you'd have been on the ground. When the PCC cars were new, they must have been flying along Ardmore Blvd. I was there for the East End last day runs on January 28, 1967. It was a gloomy, dark, raw, miserable cold day and it had started to snow. I was at the Stadium Forbes Field siding in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The last of the cars were pulling in there, enroute back to the car house. I was standing there with my movie camera filming with super-8 color film, recording the last day activity. A Route Foreman {Supervisor} walked up to me and handed me his switch Iron. I thought he wanted me to give him a hand. But much to my pleasant surprise, he exclaimed, "here.....this is yours....I don't need it anymore" !! I actually brought that switch Iron home on the airplane back to New Jersey. To this very day, that switch Iron is hanging here on a door knob in my computer room. Imagine taking a switch iron on an airplane...lol.... You'd never get away with anything like that today. You'd probably be arrested by the security people. But in 1967, those were the idyllically happy and peaceful halcyon days before terrorists.
Thanks for sharing. You are fortunate to have such amazing memories. Part of my family still lives on the Pittsburgh Light Rail system, formerly the 35 Shannon-Library and the 36 Shannon-Drake trolley lines. Two of my sons still ride those rails to their 9-5 jobs Downtown. I can remember riding on the 87 Ardmore once when it was smooth as silk rolling down that grassy median.
Time marches on and things change, and not always to our liking. Fact is like many another large trolley system. Pittsburgh Railways System was in a massive state of disrepair and the cost to fix it was far beyond the company's ability to affect repair it. Fact is even if Allegheny County had not taken over, Pittsburgh Railways would have abandon the trolleys. It was a matter of economics among other factors. Don't buy into that GM Conspiracy nonsense.
I used to walk across the Brady Street Bridge to my High school. But this was after the bridge was closed to Streetcar traffic so I only saw the tracks on the bridge. The 77/54 came from the Northside via Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, Oakland to Forbes but didn't make it across the bridge.
Theres also remnants on Grant Street in Millvale next to 28, underneath 376 on Penn Avenue at the entrance of Oakland, on Chestnut Street in East Allegheny, and another set of tracks on Allenby Avenue in Regents Square next to 376.
I succeded to find on Google street view the corner between 18TH and Monastery where the 53 was used to get down, you had the most beautiful streetcar network of USA believe me. Vinicio tram enthusiast of Rome
I can remember buying week end passes and going from T.C. into Pgh getting off and just get on next streetcar just to see where it went We would do this all day long.The passes were only a couple dollars.Good Old Days.Back in the 40's.
I rode and filmed all of those Pittsburgh East End streetcar lines,
regular service and on many fan trips. My movies are all transferred to
video now. Believe it or not, I actually 'walked' the Pittsburgh
streetcar lines to film them. Who could have imagined that almost 50
years later, I'd be a sick old man in his late-70's, hooked up to oxygen
24/7 and hardly able to walk a few steps anymore, even with a cane or
walker. I even filmed cars at the old Craft Avenue car house back then. I
filmed cars speeding along Forbes Avenue through Frick Park. There was a
long stretch between stops and the operators would really open up
there....at least 45 mph. They had the power pedal to the peg !! Another
spot that I filmed back then was Ardmore Blvd., with the 87 Ardmore
cars. I can imagine what that private right-of-way must have been like
years before the track got so bad. In the last days, the rails were in
dirt, no ballast or ties showing. The track was so bad that if you tried
to go fast, you'd have been on the ground. When the PCC cars were new,
they must have been flying along Ardmore Blvd.
I was there for the East End last day runs on January 28, 1967. It was a gloomy, dark, raw, miserable cold day and it had started to snow. I was at the Stadium Forbes Field siding in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The last of the cars were pulling in there, enroute back to the car house. I was standing there with my movie camera filming with super-8 color film, recording the last day activity. A Route Foreman {Supervisor} walked up to me and handed me his switch Iron. I thought he wanted me to give him a hand. But much to my pleasant surprise, he exclaimed, "here.....this is yours....I don't need it anymore" !! I actually brought that switch Iron home on the airplane back to New Jersey. To this very day, that switch Iron is hanging here on a door knob in my computer room. Imagine taking a switch iron on an airplane...lol.... You'd never get away with anything like that today. You'd probably be arrested by the security people. But in 1967, those were the idyllically happy and peaceful halcyon days before terrorists.
Thanks for sharing. You are fortunate to have such amazing memories. Part of my family still lives on the Pittsburgh Light Rail system, formerly the 35 Shannon-Library and the 36 Shannon-Drake trolley lines. Two of my sons still ride those rails to their 9-5 jobs Downtown. I can remember riding on the 87 Ardmore once when it was smooth as silk rolling down that grassy median.
Pittsburgh's a nice town. My dad lived there in the 90s. Still traces of the original streetcar tracks and brick streets at that point. May still be.
Boston still has 75 year old PCC trolleys running in 2020!
Along with Philadelphia.
And San Francisco.
A blunder of the century
The Pittsburgh network was extensive and stunning!
Time marches on and things change, and not always to our liking. Fact is like many another large trolley system. Pittsburgh Railways System was in a massive state of disrepair and the cost to fix it was far beyond the company's ability to affect repair it. Fact is even if Allegheny County had not taken over, Pittsburgh Railways would have abandon the trolleys. It was a matter of economics among other factors. Don't buy into that GM Conspiracy nonsense.
Who remembers the flying fraction? The 77/54 Northside via Carrick&Bloomfield?
I used to walk across the Brady Street Bridge to my High school. But this was after the bridge was closed to Streetcar traffic so I only saw the tracks on the bridge. The 77/54 came from the Northside via Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, Oakland to Forbes but didn't make it across the bridge.
One of the most unique public transit systems to have ever existed in our country
There are places where the street car tracks are still fully visible to this day; On the hill going up towards Mt. Oliver is one area
Theres also remnants on Grant Street in Millvale next to 28, underneath 376 on Penn Avenue at the entrance of Oakland, on Chestnut Street in East Allegheny, and another set of tracks on Allenby Avenue in Regents Square next to 376.
Great shots!
What jackass thought removing streetcars from the Pittsbugh and surrounding area. This transportation was efficient and CLEAN.
And they had no air conditioning and the windows never worked or were sealed. They are less romantic when you actually rode them 👋
I succeded to find on Google street view the corner between 18TH and Monastery where the 53 was used to get down, you had the most beautiful streetcar network of USA believe me. Vinicio tram enthusiast of Rome
I can remember buying week end passes and going from T.C. into Pgh getting off and just get on next streetcar just to see where it went We would do this all day long.The passes were only a couple dollars.Good Old Days.Back in the 40's.
5' 2 1/4" gauge, right?
I'm fond of Pittsburgh
the best tram was the PCC
The best streetcar too!
Thanks. Great video. I have about 50 8/10 PPC photos for sell.
Armed robberies of streetcars late at night sped up the demise of these routes