ERA BULLETIN — OCTOBER, 2016 The Bulletin Electric Railroaders’ Association, Incorporated Vol. 59, No. 10 October, 2016 TH The Bulletin BROOKLYN PCC CARS’ 80 ANNIVERSARY Published by the Electric by Bernard Linder Railroaders’ Association, Incorporated, PO Box BMT started operating Smith-Coney Island $1,600 each. RFC financing would be 4 per- 3323, New York, New PCC cars on October 1, 1936. Before the cent. Because the city was negotiating for York 10163-3323. cars entered revenue service, there was a the purchase of BMT and B&QT, LaGuardia ceremony at Park Row. Mayor LaGuardia cut informed the company that the city would not For general inquiries, or a white ribbon at 11 AM and BMT’s Presi- pay for the PCCs. Unfortunately, the offer Bulletin submissions, dent, William S. Menden, paid a five-cent was canceled and the company was unable contact us at bulletin@ fare. After the ceremony, BMT and city offi- to modernize its fleet, which was sold to the erausa.org. ERA’s website is cials rode in a procession of five PCCs led by city at Unification, June 1, 1940. This 1,269- www.erausa.org. 1009. Cars were routed via the Brooklyn passenger car fleet included 835 modern Bridge, Court Street, Livingston Street, Flat- cars and 285 obsolete wooden cars built in Editorial Staff: bush Avenue, and Prospect Park West to the early 1900s. Also purchased were Editor-in-Chief: Bernard Linder Bartel-Pritchard Square. cranes, sweepers, and snow plows. Tri-State News and As soon as cars were available, PCC oper- Just before Unification, BMT engineers rec- Commuter Rail Editor: ation began on the following lines: ommended retaining 28 busy trolley lines, Ronald Yee October 1, 1936 — Began PCC operation on converting 12 to trolley coach, and substitut- North American and World Smith-Coney Island ing buses on lightly traveled lines. This report News Editor: Alexander Ivanoff December 14, 1936 — Complete operation was ignored after Unification. Buses were Contributing Editor: with PCCs on Smith-Coney Island; began ordered promptly, and they replaced trolley Jeffrey Erlitz operation with PCCs on McDonald-Vanderbilt cars on 7 lines in 1941 and early 1942. This January 11, 1937—Complete operation with program ended abruptly on March 29, 1942 Production Manager: David Ross PCCs on Seventh Avenue when the Office of Defense Transportation January 18, 1937 — Began PCC operation ordered a halt to further motorization during on the Erie Basin Line World War II. Companies were ordered to ©2016 Elect ric After the PCCs provided regular service, conserve gasoline and rubber. On November Railroaders ’ revenues increased. Between October, 1936 29, 1942, Putnam Avenue trolley cars re- Association, Incorporate d and September, 1937, revenues on the placed buses that were running since Sep- Smith-Coney Island Line increased 33 per- tember 21, 1941. When the Board of Trans- cent. The new cars were 14 percent faster portation attempted to resume operation of than the old cars. BMT found that the new Gates Avenue trolley cars, where buses were In This Issue: cars paid for themselves because the quiet running Since October 5, 1941, LaGuardia From and smooth operation helped increase rid- did not allow it. The overhead remained in Recognition to ership. place and was energized until the war was Two years later, the company decided to over. Dominance— order 500 additional PCCs, which would During the war, many cars were out of ser- The New York have provided a fleet of modern cars. In early vice because parts were not available. Mile- Connecting 1938, BMT applied to the Federal Recon- age was reduced by rerouting and discontin- Railroad struction Finance Corporation for a loan to uing several lines, as shown in the following buy the 500 PCCs. RFC agreed to finance table: (Continued) (Continued on page 4) …Page 2 80 percent of the cost of the cars, $1,500 or NEXT TRIP: WEEKEND TRIP TO ROCHESTER/CLEVELAND/BUFFALO1 — OCTOBER 15-17 NEW YORKERA DIVISIONBULLETIN BULLETIN — OCTOBER, OCTOBER, 2016 2000 FROM RECOGNITION TO DOMINANCE: THE NEW YORK CONNECTING RAILROAD (BRIDGING THE BAY AND CONNECTING THE PIECES) by George Chiasson (Continued from September, 2016 issue) (Continued on page 3) 2 ERA BULLETIN — OCTOBER, 2016 From Recognition to Dominance (Continued from page 2) (Continued on page 6) 3 NEW YORKERA DIVISIONBULLETIN BULLETIN — OCTOBER, OCTOBER, 2016 2000 Brooklyn PCC Cars’ 80th Anniversary (Continued from page 1) Brooklyn end of the Brooklyn Bridge. PCC 1091 on the Brooklyn Bridge. Bernard Linder collection Bernard Linder collection PCC 1002 coming off the Brooklyn Bridge on the Brooklyn side. PCC 1012 at McDonald Avenue and Cortelyou Road. Bernard Linder collection Bernard Linder collection PCC 1097 approaching terminal west of W. 5th Street. PCC approaching terminal at W. 5th Street. Bernard Linder collection Bernard Linder collection (Continued on page 5) 4 ERA BULLETIN — OCTOBER, 2016 Brooklyn PCC Cars’ 80th Anniversary (Continued from page 4) Car 1000. Note standee windows. Interior of car 1000 at Ninth Avenue Depot, February 18, 1955. Bernard Linder collection Bernard Linder photograph Ninth Avenue Depot, December 28, 1955. PCC truck at Ninth Avenue Depot, February 18, 1955. Bernard Linder collection Bernard Linder photograph PCC 1001 interior at Ninth Avenue Depot, showing stanchions near PCC 1066 on Coney Island Avenue Line. every seat on left side. Bernard Linder collection Bernard Linder collection 5 NEW YORKERA DIVISIONBULLETIN BULLETIN — OCTOBER, OCTOBER, 2016 2000 From Recognition to Dominance (Continued from page 3) (Continued on page 7) 6 ERA BULLETIN — OCTOBER, 2016 From Recognition to Dominance (Continued from page 6) (Continued next issue) 7 NEW YORKERA DIVISIONBULLETIN BULLETIN — OCTOBER, OCTOBER, 2016 2000 NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY CAR UPDATE Subdivision “A” News or “express” over a numbered routing (i.e. 7 and &). The final set of R-142As destined for reconfiguration Similar but much larger (and perhaps cruder) devices at Kawasaki in Yonkers (7581-90) was removed from 6 were placed on Corona’s R-62A fleet in the 2008-9 era on March 18. 5-car sets 7566-85 were transported which supplemented the existing route indications, and northward by the end of March, followed at last by most of them have survived that equipment’s relocation 7586-90 in early April. To clarify the previously- to Westchester where schedules on 6 are similarly mentioned use of 4 equipment on 6 (R-142, R-142A/ changeable in nature. This circumstance is evidently R-142S), one (long) run is indeed scheduled to start rooted in the diversity of languages through which 7 and end at Mosholu Yard with two round trips to Pelham roams, where many customers rely on the (unchanging Bay Park as a 6. Its operation may be concluding late and standardized) number to know their train but are this year after the Pelham-based fleet is again stabilized not always able to read the electric “flip-matrix” indica- at its pre-changeover level of 460 cars. The one R-142S tions, which reveal destination and routing variations link from 4 that was farmed outright to 6 in December, only in English (i.e. “Flushing Lcl”). Further, the circle or 2015 (7746-50) was back home as of May 31. As the R- diamond that is automatically set up on the end of train 188 acceptance program concluded in late July there signage may not always be visible, particularly at the were 65 R-142As left over to serve 6 (7591-7655), terminals. which should remain the case for some time to come. The movement of 65 additional R-62As from 7 to 6 Minor R-142 fleet adjustments were carried out ahead was completed through the first half of 2016, though of the Subdivision "A" pick that went into effect on June transfers were not necessarily associated with each 12, with unit 7081-5 moving over from 4 to 5 on June acceptance of a corresponding “new” train. As of August 6, perhaps in response to the return of the R-142S link 15, Westchester sports a mixed fleet of 395 of the latter- mentioned above. day SMEEs, while 34 remain behind at Corona for lim- nd R-188 (C) and (C1) deliveries were wrapped up in the ited use on 7. The 20 R-62As assigned to S-42 second quarter of 2016, with 7536-50 plus 7931 and Street Shuttle are still unchanged, as are 375 of the 385 7932 arriving in March; 7551-65 plus 7933 in April; that were running on 1 when some were shifted to 6 7566-80 plus 7934 and 7935 in May; and, finally, 7581- to shore up the fleet at Westchester beginning in May, 90 plus 7936 in June. As disclosed previously, the very 2014. Initial preparation for this “final” round of transfers last unit of the final 6-car link (7586/87/88/ encompassing 2016 was actually begun with the group- 89/7936/7590) gained home NYCT rails from its flatbed ing and withdrawal of single units 1911-5 from 7 on trailer at 239th Street Shop on June 14. Also as earlier January 20, though that set was not actually reassigned predicted, cars 7511-7530 plus 7929 and 7930 were to 6 until March 11, after the acceptance of “R-188’s” ultimately set up in two consecutively-numbered con- 7511-30, 7929, and 7930. Linked cars 2141-5 had oth- sists (7511-20 plus 7929 and 7521-30 plus 7930) on erwise been anonymously relocated to Westchester on March 7 as they were placed in service. The balance of February 4, even later being joined by 2041-5 and for- the “R-188” fleet (really R-142A conversions) then start- mer “flagship” cars 2151-5 on March 22.