🚀 go-pugleaf

"Colin R. Leech" wrote:
> 
> "Your Name" (jtheranger@postoffice.worldnet.att.net) wrote in
> phl.transportation:
> >
> > I have a question about the ex-Philadelphia PCCs that were refurbished and
> > now operate on the MUNI Market St. F line.
> >
> > These cars are PCCs with one set of controls yet, in their San Francisco
> > configuration, they
> > have two poles.  I know some of the short runs in San Fran are like the
> > turnaround that the Route
> > 53 used to have at Chelten Ave.  You have to back in to turn around.  Is the
> > second pole
> > needed in San Fran to back in?  If so, why wasn't it needed in Philly as
> > well?
> >
San Francisco's trolley lines NOW all end in turnaround loops.  This
was NOT the case when PCCs first ran.  At that time the J-Church and
M-OceanView lines ended in wyes.  A car terminating at Church and 30th
would have to back up about a hundred feet to go around the wye and
reverse.  For that purpose, PCCs were historically equipped with front
trolley poles and controllers under the rear seats.

Now the front poles are not normally used.  AFAIK, the refurbished PCCs
are also missing the rear control stand.  But the Philadelphia PCCs 
were equipped with front poles to match the historic San Francisco
equipment.

In passing, I should note that there are three actual historical San
Francisco streetcars available on the F-line.  Only one of these is
a double-ender.  (There is a Philly PCC painted for Pacific Electris,
which AFAIK never ran single-end PCCs -- they were all double-ends.)

							Silas Warner