sullivan@acf4.UUCP (05/08/84)
Nf-From: acf4!sullivan May 25 08:54:00 1984 I love to talk about subways too, as do a few others here at New York University. Needless to say, the NYC subway line is our strong point, being the one most of us have to survive twice a day. I hold the somewhat dubious distinction of having to ride the longest distance (though not by much of a margin over the #2 rider here) which takes me about 1 1/2 hours to traverse on a "good" (read, "rare") day. Here in NYC the big subway item is the new cars just bought from a Japenese firm. The cars are in a test state right now, seeing limited duties on various lines to get the feel of them. I recall that the major problem with them has been with the doors breaking down; the doors are one of the parts made in the good ol' US of A. I believe that on the first day these babies hit the tracks, before they had left their first station, someone was arrested for trying to be the absolute first to put graffiti on them! Does anyone have any good references to how signalling is done on various railroads? David Sullivan ...!floyd!cmcl2!acf4!sullivan
benk@inmet.UUCP (05/23/84)
#N:inmet:7900002:000:1612
inmet!benk May 22 23:05:00 1984
I'd be interested in corresponding with anybody on this
net who is not merely a 'railfan', but more particularly a subway-
enthusiast.
One of my great lifelong loves is/has been subway systems
-- I've collected maps, schedules, books, pamphlets, and other
assorted stuff having to do with subway systems since I was a
kid. I'd be eager to chat with anyone who shares my interest
at all.
For starters -- the Newark City (N.J.) Subway is hardly
ever listed in the 'official' lists of subway systems of the world.
Why ? My guess is that this is so because it resembles Boston's
Green Line rapid transit line: really an above-ground trolley line
with station-stops in the suburbs and underground station stops
only in the heart of downtown. The power is provided by an overhead
trolley wire ( rather than a 3rd rail ). Last time I checked (1980)
they were running with 1939 (?) vintage PCC rolling stock. Does
anybod y know if they are running with the new LRV's now?
Does anybody know of any source of info. on this system --
a magazine article, a write up ione of the railfan rags, a
nostalgia book, something put out by the old operators ( Public
Service Co. of N.J. -- I think ) or the new operators ( T of NJ ) ?
ANY info OR leads would be much appreicaited.
In addition, I'd be happy to field questions myself. My
strong points are: 1.) the NYC system, particularly in the
'50's '60's and early '70's, 2.) the PATH system, 3.) the
Boston (MBTA) system, and 4.) the London system.
-- Ben Krepp
Note: This note will also be posted in fa.railroad to ensure
the widest distrbution.stevel@haddock.UUCP (05/24/84)
#R:inmet:7900002:haddock:15300020:000:153
haddock!stevel May 23 12:14:00 1984
What companies produce LRV's. How similar are they to Boeings
illfated model.
Steve Ludlum, decvax!yale-co!ima!stevel, {ucbvax|ihnp4}!cbosgd!ima!stevelhrs@houxb.UUCP (H.SILBIGER) (05/25/84)
What companies produce LRV's LRV is a current euphemism for streetcars (trolleys, trams). The LRV's used in Boston and SF were designed and built by Boeing, but contained very few domestic components. They have many problems because the US has lost its technology in the rail area. This is unfortunate since at one time we were leading with the PCC. By the way PCC technology is still being used under licence in Europe, at present only by a Czech builder. All recent purchaes in the US have been from foreign builders, many from Siemens-Duwag (Dusseldorfer Wagon). Others are Breda (Italy) Kawasaki and Bombardier (Canada). The latter under licence from Swiss Brown-Boveri. The French have just resurrected their technology and brought out a new standard articulated, to be used in Lille and Strasbourg. Herman Silbiger houxb!hrs
burton@fortune.UUCP (05/30/84)
#R:inmet:7900002:fortune:8900006:000:402
fortune!burton May 29 12:44:00 1984
Not only am I a subway fanatic, as I describe myself, but I have
been a member of the Electric Railroaders' Association for, gee, over
20 years now. I am #2701.
Any other ERA members on the net?
Philip Burton 101 Twin Dolphin Drive-MS 133
Fortune Systems Redwood City, CA 94065 (415) 595-8444 x 526
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{ihnp4 [ucbvax | decvax!decwrl]!amd70 harpo hpda }!fortune!burtonfriedman@uiucdcs.UUCP (06/01/84)
#R:inmet:7900002:uiucdcs:20600008:000:2146 uiucdcs!friedman Jun 1 12:39:00 1984 Most commentators on electric rail city transit don't classify systems so much on a subway/non-subway basis, but on a light/heavy basis. Since most subway systems are heavy rail, they tend to assume all are. I imagine that's the reason the Newark system is left off of subway lists; it (and anything running PCCs) is clearly light rail. Another system (or pair of systems, depending on how you count them) that could be viewed as a subway, but which is usually omitted from lists of subway systems, is the Cleveland system. It services its downtown terminal from below ground, though most of the system is at or near grade level. There is a heavy rail system running, roughly, east-west, originally built in the 1950s by the Cleveland Transit System, now called the Red Line, operated by pantograph from compound catenary. And there is an older light rail system having two branches, originally built as the Cleveland Interurban (or some- thing like that; not sure I have that name right), later operated as the Shaker Heights Rapid Transit, and now called the Green and Blue Lines. Both sytems are now operated by the Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. They share trackage from the downtown terminal (which is about the middle of the Red Line, and the west terminal of the other two lines) east to about 52nd St. The light rail system has new Italian-made cars from Breda; the heavy rail system is being equipped with new cars, but I forget who is making them. The older cars on the light rail system were PCCs (and before that, ordinary city streetcars and second-hand lightweight interurban cars), operated by ordinary trolley pole; the new cars are pantograph equipped, as are a few rebuilt PCCs. Before the new cars were accepted, the light rail line was completely rebuilt: roadbed, overhead system, and everything; very nice results. The shared trackage has always had to support both pantagraph and trolley pole; now, the entire light rail system does so. By the way, the shared trackage is left- hand operated, so that the PCCs can load passengers from a ground-level platform between the tracks. An interesting operation.
burton@fortune.UUCP (06/04/84)
#R:houxb:-29900:fortune:8900009:000:447
fortune!burton Jun 4 10:13:00 1984
Does anyone in net-land know the status of the interurban lines (Library ?)
of Port Authority of Allegheny County, nee Pittsburgh Railways. Today,
the urban lines, and certainly the suburban/interurban's would be
called LRV if newly built.
Philip Burton 101 Twin Dolphin Drive-MS 133
Fortune Systems Redwood City, CA 94065 (415) 595-8444 x 526
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{ihnp4 [ucbvax | decvax!decwrl]!amd70 harpo hpda }!fortune!burtonais6438@acf4.UUCP (06/05/84)
*** I recently rode the Newark city subway for the first time, having no prior knowledge of it except that it existed. What a shock to see it was trolley cars! Beautiful cars with soft seats, with no knife slashes! No grafitti! Crank-operated windows! I guess these must still be the pcc cars; although in great shape they did not seem new.
benk@inmet.UUCP (06/06/84)
#R:uiucdcs:-2060000800:inmet:7900005:000:909 inmet!benk Jun 5 09:36:00 1984 Yep, they ARE the good ol' PCC cars! It's nice to know that there is at least one place in the country where you can ride PCC cars that are in tip-top condtion. The PCC cars once used on Boston's Green Line have been almost completely phased out. They are no longer used on the B ( Boston College / Commonweatlth Avenue ) line, the C ( Cleveland Circle / Beacon Street ) line, and the D ( Riverside / Highland Branch ) line. They are still used on the E ( Arborway/Huntington Avenue ) line; however the cars in use there have been overhauled ( as opposed to maintained ): the windows are sealed ( horrible in the summertime ! ), the lighting system is new, and the seats are made out of plastic ( what a blasphemy ! ). As of a couple of years ago, the old PCC cars were still being used on the Ashmont-Mattapan high-speed trolley extension of the Red line. Sadly, these cars are not well maintained.
rsanderson@wateng.UUCP (Roger Sanderson P.Eng.) (06/11/84)
The PCC's in Toronto Ontario Canada are also in tip top shape
Most of them were refurbished a few years back. They also have
a very nice subway system.
Roger Sanderson
U. of Waterlooevan@homxa.UUCP (M.GREENSTEIN) (06/25/84)
The South Brooklyn R.R. is owned by The New York City Transit
Authority and is listed in the "Pocketbook of Railroad Officials"
as a terminal operation.
Michael Greenstein