Re: [OT?] PCC controller video
  Tony Galloway

That’s the Westinghouse type - the GE has a commutator/brush setup to connect the resistors.

Your point about the control gear is right - it doesn’t get a look in, except for mention of Cineston hand controllers on the non-PCC SF “Magic Carpet” cars. These controllers were usually found on PCC rapid transit cars.

Another reason the 1949 Red Arrow cars weren’t PCCs (they had drop equaliser trucks) was the control gear fitted - a PCM series-parallel camshaft controlled switchgroup, operating 600v 75hp motors rather than the 300v 55hp PCC standard motor package. The 1940 Pacific Electric PCCs (largest and heaviest US PCC cars) would have been a lot more successful with this equipment as they were underpowered and known for burning out their 55hp traction motors. PCC motors weren’t intended for sustained high speed running in interurban service, and the weight of the PE 5000s contributed to the overheating problems.

Tony G

> On 9 Aug 2017, at 12:44 pm, Richard Youltressteleg@... [TramsDownUnder] TramsDownUnder@...> wrote:

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> It was an interesting enough report but I found it rather odd that there was no mention of the control gear which I personally think of as being the deciding factor of being a PCC car or not.

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> Around 1990 I stayed with a husband and wife in Leipzig, Germany.

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> Both worked at the tramway's main workshop, the wife's job being to rebuild the PCC controllers used on the Tatra cars.

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> I can never remember which is WH and which is GE but anyway it is the type with all the resistance grids bolted together in a circle and a rotating arm which made contact with the grids.

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> From memory, it took one lady 2 weeks to dismantle all the parts, 4 weeks to reassemble it.

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> I took Video in the workroom but don't know if it would be of interest on YouTube.

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> Regards,

>

> On 9 Aug 2017, at 11:51 am, Tony Gallowayarg@... mailto:arg@aapt.net.au [TramsDownUnder] TramsDownUnder@... mailto:TramsDownUnder@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

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>> I found this old but interesting article about what is - and what isn’t - a PCC car :

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>> http://www.joelance.com/PDF_Files/What%20is%20a%20PCC%20Car%20Harold%20Cox%20T&M%203-65.pdf http://www.joelance.com/PDF_Files/What%20is%20a%20PCC%20Car%20Harold%20Cox%20T&M%203-65.pdf

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>> It includes a picture of 980, and details of equipment salvaged from scrapped American cars recycled by La Brougeoise et Nivelles.

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>> Tony G

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>>> On 9 Aug 2017, at 10:59 am, Mal Rowemal.rowe@... mailto:mal.rowe@gmail.com [TramsDownUnder] TramsDownUnder@... mailto:TramsDownUnder@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

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>>> On 8/08/2017 11:12 PM, Robbie Smithzoqaeski@... mailto:zoqaeski@gmail.com [TramsDownUnder] wrote:

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>>>> While reading about Chicago's transit from another thread, I found this interesting video demonstrating the PCC controller:

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>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLwdBkt6bxE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLwdBkt6bxE

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>>>> These were never used in Australia, were they?

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>>> Melbourne's PCC 980 had a standard PCC controller of the type shown in the video, but instead of being controlled by foot pedals the pedal mechanism was built into a standard controller case and operated by the controller handle and a brake handle similar to a Westinghouse air brake.

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>>> When Melbourne PCC 1041 was built with 980's trucks a new controller from Belgium was fitted. The original control gear is still in 980 - at Bylands.

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>>> Mal Rowe

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