From: heller@deepsoft.com   
      
   At Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:27:09 -0800 (PST) hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:   
      
   >   
   > YouTube has a film, professionally made by GMC, showing the conversion   
   > of the Philadelphia transit system from streetcar to GMC diesel bus.   
   >   
   > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29i_DTIEGNg   
   >   
   > One question:  Phila used a particular type of farebox, I think   
   > called a Grant.  (seen at roughly 17:55).  Anyone know any details   
   > about this farebox?  I tried searching and can't find anything.   
   >   
   > The film touts the advantages of buses over streetcars.   
      
   GMC, ESSO (now Exxon/Mobile), and Firestone really wanted to sell *cars*. The   
   move from streetcars to busses was designed to make public transit *worse* and   
   drive people to buy 'Chevys'. So long as there was an efficient streetcar   
   system, city people were not interested in buying 'Chevys' (at least not in   
   the volume the GMC & friends wanted).  And streetcars did nothing for ESSO and   
   Firestone...  The film is pure propaganda indented to serve monied interests.   
   (This is really old news).  (See the movie 'Who Killed Rodger Rabbit' which   
   also covers this issue, although from a silly cartoon perspective.)   
      
   >   
   > However, the film fails to explain certain things:   
   >   
   > . The film touts the standardization of an all bus fleet.  But the   
   >   fleet wasn't standardized--they had different sizes of GMC buses,   
   >   plus retained some older models.  They also got 'new look' buses in   
   >   a few years, which were a more modern design.   
   >   
   > . The diesel bus carried less passengers than a streetcar.  This was a   
   >   problem on heavy trunk routes.   
   >   
   > . The film compared a modern bus to a 40 year old streetcar.  Modern   
   >   streetcars, such as PCCs, performed well and were popular with riders.   
   >   The PCC car had better acceleration than the buses shown.   
   >   
   > . Streetcars had twice the lifespan of a diesel bus.  The buses shown   
   >   had a lifespan of about 15-20 years.  Some PCC cars, which pre-dated   
   >   those buses by ten years, remain in service to this day, in both Phila   
   >   and San Fran.   
   >   
   > . The film says buses made streets more attractive.  But buses, especially   
   >   of that generation, had a nasty exhaust odor.   
   >   
   > . The film fails to point out that PTC was owned by GM and associated   
   >   automotive suppliers, who appointed the management who bought the GMC   
   >   buses.   The buses were fueled and got tires by the associates.   
   >     Many employees of that era complained that the new management was   
   >   excessively focused on cost control, at the expense of maintenance and   
   >   passenger service.  The new management had many labor problems and   
   >   quarrels with the city government.   
   >   
   > . Converting to bus did nothing to alleviate downtown traffic congestion.   
   >   
   > . The films touts the move of the general offices from downtown to a   
   >   remote location.  But there were certain administrative functions   
   >   that were best performed downtown.  PTC officials had to waste time   
   >   traveling downtown.   
   >   
   >   
      
   --   
   Robert Heller             -- 978-544-6933   
   Deepwoods Software        -- Custom Software Services   
   http://www.deepsoft.com/  -- Linux Administration Services   
   heller@deepsoft.com       -- Webhosting Services   
      
   --- SoupGate/W32 v1.03   
    * Origin: LiveWire BBS -=*=- UseNet FTN Gateway (1:2320/1)