Is Pittsburgh the smallest city in the world with a subway? (Harrisburg: transfer, construction)

[Catia]

Originally Posted by Wells5

As an aside, PA had at least 5 companies that made subway cars: J.G. Brill, Philly; the Budd Co., Philly; American Car and Foundry, Berwick; Pressed Steel Car Co., Pittsburgh and Pullman Standard, Butler. There are none left in the United States- all US subway cars are made by foreign companies with US assembly plants.

We've got Bombardier locally, (they purchased/merged Westinghouse Transportation Division in West Mifflin location many years ago.) I always forget that they are not a US based company. Bombardier is Canadian, their HQ is Montreal I think. They employ the locals though, workers seem to stay, & they've been here probably 30 yrs now.
Just mentioning because it's here in our backyard, not across the pond.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Catia

We've got Bombardier locally, (they purchased/merged Westinghouse Transportation Division in West Mifflin location many years ago.) I always forget that they are not a US based company. Bombardier is Canadian, their HQ is Montreal I think. They employ the locals though, workers seem to stay, & they've been here probably 30 yrs now.
Just mentioning because it's here in our backyard, not across the pond.

Bombardier is in the process of closing down most or all of their local manufacturing and moving their office workers to the Strip District (Seagate Building)

[_Buster]

Originally Posted by Wells5

A true subway or metro is defined as a "heavy rail" system. Pittsburgh's "T" is a light rail system. It's underground portion is technically not a subway. Check Wiki under world subways or metros. Pittsburgh is not listed.


As an aside, PA had at least 5 companies that made subway cars: J.G. Brill, Philly; the Budd Co., Philly; American Car and Foundry, Berwick; Pressed Steel Car Co., Pittsburgh and Pullman Standard, Butler. There are none left in the United States- all US subway cars are made by foreign companies with US assembly plants.

No, a subway system is simply an underground railway. Look up the definition, a wiki page doesn't determine anything. the gauge of the track or the equipment used doesn't determine what is a subway - that is simply heavy rail vs light rail.

[ferraris]

The 1.1 mile Carmelit in Israel is a candidate. It's an underground funicular, so it's kind of an interesting comparison with Pittsburgh.

[Wells5]

Originally Posted by _Buster

No, a subway system is simply an underground railway. Look up the definition, a wiki page doesn't determine anything. the gauge of the track or the equipment used doesn't determine what is a subway - that is simply heavy rail vs light rail.

If you're ever in London, a subway is an underground passage for pedestrians. It's also an Italian sandwich.


Real subway or metro trains don't do any street running and can only pick up passengers in stations where there are raised platforms. The "T" is equipped to pick up passengers in raised platform stations and also on the street.

[_Buster]

Originally Posted by Wells5

If you're ever in London, a subway is an underground passage for pedestrians. It's also an Italian sandwich.


Real subway or metro trains don't do any street running and can only pick up passengers in stations where there are raised platforms. The "T" is equipped to pick up passengers in raised platform stations and also on the street.

What you're doing is using the term subway to refer to heavy rail systems. which some people occasionally do, but its not the definition of a subway. Pittsburgh T is a subway in downtown and part of the North side only -- its not a subway in above ground sections , where it can also pick up passengers without raised platforms.

Interestingly, the first subway to open in the US was in Boston, and it used trolleys, not heavy rail trains.

https://www.britannica.com/technology/subway

[pittsburghaccuweather]

Originally Posted by Wells5

If you're ever in London, a subway is an underground passage for pedestrians. It's also an Italian sandwich.


Real subway or metro trains don't do any street running and can only pick up passengers in stations where there are raised platforms. The "T" is equipped to pick up passengers in raised platform stations and also on the street.

You are correct. The entire Pittsburgh T uses a Pennsylvania trolley gauge track. Only the trolley network in New Orleans and one or two lines on SEPTA use this gauge. It is a streetcar only gauge but underground. I guess you can make an argument either way that it is a long streetcar tunnel or a true subway. All other heavy and light rail systems in the US use standard gauge track. Nothing like Pittsburgh having to be different. I am sure it costs more to have the T cars built to the trolley gauge track as opposed to the standard.

[Geeo]

The T cars were built by Siemens at a plant in Blawnox in the early 80s for delivery when the rebuilt South Hills trolley system opened (subway in 1985 and the rest of the Stage 1 system by 1987). For several years, the old PCC trolleys and the new T vehicles used the same tracks until the rest of the system (Stage 2 in the South Hills' Overbrook Valley) was upgraded to modern light rail standards. The new vehicles cost no more or less than any other type, since all transit vehicles are built to individual systems' specifications. They don't come off a shelf.

[spoonman109]

Well the T is a very smooth ride and the cars are clean. I thinks it’s a well run and efficient system. I just wish it went to Oakland, Through the strip, to the airport and up 79. Now that would be something incredible. It being free downtown is also huge. I hope that stays around for a long time.

[Wells5]

According to Wiki, the "T" cars were originally assembled by Siemens but later modified by CAF (a Spanish company with a plant in Elmira). CAF also built entirely new cars for the "T."


There is one American company (and only one) that can build new trolleys: Brookville Equipment Co. of Brookville, PA. They are the company that repaired the New Orleans trolleys after the hurricane.