These pictures are dated November 14, 1915 as construction on the Delaware Avenue Underpass was wrapping up. The photographer is standing on Delaware Avenue. Straight ahead you can just barely see underneath to Broad Street.
Far too many people were being hit by trains - since the line to Morrellville was street level. So it was decided to construct a series of underpasses to help keep accidents down by elevating the tracks. There were two major problems - first off, the trolleys couldn't go up Fairfield Avenue before this and secondly - people were gettting hit by passing trains since they had to cross the train tracks to take another trolley to the rest of Morrellville.
Wish I knew who that kid was on the right hand side. Mostly likely someone from either Pennsyvania or Virginia Avenue.
2 comments:
I never really understood just how someone can get hit by a train since you can hear and see them coming a half mile away. I'm probably missing something here. These days, I just see the occasional train coming through Johnstown (Moxham, Riverside). I'm sure there were many more back then. But still, how do you miss a giant noisy smokey bucket of bolts. I guess maybe at night?
It was Mayor "Fighting" Joe Cauffiel that was responsible for all the overpasses. He had a sit down with the Pennsylvania Railroad big wigs and made them an offer they couldn't refuse.
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