Edward H. Lybarger, Archivist for the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, reports that this photo shows Maroon and Gold Car Number 111 stopped at Keown Station located at the intersection of Three Degree Road and Babcock Blvd.
Notice the branch and twig railing on the Harmony Line Freight House in the right foreground. This form of decorative construction was quite popular during the early part of the century. On the left can be seen an electrical substation. This brick structure still survives and remains standing at its original location.
Here is an enlarged view of the central portion of the same photograph.
Each car carried a motorman, conductor and seats for 45 passengers, according to the History of Cranberry Township
Bill Danner, of Kennerdell, PA writes, "In 1913 and 1914 when I rode the Harmony it was relatively new. Cars were clean and attractive and the track in good condition. I can remember seeing the "Limited" cars to Butler whizzing by our place like a bat out of hell.
The track was, of course 5' 2 1/2" gauge, the same as PRCO, whose track it used for the terminal in Pittsburgh. The downtown station was at a fruit market on Liberty Avenue and there was a siding that adjoined the curb by the store, so that the cars could stand there without interrupting traffic.
I recall that there was a junction of it and the Butler Short Line about halfway to Pine Creek, where we got off, and there I occasionally saw a Short Line car. They were green, while the Harmony cars were Tuscan Red. (I think; it's been a long time, and I may be wrong.) I always enjoyed those trips--all four of them.
The line must have been costly to build, for in the short section between Pittsburgh and Pine Creek there were three or four high trestles. Before its merger with the Butler Short Line it ran "limited" cars to Butler which made few stops and did 60 m.p.h. or so.
I never saw the party car, though I suppose it looked little different from the others. It was made from a car that had been badly damaged in a wreck, according to the magazine article in which I read about it. It was equipped with a 35mm projector and screen to show the latest silent features.
The Arden Trolley Museum has car #115 which was found a few years ago as part of a roadside diner. They say the body is still in good shape, though there are no trucks. But they're working on it, I think, and maybe some day they'll have it running again."
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