PCC : The Car That Fought Back

Fascinating and thorough history of the development, construction, and use of the PCC car in all its different iterations. The book provides an excellent background on the problems with older trolley models, and how the Electric Railway Presidents' Conference Committee, under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Conway, spent five years designing the new car. The results were so successful that thousands of the PCCs were built in the US, Europe and the Soviet Union and its satellites. The book provides clear explanations about the aspects that made the car such an excellent streetcar, from noise reduction to braking system. The book also looks at other non-PCC cars that attempted to solve the same problems as well as the use of PCC cars overseas, especially in the Czech Republic where they are still in use. Illustrated throughout with black and white photos. With oversized, foldout schematic diagram of the car in the the back. Includes roster of orders for PCC cars and a list of who bought the cars. An invaluable reference work for anyone interested in the history of streetcars or in design principles. 250 pages.