The 65D Braddock - Forest Hills -
Braddock Hills route can be traced back to Miller Bus Lines which went out of business in
1949. Burrelli Transit
Service began servicing the route in late 1949 with the official PUC transfer
occurring on August 15, 1950. The 3 route Miller operation ran what became the 65D route
with at least one new GM TGM3207 purchased new in 1948. It is not known what else the
Miller operation had. When Burrelli took over the former Miller routes, 4 new Fitzjohn
coaches (2 model 310 and 2 model FTG) were purchased to operate the 3 lines.
According to Motor Coach Age, the Miller's and the Burrelli's were
related which helps explain why the routes were operated by Burrelli prior to PUC
approval. The Miller operating equipment was not transferred over to Burrelli. Most likely
it had to be sold off to pay the debts incurred by the Millers in attempting to operate
the 3 lines.
Garages assigned to the 65D:
- Trafford Garage - 03/16/64 - 09/04/65
- Homewood Garage - 09/05/65 - 07/08/72
- East Liberty Division - 07/09/72 - 11/19/77
Destination Signs:
  
A sampling of the many window cards
Split sign examples
Full size sign examples
Old Look and 1800 series examples (used window cards as well) |
The route ran using destination signs similar to the
examples above as well as many window cards.
Routing:
Original routing towards Braddock - Park Avenue at Columbia Avenue via
Park Avenue, Wilkins Avenue, Braddock Road, Ardmore Blvd, Yost Blvd, 6th Street,
Baldridge, Library Street, Braddock Avenue, 9th Street, Woodlawn Avenue, 7th Street to
Braddock Avenue.
Original routing towards North Braddock - 7th Street at Braddock Avenue
via Braddock Avenue, Library Street, Baldridge, 6th Street, Yost Blvd, Ardmore Blvd,
Braddock Road, Brinton Road, Columbia Avenue to Park Avenue.
Date unsure but by 04/11/65 the Braddock terminus was changed to:
Library Street, Braddock Avenue, 9th Street, Woodlawn Avenue, 8th Street to Braddock
Avenue.
Effective 09/08/70 - Park Avenue at Columbia Avenue via Park Avenue,
Wilkins Avenue, Braddock Road, Ardmore Blvd, Yost Blvd, Jones Avenue, Library Street to
Braddock Avenue (and changing signs to become the 65E). The former Woodlawn Avenue
terminus was eliminated.
The routing remained relatively unchanged from this point until the
route was discontinued.
Approximate one way trip time was 20 minutes.
Route Highlights:
Started: 03/16/64 (Date of Burrelli acquisition)
Ended: 11/19/77 due to low ridership levels.
The 65D ran Monday through Saturday with no Sunday or holiday
service.
PAT complicated the route structure on 09/08/70 when it combined the
service with the 65E North Braddock - Swissvale due to low ridership levels on the 65D.
The 65D designation became only a one-way designation towards Braddock with return trips
being served by selected 65E trips that were extended to the 65D terminus in North
Braddock. The 65D also changed its Braddock terminus at this point from Woodlawn Avenue to
Library Street at Braddock Avenue.
It has been questioned why PAT didn't just eliminate the 65D
designation on 09/08/70 and make both directions a 65E extension instead of just making it
a one-way extension. To date we haven't located any documentation to fully explain this.
Starting in 1976, the schedules became very complicated. A straight
across schedule with route bands that you needed to match up to see the bus you wanted.
This match up process also was used for the route map. The schedule for the 65D at this
period had the 65B, 65G, 65E an 65J in it and the the 65D/E/J had the odd schedule style.
Although somewhat common in other cities, this schedule style was rather unique for PAT.
From 03/16/64 through 09/07/70, evening service after 6pm was
provided by an extension of the 65C Braddock - Wilkinsburg.
2 school short trips were originally scheduled but dropped by 1970.
As of 1967 only one was left.
The 65D traveled through 2 fare zones and one overlap zone under the
old fare zone structure.
Schedules (Known PAT issued schedules are listed):
The 65D had 5 distinct schedule types.
Trafford schedules were assigned folder T-9 and were a plain white,
multi panel fold out schedule. The 65D shared the schedule with the 65C Braddock -
Wilkinsburg, 65F Bessemer Terrace and the 65J Braddock - Forest Hills - Greensburg Pike.
- T-9A - 08/30/64
- T-9B - 04/11/65
Homewood schedules were initially assigned folder PH-33 and were a
plain white, multi panel fold out schedule and later a 60's era style schedule in black.
The 65D shared the schedule with the 65C Braddock - Wilkinsburg, 65F Bessemer Terrace and
the 65J Braddock - Forest Hills - Greensburg Pike. Folder PH-33 (red) was merged into
folder PH-7 on 09/06/70 and then shared the folder with the 68B Blackridge Express, 68D
Wilkinsburg Express, 68G Swissvale Express as well as the 65E North Braddock - Swissvale,
65G Linhart - Braddock (selected service), 65J Braddock - Forest Hills - Greensburg Pike
and the 69A Swisshelm Park.
- PH-33A - 09/05/65
- PH-33B - ?
- PH-33C - ?
- PH-33D - ?
- PH-33E - 03/29/67
- PH-33F - ?
- PH-33G - ?
- PH-33H - ?
- PH-33J - 06/21/70
- PH-7R - 09/06/70
- PH-7S - 04/18/71
- PH-7T - ?
- PH-7U - ?
- PH-7V - 04/16/72
East Liberty Schedules were of three types and 2 different folders.
Initial schedules were of the 60's era design in red and later in the MOD era design in
both red and black. When the 65D was assigned to folder E-5, it shared a folder with the
68B Blackridge Express, 68D Wilkinsburg Express as well as the 65E North Braddock -
Swissvale, 65G Linhart - Braddock (selected service), 65J Braddock - Forest Hills -
Greensburg Pike. The 65D was then assigned to folder E-4 in 1976 and shared a folder with
the 65B Beulah Road, 65G Linhart - Braddock, 65E North Braddock - Swissvale and the 65J
Braddock - Forest Hills - Greensburg Pike.
- E-5A - ?
- E-5B - 09/03/72
- E-5C - ?
- E-5D - ?
- E-5F - 09/01/74
- E-5G - ?
- E-5? - ?
- E-4? - ?
- E-4P - 11/07/76
- E-4Q - 02/20/77 Reprinted without correction *
There were schedules issued prior to T-9A and were copies of the former
operator schedule.
Route Disposition:
The 65D was eliminated completely due to low ridership. Although the
combined routing with the 65E allowed the 65D to continue for several more years, the
ridership levels were still poor. After PAT discontinued the 65D, service to the area was
still provided by the 65E but was much reduced from what it had been as the total 65E
route had been cut back at the same time the 65D was eliminated.
Click on images for larger view
The route map for the 65D showing the 1971 routing as well as the
original route in blue. |
