A few CVRR pictures and some other related pictures....

[Rufus T. Firefly]

........ would get half-soled......

Vague memories of getting shoes that have been.........

[Mitch]

I remember learning, quite some time ago, that the Pennsylvania Turnpike was originally cut into the Appalachians as a railroad route. OK. I believed that but always remained skeptical when taking into consideration all those hills (esp. leading up to and from the Blue Mt. and Tuscarora tunnels) and steady-climbs and descents, numerous bridges and culverts, one had to drive during the journey from Irwin

Murph, this was all going on, (from what I've read), during the time of the start of the PRR. Philadelphia and New York City wanted to open their markets west to Ohio and on to Chicago. Railroads were clamoring to be the first to open the route to gain all the business. The PRR at that time was using boats to get people and freight up and over the Alleghenies, and Vanderbilt and Morgan started building along a route that had been previously surveyed. Meanwhile, Edgar Thompson had become President of the PRR, applied for and got permission to go on the N.Y. Stock Exchange and offer shares that gave the PRR the cash to do the Horseshoe Curve. Thompson got the route through first, and the rest is history.

Murph, I'm surprised that you don't remember the commercials on TV for Keds sneakers. "Run your fastest; jump your highest"!

When I was a kid, a new pair of Keds was about $1.50. Since we were as poor as church mice, I remember wearing a pair of 4 buckle arctic snow boots for a month into the summer with no shoes underneath before Dad could come up with the cash for a pair of "tenny sneakers". We weren't allowed to wear our school shoes, (of which we only had one pair), for anything but school or church. To this day, I'll still wear a pair of work shoes for 5 to 7 years before they hurt my feet and they're so worn out I can't take it any more. To me, $140 for a good pair of American made work shoes is a lot of jing, but they do last. I had one pair of RedWings that started out with Vibram soles. (You know how thick Vibram Soles are)? When I cashed them in, they were completely smooth. When you wear a 13EEE, you can't buy shoes at PicWay or Walmart.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

I remember learning, quite some time ago, that the Pennsylvania Turnpike was originally cut into the Appalachians as a railroad route....

Murph, this was all going on, (from what I've read), during the time of the start of the PRR. Philadelphia and New York City wanted to open their markets west to Ohio and on to Chicago. Railroads were clamoring ...
Murph, I'm surprised that you don't remember the commercials on TV for Keds sneakers. "Run your fastest; jump your highest"!

When I was a kid, a new pair of Keds was about $1.50. Since we were as poor as church mice, I remember wearing a pair of 4 buckle arctic snow boots for a month into the summer with no shoes underneath before Dad could come up with the cash for a pair of "tenny sneakers".... When you wear a 13EEE, you can't buy shoes at PicWay or Walmart.

Thanks for all that input, Mitch. It was especially nice to read your personal account of your experiences regarding shoes as a boy - very nice of you to share that. I think I, too, remember those 4-buckle snow boots, too, and wearing them a bit out of season, once upon a time in milltown USA.

Also, now that you mentioned it, I think I do recall a bit of that slogan about those Keds "tenny sneakers."
And congratulations on that shoe size!!!!
Murph, aka, Inane Boy (just ask Rufus)

[rogruth]

Now I also remember the 4 buckle "snow boots" but I could not wear them except in the winter so they didn't wear out.

[J. S. Bach]

...snip... When you wear a 13EEE, ...snip...

Dad would have called them "gunboats".

[Rufus T. Firefly]

[Rufus T. Firefly]

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Peoples Ice Co, Horse & Wagon, Wilkinsburg, Pa

[MurphOnMillerAve]

I appreciate that photo. I have occasionally included such a vehicle ensemble in my vignettes, but have not really known for a fact how that wooden pole thing (name?) connected to the harness/yoke (leather [?] thing around the horse's neck) or to the other leather equipment between the harness and his legs. etc. I was never sure I got the angle right, mostly, nor was I quite sure of how far the poles reached toward the horse's face. I thought I knew, but as soon as I had a1/48 model (from Baker's Railroad Shop) of the horse and the wagon (?) in my hands, I realized I had not the slightest clue how to be accurate/realistic with the hook-up. Nor was I sure about how close to position the vehicle to the horse's rear-end. So, I just modeled what "felt right" to my urbanite's eye.

And, Hev had sent me a few photos of a carriage being pulled in real-life in Pennsylvania, which gave me further information and ideas regarding such matters. (He often had the nicest way of sending me (unsolicited but appreciated and much enjoyed) photos when I had modeling questions regarding particular scenes I had in mind. It was his smile and amiability, however, that meant the most and were the most endearing.) Murph

[Rufus T. Firefly]

[healey36]

I apologize in advance for the non-CVRR related thread-drift, but the shoe-related pic reminded me of this one I saw and saved years ago:



Get your shoes "rebuilt" at the Tulsa Shoe Rebuilders and six months later you're at Conley's...

Healey

[MurphOnMillerAve]

It seemed to be a thing, back in those days, for some of the younger fellows to tip the hat to one side

...and P.S. The vehicle certainly dates the circa of the photo's taking, doesn't it.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

It seemed to be a thing, back in those days, for some of the younger fellows to tip the hat to one side

Stylish, and, let's the rain drain to the one side as well,

BTW, did anyone notice the head garb of the employees of Kreider Shoe Factory marching down the street?

[MurphOnMillerAve]

It seemed to be a thing, back in those days, for some of the younger fellows to tip the hat to one side

Stylish, and, let's the rain drain to the one side as well,

BTW, did anyone notice the head garb of the employees of Kreider Shoe Factory marching down the street?

I think a lot of clubs, in those days, felt they needed a good, identifiable hat to mark the occasions of their coming together and being fancy.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

It seemed to be a thing, back in those days, for some of the younger fellows to tip the hat to one side

Stylish, and, let's the rain drain to the one side as well,

BTW, did anyone notice the head garb of the employees of Kreider Shoe Factory marching down the street?

I think a lot of clubs, in those days, felt they needed a good, identifiable hat to mark the occasions of their coming together and being fancy.

Indeed.....including those shaped like shoes....