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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23318 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 11:21 pm Post subject: |
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That the FACC was indeed a prestigious operation is more than evident by the vintage ads featured in "NEW YORK FIFTH AVENUE COACH COMPANY", by Oliver J. Ogden.
At least two companies, "PREST-O-LITE" batteries and "AMERICAN HAMMERED PISTON RINGS" used FACC "QUEEN MARY" coaches in their ads, which appeared in of "BUS TRANSPORTATION MAGAZINE", back in 1938.
Good publicity never hurts..... |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23318 Location: NEW JOISEY
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23318 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 9:45 am Post subject: |
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Nice to see that this thread has surpassed my wildest dreams in terms of popularity!
Man, I keep up up with the responses!
NYO |
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Mr. Linsky BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 5071 Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.
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Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 12:55 pm Post subject: |
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NYO,
I'm certain that you are aware of the fact that when the city took over Fifth Avenue Coach in 1962 it did not buy the name which is still a viable entity although in businesses unrelated to transportation.
Thus, the 'Omnibus' name appears on 2124.
BTW; this is a great thread - keep up the good work!
Regards,
Mr. 'L' |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23318 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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Mr. "L"
Thank you for the kind words.....always much appreciated!
Yes, the history of the FACC is indeed a most intriguing one, one that, IMHO, has been neglected for far too long.
FACC was, in its day, every bit as vital to New York transportation as were the subways, elevateds, and TARS streetcars.
Too, look at how many old movies (and newsreels) feature shots of FACC buses......1943's "THE CLOCK", starring Judy Garland and Robert Walker is one of those classic films, also featuring a good "open-topper" scene, where Robert Walker chases the old double-decker for quite a few blocks, because Judy was aboard!
There were also a few scenes of "QUEEN MARY" coaches in 1949's "ON THE TOWN", with Frank Sinatra (and "RIDE THE SURFACE WAY" Macks, to boot!)
IMHO, FACC was once as much a part of New York as was the old Penn Station, Gimbels, and the Automat!
The history of this fabled company is far too important to ignore!
NYO
Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Mon May 02, 2011 5:22 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Hart Bus
Age: 74 Joined: 24 Apr 2007 Posts: 1150
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Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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Mr. Linsky wrote: |
NYO,
I'm certain that you are aware of the fact that when the city took over Fifth Avenue Coach in 1962 it did not buy the name which is still a viable entity although in businesses unrelated to transportation.
Thus, the 'Omnibus' name appears on 2124.
BTW; this is a great thread - keep up the good work!
Regards,
Mr. 'L' |
To my dear friend Mr. L.
Is FACC really still in business? I read that they took the condemnation proceeds and became an investment company still using the FACC name.
Sometime later they changed the name to South Bay Investment Company ( or something similar). The next mention was a citation against them by the SEC. From there the trail runs cold.
Your friend
Hart Bus |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23318 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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Hart Bus:
If FACC were really still with us, then we should be able to see a steady parade of green and cream coaches, rumbling up and down 5th Avenue!
Ahhh, if we only could.....
NYO |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23318 Location: NEW JOISEY
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23318 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 5:30 pm Post subject: |
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Circa 1960's view of ex-FACC #2124, then owned by the "WASHINGTON SQUARE INN", and still making a most impressive appearance......
http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?2408 |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23318 Location: NEW JOISEY
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23318 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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EXTENSIVE pictorial history (QUITE a bit of historical text here, as well), on the history of the FACC.
I was VERY surprised to see such an extensive collection of vintage photos, drawings, postcards, and ads dedicated to the FACC!
Enjoy!
http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/f/fifth_avenue/fifth_avenue.htm |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23318 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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All:
I have been reading through the extensive text of the "Coachbuilt" FACC page I posted in the previous response......it obviously required a great deal of research to pull it all together.
As I also stated, the vintage photos, postcards, etc, will truly satisfy the hunger of any true FACC fan......
NYO |
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N4 Jamaica
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 860 Location: Long Island
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2011 11:45 am Post subject: |
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Mom, born 1908, grew up in Washington Heights. And some time, she, my grandmother, and others would ride Fifth Avenue coach as a treat, despite the ten-cent fare. I wonder about the buses in the CoachBuilt link that are numbered in the 200's. The driver is seated outdoors. There is a crank. And there is a huge circular device in front with an inverted Y. The tires appear to be solid. I wonder which years this model gave Fifth Avenue service. In particular, I am looking at the frontal photo of 201 with a black-on-white route sign SEVENTH & FIFTH AV'S, presumably the current M2 using Adam Clayton Powell Blvd, 110 St, and 5th Ave. Many thanks for your interesting posts.
Joe |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23318 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2011 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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Joe.....
Good to have you on board!
Those buses you referred to (which, for years, I thought were MERCEDES units), were (according to the FACC book I've mentioned earlier) French-built DE DION "Boutons" (w/ Brill bodies).
The emblem seen on the bus front was actually used by "DE DION" long before MERCEDES-BENZ.
Hope this helps; as I said, until I purchased the book, I, too, was convinced that these buses were built by MERCEDES!
The caption below the of photo of single-deck coach #210 (in Mr. Ogden's book), tells us that the bus was built in 1912 as a single-decker, and rebuilt as a double-deck unit in 1914.
DAIMLER engines were used in the "DE DION" buses.
Also, glad you've been enjoying the posts!
NYO
Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Thu May 05, 2011 6:14 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23318 Location: NEW JOISEY
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