BusTalk

[Mr. Linsky]

Snapped sometime in May of 1976 adjacent to its car barn is fleet # 59 - a 1956 GM TDH-3714 and one of three numbered between 57 and 59 operating for the Holyoke Street Railway Company of Holyoke, Massachusetts.

# 59 awaits its next assignment which, by its destination sign, indicates Holyoke's City Hall as its final stop.

Holyoke, once famed as a leading paper mill town, lies in the southwestern part of the state and was served by traction lines from 1884 until their replacement by buses in 1936.

In a picture (lower frame) taken on High Street in downtown Holyoke in 1939 we see one of nine 1936 Mack Model CW-3S's purchased by the company to begin those bus operations.

In 1953, Holyoke Street Railway became part of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) but, by contract, continued to operate under the Holyoke flag until fully assimilated in 1981.

Upper photo borrowed for educational purposes only.
Lower photo courtesy of Wistariahurst Museum of Holyoke.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

[Mr. Linsky]

In another shot taken sometime in the sixties at the company's car barn we see fleet number 15 - one of many buses bought used at the time by the Holyoke Street Railway Company of Holyoke, Massachusetts.

# 15 is strange in a number of ways not the least of which being that it could be either a late phase GM TDH 4509 or any 4512 (outwardly, neither can be told apart even by a wood-be expert such as myself). - GM updated the later 4509's to include the roof strengthening, more modern engine air intakes over the quarter windows and the larger plastic GM logos both front and rear - exactly the same treatments found on all 4512's.

In the oddities department, # 15 features an unusual placement of its side destination sign window which, for reasons unknown, occupies the second slot instead of the first aft of the front door and, without a ThermoMatic system, must rely only on its under seat heaters to keep its passengers warm during the cold northeast winters.

Photo by Bob Hussey - NorCal Bus Fans.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

[Q65A]

This property really liked to paint their front bumpers to match the body color.

[Mr. Linsky]

Bob,

It was certainly cheaper than re-chroming but they always looked lousy when they were painted because it deteriorated so quickly.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

[ripta42]

#15 is a 1952 TDH4509, originally built for Springfield St Ry as their #377.

[Mr. Linsky]

Michael,

That's very interesting because in Luke's GM and Yellow Old Look Buses page 15 shows a 1940 Yellow Model TG-3602 operating for Springfield with the side destination sign also in the second slot.

I'm wondering why they elected that placement as opposed to the standard first slot?

Thanks for the info.

Regards to the family,

Mr. 'L'

[timecruncher]

Looks as if they didn't much want to bother with replacing broken glass in any window - center door and rear window both appear to be covered over with sheet metal.

Tacky, but so many small city sytems were just barely surviving in those years!

timecruncher