BusTalk

Mr. Linsky

Unquestionably, one of the smallest of the hundreds of private operators that proliferated New Jersey back when was the Downtown Bus Company of Oxford Avenue in Jersey City.

Pictured is fleet # 428 - a 1949 GM Coach Model TDH 3612 and one of two 3612's with the other numbered 427 that operated from Journal Square in Jersey City on the #5, #6 and #31 lines to the Hoboken, Belleville and Caldwell areas respectively.

# 428 is seen in shirtsleeve weather in 1950 readying for its next trip on the # 5 Line to Hoboken via Summit Avenue with the final stop being the Weehawken Ferry slip for those passengers heading to Manhattan's midtown.

Of note on # 428 are the passenger safety split sashes which were mandatory in New Jersey at the time with the only acceptable alternative being after market window bars.

Downtown was eventually taken over by the Lafayette and Greenville group which then became part of New Jersey Transit.

Photo thanks to Bruce K. of eBay.

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

JimmiB · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 1:25 am Post subject:

Nice looking bus. What was the color scheme?

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 3:16 pm Post subject:

JimmiB,

Sorry to be so tardy in answering your comment on the color of Downtown #428; (I have been relieved of posting at another board which will now give me more time to keep up with affairs here at BusTalk).

Because the photo is in black and white it is virtually impossible to discern color.

However, next generation 'New Looks' for Downtown such as #437 pictured below carried a rather strange livery.

BTW; didn't they write a song about this company called 'Downtown'!? (great tune!).

Photo by Mel Bernero.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'