BusTalk

Mr. Linsky

An embarrassing moment! (for any bus!).

The trolley, heading for Caldwell, New Jersey, is waylaid in route to rescue a little bus stuck in a snow drift and, by the look of the Chevy in front of the furniture store across the street, it's around 1947.

The bus, fleet number 4893, is a 1942 Yellow Coach Model TD 3205 and one of over one hundred likenesses numbered from 4805 to 4936 delivered to Public Service Coordinated Transport (PSCT) of Newark, New Jersey in July of that year.

Yellow was already on war footing building the 3205's with sheet metal of thinner steel in lieu of aluminum as is evidenced by the addition of a second side swipe molding between the wheel housings which can be glimpsed just forward of the rear door.

Perhaps a Jersey trolley expert could tell us what flag on the side of a trolley car would end in the letters 'KING'.

Photo by Judahpraise and is up for bid on eBay as item # 120973123223.

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

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 4:15 pm Post subject:

Mr. "L":

"SUBWAY CAR: SAVE TIME TIME & PARKING"

That was the legend applied to the sides of the PSNJ cars that were assigned to the NEWARK CITY SUBWAY and its connecting subway-surface lines.

The #29, incidently, was the last of the connecting subway-surface lines, converted to bus in early 1952.

Truly honored that I could be of help to the "Great Master"! Wink

I've been researching the history of the Newark Subway for the past 40 years......I guess I've learned a little, over the decades..... Very Happy

"NYO"

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 4:19 pm Post subject:

Incidently, "home base" for the #29 cars was the now-gone Bell St. barn, on Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair.

PSNJ used it for a bus garage after the trolleys were replaced; in later years, though, it was a bowling alley, and served in that capacity until it was demolished some years back.......

"NYO"

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 4:28 pm Post subject:

Here's a view of old PSNJ streetcar #2681 (note the "SUBWAY" lettering on the side)

At the time of this photo, the last of the subway-surface lines were gone, and the remaining deck roof cars were about to be replaced by second-hand TCRT PCC's.

Franklin Avenue (served by the #7 CITY SUBWAY line), was then a stub station.

It was rebuilt with a loop for the PCC's in late 1953.

Today, this area is totally unrecognizeable, as a new "through" station has replaced the loop, and new LRV's have replaced the PCC's.......

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?76101

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 4:35 pm Post subject:

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629,

Boy, that must have been a real long trolley!

Funny what you mention about a depot being converted to bowling alley.

Green Line's (NY) Arverne Garage in Rockaway was originally a roller skating rink!

Thanks for the info.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 4:46 pm Post subject:

Mr. "L":

You are quite welcome!

Here is a 1930's view of the interior of the PS barn at Bell Street, Montclair.

This was the only PS barn to have curves inside the structure itself.

Most cars seen here are painted in the "De Luxe" scheme of the late 1920's, part of an extensive PS modernization project......

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?118324

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 4:55 pm Post subject:

Two exterior views of the Bloomfield Avenue end of the Bell St. Barn, at the end of the trolley era.

The #29 had the distinction of being the last PS surface car line to operate in the State of New Jersey.......

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116983

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116985

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 9:20 pm Post subject:

This timeless view from about 1950 shows a PSNJ subway-surface streetcar just entering the main subway trackage at Bloomfield Avenue.

The car (inbound from Caldwell to Penn Station, Newark) has just descended the inbound ramp, and is now on the rails used by the #7 CITY SUBWAY cars.

Note, also, the PS bus on Bloomfield Avenue.

Though service on the #29 ended in 1952, the trackage on the connector ramps, as well as the switch on the outbound track, was still in place through the 1970's......

http://www.davesrailpix.com/psct/htm/psct087.htm

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 9:32 pm Post subject:

When PS decided to replace the elderly streetcars serving the #7 CITY SUBWAY line in 1953 with second-hand PCC's, a new loop and station was built at Franklin Avenue, replacing the old stub-ended facility.

These rainy-day views from 1955 show both vintage PS buses (note red flasher alongside destination sign on bus in first photo), as well as the ex-TCRT PCC's.

Nothing seen here exists today.

I knew this station area quite well, especially from the 1970's onwards......

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?88048

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?88045

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 10:13 am Post subject:

More vintage PS buses in this view (photo date of 1947 is incorrect; the new Franklin Avenue CITY SUBWAY station, still under construction, would date this photo to late 1953.

This new station and loop was necessary to accomodate the ex-TCRT PCC's, that were replacing the old double-ended PS streetcars.

As you can see here, Franklin Avenue was an important rail/bus transfer facility, and remained so for decades.

Nothing remains from this scene today..........

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116252

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 4:58 pm Post subject:

Another classic bus/trolley "meet" at Franklin Avenue (1954); through the 1970's, this almost rural scene remained virtually unchanged.

This is clearly an "off peak" scene; rush-hours would find several buses on hand, making connections with the CITY SUBWAY trolleys.

Today, the area is totally unrecognizeable......

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?87844

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 9:27 pm Post subject:

The same location, 20 years later (1974)

Fishbowls are now the order of the day at Franklin Avenue, and the name of the game is now TRANSPORT OF NEW JERSEY.

A CITY SUBWAY car can just be glimpsed on the other side of the platform.

One wouldn't recognize this same scene today.......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?2377

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 9:43 pm Post subject:

The western terminus of PSNJ's #29 subway-surface car line (until 1952) was the Caldwell loop.

This humble facility was shared with buses of DE CAMP's long-defunct #22 line to Journal Square (Jersey City), and the #144 to Penn Station, Newark.

Until 1948, the #144 was a DE CAMP route, but was then sold to VANDERHOOF BROTHERS (NEWARK-CALDWELL BUS LINE)

By 1957, the #144 buses were operated by MOUNTAIN COACHES, INC., an affiliate of TRACKLESS TRANSIT.

The #144 no longer operates, and this location is no longer used for transit operations.......

http://www.davesrailpix.com/psct/htm/psct042.htm