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Q65A
Age: 66 Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 1768 Location: Central NJ
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 8:41 pm Post subject: Steinway Transit Company History |
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I had posted this article on BTN sometime in 2006:
From New York City Transit Buses 1945-1975 Photo Archive (2005, Guy Martin, Iconografix; pp. 116-117):
While Queens-Nassau began with ACFs, Macks and Twin Coaches were the choice of Steinway. Public Service Commission records show the company as having 20 Mack-Internationals, numbered 2000 through 2019, each with 24-passenger capacities. Queens-Nassau purchased new 40-passenger Twins in 1939, with two lots, numbered 2100 through 2129 and 2130 through 2139. Six more Twin diesels were acquired used in 1948, numbered 2140 through 2144. GM diesels arrived in September 1947 with 15 TDH-4507s, numbered 201 through 215. Two deliveries of TDH-4509s (301 through 305 and 306 through 355) arrived in November 1949 and September 1951. In a departure from all New York companies except Ave. B and East Broadway Transit, the first New Look buses to operate on Steinway routes were 20 35-foot TDH-4517s, numbered 401 through 420, in February and March of 1960. Thirteen 40-foot TDH-5304s, numbered 303 through 315, arrived in December 1967. New Look deliveries continued with T6H-5306s; five in January 1969 (321 through 325), five in July 1970 (326 through 330), and 10 in May 1971 (338 through 347). The last New Look buses appeared in August 1976 with 25 T8H-5308s (606 through 630).
Steinway Transit operates four routes in northwestern Queens. Q-101 is the Steinway Street local to 2nd Ave. and 60th St., Manhattan, with a branch, Q-101R, serving the prison on Rikers Island. The Q-102 connects Astoria with Roosevelt Island. The Q-103 and Q-104 are Vernon Blvd. and Broadway (Queens) respectively. While maintaining their garage close to operations at 38th St. near 20th Ave., Steinway Transit also moved their headquarters to the new Queens Transit facility in College Point in 1957.
Another interesting subsidiary of Queens Transit was the Queensboro Bridge Railway. A streetcar operation, it ran (only) across the Queensboro Bridge connecting Queens Plaza with an underground terminal loop at 60th St. and 2nd Ave., Manhattan. One feature of the line was a station midway across the bridge to allow passengers access to Welfare Island (now Roosevelt Island) and its associated hospitals. That stop was no place for anyone with a fear of heights. The line is noteworthy in that it was New York’s last trolley operation. Service ceased on April 8, 1957, when bus service began as the Q-30 run by Steinway Transit. The mid-bridge station was abandoned. Instead access to Welfare Island was via Q-30’s 9.3-mile route from 2nd Ave. and 60th St., Manhattan, to the island via both the Queensboro and Welfare Island Bridges. |
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15 BEECHHURST
Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 1
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 8:58 am Post subject: Steinway History |
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Some additional items.
1. Steinway operated charter runs for Roosevelt Island residents before the Tram started operations in May 1976. There were 3 morning runs and three in the afternoon. The in bound runs were initially expresses to 59-2 but, after residents complained about traffic over the Bridge, an additional stop was added at Bridge Plaza North and Crescent Street.
2. The transfers issued by Steinway showed a transfer to a Q100 run. The roll signs (of which I have an old canvas copy) had readings for the Q100, and I believe one of the terminals was 34Av-10St. I have heard that there was only one run a day which was run simply due to keep the franchise.
3. Back in the 1960s, I believe there was a Steinway bus that, possibility due to some illness suffered by the driver, went into the East River off of then Welfare Island. Anyone remember that? |
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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 14, 2007 2:53 pm Post subject: Welfare/Roosevelt Island Bridge Access |
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Bob,
I do remember well the turn out at the crest of the Queensborough Bridge (north side) for access to Welfare/Roosevelt Island, but what was not mentioned was the fact that this access was in the form of a rather large structure with an elevator capable of supporting vehicles.
There may have been a time when civilian automobiles used it, but toward the end only emergency apparatus was permitted.
Mr. Linsky
"The Green Hornet" |
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Q65A
Age: 66 Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 1768 Location: Central NJ
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 8:44 pm Post subject: Re: Steinway History |
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15 BEECHHURST wrote: |
3. Back in the 1960s, I believe there was a Steinway bus that, possibility due to some illness suffered by the driver, went into the East River off of then Welfare Island. Anyone remember that? | I do have vague memories of that incident. I remember a photo of a crane fishing a Fishbowl out of the East River, probably on the cover of the NY Daily News (my dad's favorite paper). I also remember those 35' Fishbowls from Steinway, and I also recall that they had some TDH5301's or 5302's (numbered in the low 500 series). They operated for a time on QTC routes, including the Q25/34 (which I used to ride to and from elementary school). I always wondered why Steinway had express routes to such unexpected venues in Central and Eastern Queens as Fresh Meadows, Glen Oaks and Bayside, especially since the name "Steinway" invariably is associated with Northwestern Queens. |
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Cyberider
Joined: 27 Apr 2007 Posts: 501 Location: Tempe, AZ
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 9:01 am Post subject: |
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I uploaded some Steinway New Look photos to the gallery yesterday. |
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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: Thu Sep 20, 2007 12:54 am Post subject: |
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While wandering through the ethernet, I found an interesting bit of history about Steinway Lines which hasn't been mentioned and which is of personal interest to me because I own a Steinway Piano (inherited!).
The renowned piano maker, William Steinway, not only manufactured his world famous instruments in Queens but also operated his own streetcar system.
The Third Avenue Railway (Surface Transportation) leased Mr. Steinway 25 used Brill Birney cars which he ran as 'Steinway Lines' from 1930 to 1939 when they were returned to Third Avenue for other assignments and buses began to ply the Steinway routes.
However, streetcars continued to operate in the borough until the closing of the Queensborough Bridge system in 1957.
I guess Mr. Steinway wanted to spend more time tuning his marvelous music makers!
Pictured below is a typical Steinway car from the era.
Photo from the Bill Volkmer Collection, and is borrowed for educational purposes only.
Mr. Linsky
"The Green Hornet"
Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica & Arverne, NY
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Mr RT
Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 102
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Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 6:29 am Post subject: |
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1. The Steinway who ran the trolley line didn't make pianos, but he was related to him.
2. The TARS cars that came to Steinway lines came because they (5th Ave) was controlling the company by this time. |
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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: Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:44 am Post subject: |
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Mr RT,
Thanks for the heads up on Steinway (merely a minor error on what role Mr. Steinway played (not a pun) at the piano company - there were brothers that ran it and he obviously had some connection - but what I read could have been blown a bit out of proportion - no matter - it's insignificant!).
I had a friend who, along with his brothers, inherited a cement business in Freeport (L.I.) years ago and, as coincidence would have it, loved to play the piano and brought one to the office to fiddle with.
It got to the point that his serious brothers paid him to stay home! (maybe that was the case with Mr. Steinway!).
Unfortunately, there really isn't a great deal of history written about Steinway Transit and it's beginnings other than what Q65A had graciously presented on page one of this forum.
Between all of us, we should be able to come up with something more difinitive for the record.
Pictured below is another interesting Steinway car numbered 1672 and sitting in the Steinway depot.
Picture courtesy of the Bill Volkmer Collection and borrowed for educational purposes only.
Mr. Linsky
"The Green Hornet"
Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica & Arverne, NY
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Mr RT
Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 102
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:06 am Post subject: |
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You can buy one of those from MTH |
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