BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Though no buses are to be seen in this busy LA street scene, (circa 1940), the neon sign at the lower left is of interest; we can just make out "BUS LINES", and what looks like a rendition of an early Flex CLIPPER......

http://www.newdavesrailpix.com/larys/htm/lary292.htm

(courtesy newdavesrailpix)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The famed KEY SYSTEM was another sprawling West Coast electric rail network that also operated buses.

Here, in 1958 (the same year that "KEY" trains to San Francisco were replaced by buses), we see a "Bridge Unit" train along with a WHITE (both wear the once-familiar NCL "Fruit Salad" scheme).........

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?16176

(courtesy nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

On this bright, sunny day in LA, way back in 1947, we see a big LARY streetcar passing an LAMC Old Look.

Transit vehicles were indeed quite colorful, back in the day......

http://www.newdavesrailpix.com/larys/htm/lajt189.htm

(courtesy newdavesrailpix)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Date this timeless "rail/rubber" scene to 1959!

Here we see an LA MTA Old Look trailing a hulking PE "Blimp" in a classic "Follow The Leader" fashion (by this late date, the remaining PE rail lines were bieng operated by the MTA; note that a new "MTA" herald has been affixed to the "Red Car", and that the old PE lerttering has been removed)

Interestingly, the "Blimps" came to the PE second hand; some of the cars formerlyran on the SP's network of East Bay commuter lines (abandoned in 1941), radiating out of SP's sprawling Oakland Mole ferry terminal, while others came from another SF-area commuter line, operated by the NWP.

The ex-SP cars were originally equipped with pantographs, while the ex-NWP cars had formerly run on third rail trackage......

http://www.newdavesrailpix.com/pe/htm/pe596.htm