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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 Jul 14, 2014 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="frankie"] Mr. Linsky wrote: | This presentation may answer at least some questions as to where the special 1939/1940 New York World's Fair Greyhound sightseers wound up after the expo ended.
The 1207, powered by a 308 cubic inch Chevrolet gasoline engine located beneath the driver's seat, measured 45 feet in length with a 108 inch width and featured two longitudinal back to back wooden benches that sat 50 adults.
Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York
Thanks Mr. L for shedding more light on this unique bus. I can only assume that this bus still holds the record of being the longest and widest single body U.S. build bus.
One question out of curiosity: How do you fix a flat tire?
Frankie |
Frankie,
It's interesting that you should ask about the tires and what access there would be to them;
If you take a careful look at the 'Army' version of the 1207 below, you'll note that the tires appear to be old fashioned solid rubber in lieu of pneumatic which on the smooth pavements of private properties wouldn't make much difference in the ride.
Additionally, it is assumed that wherever these buses operate there would be a full maintenance facility for them which would have the capability of towing them in for service.
Many regards,
Mr. 'L'
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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: Wed Jul 16, 2014 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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In this 1947 pose at the company garage in the Cedar Manor section of South Jamaica we see a 1946 Ford modeled as a Business Coupe and operating as Supervisor Car #5 for Jamaica Buses, Inc. of Jamaica, New York.
The supervisor cars were and probably still are a very important part of bus operations in that they are used by company starters and inspectors to patrol the routes, make certain that buses are running on schedule, respond to emergency situations and in the collection of rear door fares where needed during rush hours.
While #5 shows no special antenna, most of these vehicles were two way radio equipped for rapid communication with company dispatchers and usually carried a milk box filled with basic tools in their cavernous trunks for minor road repairs.
Photo courtesy of 'dfwu' and is available at eBay as item # 351118839240.
Also thanks to HartBus (ECA) for the lead.
Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York
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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 Jul 17, 2014 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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Once again we visit the Cedar Manor facility of Jamaica Buses, Inc. (JBI) but this time in the very early 60's to see what is left of fifteen 1937 Mack Model 6-CT-3S's numbered between 100 and 130 with all being surplus transfers from commonly owned Green Bus Lines in the mid fifties.
Actually, JBI was the third operator of the fleet which had originally been purchased by the newly formed Manhattan and Queens Bus Corporation (M&Q) to replace traction equipment on the Q-60 line between South Jamaica and the east side of Manhattan - interestingly, the 30 buses carried their same fleet numbers throughout their active lives.
Note that the CT (stage left) was obviously used as a parts car to support the useable equipment.
The thirty CT's inherited in 1943 from M&Q by Green along with seventy of their own made the company the largest single operator of the model and the only outward difference between the two fleets were the factory installed sun visors over Green's windshields.
Photo courtesy of 'dfwu' and is available at eBay as item # 400742703668.
Special thanks to Hart Bus for the lead.
Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York
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Q65A
Age: 66 Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 1769 Location: Central NJ
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Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2014 9:33 am Post subject: |
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Interesting that the operator's side of the windshield has 2 header-mounted wipers, yet the curbside windshield appears to have no wipers.
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B53RICH
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 254
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Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2014 11:19 am Post subject: |
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Q65A, it is a bit hard to see but I think there is at least one wiper on the curb side, set in the middle.
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Q65A
Age: 66 Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 1769 Location: Central NJ
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Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2014 11:29 am Post subject: |
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Thanks B53Rich, I see it now
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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: Sat Jul 19, 2014 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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Q65A wrote: | Interesting that the operator's side of the windshield has 2 header-mounted wipers, yet the curbside windshield appears to have no wipers. |
Bob,
That was the one other outward difference between the Green and M&Q Mack CT's that I failed to mention.
Green's CT's had 'arc' sweep wipers with transmissions from under the windshield while the M&Q's had a set of horizontal sweeps on each glass controlled by transmissions above - interestingly, the horizontal sweeps achieved the same affect as do the modern day single blade pantograph systems.
Shown below and taken in the mid fifties by historian Robert Redden is a Green CT on loan to Triboro at the time and demonstrating both the custom sun visor and arc wipers.
I would suggest that the equipment needed for M&Q's wiper system in the form of a metal tube running across the top of the windshield would have prohibited the use of a visor.
Best regards,
Mr. 'L'
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Q65A
Age: 66 Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 1769 Location: Central NJ
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Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2014 7:53 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Mr. L!
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Free-transfer
Age: 64 Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 123 Location: South Florida
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Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2014 10:34 pm Post subject: |
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Here's a screen shot I took from a video on YouTube,
Far Rockaway Memories. Notice several GBL Macks on
the left...
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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: Sun Jul 20, 2014 1:51 am Post subject: |
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Free-transfer,
Yes, that's a well known shot and it appears exactly the same on page 15 of the October/December 2000 issue of Motor Coach Age devoted exclusively to the history of Green Bus Lines.
At the time the photo was taken circa late forties the backbone of the Rockaway Division fleet were the Mack CT's and no less than three can be seen at the Far Rockaway Railroad station.
The large white topped bus in the background is an ACF modeled as a 41-S operating for the Nassau Bus Line and is readying for another trip back to Long Beach via Atlantic Beach.
The station was the long time terminus for both Green and Nassau buses but was lost to them due to an outrageous rent increase in later years which they refused to pay and lead to curbside service around the corner.
Regards,
Mr. 'L'
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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: Tue Jul 22, 2014 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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The Manhattan and Queens Bus Corporation, operator of the Q-60 line between South Jamaica and Manhattan, had many good days along with a few bad ones as seen below.
On July 10th. 1939 #101, a 1937 Mack modeled as a 6-CT-3S, traveling Jamaica bound on Queens Boulevard at Forest Hills jumped a curb and crashed into a refreshment stand and a billboard destroying both and sending four pedestrians to the hospital with flying glass injuries.
Of note is a company mechanic assessing the damage to the bus.
#101 survived its minor incursion and went on to serve commonly owned Green Bus Lines and Jamaica Buses in its later life.
BTW; #101 also shows its original factory generated livery.
It was not uncommon in the 30's and even into the late forties to find many vacant lots along the outer reaches of Queens Boulevard which became perfect venues for temporary outdoor signage.
Photo courtesy of 'cootsimagery-deluxe' and is available at eBay as item # 400745378607.
Pertinent details thanks to Acme Photo New York Bureau.
Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York
Last edited by Mr. Linsky on Sun Nov 09, 2014 2:17 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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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: Wed Jul 23, 2014 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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I've often said that while I dislike the reporting of accidents they are part of the history of New York Buses and must be recorded and, in this case, most importantly to memorialize a gentlemen by the name of Michael Mennion who was crushed to death behind the wheel while trying to save his passengers and bus.
It was the rainy morning of June 5th. 1941 along Roosevelt Avenue in Woodside that we see the aftermath of a devastating accident in which Fifth Avenue Coach # 2141 was cut off forcing driver Mennion to swerve the bus which then careened across slippery pavement to the opposite side of the road and into an El structure pillar sending forty of the Manhattan bound passengers to the hospital with twelve listed in critical condition.
Two of the company's service cars including a heavy duty four wheel drive Walter (seen right of upper frame) were enlisted to dislodge and remove the bus which sustained catastrophic front end damage.
Images courtesy of Acme Photo New York Bureau and are available on eBay through 'cootsimagery-deluxe' as items 201132943335 and 201132307366 respectively.
Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York
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X-Astorian
Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 168 Location: Central NJ
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2014 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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Mr. Linsky wrote: | I've often said that while I dislike the reporting of accidents they are part of the history of New York Buses and must be recorded and, in this case, most importantly to memorialize a gentlemen by the name of Michael Mennion who was crushed to death behind the wheel while trying to save his passengers and bus.
It was the rainy morning of June 5th. 1941 along Roosevelt Avenue in Woodside that we see the aftermath of a devastating accident in which Fifth Avenue Coach # 2141 was cut off forcing driver Mennion to swerve the bus which then careened across slippery pavement to the opposite side of the road and into an El structure pillar sending forty of the Manhattan bound passengers to the hospital with twelve listed in critical condition.
Two of the company's service cars including a heavy duty four wheel drive Walter (seen right of upper frame) were enlisted to dislodge and remove the bus which sustained catastrophic front end damage.
Images courtesy of Acme Photo New York Bureau and are available on eBay through 'cootsimagery-deluxe' as items 201132943335 and 201132307366 respectively.
Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York |
Mr L.,
That was indeed an awful crash but, as you point out, it is part of bus history. The story was front-page news in the Long Island Star-Journal and Brooklyn Eagle and while only on page 23 in The New York Times, coverage was extensive. The papers reported that Michael Mannion had worked for FACCO since November 1924 - almost 17 of his 40 years.
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Q65A
Age: 66 Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 1769 Location: Central NJ
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2014 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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Walter wreckers seemed to be popular with the old PBLs.
I recall QTC had a big Walter tow truck (painted orange and cream, of course) and perhaps also a Walter salt spreader (with a front mounted plow jack, much like DSNY rigs of the same period).
Did GBL, TCC and JBI also have similar service vehicles?
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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: Fri Jul 25, 2014 1:31 am Post subject: |
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Q65A wrote: | Walter wreckers seemed to be popular with the old PBLs.
I recall QTC had a big Walter tow truck (painted orange and cream, of course) and perhaps also a Walter salt spreader (with a front mounted plow jack, much like DSNY rigs of the same period).
Did GBL, TCC and JBI also have similar service vehicles? |
Bob,
Walter was the heavy service truck of choice among New York PBL's not only because of its unusual design in which the engine was placed ahead of the front axle instead of over it for more balanced load distribution but because they were built and serviced right in Long Island City!
Green Bus Lines had one from 1926 numbered 15 and Triboro Coach had a 1929 'Snow Fighter' model numbered 3 - in addition to #204 in the photo, Fifth Avenue had at least one other numbered 172 (a beautiful misdated picture of #172 can be seen on page 13 of Ogden's 'New York Fifth Avenue Coach Company 1885-1960').
I'm sure there must have been more around town but I have no knowledge of them (yet).
Best regards,
Mr. 'L'
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