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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 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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It seems as though the Fifth Avenue Coach Company had its share of disasters with its famous double decked buses as we see below in a photo taken on June 27th. 1947.
Bus #2004, a 1936 Yellow Coach modeled as a '720', is shown in the aftermath of an accident on the Manhattan end of the Queensboro (now Ed Koch) Bridge in which it collided with a superstructure support brace while returning to Fifth Avenue and 25th. Street on the #15 Jackson Heights line.
Forty passengers suffered only minor injuries and the front clip of the bus was almost totally destroyed with no cause given as to why the accident occurred.
I suspect that it might have been another case of the loss of brakes and an attempt to ride the curb to slow down because it is with certainty that all of the #15 drivers new of the dangers of coming to close to bridge braces with their high profile vehicles.
With the future of the company's double deckers already in question by 1947 it is unclear as to whether #2004 was ever rebuilt.
Photo courtesy of 'HistoricImages-Store' and is available at eBay as item # 390889515126.
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: Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks Mr. L; I never knew Walter had a facility in LIC. |
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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 26, 2014 12:50 am Post subject: |
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| Q65A wrote: | | Thanks Mr. L; I never knew Walter had a facility in LIC. |
Bob,
Walter spent much of its early years in New York as seen in the next paragraph;
Walter Motor Truck Co. - 1911-1923 New York, New York, 1923-1935 Long Island City, New York, 1935-1957 Ridgewood (Long Island), New York and 1957-1980s Vorheesville, New York.
You can learn a great deal more about the company's history at;
http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/w/walter/walter.htm
Pictured below is one of the first of a fleet of Walter trucks built at Long Island City for the City of New York Department of Sanitation and taken by Walter along Queens Boulevard with the factory seen in the upper left of the frame.
Photo courtesy of New York City Archive.
Best 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: Sun Jul 27, 2014 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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You might like to title this presentation as 'Uncle Bernie Takes to the Wheel'.
Shown at the controls of a 1933 Mack model 'CL' on November 25th. 1936 at the company's facility in downtown Manhattan and readying to take to the streets of the lower East Side is M. Bernard Greenberg - president (and chief cook and bottle washer) at Avenue B and East Broadway Transit Company (AB&EB).
Mr. Greenberg was no stranger at the wheel of a bus being both a stockholder and former driver for Green Bus Lines in the borough and was enlisted once again along with any other management personnel he could muster to keep his buses rolling on two crosstown routes during a labor dispute with his drivers.
Our focus exudes an aura of confidence especially with an officer of the law sitting behind him for moral support (and protection).
M. Bernard Greenberg and his brother Jacob founded AB&EB in 1933 to secure franchises for the Grand Street and Avenue B operations that had been abandoned by a traction company sometime earlier.
The company, eventually headed by brother Jacob, remained family owned and operated for forty seven years and was the last of Manhattan's major PBL's to succumb to city takeover in 1980.
Photo courtesy of 'vintageimagephotos' and is available at eBay as item # 151357268945.
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: Mon Jul 28, 2014 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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A couple of questions for anyone who might have a finger on the pulse of the MTA Museum;
What is the present disposition of the two recently acquired New York City Omnibus Yellow Coaches? - namely #327 (a 1935 model 718) and #1592 (a 1936 model 731) as seen below?
If restorations haven't started yet, when are they planned? and, where did these buses come from?
On the face of it, at least outwardly, they're not in bad shape and it shouldn't take a lot to renew them.
They are certainly important pieces to add to the museum's already impressive stable!
Photos thanks to Jeff Marinoff.
Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York
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frankie
Age: 77
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
Posts: 747
Location: St. Peters, Mo.
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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I'm wondering what is under wrap behind #327 in the top photo? Has to be either a 720 or a 735.
Frankie |
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Q65A
Age: 66
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 1769
Location: Central NJ
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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| These 2 would make excellent companions for Queen Anne and Queen Mary in the MTA Museum Fleet. |
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Hart Bus
Age: 74
Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 1150
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Also what is the status of Ex-Bee Line LI), ex-Alert Coach 617? |
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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 29, 2014 12:36 am Post subject: |
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We talk about New York's MTA Museum and it's certainly something to be proud of and I'd put it up against most other like institutions anytime.
But (and this but has nothing to do with the museum) what I have never been able to understand is that out of nearly 1,000 TDH 4507's that ran for city operators not one was preserved by anybody!
For that matter you would think that just one TDH 4510 out of 500 would have survived!
In fact, if it weren't for the FDNY we wouldn't even have the one TDH 5101!
It seems as though the only entities that supported preservation back when were the Omnibus affiliates and we should thank heaven for that!
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 29, 2014 12:48 am Post subject: |
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| frankie wrote: | I'm wondering what is under wrap behind #327 in the top photo? Has to be either a 720 or a 735.
Frankie |
Frankie,
If it is the Queen Mary it would have to be #2124 - a model 735 and the only DD of the class that the museum owns.
If it isn't the Queens Mary then it might be an RTS on a lift but I'm inclined to agree with you as to what it probably is.
BTW; the wrap is so that it won't catch a cold!
Regards,
Mr. 'L'
Last edited by Mr. Linsky on Tue Jul 29, 2014 1:17 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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frankie
Age: 77
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
Posts: 747
Location: St. Peters, Mo.
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| Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2014 10:00 am Post subject: |
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| Mr. Linsky wrote: |
For that matter you would think that just one TDH 4510 out of 500 would have survived!
Mr. 'L' |
This is still hope! Actually 501 TDH 4510 models were built and LA has the odd one and is currently still running as a restored example.
Possibly but not likely, there's always a chance that NY could lure that one example away to add to the museum fleet.
It's a shame not one Bingham Mack was saved. Even an ex-Miami would have made a great candidate.
Frankie |
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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 29, 2014 1:45 pm Post subject: |
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| frankie wrote: | | Mr. Linsky wrote: |
For that matter you would think that just one TDH 4510 out of 500 would have survived!
Mr. 'L' |
This is still hope! Actually 501 TDH 4510 models were built and LA has the odd one and is currently still running as a restored example.
Possibly but not likely, there's always a chance that NY could lure that one example away to add to the museum fleet.
It's a shame not one Bingham Mack was saved. Even an ex-Miami would have made a great candidate.
Frankie |
Frankie,
An ex Miami 'Bingham' would be perfect because it was a New York bus before it was diverted in pipeline!
As far as the L.A. 4510 goes; the thought has entered my mind many times but I know Scott Richards of Regional Transit Service personally and there is no way that he's going to sell or donate it - he knows what he has and he's put a fortune into it.
I do have another very viable idea; I know for a fact that at least two Milwaukee 4511's have been saved and the last I heard is that only one is in restoration mode so far.
The wide bodied 4511's (one shown below) were identical to New York's 4510's except that they were built to standard GM specs.
If the museum could get a hold of one of them that would solve that problem.
Note on the photo the wider distance between the under windshield floor vents which give away the 102 inch width.
BTW; GM only built 621 35 foot long 102 inch wide buses with 500 to New York, 120 to Milwaukee and 1 to Los Angeles.
Photo owned by this writer.
Regards,
Mr. 'L'
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frankie
Age: 77
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
Posts: 747
Location: St. Peters, Mo.
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| Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2014 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Mr. Linsky"][quote="frankie"] | Mr. Linsky wrote: |
I do have another very viable idea; I know for a fact that at least two Milwaukee 4511's have been saved and the last I heard is that only one is in restoration mode so far.
The wide bodied 4511's (one shown below) were identical to New York's 4510's except that they were built to standard GM specs.
Mr. 'L'
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Mr L: I also thought about the Milwaukee 4511's and I'm happy to know that two have been saved.
The only difference between the 4511's and 4510's are the reenforced pillar between the rear door and the window ahead allowing for a narrower window on the 4511 as well as the arrow shaped front turn signals. However, I would venture that 99.9% of the populace including most of the museum staff probably have no idea about the differences. With that said, the spare one would make a great museum addition.
One wonders if the museum staff are aware of the Milwaukee examples in question?
Frankie |
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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 31, 2014 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="frankie"][quote="Mr. Linsky"] | frankie wrote: | | Mr. Linsky wrote: |
I do have another very viable idea; I know for a fact that at least two Milwaukee 4511's have been saved and the last I heard is that only one is in restoration mode so far.
The wide bodied 4511's (one shown below) were identical to New York's 4510's except that they were built to standard GM specs.
Mr. 'L'
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Mr L: I also thought about the Milwaukee 4511's and I'm happy to know that two have been saved.
The only difference between the 4511's and 4510's are the reenforced pillar between the rear door and the window ahead allowing for a narrower window on the 4511 as well as the arrow shaped front turn signals. However, I would venture that 99.9% of the populace including most of the museum staff probably have no idea about the differences. With that said, the spare one would make a great museum addition.
One wonders if the museum staff are aware of the Milwaukee examples in question?
Frankie |
Frankie,
There are a couple of other minor details in differences between the 4510's and 4511's not the least of which being that the 4511's came with outward opening front doors which the 4510's did not and the right side windshield wiper transmissions on the 4511's were located next to the directional signal instead of next to the GM badge - however, both of these items would be meaningless to most observers today!
Shown below on a flatbed leaving a company facility is The Transport Company 4511 # 1200 on its way to restoration by new owner Ladie Vitek - a gentleman who is very much involved in preserving remnants of Milwaukee's transit history.
It is unclear as to the present disposition of #1200 as I have heard nothing since.
On another subject; if Green Bus Lines (NY) TDH-4509 #341 (also pictured below) is still abandoned in the weeds somewhere in Pennsylvania after its use as a parts car for Reading Bus Company it would make a great (and more genuine) Jackie Gleason bus #2969 as seen in his promotional photos (pictured below).
That would relieve the museum's 5101 of its false identity and restore it to its original flag and fleet number.
Best 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 Aug 06, 2014 2:57 pm Post subject: |
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Seen in 1990 at the outskirts of LaGuardia Airport in Queens is fleet# 616 - a 1979 53 passenger Canadian Built GM Coach modeled as a GMD T8H-5307A and one of six likenesses numbered 616, 618, 620, 622, 625 and 628 operating for Triboro Coach Corporation affiliate Two Borough Express, Inc. of Jackson Heights, New York.
Dubbed as Q-57's but carrying the letters 'QT' (Quick Trip), these six buses were taken out of Triboro stock and modified including custom livery for Express service between the airport and the city's new Queensbridge Hub subway connection to Manhattan from 21st. Street and 41st. Avenue in Long Island City.
Unfortunately, at the time the service opened in October of 1989, the Queenbridge subway extension met with no other rapid transit means on the Queens side and encountered far less ridership than had been expected forcing Two Borough to cease operations in May of 1991.
Another 'back when' memory shown with a beautiful photo of a beautiful bus!
Photo courtesy of 'ttcbeat' and is available at eBay as item # 191240338016.
Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York
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