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Tommorrow's "classics"? Your opinions are welcome!
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W.B. Fishbowl



Age: 57
Joined: 02 Oct 2014
Posts: 2378
Location: New York, New York, USA

PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 6:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pics #412 and 499 are what I mean by the Gulton Luminator front and side destination signs on the Grummans.

The variant on the GM RTS's, was also on many an MCI bus that was in operation for years for NJ Transit.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22282
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 7:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

W.B. Fishbowl wrote:
Pics #412 and 499 are what I mean by the Gulton Luminator front and side destination signs on the Grummans.

The variant on the GM RTS's, was also on many an MCI bus that was in operation for years for NJ Transit.


W.B.:

Yes, I well recall those signs on NJT's MCI's; the early "electronic" signs, I felt, were far less decipherable than a traditional roller sign.

Those on NJT's Metros, likewise, were hard to read, especially on a bright sunny day.

As I mentioned in a previous post, ACADEMY's Metros, for a number of years, boasted HUGE roller curtain displays that could be seen from a block away.

The drivers, I well recall, were not at all enamored with their "hi tech" replacements.....

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 7:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's a photo of one of ACADEMY's 3200 series Metros (I commuted on them daily for quite some time to and from Hoboken on the Boulevard East route, which only operated during the rush hours)

This photo was taken at Hoboken, after the roller signs were replaced; as can be seen here, the reading is not all that easily to decipher, at least from any distance......


http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3356

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Thu Sep 27, 2018 7:24 pm; edited 1 time in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



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Posts: 22282
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In these classic 1950's "Kranden-esque" Brooklyn photos, we are taken back to the halcyon days of the Old Look.......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3980

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?4006

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3979

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)
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traildriver




Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 2452
Location: South Florida

PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
Here's a photo of one of ACADEMY's 3200 series Metros (I commuted on them daily for quite some time to and from Hoboken on the Boulevard East route, which only operated during the rush hours)

This photo was taken at Hoboken, after the roller signs were replaced; as can be seen here, the reading is not all that easily to decipher, at least from any distance......


http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3356

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)


Funny...that shot captured a Metro-North 'pool' locomotive....must have been on a Port Jervis train, although, it could have been used on any. since it was really there to give NJT mileage credit for the pooled West of Hudson services....
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver wrote:
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
Here's a photo of one of ACADEMY's 3200 series Metros (I commuted on them daily for quite some time to and from Hoboken on the Boulevard East route, which only operated during the rush hours)

This photo was taken at Hoboken, after the roller signs were replaced; as can be seen here, the reading is not all that easily to decipher, at least from any distance......


http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3356

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)


Funny...that shot captured a Metro-North 'pool' locomotive....must have been on a Port Jervis train, although, it could have been used on any. since it was really there to give NJT mileage credit for the pooled West of Hudson services....


traildriver: You've got good eyes! Wink

Yes, more than likely, that MN "pool" locomotive was heading a Port Jervis train; at nearly 90 miles from Hoboken, the PC run is the longest of any NJT rail route.

Originally an ERIE line (originating at Pavonia Avenue, Jersey City), after 1960, it became an ERIE-LACKAWANNA route; in those days, in addition to the commuter runs several through trains (until late 1966) also passed through PJ on there way westwards (Binghamton was the last stop for certain E-L trains out of Hoboken)

When Mom and I used to take our day trips up to PJ, those were the days when head-end traffic still was carried, and E-8's, PA's, Geeps, and RS-3's were hauling vintage coaches, mostly the iconic "Stillwells", which made their last runs in the fall of 1974.

Getting back to the buses, I still recall one second hand GRUMMAN that was operating on the former NHBL #1 line between Nungessers and Journal Square, back in the 90's, before NJT assumed operations.

The "electronic" sign box was obviously out of order (and never repaired, to my knowledge); well, instead of correctly reading out " 1 JOURNAL SQUARE", it displayed the exotic-sounding "1 JOURNAJOURNA"....."JOURNAJOURNA" sounded like the name of a fictitious South Seas isle, from one of the old Bing Crosby/Bob Hope "road films" of many years ago.

Dorothy LaMour, I am sure, would have been quite at home on such a romantic-sounding tropical island....had it existed....... Wink

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When these photos were snapped back in the 1970's, few would have thought that, one day, such lengthy buses would be commonplace in the MTA fleet........

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?625

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?630

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The RTS is a bus, I am sure, many of us more or less ignored when new; it was the Fishbowls and the New Look Flexies that had our attention back then.

Many enthusiasts (myself included) I am sure, more or less dismissed the RTS and, then, later casually remarked: "Ahhh, they'll be around forever".

In this case, "forever" was not at all the correct terminology to use.........

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?769

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?777

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?780

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)
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traildriver




Joined: 26 Mar 2011
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Location: South Florida

PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 11:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I told you that story, a while back, of my trip to Pontiac in 1968, and the treat of seeing the RTX--the experimental prototype for the RTS...I was amazed at how that futuristic coach looked.


However, in the real world, when the RTS began to replace the New Look's on my local Queens Surface and NYC Bus routes, I was less than thrilled about them....they only had 46 seats instead of 53, and sitting in the back seat on them was truly claustrophobic....

They did ride nicely, though.... Smile
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 11:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver wrote:
I told you that story, a while back, of my trip to Pontiac in 1968, and the treat of seeing the RTX--the experimental prototype for the RTS...I was amazed at how that futuristic coach looked.


However, in the real world, when the RTS began to replace the New Look's on my local Queens Surface and NYC Bus routes, I was less than thrilled about them....they only had 46 seats instead of 53, and sitting in the back seat on them was truly claustrophobic....


traildriver:

The first RTS I rode on was an MBTA unit, on a rainy July day in ol' Boston town, back in 1992; it was not until several years later that I again rode one, a new NJT bus (to me, it didn't seem the RTS was with NJT all that long)

The Flex New Looks (IMHO) were/are sort of like the "sidekick" to its GMC counterpart, in the sense, that, when you say "New Look" to a bus enthusiast, he more than likely will think you are talking about a GMC, and not a Flex.

As for me, I always loved both, and still hold both in high regard; to me, the Flex New Look seemed to have a more "solid" (albeit "tougher" look to it, when compared to the GMC model.......the front end seemed to accentuate this......at least, to me!)

With both the NYCTA/MTA GM and Flex New Looks, my favorite paint scheme of all was the original green, followed by the 70's blue.

The last scheme they wore (mostly white) didn't excite me at all.....I much preferred the older paint........ Wink

"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Fri Sep 28, 2018 8:17 am; edited 2 times in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Remembering the days when these fabled GM and FLEX workhorses were the backbone of the NYCTA/MTA fleet.............

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?2212

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?340

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?346

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?543

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1136

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

They sure were great buses, back in the day....the "classics" of today that we all too often took for granted, back in the day.....

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1440

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1441

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)
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W.B. Fishbowl



Age: 57
Joined: 02 Oct 2014
Posts: 2378
Location: New York, New York, USA

PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 3:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
Yes, I well recall those signs on NJT's MCI's; the early "electronic" signs, I felt, were far less decipherable than a traditional roller sign.

Those on NJT's Metros, likewise, were hard to read, especially on a bright sunny day.

As I mentioned in a previous post, ACADEMY's Metros, for a number of years, boasted HUGE roller curtain displays that could be seen from a block away.

The drivers, I well recall, were not at all enamored with their "hi tech" replacements.....

I preferred the "old-style" roll signs meself, especially the mylar ones from Transign with their particular typesetting (those of the 1960's seen on the R-32 and R-38 subway cars and on New Looks) - type which has all but disappeared and calls out for a computer typesetting revival, I.M.H.O. I was simply saying that of the "electronic" signs, I preferred Gulton Luminator's to TransDot's. But I could see why drivers would not be so enamoured of the "electronic" type.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 8:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

W.B.:

Though roller curtains (on buses and subway cars) could (and did) snag or tear at times, the fact they were so easily readable, especially at a distance, to me, makes all the difference in the world (I am, also, thinking of those riders who have vision issues)

One of the most foolish (IMHO) "upgrades" regarding subway signage was when the MTA replaced the huge end roller curtain boxes on the "Brightliners" when they were rebuilt, years back.

The tiny, miniscule "sign" (that only shows the route) is so small it's laughable; this is a VERY difficult format to read, especially at a distance.

The MTA would do well to rehab the current NTT trains with a large front sign ("electronic") that more easily can be deciphered; recall the HUGE "Sesame Street/Alphabet Soup" route letters that made their debut in the late 60's, courtesy the R-40.....NO PROBLEM in making out the route letter with those babies!!! Shocked

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 10:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Going underground" for just a moment.......I guess it's "no brainer" in telling which sign configuration was easier to read (and also, which gave the rider more information!)

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?39322

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?652

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)
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