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Now it's time to say good-bye...to the faithful RTS.....
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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Joined: 18 Dec 2007
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Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Sun May 12, 2019 11:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ripta42 wrote:
According to CPTDB, NYC numbers were 1591, 1668, 1671, 1673, 1676, 1683-1684, 1701, 1708, 1710, 1715-1718, 1721, 1730, 1783, 1790, 1802, 1806, and 1851. 1591 was Acedemy #53, 1673 was Academy #87, and 1710 was Academy #82. I caught a few of them (40, 82, and 87) scrapped at Nimco in 2004. 40 had been in service for Continental Airlines, and 82 and 87 were branded Tri State Transportation.


ripta42:

Greatly appreciate this information....thank you! Wink

How I knew these RTS buses were ex-MTA were the MTA stickers that could still be seen inside the buses.

I rode these buses many times on the #22, years ago; then NJT took over the #22 and still used RTS units, but, by 2005, cut the line back to Nungessers, so that the route no longer served my town (NJT should seriously reconsider re-extening the #22 up this way, and maybe get rid of at least some of the vast caravans of hell-bent-for-leather, decrepit dollar vans that now dominate the main drag)

RTS buses have now been gone from my area for well over a decade now, if not longer; it was always good to know that they were, at least, still prowling the streets of Gotham.

Alas, even those days have now vanished into history....... Sad

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sun May 12, 2019 11:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Q65A wrote:
http://www.mta.info/press-release/nyc-transit/mta-nyc-transit-retires-last-1980s-era-buses-modernization-fleet-continues
Long may they run (at Vintage Bus Exhibits and Roadeos, at least)


I am now reminded of my regular weekend visits to the Transit Museum, back in the late 1970's and early 1980's; you would see a pristine, shiny R-12 along with a spiffy R-15 at the Museum, and then, going back into Manhattan, board either of the type on the 7th Avenue IRT line.

Of course, these in-service cars were dingy, dirty, and plastered with graffiti (reality REALLY hit home, on these trips!)

Now, back to the RTS.......recall the RTS being on display at the annual BusFests, when the same type of vehicle was still dominating the streets of Manhattan.

Time indeed flies MUCH to fast for my tastes.......

"NYO"


PS: Thanks for the link! Very Happy
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Q65A



Age: 66
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Location: Central NJ

PostPosted: Sun May 12, 2019 3:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A nice video tribute to the last RTS from the NYC transit fan website DJ Hammers (highly recommended for NYC transit fans):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRb1eXXHzqo&list=UUyo3FdxKWiVZt0b7zJwb7vw&index=3&t=0s
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2019 4:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just thinking......

Though in small numbers, GMC New Look trolleybuses were once manufactured, and looked quite interesting, to say the least.

NOW.....just imagine an RTS trolley coach (especially a "slant back"!

A good Photoshopper could have fun with this one........ Very Happy

"NYO"
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Q65A



Age: 66
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PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2019 7:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is the RTS is the longest running bus that NYCT or BOT ever ran?
The RTS-04 started running on NYCT in 1981 and the last RTS-06 retired this month.
They outlasted the Orion V's and they definitely outlasted the Grumman 870s.
A 38-year career is pretty impressive, and probably will be very hard to beat.
I think the NYCT fishbowls started running in 1959 and probably were retired around 1995.
Not sure about the number of years the GM Old Looks ran.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2019 9:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Q65A wrote:
Is the RTS is the longest running bus that NYCT or BOT ever ran?
The RTS-04 started running on NYCT in 1981 and the last RTS-06 retired this month.
They outlasted the Orion V's and they definitely outlasted the Grumman 870s.
A 38-year career is pretty impressive, and probably will be very hard to beat.
I think the NYCT fishbowls started running in 1959 and probably were retired around 1995.
Not sure about the number of years the GM Old Looks ran.


Q65A:

This indeed makes you think.....

PSNJ began operating Old Looks (YELLOWS) in 1940; the last GM Old Looks (ex-PSNJ) were not retired until 1976, which, despite the many refinements to the type over the years, meant that PS (and successor TNJ) operated Old Looks for 36 years, a quite impressive record.

As far as New York Old Looks, I believe (but am not sure) that the last of the Old Look fleet were gone by early 1973.

FACCO. began operating GM Old Looks about 1945; our resident FACCo./MABSTOA expert here, MabSTOA 15, can certainly provide more detailed info on the buses.

From photos I have seen, the MABSTOA Old Looks lasted in service until about 1970, I believe.

NJT did not purchase RTS's until the later 1990's (about 1997); from what I can remember it did not seem to me (IMHO) that NJT operated them for any great length of time........

"NYO"
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W.B. Fishbowl



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PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2019 10:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

FACCo had the prototypical Old Look #2500 as early as late 1940, then its "affiliate" New York City Omnibus purchased their first Old Looks for service in 1941 (and another set in 1942, before World War II and their accompanying restrictions set in).

Didn't Surface Transportation System get some Old Looks before WWII intervened? In any event, within NYC Transit their run was about 32 years give or take.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2019 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

W.B. Fishbowl wrote:
FACCo had the prototypical Old Look #2500 as early as late 1940, then its "affiliate" New York City Omnibus purchased their first Old Looks for service in 1941 (and another set in 1942, before World War II and their accompanying restrictions set in).

Didn't Surface Transportation System get some Old Looks before WWII intervened? In any event, within NYC Transit their run was about 32 years give or take.


WB:

Regarding ST's earliest Old Looks:

I don't know if this will help or not, but in "OLD LOOK BUSES" (Luke/Metler) there is an undated GM/YELLOW publicity photo (shown on page #102) showing a lineup of square window Old Looks.; the caption reads as follows:

"DIESEL-HYDRAULICS"

"10 YELLOW 45 PASSENGER COACHES WERE RECENTLY DELIVERED TO 'SURFACE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY' , NEW YORK CITY"

"GENERAL MOTORS TRUCK & COACH DIVISION, PONTIAC, MICHIGAN"

Again, no date give, here......

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2019 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ex-SURFACE #1605 at 207th St., 1970........

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1547

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)
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MaBSTOA 15



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PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2019 3:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've listed the GM old look buses that Surface Transportation, NY City Omnibus, and Fifth Avenue Coach bought from 1940-1959

I did not list any of the Macks or Whites.

Surface Transportation/Surface Transit:

#s 1011-1060 TD-4502 1940-1941
#s 1100-1196 TD-4506 1946
#s 1197-1599 TD/TDH-4507 1946-1948
#s 1090-1099 TDH-5104 1953
#s 1060-1089 TDH-5106 1954
#s 3020-3059 TDH-5106 1959

New York City Omnibus:

#s 800-854 TD-4502 1941
#s 855-879 TD-4505 1942
#s 886-888 TD-4505 1942
#s 890-895 TD-4505 1942
#s 905-916 TD-4505 1942
#s 1700-1835 TD-4506 1946
#s 1836-1999 TD/TDH-4507 1946-1948
#s 2700-2736 TDH-4507 1948
#s 2737-3096 TDH-4509 1949-1951
? TDH-5103 *

* = 102" wide demo from GM and not purchased

Fifth Avenue Coach

#s 2200-2242 TD-4506 1945-1946
#s 2244, 2246, TD-4506 1945-1946
2248, 2250, 2252,
2253, 2255-2259
#s 2260-2352 TD/TDH-4507 1946-1948
#s 2363-2437 TDH-4509 1950
# 2500 TD-5401 1948
# 2501 TDH-5102 1949
#s 2502-2551 TDH-5104 1952
#s 2605-2694 TDH-5106 1958-1959
# 3100 TDH-5106 1958
# 3200 TDH-5106 1959 (102" wide; A/C demo)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2019 4:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MaBATOA 15:

Thanks for taking the time to post this comprehensive roster collection; New York, indeed, was a "GM TOWN", once upon a yesteryear! Very Happy

Given the many changes to Old Looks over the decades (both YELLOW and GM) the one "constant, if you will, that remained virtually unchanged through the many years of production, were the rear windows.

The windshields were another story, with the original design replaced by the inward-tilting design, beginning in late 1940.

The next big change in Old Look design came about in the late 1940's, when new paired windows replaced the original square ones.........

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2019 4:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

From "OLD LOOK BUSES" (Luke/Metler):

".......the buses then serving NEW YORK CITY OMNIBUS routes were all YELLOW, all brand-new in 1934, 1935, and 1936. These new units, some 768 of them, were the most modern city buses of the period, and were the direct predecessors of the Old Look models....."

In this same book, there is a 1946 builders photo (page #104) of GREEN BUS (I'm now thinking of a certain fine, distinguished gentleman and friend, who is sadly no longer with us, Mr. "L") that shows a new GREEN BUS LINES Old Look. The caption reads:

"50 DIESEL-HYDRAULICS FOR GREEN BUS LINES"

"25 GM Diesel Coaches with hydraulic drive delivered in May, 1946, prompted a repeat order for 25 more to GREEN BUS LINES, Ozone Park, Long Island, New York."

The bus is #933; the portion of the front roller curtain I am able to read says "AIRPORT"...........

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2019 10:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a few quick RTS questions for the "seasoned hands", here...... Wink

1: When (in 1981) did the first RTS buses enter service with the MTA?

2: What garage(s) were these first buses assigned to, and what routes did they operate on after delivery?

Thanks in advance...... Very Happy

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 8:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The following is from:

"NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT AUTHORITY OPERATING BUDGET PROPOSAL: 1988-1991"

".........complete field test of rear door interlock devices on five retrofitted RTS buses, and, if successful, develop a plan by April to equip all RTS buses with modified interlock devices....."

"NYO"
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ripta42
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PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2019 2:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
NOW.....just imagine an RTS trolley coach (especially a "slant back"!

A good Photoshopper could have fun with this one........ Very Happy


Not a slopeback, but no need to Photoshop:

http://gallery.bustalk.info/displayimage.php?pos=-13196
http://gallery.bustalk.info/displayimage.php?pos=-13195
http://gallery.bustalk.info/displayimage.php?pos=-17316

Note that this is still a diesel; the poles were added to scrape ice off the wires. But it has the look!
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