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MaBSTOA Nostalgia ("Take 2")
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 12:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When the first section of the INTERBOROUGH (IRT) subway opened in 1904, the slogan "15 MINUTES FROM CITY HALL TO HARLEM" was widely touted.

Indeed, the new subway WAS light-years faster than the streetcars; however, the streetcars (and their replacement buses in later years) still had an important role to play.

Consider, too, in Harlem's heyday, the many that came to see such legendary entertainers as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Lena Horne, and Pearl Bailey (my folks, along with an aunt and uncle, often took the bus [NHBL] into midtown Manhattan, where they then caught the "A" train up to Harlem, to "see the stars", and sit in on some outstanding "jam sessions", back in the late 1930's and 1940's)

Though, of course, the ever-humming subways (and, also, the bygone elevated lines) were vital links to the rest of the city), the buses, also (FACCo/SURFACE/NYO) played an important part of the area's lifeblood.......

"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Fri Nov 27, 2020 1:28 pm; edited 3 times in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 10:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The following is from the aforementioned book on Malcolm X, by Alex Haley, taking place when (1965) his wake was being held at the Faith Temple.

"........by 6 AM, people began forming a line on the east side of Amsterdam Avenue. By 9 AM, an estimated six thousand also thronged the nearby blocks; from 145th St. to 149th Street, police had blocked off all traffic, which also caused the re-routing of local bus lines......"

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 26, 2020 11:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Regarding bus re-routings for parades, marches, demonstrations, etc.......

As I had mentioned earlier, the buses, indeed, were truly able to exhibit their flexibility at such times, something that was pretty much impossible for the TARS streetcars.

Back in the 60's and 70's, there were many times where buses had to be re-routed to due demonstrations, etc.; then, too, the "scheduled" re-routings for parades (St. Patrick's Day, the Puerto Rican Day Parade, the Columbus Day Parade, the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, etc.)

Such re-routings, I've long felt, are quite interesting in their own right, but are (IMHO) rarely discussed.

As I'd mentioned earlier, the old Brotherhood of Pullman Porters used to hold large parades/rallies on 125th St. (TARS/SURFACE territory) for many years.

By the time that MaBSTOA was on the scene, such events had disappeared, due to the rapidly-dwindling number of Pullman porters employed by the railroads, when passenger rail travel was in steep decline........

"NYO"
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W.B. Fishbowl



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PostPosted: Thu Nov 26, 2020 12:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
The following is from the aforementioned book on Malcolm X, by Alex Haley, taking place when (1965) his wake was being held at the Faith Temple.

"........by 6 AM, people began forming a line on the east side of Amsterdam Avenue. By 9 AM, an estimated six thousand also thronged the nearby blocks; from 145th St. to 149th Street, police had blocked off all traffic, which also caused the re-routing of local bus lines......"

Sounds like M-100 and M-101 were the rerouted lines. They were ex-Surface.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 26, 2020 12:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

W.B.:

I had the feeling that the aforementioned re-routed lines were ex-SURFACE; thanks for the confirmation! Wink

It was easy enough for the "Tee-Yay" and MaBSTOA to post paper announcements inside the buses when an upcoming "holiday" re-route was on the horizon; of course, in other instances (marches, demonstrations, etc.) it was another issue altogether, with the buses simply following directions of posted traffic officers.....

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 27, 2020 12:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In reading on the history of the BTC (Baltimore Transit Company), I learned that, on the day that Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed (April, 1968), after rioting and looting broke out, BTC buses that were on the streets were escorted back to their garages by police and the National Guard. There was no more bus service in Baltimore that day, on any line.

I can imagine what the situation must have been in New York with the buses (and, also, the subways) on that dark day in American history.

The rioting in Brooklyn during the infamous 1977 blackout also had to have impacted bus service (and, of course, as was the case during the 1965 blackout, there were no traffic signals, nor street lamps, further impacting both bus service and motor traffic in general)

At least, with "planned" parades, street fairs, and the like, the bus re-routings were/are scheduled, and are, at least, not subject to massive, last-moment changes.

Bus re-routings also would have taken place in May, 1939, when Archbishop Spellman was installed; a massive procession began before 10 AM at the Archbishop's handsome residence on Madison Avenue, just north of 50th St.

This huge procession then snaked its way to St. Patrick's Cathedral, on 5th Avenue.........

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 28, 2020 12:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a brief mention......

At the conclusion of the Spike Lee film, "MALCOLM X" (I just purchased the dvd, money very well spent!) , there is a "tribute", lasting several minutes, using both archivial film clips and historic photos.

In one 1960's photo, where Malcolm is seen on the street, next to another gentlemen, both holding "EXTRA" editions of a newspaper (cannot tell what newspapers they were), though the background is blurred, you can see an Old Look approaching, and, in the background, the blurred image of the rear of a Fishbowl, crossing an intersection.

There is also color (1990's) footage of what appears to be a Harlem street fair/Malcolm X celebration (Malcolm X Boulevard/Lenox Avenue) where an RTS (facing away from the camera) is waiting for the light........

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 12:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

......also of (dvd) interest.....

In the (late 1980's) "The Cosby Show" episode, "Mrs. Huxtable Goes To Kindergarten", there is a quick (but nice!) "fade-in shot", showing Fishbowl #4876 (in the blue/white scheme) coming towards the camera, and then disappearing (no street signs can be seen, as to identify the location, which was clearly in the middle of a business block)

The destination sign is blurred, and cannot be read; the right-hand side of roller curtain was red.

The hubcaps were lookin' pretty shiny, too! Wink

"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Sun Nov 29, 2020 12:55 am; edited 2 times in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 12:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Same show, different season....... Wink

In a Season 2 episode of "The Cosby Show" ("Play it Again, Russell"), there is a quick nighttime shot of an RTS (w/right hand turn signal flashing) passing by the "Baby Grand" club; the famed "APOLLO" theatre* can also be glimpsed in the background......

"NYO"

*Two timeless "Noo Yawk" classics....... Wink

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155969

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



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PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 9:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
Same show, different season....... Wink

In a Season 2 episode of "The Cosby Show" ("Play it Again, Russell"), there is a quick nighttime shot of an RTS (w/right hand turn signal flashing) passing by the "Baby Grand" club; the famed "APOLLO" theatre* can also be glimpsed in the background......

*Two timeless "Noo Yawk" classics....... Wink

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155969

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

I wonder if this famous Apollo was related at one time or another to the one on 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues . . . in any event, "way back when" Surface Transportation / Surface Transit was in on the action - via the M-104 and M-106 (the latter today's M42) on 42nd Street, and the Bx-29 (now Bx15) on 125th Street.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 11:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

W.B.:

I've often wondered the same thing myself; were the two venues "related" to one another, at some point?

On a related note, you have to wonder how many folks going to the "APOLLO" (especially the one on 125th St.) back in the day, used the buses (and/or subways) to get there.

Two more quick questions.......

1:

The buses that ran on 125th St. (at the time of the "Play It Again, Russell" Cosby Show episode), what depot were they assigned to, and were any Fishbowls and/or Flexies still running on that thoroughfare?

2: Fishbowl #4876 (seen briefly in the Cosby Show episode, "Mrs. Huxtable Goes To Kindergarten"); what route/depot would that bus have then been assigned to?

Thanks in advance for input.......Wink

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 11:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

SURFACE action on W. 125th, 1949; the venerable TARS streetcars have given way to SURFACE diesel buses; for the time being, however, the old conduit tracks are still intact.......

https://www.newdavesrailpix.com/tars/htm/tars153.htm

(courtesy: davesrailpix)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 11:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

See also:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Theater *

https://www.apollotheater.org/about/history

(*Besides several adjacent subway lines, the nearby bus routes listed here are the M2, M3, and M10)
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W.B. Fishbowl



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PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know Bx-29 was assigned to West Farms depot; one 1972 pic of a 1965 Fishbowl had a recycled 1963 front roll sign. M2 and M10 by then were both assigned out of 146th Street, and M3 at 132nd Street.

What route did #4876 run on? That might be a clue as to which depot it was stored in.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 8:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

W.B.:

Appreciate the info, as always.

At the time (late 1980's) that the "Play It Again, Russell" Cosby Show episode first aired, the RTS was then the newest type of bus in the MTAA fleet, with the ill-fated GRUMMANS sold off.

The Fishbowls had, at that time, only a little less then a decade remaining, before they were retired.

As 125th was always a busy thoroughfare, it would seem to me that this was a heavy crosstown bus corridor (ditto for the the buses running on 42nd St.)......

"NYO"
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