BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In this nostalgic TARS scene (New Rochelle) taken about 1950, note the three-light traffic signal suspended above the intersection, with what looks like a two-light "flasher" below it......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116325

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["TARS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's another long-ago TARS scene at 163rd St. & Westchester

Note the two two-light signals mounted on the El pillars (these might have been used by the streetcars)..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116758

["STREETCARS ONLY-NO THRU TRAFFIC"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In this nostalgic TARS photo, note the VERY ornate post that this particular two-light traffic signal is suspended from, very reminiscent indeed of the stylish, ornate, once-commonplace "shepherd's crook/"gooseneck" street lamps......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116628

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["WATCH SWING OF CAR ON TURNS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Mount Vernon, 1945.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116460

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["7"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In speaking of vintage traffic signals, mention should also be made of those used by streetcars.

These two circa-1950 TARS photos depict the pole-mounted signals once commonplace on street railways across the country (PSNJ used such signals extensively, for many years)

Such signals informed motormen whether he could go beyond a passing switch, on a single-track section of line...........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116310

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116900

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["MOTORMEN-WATCH SIGNAL"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

This breathtaking panoramic view at Weehawken, NJ, dating to the 1940's, is a fascinating glimpse of what once was.

The photo was taken at Boulevard East and 48th St. in Weehawken; note the overhead traffic light and, also, the flashing safety signal mounted on the concrete pylon.

A PSNJ "Compromise"-roof car (running on the "UNION CITY" line) is seen just entering the private ROW (still intact today) for the steep, winding run down to the bustling West Shore (NYCRR) ferry terminal.

Today, AFAIK, the old building on Boulevard East still stands (for many years, it served as the popular "Silver Fox" restaurant); the last time I passed through here, there was still a gas station (of course, much changed and updated) on the location of the ESSO station seen here.

PSNJ operated several bus lines (in addition to streetcar and ASV lines) for many years to the terminal; the last ASV's ran on the HUDSON Division in 1947, and the streetcars were replaced by diesel buses in 1949.

The echoing, rambling West Shore Terminal closed in 1959, and perished in a massive blaze in 1962.

Not a trace of railroad useage remains today; in fact, nothing whatsoever on the New Jersey side of the Hudson in this area, still survives.

What did remain of the once-sprawling yards was abandoned by Penn-Central in 1976, when ConRail took over.

Marine operations ended in the late 1960's, when the PC abandoned the carfloat and lighterage operations, re-routing trains upstate, to cross the Hudson.

The last ASV routes served the West Shore Terminal in 1947, and the streetcars followed them into history two years later, in August of 1949......

"NYO"

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116258

["UNION CITY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's an interesting view of the old West Shore Terminal itself, taking just after WW2.

A new PS diesel bus (most likely a 4509) is seen at the terminal entrance, while a Compromise-roof car on the "UNION CITY" line is seen just beginning its journey to the DL&W terminal at Hoboken, via the "El".

The ancient wooden terminal itself was indeed a fascinating hodgepodge of structures, which would certainly make for QUITE an interesting scale model today!

An interesting note regarding PSNJ serving this terminal was that there was only one set of ASV wires to the terminal, on the outbound side of Pershing Road; ASV's heading downgrade into the terminal ran in gas mode, with the poles pulled down!

A modern ferry terminal (serving passenger-only craft) occupies the land where the West Shore terminal once stood, surrounding by vast commuter parking lots.

The HBLR runs nearby, but does not serve the terminal directly; it does, however, use the rebuilt West Shore tunnel under Union City, to reach the present HBLR terminal in North Bergen (Tonnelle Avenue).......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116259

"WEST SHORE TERM."

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In the first view, we see a HBLR approaching the present ferry terminal at Weehawken (no trace of the old NYCRR facility) taken in 2006.....

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?53906

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

In the next view, see an HBLT train emerging from the gloom of the tunnel under the Palisades, its run to Weehawken nearly complete.

Back in the NYC/ConRail era (and, even into the 1990's, before freights were re-routed) this lengthy tunnel originally consisted of twin bores......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?53650

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["HBLR"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here is a waterside view of the West Shore ferry terminal at Weehawken in April, 1959, just one month after all ferry service to Manhattan ended (ferries ran to W. 42nd St. and Cortlandt St.)

By this late date, the old ferryboats were being sold off (for many years, through the 1970's, one of the boats [the "NIAGARA"] was used by PSE&G as a floating machine shop/storage area, moored next to their generating plant in the Meadows, a stone's throw from the massive DL&W/E-L bridges, carrying electric MU trains).......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?142336

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["WEST SHORE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

For the length of the PSNJ Hoboken El (closed August, 1949) railroad-style block signals were utilized.

Once outbound cars left the El at Palisade Avenue, the cars re-entered street trackage and utilized traffic signals.

This photo, showing an outbound 2600-series Compromise-roof car climbing the El to Jersey City Heights, was taken just prior to the end of all HUDSON Division streetcar service.

At the end of streetcar service, four lines were still using the El to reach the DL&W's Hoboken ferry terminal at the foot of Hudson Place (still used today by NJT)......

"UNION CITY"

"SUMMIT"

"JACKSON"

"OAKLAND"

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?141441

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["PSNJ"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here we see another 2600-series car (working the "UNION CITY" line), this one exiting the El and onto Palisade Avenue, its eventual terminus the West Shore Terminal at Weehawken.

Cars of the "UNION CITY","SUMMIT", and "OAKLAND" lines left the El via these tracks; cars of the ""JACKSON"" line, however, remained on the El from this point, for a portion of their runs.

Note the "bug eye" marker lights sprouting from the platform roof of this car; through the 1940's, these markers were required due to a Union City Police Ordinance at the time.

Note the line car parked alongside the power station, at left; this was car #5412, the very last single-truck line car on the PS roster.....

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116231

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["SUMMIT"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Until PSNJ put into operation 30 ex-TCRT PCC's on the Newark City Subway (early 1954), Brooklyn had the distinction of being the only streetcar system in the greater New York area to operate PCC's.

By 1954, the last connecting subway-surface lines in Newark had already been converted to buses; Brooklyn's once-vast and far-flung streetcar network was down to only a few lines by this late date.

TARS, of course, never had PCC's; Brooklyn's PCC fleet (100 cars) were all prewar models.

It would have been interesting indeed to see postwar PCC's (w/standee windows) operating on Brooklyn's streets.

At the time that the last B&QT car lines were converted to buses (1956) the 9th Avenue car house was the only such facility in Brooklyn still serving streetcars; the remaining car houses had then already been closed for several years......

"NYO"

["B&QT"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In this scene ("The Victors And The Vanquished"), circa-1950, we see a B&QT double-ended 8000-series Peter Witt passing by the former ENY car house.

A sea of new MACK buses fill the forecourt of the former streetcar barn; look closely, and you can still see traces of track remaining, as well as a few line poles......the proud era of Brooklyn's streetcars was nearing its end, in the not-too-distant future......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?46323

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["GATES"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

This interesting photo of a B&QT PCC is indeed a rare one, for it shows a PCC at the De Kalb shops, where PCC's were never based; PCC's only journeyed to this sprawling facility for major overhaul work.

Shop trucks were recycled from scrapped single-truck cars and El cars.

9th Avenue was the only car house in Brooklyn that served PCC's.

The massive De Kalb shops saw its last streetcars in 1949........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?140714

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["SPECIAL-NO PASSENGERS"]

[N4 Jamaica]

Thanks for the explanation of major PCC repairs at the DeKalb Carhouse. i was unaware of it.
The research that went into creating the 1936 PCC was extensive and expensive, yet this photo shows one of the early blunders: the inward-folding doors and the support column that constricts wide passengers. Nicely, the roller signs were larger than on many New York streetcars.
---
Please challenge me if I am wrong: The Chicago Green Hornet PCC crash that took the lives of 34 people had two such doors in the front, one in the center, and three at the rear for quick loading and fare collection.