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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 2459
Location: South Florida
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 Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2023 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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| NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote: | I thank you for sharing your experience here.
It could NOT have been less than harrowing, for sure.
El Al, being the premier airline of Israel, must be operating with mega-beefed up security at its facilities.
I know that their airliners are the only ones flying that are equipped with missile defense systems
See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Al |
When I worked part time for AA at JFK, I drove a bus for them between the terminal and the regional aircraft, which were parked at hardstands on the "outer ramp", beyond old Terminal 9, the former UAL terminal. I also did airside connections to other terminal's for close connection's, sparing the passengers from the need to leave and reenter security, as well as the very slow streetside inter terminal shuttle buses (before Airtrain).
One of my favorite jobs was the connection directly from BA's Concorde to AA's Washington connection. I got to drive right up to the jetbridge stairs of the Concorde. I had the opportunity to take great photo's around the airport. The last job I did before retiring from there, was an airside shuttle from Terminal 9 to Terminal 5, the TWA Flight Center, right after AA acquired TWA.
The point of all this, was I got to drive by an El Al widebody (at first 747, and later, 777), which laid over every afternoon between flights from/to Tel Aviv. They parked it away from the old IAB building, on a hardstand. But it was always accompanied by an ominous black Suburban, with a pair of heavily armed guards. |
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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 2459
Location: South Florida
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| Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2023 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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| NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote: | Awhile ago, we had been discussing segragation on intercity buses, into the 1960's.
With both GREYHOUND and TRAILWAYS, I wonder (in relation to a particular route) where the segregated seating rule went into effect.
In Diana Ross' autobiography, she recalled riding with her family (from Detroit, during the 1950's) via GREYHOUND, down to Bessemer, to visit family.
She remembers having to "change seats" in Cincinnati.
Thankfully, those days are now long, long gone, but I am interested in just where African-American passengers had to "change seats" on trips heading south.
I'm guessing it would have been at a station where a stop was made, before crossing the line of a segregated state.....
"NYO"
["MONTGOMERY"] |
When I first entered the business in 1968, segregation had ended just 4 years prior, but there was still much evidence of it, across the South. Bus terminal's built prior had duplicate facilities to satisfy those laws, and it took a while before the buildings were either remodeled or replaced with new ones.
And old habits died hard...I noticed that most Black's would automatically gravitate toward the rear of the coach, and White's toward the front, just out of past custom, even though not required.
When I sold tickets at NYC to the southwest or far west, some Black customer's insisted on being routed as far to the north, as the tariff would allow. To California via Chicago and Salt Lake City; to Texas via St. Louis and Oklahoma rather than Memphis or New Orleans, etc. |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22664
Location: NEW JOISEY
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| Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2023 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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traildriver:
Thanks for posting your past experiences, here (as usual!)
You most CERTAINLY did not have a DULL career, for sure! 
The Middle East has always had that "mysterious" air about it, in literature, legend, and history.
Think of the rich literary tales from "The Arabian Nights" and, of course, "Aladdin"!
So sad that there is so much violence in that part of the world; so much fascinating history, not enough peace.
See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Al
(note that El Al is the only airline to employ missile defense systems on board its fleet)
*How ironic....
In my vintage toy bus collection, I have several 1960's tin litho "AIRPORT BUS" Fishbowls, representing TWA, UNITED, and AMERICAN.
Several male passengers are sporting turbans and fezs! (also sombreros!)
I wonder if these wonderful old toy buses would even be considered "politically correct" these days; growing up, I used to greatly enjoy reading books on other countries (and, of course, looking for photos of buses within their pages!)
These old toy buses certainly have a "historical" connection, to be sure......
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22664
Location: NEW JOISEY
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| Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2023 11:40 pm Post subject: |
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With so much violence, death and destruction and the high level of uncertainty in the Middle East as I type these words, one can only imagine how this might be affecting GREYHOUND's Saudi operations, had it still been running.
I wonder what type of security was employed, back in that day, regarding the GREYHOUND buses there........
"NYO" |
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Tiny Tim
Age: 62
Joined: 20 Aug 2012
Posts: 97
Location: Cape Coral Fl
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| Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2023 2:30 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="traildriver"] | NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote: | I thank you
The point of all this, was I got to drive by an El Al widebody (at first 747, and later, 777), which laid over every afternoon between flights from/to Tel Aviv. They parked it away from the old IAB building, on a hardstand. But it was always accompanied by an ominous black Suburban, with a pair of heavily armed guards. |
From the minute El al touches down till it takes off el al security( Israeli army)is watching the plane. They will follow the plane from touchdown to takeoff. I saw this when I was at twa running a planemate. |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22664
Location: NEW JOISEY
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| Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2023 3:33 pm Post subject: |
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Tiny Tim:
VERY interesting; vigilant security of this high-level echelon comes as no surprise, not only during war times, but, nowadays, anytime.
E; Al is virtually the only airline flying into Israel, at this time, with a few exceptions.
A tense time for all, for sure..........
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22664
Location: NEW JOISEY
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22664
Location: NEW JOISEY
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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 2459
Location: South Florida
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| Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2023 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Tiny Tim wrote: |
I saw this when I was at twa running a planemate. |
I always wanted to drive one of those Planemates.... 
Were you employed by TWA, or some contractor like Triangle Services?
As far as I know, the Port Authority kept some of those for emergency aircraft evacuations. The only ones that were still using them was Delta, the last time I looked, at JFK. |
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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 2459
Location: South Florida
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22664
Location: NEW JOISEY
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| Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2023 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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traildriver:
I have always found these unique vehicles to be QUITE interesting, to say the least!
Sure had to have been interesting DRIVING one of these!
While on the subject, the following is from a 1955 "MANHATTAN SIGHTSEEING BOAT GUIDE", dating to 1955:
"AIRLINES TERMINAL"
".........the East Side Airlines Terminal is owned by the Triboro Bridge & Tunnel Authority, and is under a long-term lease by ten domestic airlines. It occupies the city block on First Avenue between 37th and 38th Streets, and is adjacent to the Queens Midtown Tunnel......."
"..........this magnificent new structure serves passengers requiring transportation between Manhattan and the three metropolitan airports.............."
".............the facility features a number of smart shops and restaurants, as well as the ticket offices of American Airlines, Capital Airlines, Colonial Airlines, Eastern, National, Northeast, Northwest, PAA, TWA, United, Air France, BOAC, El Al, KLM, Italian Airlines, Venezuelan Airlines, Sabena, Scandanavia Airlines, Swissair, and Trans-Canada..........."
"........loading and unloading of nearly 1,000 'Airporter' buses each day is conducted around a horseshoe-shaped concourse, and there are also two interior roadways for taxis......"
Man, this HAD to have been something to see, especially with ONE THOUSAND buses coming and going each day! 
"NYO"
["AIRPoRT BUS"] |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22664
Location: NEW JOISEY
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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 2459
Location: South Florida
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| Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2023 8:51 am Post subject: |
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NYO--
Here's a link included at the end of your first link....
It shows a good history of the original central Airlines Terminal opposite GCT.
Also has a few photo's of the East Side and West Side airlines terminals that replaced it, not very many years later.
When Carey Transportation had exclusive service from these facilities, they ran shuttle buses along 42nd Street to connect the three facilities. All I recall from the 60's and 70's, was there was a "Joint Airline Ticket Office" at the central location.
When GM replaced the 4106, with the 4107 in 1966, the new buses could not longer clear the East Side Airlines Terminal, and so that led to its demise. The West Side lasted a few years longer, until Carey sold its Newark Airport operation to PSCT, which ran from the PABT instead. Later, Olympia Trails took that line over.
Meanwhile, Carey ran all their LGA and JFK trips from various Midtown hotels. Later on in around 1970, The Greyhound Corporation acquired Carey (as well as Gray Line - New York, and Walter's Transit.)
https://drivingfordeco.com/new-york-city-art-deco-airlines-terminal/ |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22664
Location: NEW JOISEY
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| Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2023 9:59 am Post subject: |
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traildriver:
(PS: See Ted Scull article on the "LiBERTE" in the cruse ship thread)
As always, greatly appreciate your always interesting and detailed information.
It should be noted, that (AFAIK) FLXIBLE was the only bus manufacturer to build buses designed specifically for airport servive.
FLXIBLE began marketing the "AIRPORTER" in 1946.
These sleek coaches featured two-and-one seating and an enlarged rear baggage compartment.
In 1954, two smaller-sized "AIRPORTERS" were delivered to "DIXIE TRACTION COMPANY" of Covington, Ky.
These buses sat 18 passengers, and operated between downtown Cincinnati and the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky airport, across the Ohio River...................
"NYO"
["FLXIBLE"] |
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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 2459
Location: South Florida
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