BusTalk

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2023 2:38 pm Post subject:

WB-----------Here in "Joisey" (Hudson County) for a good chunk of the 1960's-WHITES were always on hand; NHBL (though Old Looks and "Pattons" ruled the roost) also rostered 798s and 1150s----------INTER-CITY rostered both 798s and 1150's (suburbans) through the late 1960s (they also operated Old Looks and "Brill-boas"); as best I can recall-the last WHITES in the Hudson County area disappeared about 1967-----------"NYO" (also-recall too-PSNJ was another operator who basically eschewed WHITE)

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2023 4:33 pm Post subject:

Talk about "oddballs"-----------consider the two REO 96-HTDs operated by "NORTH SHORE"-these two "orphans" would be gone by 1951; here in "Joisey" two Hudson County "indies" rostered a few of these unusual buses into the 1960's (perhaps-then-the REO was not only an "oddball"-but also-the "Dangerfield" of its day)-------------"NYO"

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2023 4:45 pm Post subject:

CSL "See-Es-El" (prewar) buses--------in addition to the larger buses-CSL (and its subsidiaries) operated quite an eclectic roster of shorter ones including ACFs/WHITES/FORDs--------as well as others; CSL's first bus was #1 ("CHICAGO RYs") a 1927 TWIN COACH (type 40); this boxy-looking bus (as well as its fellows) were all retired by the end of 1947 (recall-also-that one of the "indy" operators in Queens also operated early TWINS)-----"NYO"

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2023 7:19 pm Post subject:

In "NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT BUSES" (Greller) there is a photo of a C-41DT "Patton" at 125th & 1st back in 1948 ("indy" operator); this bus had extra-wide front and rear doors------it would appear that such doors would indeed be the thing for "crowd swallowing" on the busiest SURFACE routes------------"NYO"

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2023 10:39 am Post subject:

"Oddballs" in Brooklyn-----------Ironic that Brooklyn's streetcars lasted for decades (the oldest cars were 35-40 years old when they clanged their last clangs)-while the postwar TWINS ("Oddballs") were practically new when they went to the scrap yard by the 1950's (no resale to other operators)-------if the workaday "Dangefields" gained little respect while they were in the fleet-rest assured that the "Oddballs" got still less; clearly the "Tee-Yay" was glad to be able to get these "Bee-oh-Tee" buses out of their fleet (first TWINS dated to 1947; hardly running for a decade when they were put out to pasture)------------ Sad

"NYO"

W.B. Fishbowl · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2023 12:51 pm Post subject:

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2023 2:10 pm Post subject:

WB-------By the late 1960's the "Tee-Yay" had already put the rugged "Pattons"out to pasture; by 1970-all (non-Fishbowl) echoes of FACCo/ST/and early "Tee-Yay" had disappeared; with the exception of those Old looks fortunate enough to hold on until about 1973 in Brooklyn and Staten Island; I still say that those rugged "Pattons" easily would keep on running at least until about 1975----or perhaps beyond (of course-there WAS the issue of parts for "Pattons" no longer in production); in closing-it was "Jetson" Fishbowls (ex-FACCo/ST) that finally ended the era of these two long-established operators by the 1970's---------"NYO" *(BTW: what Brooklyn garage(s) was the last to stable Old Looks?)

W.B. Fishbowl · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2023 3:52 pm Post subject:

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2023 5:02 pm Post subject:

WB: These Brooklyn routes-at least partially (as seen in the nycsubway photos) were using Old Looks in the 1971/1973 period-----------B38/B46/B54 "NYO"

W.B. Fishbowl · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2023 6:26 pm Post subject:

B38 and B54 were out of Fresh Pond depot at the time, B46 at Flatbush. So those were likely where the last remnants of the evergreen "Old Looks" a.k.a. "Shermans" were based.

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2023 6:34 pm Post subject:

WB: Thanks for this info; would it be safe to say that the last Old Looks to be running on the "Island of Staten" were assigned to Castleton? "NYO"

B53RICH · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 254

If my memory is correct, the last TA Old Look I saw in service was #7030 out of Fresh Pond around April of 1973 on a Friday early evening. The next day on Saturday, a brand new 5309A, #6336 was in service. Two weeks went by without seeing an Old Look until I realized that was the end of an era.

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2023 7:25 pm Post subject:

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2023 10:38 pm Post subject:

It is always interesting to ponder WHY certain cities found certain buses to their liking-while the buses of other builders were a "no go"; in "Noo Yawk" the postwar TWINS ("Oddballs") were nearly curiousities; in cities like "Shik-aga" and "Frisco" it was just the opposite-----TWINS were indeed the "ruling class"---------WHITES in "Joisey" were to be found just about anywhere-well into the 1960's; in "Noo Yawk"-well-you already know the story-----then too the "quirks"------------here in the Garden State- though suburban ACF-BRILL C-44's could be found-no "transits" existed-at least in the Hudson/Bergen area;-------interesting to wonder why the "See-Tee-Yay"-while purchasing nearly 1000 postwar TWINS- did not purchase any postwar TWINS as trolley buses (in San Fransisco-postwar TWIN COACH trolleybuses (and buses) ruled the hilly thoroughfares-------Scranton (PA) was still using WHITES into the early 1970's; interestingly enough-these old workhorses were replaced by ex-PSNJ Old Looks---------"NYO"