BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Restoration of PSNJ streetcar #2615: Just heard of the restoration of PSNJ streetcar #2615; for a lifelong PSNJ enthusiast/historian like Your's Truly this is indeed WONDERFUL news! The last of this type of car operated on the "#7 CITY SUBWAY" (Newark) in early 1954-when the old PS cars were replaced with 30 ex-TCRT PCC's--------the 2600-series cars were all built "in house" by PS at their Plank Road shops in Newark between 1915 and 1917; this stunning streetcar is indeed a rare and distinguished piece of New Jersey's transportation history--------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The oldest PSNJ streetcar which is still with us is #2431; the 2400s were built between 1912 and 1914 by both PS and Cincinnati; this car is painted in the "De Luxe " paint of the late 1920's; this historic trolley-up at Shore Line-has been stored in a barn for decades-and is only partially refurbished; it has not operated in decades------the last 2400's operated on the Newark City Subway--------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

2600-series cars ran in Hudson County until August 1949-when new PS buses (TDH-4509s) replaced the last four streetcar lines; the last of the elderly 2600s ran in the Newark City Subway in early 1954-when they were replaced by the second-hand (ex-TCRT) PCC's that would be used on the Subway until 2001-------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Where did the years go? Forty-four years ago (1979)-NJT purchased TNJ (Transport of New Jersey) as a wholly-owned and operated bus subsidiary; by 1982 TNJ was now New Jersey Transit Bus Operations Inc; by 1990-the last of the ex-PSNJ Fishbowls had been retired-replaced by new NJT buses----a long and proud era was ending----------

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

PSNJ's dual-powered trolleybus routes that operated in Hudson County were replaced by diesel buses in 1947; the routes running in Essex County were replaced the following year (1948); initially the new diesels which replaced the electric buses were TD-4008's----------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Interestingly enough -selected ex-dual-powered trolleybuses (YELLOW) had their electrical gear extracted and now operated as "gas-electrics" for a short period prior to 1950-before being replaced by new TDH-4509 diesels-------------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

On this day in 1937 the underground streetcar connection between the PSNJ station/headquarters and the City Subway (Newark) was abandoned; it is odd that this connection was built to begin with-only being used for a brief period; this new connection was built for through rush hour cars that were running to Penn Station by way of the Cedar Street Subway; though the Cedar Street Subway itself was used by trolley buses (until 1948) and diesel buses (until 1966) the old connector tunnels were abandoned; for decades-these tunnels were used to store work cars; then- in 2006-an extension of the Newark Light Rail to the ex-DL&W station at Broad Street utilized a short section of one of these long-disused streetcar tunnels--------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

On this date in 1954 the first ex-TCRT PCC's begin operation on PSNJ's Newark City Subway; first PCC to operate is #21; the last of the old yellow PSNJ streetcars would run in February-----by this late date-only the #7 line was in operation; the last of the connecting subway-surface car lines (#29) was replaced by buses in early 1952-----the iconic PCCs would run until 2001---------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

After the ex-TCRT PCCs were refurbished at PSNJ's Plank Road shops (Newark) the cars were then trucked out the the abandoned subway-surface connectors at Warren Street (last used by the "#21 ORANGE" cars in late 1951); the PCCs were eased down off the flatbeds and onto the old inbound track (wires were then still intact-as were the tracks) and the cars ran down this track and into the Subway under their own power-deadheading to Penn Station-where they were stored until they began replacing the old PS streetcars--------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In the early 1960s-PS began painting their transit Old Looks in a stylish two-tone green; oddly enough-the PCCs running in the City Subway were not so repainted-----in fact-the PCCs were the last in the PSNJ fleet to wear the old grey/white paint; later in the 1970s the cars were repainted for the Bicentennial during the TNJ era--------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

When the ex-TCRT PCC's began running on the Newark Subway in early 1954-they were equipped with trolley wheels; at a later date-these wheels were replaced by shoes-----when these cars ran for TCRT-they ran on street trackage; in Newark-the only auto traffic they encountered was at the grade crossing at Orange Street: until late 1951 switches were located here-used by cars of the "21 ORANGE"(those that did not use the inclines at Warren Street); until 1952-deadhead cars used the old #21 line to access the carbarns on the Newark/East Orange border-----when the City of Newark ordered PS to abandon this trackage-a new repair facility was built at Penn Station-occupying the area once used by surface cars--------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

By the 1970s PSNJ's City Subway fleet of the 30 PCCs had been reduced by four; two cars had been sold to the Shaker Heights Rapid Transit-and two other cars were OOS-being used for parts-stored in the old outbound connector tunnel to the now-closed PS building------when the old PS building was being torn down in 1978 the tunnel ceiling was destroyed; the two stored PCCs were then scrapped on the spot-----------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

After WW2-PS was told by the City of Newark that it would be out of their budget to rehab the Subway for dual-powered trolleybus operation (PS was to order a fleet of dual-powered/diesel-electric 4509s; one coach-"D900"-was tested under specially-erected wire near the Bell Street carhouse-which then stabled the cars of the #29 subway-surface streetcar line); though tests were successful PS abandoned the concept of new dual-powered trolleybuses in the City Subway---------PS then sent a delegation to Atlantic City; they were looking to purchase the "Brillliner" fleet then in operation--------but-this type of car was prone to derailing on tight turns; the City Subway already had a tight loop at Penn Station-and was planning to build another at the Franklin end of the line-----this led to PS purchasing the 30 PCCs that then operated for TCRT----------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Through the 1960s-PS purchased only Fishbowls for city and suburban operations-and 4106s (and-later in the decade-"Buffalos") for longer-haul runs; interestingly-it was not until the huge influx of NJDOT-purchased Flex New Looks in the later 1970s that transit buses which were NOT Fishbowls ran on TNJ routes and were lettered for TNJ--------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The 4104s and 4106 parlor coaches rostered by PS were indeed "jacks of all trades"; not only could these buses be used on the longer runs (NYC to Atlantic City or Philadelphia) but they were also well suited for charter work; recall-for decades-PS did a brisk trade in charter work------both the 4104 and the 4106 were purchased by countless operators throughout the United States in the 1950s and 1960s-for long distance-suburban-charters-----"NYO"