BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Recall Ralph's classic line to Norton: "Bellvue is calling?"

Not just hospitals, but look at how many churches (regardless of denominations) and synagogue/temples in "Noo Yawk" have either closed or merged with others, over the course of several decades.

Recall, also, that, for many years, Brooklyn was known as "The Borough of Churches".

Surely, way back in the day, many worshippers used mass transit to attend services...............

"NYO"

["B.M.T. LINES"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's a train of elderly, soon-to-be-retired "Arnines" at the Church Avenue station, back in 1976...........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?2049

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["GG"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

4th Avenue & 95th Street, 1981............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154439

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["FLXIBLE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Driggs & N. 11th, 1972..............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154868

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["61 TO ERIE BASIN"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Broadway & 173rd Street, 1982............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156272

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["M5"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Streetcar days in Brooklyn, circa-1948..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?117672

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["DE KALB AV"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Recalling the "City of Churches" (and streetcars!), circa-late 1940s........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?141085

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["WILSON"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Lenox & 110th Street, 1981.............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153924

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["4608"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Parsons & 88th, 1974............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153682

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["Q112"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

On a related note (bygone transit/houses of worship)..............

It is interesting to note that one former (elevated) substation in Manhattan was, in later years, converted into a Yeshiva.

And, in Philly, at least one former PTC substation had been converted into a church.

Symbolic, in a way, that these structures that once housed the complex ganglia of electrical equipment for supplying power to the El lines and streetcars later were used to "power up" the spirits of the faithful...........

"NYO"

["NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT SYSTEM"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here is a rare photo of the substation for the "Toid Aven-uh" El's 34th Street spur, taken in 1910, when the electrification of the El lines was in full swing.

This is the substation that, decades later, was converted into a Yeshiva..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?142733

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["TO 3RD AVENUE ELEVATED"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

In a way, substations were sort of equivalents of "temples" for the elevated and underground railroads they powered . . . especially in the design of the building facades and doors.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"FEEL THE POWER"............

https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/Power_Generation

"DANGER-HIGH VOLTAGE!"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

See also:

https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/Rotary_Converter_Power_Technology

["CIRCLE 7-3735"]