BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

All.............

On this, the 83rd anniversary of that dark, frightful "Day of Infamy", first and foremost, let us pause and remember the proud young Navy men who perished aboard the ill-fated USS ARIZONA ("Brooklyn's Most Famous Battleship")

In 1941.........

In Manhattan, the 2nd and 3rd Avenue Els were still in operation (the 2nd Avenue line would be closed during 1942)

FACCo's charming old open-top "Blunderbuses" and stately "Queen Marys" dominated that then-"tony" and glamorous thoroughfare.

Red and cream TARS streetcars clattered and clanged their way along the streets of Manhattan and "da Bronx".

Brooklyn was still a network of ancient El lines, radiating from the echoing, cavernous Park Row terminal.

B&QT streetcars still dominated many Brooklyn streets.

Rattan seats and straps were "the rule" on the subways, with the newest (non-experimental) rolling stock in use being the formidable IND "R-9s".

The subways themselves were but a year into Unification.

And, of course, the once oh-so-commonplace IRT kiosks were still as common as cracks in the sidewalk...........

'NYO"

["NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT SYSTEM"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's a timeless scene depicting the BMT's Parkside Avenue station (Brighton line), in 1941.

Look closely under the platform canopy on the left, and you'll see an ad poster for Walt Disney's now-classic "Bambi"...........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?45979

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["BMT LINES"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here, in 1941, we see a refurbished two-car set of wooden El cars on the the then-new Dyre Avenue shuttle, utilizing the Bronx ROW of the abandoned NYW&B (note that the old express tracks and catenary tower were then still intact)........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?81245

(courtesty: nycsubway.org)

["INTERBOROGH"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

One year prior to the War (1941), YELLOW introduced the now-iconic Old Look", which would later be produced by the thousands by GM.

Here we have FACCo's handsome #2500............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154378

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["GO THE MOTOR COACH WAY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In 1941, big double-deckers old and new dominated the "upper crust" FACCO fleet..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155386

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155388

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["1220"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In 1941, bustling scenes like this one (at Flatbush & Atlantic Avenues) were common, everyday sights in Brooklyn...............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?140754

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["B&QT"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Now here we have a timeless "TARS" scene that would have then been simply an everyday scene in 1941..............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116703

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["X"]

[Cyberider]

All looks good in the transit world of 1941!

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Even in 1941, buses such as these indeed had a decidedly "old fashioned" appearance about them.............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153667

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156610

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156623

)courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["A BELMONT PARK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In 1941, the IRT's Dyre Avenue shuttle still had that feeling of "newness" about it; by 1941, it had already been several years since the last "WESTCHESTER" trains rolled along these same rails.

Again, note the now-disused NYW&B catenary and express tracks...........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?42095

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["IRT LINES"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

By 1941, the highly-distinctive "slant back" TWIN COACH was commonplace in many cities; the bus shown here was operated by SURFACE (the CSL, in particular, purchased a large number of these interesting-looking buses; back in thne early/mid-1960s, a few of these elderly and unusual buses were still running for the old Jersey City-area "indy" companies I grew up with!)

There were several models of these "slant-back" buses; there were even single-door versions used in suburban service...........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154550

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

[Cyberider]

Tragic as it was, if the war had started sooner, a number of rail lines would have survived at least it's duration. Seems like a number of them went out in 1940 and 1941.

It was hard to tell which end was the front or back on those early Twins. That became more clear with the little one with the rear wheels at the very back. It was amazing to me that they came out with such beautiful buses after the war.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cyberider:

Agreed.

I STILL believe that, had the NYW&B had lasted at least until 1942 (ditto the NWP's electric suburban operations in Marin) that these operations would have not only provided a valuable service for the duration of the conflict, but also, might have lived on after the War ended, at least for a time.

I have seen photos of those "slant back" CSL TWINS being worked on; it looked as though the whole rear end opened up as if by a giant can opener!

CSL saw their first in 1937, and these highly-distinctive buses lasted into the CTA era.

Those I recall when I was quite young were NOISY as all get-out, the way a GOOD "vintage" bus should be!

I still recall their narrow "gun slot" rear windows!

Indeed, these noisy old relics had a LOT of "poisanality!"

"NYO"

["25 CLYBOURNE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

This long, long-ago Brooklyn street scene easily could have been taken in 1941; this photo has a little something for both the bus and streetcar enthusiasts......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?117802

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["FLUSHING"]