BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The newest buses operated by TNJ were the Flex New Looks; the NJDOT ordered nearly 900 of these buses in the late 1970s for TNJ and numerous other private carriers in the state.

Note the ex-PSNJ Fishbowl suburban bringing up the rear! (this classic 1981 scene is one that I saw daily for many years, when I was still working in Lower Manhattan!

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155323

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["107 NEW YORK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

TNJ also rostered a large number of "transit" New Looks with rear exit doors; this bus is signed for the "21" (ESSEX Division) which was a (Newark) subway-surface car line until late 1951.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155316

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["21 WEST ORANGE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's an TNJ (ex-PSNJ) first generation Fishbowl on the "42" in Newark, back in 1975; note the prominent school flashers.

The "42", incidently, was operated by ASVs between 1937 and 1948..............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156473

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["43 WASHINGTON PK."]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here we see an-ex PSNJ Fishbowl at the Franklin Avenue station (City Subway) in 1974.

This was, for decades, a very busy transfer point, especially during rush hours.

Sadly, a new station, "Silver Lake", has been built here, and the area is now totally unrecognizable.

Look closely in the background (opposite the front of the bus) and you'll just glimpse a PCC, waiting to head back to Penn Station.

I took many photos here, back in the early 1970s!

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155377

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["6 CROSSTOWN"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

When these timeless photos were taken in 1976, TNJ's remaining ex-PSNJ Old Look suburbans were well into their twilight; by the following year, they would all have been retired, replaced by new NJDOT Flex New Looks.

I knew these classic buses well, in my much younger days.......

"NYO"

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156469

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156470

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["165 NEW YORK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Back in 1975, we see this classic PSNJ (TNJ) Old Look suburban at the old Oradell garage; by the following year, all of these classic buses would be gone.

They gave many, many years of faithful, reliable service, right up until the end............and will NEVER be forgotten......

"NYO"

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156472

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["166 TURNPIKE EXPRESS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The very last New Jersey suburban company to roster Old Looks was "SOMERSET"; their buses were particularly handsome, and lasted in service until about 1981, when SOMERSET was taken over by NJT.

I often saw them at the PABT and passing through the Lincoln Tunnel, many years back, but, sadly, never got a chance to ride them......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154519

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["THE BLUE STAR ROUTE"]

[Cyberider]

Another beauty. As I've mentioned, Sun Valley Bus Lines in Phoenix had several of these for the then suburban line running from Phoenix to Mesa. I think at least one of them lasted until the early 80's. As I recall, they had a 3-speed automatic transmission. I didn't know about that until one ride where it got going pretty fast and shifted into "overdrive" after really winding out in 2nd. Really great sounds!

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Also:

When the nearly 900-bus order of NJDOT Flex New Looks began arriving around 1976/1977, it literally spelled the end of the line for virtually all of the suburban Old Looks than operating in North Jersey.

The lone exception were those of "SOMERSET" ("The Blue Star Route"), which, somehow, managed to remain in service until about 1981..........

"NYO"

["NEWARK ONLY"]

[Cyberider]

You had a lot more Old Look surburbans to admire than I did. Phoenix Transit didn't have any so it was just the few that Sun Valley had.

As for the Flx New Looks, I'd never even seen one until I spent my year in LA in 1972-3 where they were plentiful. I thought the newer ones, at least, were really nice buses. They had a distinctively different sound than the GM New Looks with the same drivetrain. Rode them on Wilshire Blvd. mainly.

A few years after I moved back to Tempe, Phoenix Transit purchased a small fleet of them, 20, I think. They had this brightly colored tuck and roll upholstery which I'd never seen in a bus before. These buses seemed to be oddballs in the fleet and didn't last all that long, to my dismay.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cyberider:

Though New York's NYCTA had Flex New Looks since the mid-1960s, here in New Jersey, there were none whatsoever until the huge influx of NJDOT-purchased buses (nearly 900!) arrived in the later 1970s.

Between about 1995 and 1998 there was one lone ex-WAMTA Flex New Look running on the old NHBL #1; I would ride this bus as part of my morning commute.

This "oddball" was one of the many older DC buses (Fishbowls and New Looks) that came up to New York in the early 1980s, to "bail out" the MTA, when the entire fleet of new GRUMMANS was pulled from service.

This Flex also had VERY THICK (and comfortable!) bucket seats that were still in very decent shape; to make it even MORE interesting, the bus was using a circa-1950 Johnson "D" farebox, salvaged from a long-retired NHBL bus!

DO NOT ask me why I NEVER got around to taking any pictures....

"NYO"

["FLXIBLE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Also:

The first Flex New Looks went into service for the MTA (Los Angeles) in 1963; here, they were dubbed "SilverLiners"...........

'NYO"

["28 WHITTIER BLVD."]

[Cyberider]

I guess that was opposed to "Dreamliners" that I think the GM Fishbowls were referred to as when they took over the PCC routes.