BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

(SEE PREVIOUS POSTS/LINK)

Meanwhile, out in "Shik-aga".......

The unrelenting artic cold has been wreaking havoc with both CTA and METRA; multiple lines have been affected by the bitter cold temps.

The numerous issues include cracked rails, switching problems, and frozen, inoperable doors.

Pretty brutal, for "soitan"..............

"NYO"

["DEMPSPER"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Recall, the hulking, stalwart 4000s were the only steel cars in the CRT/CTA fleet until the "foist" 6000s appeared in 1950; these now-iconic cars would have debuted about the same time as IRT's "R-15s".

Both the 4000s and the 6000s proved highly-reliable and rugged, lasting many decades in "soivice" ("lo-rech" rules!)

For many decades, CRT/CTA "L" towers employed illuminated signs, which displayed numbers, and were easily read by CRT/CTA/CA&E/CNS&M motormen; the numbers ran from "0" to "4", and instructed motiomen what level of heat to apply in their trains.

Interestingly enough, though the vast majority of the (wooden) "L" and interurban fleets employed electric heating, there were still some unrebuilt wooden cars that utilized coal stoves right up until retirement............

"NYO"

["RIDE THE 'L'"!

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

You also asked about "Bah-ston".........

From what I've read, the diesel commuter lines got hit the hardest; however, there werealso a number of cancellations along the rapid transit network, most especially the Red Line (not surprisingly, buses were pretty much out of it, as well)

Recall, unlike "Noo Yawk"and "Shik-aga", "Bah-ston" does not have any electrified heavy rail commuter lines.

Into the 1970s, and even a bit beyond., the "T" still employed a sizeable fleet of 1900s-era streetcars as snow plows.

Back in the day, on the "Blue Line", those formidable 1924-vintage "East Boston Tunnel" cars would have plows affixed to them, and they would be used a ssnow-fighters during off-peak hours...........

"NYO"

["T']

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"Formidable Senior Snow Fighters" (from up in "Bah-ston").............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?114979

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?87597

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?118965

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?46049

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["BERy"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

A "must mention".........

When the great CNS&M ("North Shore") was abandoned in January, 1963, the temps in greater Chicago area were hovering around MINUS 20!

Consider, now, that the railway's newest trains were the famed "ELECTROLINERS", then 23 years old.

Most of the fleet, however, was made up of rolling stock that dated to the 1920s.

"Takes a lickin', and keeps on tickin"', for sure............

"NYO"

["CHICAGO"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

A little of "da white stuff" was 'nuthin' to those hulking old 4000s, out in "Shik-aga", back in the day.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?141622

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

[" 'A' LAKE"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

Yeah, as I was sayin' . . . them 4000's could handle yuuuuge snows. Today's computer-based fleets - not so much.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's a classic, formidable "old school snow-fightin' team from "Bah-ston"............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?114750

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["T"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

It would take a monster of a storm, along the lines of the infamous Blizzard of '47, to halt these growling monsters in their tracks...........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?26391

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?95245

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["VMT LINES"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

SEPTA...........

Surprisingly, SEPTA (like the MTA) never shut down during Sunday's snowstorm; however, there were many delays and cancellations, lasting into the workweek

Only truly "old" rolling stock on SEPTA these days would be the early-1980s BSS cars, and the KAWASAKI light rail trolleys (subway-surface) of about the same vintage.

Then again, the Norristown High Speed Line's cars (former P&W) are now over 30 years old.............

"NYO"

["69TH STREET"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Hard to believe that SEPTA's fleet of New Flyer "EBBs" ("Electrified Bulging BINOs") are now just shy of their 20th birthdays; somehow, though, these "newfangled juice buggies" just don't have the "aura" of a "fearsome snowfighter" about them..............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?111122

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["SEPTA"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"A Boston 'Bullet' in da snow", on a long-ago, wintry day..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?157396

(courtesy: nuvsubway.org)

["29 MATTAPAN STA."]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Same snowy location as depicted in the previous post, this one featuring an oft-neglected "Dangerfield"..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?157407

(courtesy:nycsubway.org)

["FLXIBLE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

When you're blasting along at 90MPH, that fluffy white stuff ain't hardly worth thinking about.....(!!)

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?46043

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["EXPRESS"]