BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's a few glimpses of "Q"cars in 3rd Avenue El service......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?151481

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?26058

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?6816

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["Q"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Further on the "Q's".........

After the 3rd Avenue El (in Manhattan) closed in 1955, the "Q" cars were returned to the BMT.

However, equipping them with trucks salvaged from the scrapped Composites had increased their height, and, with the rebuilding of the De Kalb Avenue station, there would not be sufficient clearance for these cars to pass through to permit them to be transferred to and from the Coney Island shops.

Originally, it was thought to re-equip these cars with trucks salvaged from scrapped 1300 series gate cars, the remainder of which were then running on the Myrtle Avenue El.

This, in theory, sounded feasible; however, it would have been more expensive to re-wire the cars, as well as relocating some of the underbody equipment.

Instead, the roofs were lowered, removing the clerestories and roof ventilators.

Fans were later installed in the refurbished cars, some of which were originally used on the "Multi-Section" cars..........

"NYO"

["MYRTLE AVE."]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here we see the "Q" units, back on the BMT (Myrtle Avenue El) after having their roofs rebuilt.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?6831

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?6812

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?112744

["BRIDGE-JAY STS."]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"Q" cars on the Astoria line.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?6834

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?26341 *

*(Note the "BMT QUEENS PLAZA" sign under the cab window; also photo caption notes)

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["QUEENS PLAZA"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"QX" in service on the Flushing line......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?145580

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?96347

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["QX"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

From: "UNDER THE SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK" (Cudahy)........

".......a dramatic service change took place in Fall 1949 when the Dual Contract arrangement of joint BMT-IRT service on the Flushing and Astoria lines ended....."

".......the Flushing line with its new cars (R-12/14's) became exclusively an IRT operation, while the Astoria route had its platforms shaved back to take care of operation as an extension of the BMT's regular subway service......."

".......routes through the eight-track Queens Plaza station were consolidated, and half of the sprawling structure was later torn down......"

"NYO"

["QUEENS PLAZA"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Interesting historical speqs; thanks for posting them here.

Speaking of the differences of widths of IRT and BMT/IND equipment, recall in the late 1950's, when a group of surplus Lo-V's were sent over to the BMT, during a rolling stock shortage.

These cars were fitted out with "skirting" along the sides, and door sill extenders, to allow them to "mate" with BMT platforms, built for wider equipment........

"NYO"

["9TH AVENUE"]

[traildriver]

When did the 60th Street tunnel open?
When the BMT 60th Street Tunnel opened and the big “Standard’s” began operating to Astoria, I suppose they had to rebuild the line, or at least “shave” the edges of the platforms to clear them?
And at the same time, add those extensions to the ‘Q’ cars doorsills, so they could still operate?

I guess there were a few years when the tunnel had opened, and the 2nd Avenue line still crossed the bridge, but now they were limited to only the Corona line?

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Photos of modified Lo-V's working on the BMT.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?31921

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?6722

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?7944

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["CULVER L'C'L"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

These two photos of "Standards" operating on the Astoria line date from the 1950's and 1960's; in both photos, the long-abandoned 2nd Avenue El trackage, which crossed the Queensborough Bridge until 1942, can be seen on the left........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?75608

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?6501

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["ASTORIA"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Two vintage views of IRT trains entering the QP station, with the old 2nd Avenue El connection in view...........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?150607

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?26615

(courtesy: nycsubway)

["7 TIMES SQUARE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

As the old Manhattan Els began to vanish in the 30's and early 40's, not all of the ancient wooden rolling stock was consigned to the kindling pile.

A group of ancient Manhattan gate cars were shipped to the West coast, where they operated during WW2 on the Key System's Shipyard Railway.

QUITE a sight, indeed, to see a train of old "Noo Yawk" El cars trundling down a city street, amid De Sotos, Hudsons, and Studebakers, jam-packed with wartime shipyard workers!

The old El cars were then fitted with pantographs and platform steps for street loading (interestingly, a number of old BRT El cars were also equipped with platform steps, used when the cars were running on surface trackage, in the early years of the 20th century, utilizing streetcar overhead)

A few of these ancient, transplanted East Coast relics are preserved today!

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?16164

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["KEY SYSTEM"]