BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

I find this historical "trivia" quite interesting, to say the least, especially regarding first-generation Fishbowls and garage assignments.

From photos I've seen, though I have seen a number of "Dangerfields" up in "da Bronx", it seemed (at least to me) that the Fishbowls pretty much dominated the borough, at least through the 70's.

From some of the photos we've seen, sadly, a number of "Em-Tee-Yay"/MaBSTOA buses were "tagged by "frustrated young urban artists".

It is a good thing that most buses were stored in the garages overnight, unlike the vast subway fleet, sitting out-of-doors in yards that were virtually open invitations to the ever-restless graffiti "scrawlers" of that era.

For what "tags" and "scrawlings" the buses suffered, it was still nothing at all like the massive graffiti blitz that "decorated" virtually every piece of subway equipment, back then............

"NYO"

["SHUTTLE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

A quiet moment at the 132nd St. yard, back in '72............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153837

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["4 TO 135 ST-BWAY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's an interesting (circa-1970) photo of MaBSTOA Fishbowl #8325 (Grand Concourse & Forham)......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155562

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

Note that there are no ad frames carried on at least the passenger side; also, note that the batwing ad spaces are also blank.

That dated "BUS STOP" sign was a vanishing relic, even then...........

"NYO"

["12A TO SEDGWICK AVE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's another circa-1970 MaBSTOA photo, this one featuring another 8300-series Fishbowl*, #8369 (University & Fordham)

Here again, note that there are no ad frames on the side, and blank batwing panels; the original "OA"insignia are still being carried

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155571

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["38 TO 238 ST SUBWAY"

*According to "NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT BUSES" (Martin) the 8300's were TDH-5303's, which arrived in 1966.

There were 480 of these new MaBSTOA buses, the first with ac and "batwing" advertising; the bus seen on page #81 is #8325 (no side advertising frames).................

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Interesting, informative post, as always.......thank you!

Speaking of the graffiti blitz that desecrated virtually every piece of rolling stock on the "Mayor's Toonerville Trolley" (thanks, Archie!), the buses certainly got off a LOT easier than the trains.

Recall, the SIRT (outside of the St. George terminal, and the small yard at Tottenville) also escaped the worst of the graffiti plague; the most graffiti I recall on the SIRT back then was confined to the nameboards of stations, and the like.

Recall the photo from '72 I posted earlier, depicting Fishbowls at rest at the 132nd St. yard; it would seem to me that such yards would have been patrolled, or, at least, had a watchman,

It certainly did not speak well for the city (or, for that matter, society in general) when, as the years went by, open air yards were surrounded by tangles of razor wire, giving the appearance of a highly-dangerous war zone.

It would also seem that, if, at some garages, buses had to be parked out in the open, that security of some sort had to have been present.

Think, too, at how relatively few garage/bus yard photos from the 70's and 80's are on nycsubway.org; oddly, there are many galleries of photos on nycsubway.org, depicting the subway yards, and other outdoor facilities................

["NYO"]

["SS SHUTTLE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

At least the city's bus fleet was spared the scourge of this mindless vandalism.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?126979

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?127220

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["IRT LINES"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In 1971, when this photo of MaBSTOA "Dangerfield" #4713 was snapped up in "da Bronx", the graffiti era was still pretty much in its infancy, as can be seen here by the early-era "scrawlings"...........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153963

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["12A"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In this 1974 scene, MaBSTOA Fishbowl #6836 (working the "TB") seems to be in a much more decently-kept condition than the battered, work-weary Chevy just in front.

Note, also (at left), the 1960's "BUS STOP" sign pole leaning over at a sharp angle, and also, the classic two-aspect traffic signal................

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155681

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["TB"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

We are now back in 1983, and, it is quite obvious that MaBSTOA Fishbowl #8495 was in less than "pristine" condition, in several areas..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155889

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["MaBSTOA"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Though we have discussed this in the past, I,personally, have always wondered just why the "batwings"were eventually eliminated from the "Em-Tee-Yay" fleet; surely, the extra revenue from those huge illuminated ads would have been "sweet music" indeed to an agency that was forever crying "poverty".

It would have been quite interesting, to say the least, had the RTS been equipped with batwings..........

"NYO"

["M"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Note the damage to Fishbowl #8567's batwing frame, near the front door (1983).............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154175

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["8567"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's a rare photo of "Borough Bomber" #631 sporting batwings (1982)........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154036

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

['GRUMMAN"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The new eras are dawning (1969)..............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154201

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155444

(courtesy:nycsubway.org)

["BUS-O-RAMA"]