BusTalk

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2026 2:38 pm Post subject:

Digging out from the infamous, monstrous "Blizzard of '47"(53rd & 3rd); you REALLY gotta squint to spot the "Soiface" bus scuttling under "da El".......... Wink

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?142871

(courtesy: nycsubway.org_

["RIDE THE SURFACE WAY"]

W.B. Fishbowl · Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2026 3:14 pm Post subject:

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2026 4:41 pm Post subject:

W.B.:

There is an impressive photo in "NEW YORK TRANSIT MEMORIES" (Smith) of NYCTA Fishbowl #670 REALLY "slugginh it out" on the "20 DECATUR" route on 67th Avenue on 2/10/69, just after a "soitan" memorable"Noo Yawk" blizzard.

Ol' #670 indeed was REALLY "bucking the frozen tundra", in that photo! Shocked

"NYO"

["20 DECATUR"]

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2026 5:03 pm Post subject:

"Stoa" in da snow (1983).............................

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154013

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["stoa"]

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2026 6:56 pm Post subject:

Funny...................

AFAIK, I have not seen any snow scenes with "Soface" buses, outside of the 1947 photo whose link I posted earlier, along withr one color photo MaBSTOA 15 posted, quite a while ago.

I think it pretty much goes without saying, that, unless the blizzrd was particularly TOUGH, those tough ol' old tanks, especially the "Pattons" managed to keep on making their appointed rounds..... Wink

"NYO"

["SURE-IT'S A MACK"!"]

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2026 7:14 pm Post subject:

Though maybe a bit "off topic", the left and right backgrounds of this interesting 1946 color photo (taken at Park Row) was worthy on inclusion, here)........ Very Happy

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116638

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["PARK ROW"]

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2026 12:48 pm Post subject:

Just recalling............

Way back in the day, the NJDOT-"Dangefields"(nearly 900 strong!) were indeed no slouches when it came to "braving the elements", during the frigid, snowy winter months here in "Noo Joisey".

For that matter, neither were the GRUMMAN/METRO "B".

WORST "snow buses" here those insipid VOLVO artics.....(!!) Razz

Not that they were all that great in DECENT weather.............. Sad

"NYO"

["22 HILLSIDE"]

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2026 1:21 am Post subject:

"FINOS" (Ferries In Name Only)..........

Service on ALL NEW YORK FERRY routes have been temporarily suspended (1010 WINS), due to the ongoing extreme cold, and the ice in the river.

Your's Truly can indeed still remember a long-ago time, where wooden-superstructured, double-ended, coal-fired, 1900s-era ferryboats shuttled back and forth from Hoboken and Jersey City to "Noo Yawk", in virtually every type of weather except the worst blizzards and hurricanes (fog signals [bells, gongs, whistles, lights], individuals ones used by each railroad, were used for decades)

Progress(!!) Razz

Meanwhile, carrying on the eons-old tradition of the iconic Staten Island Ferry, those big orange double-ended boats just "keep on keepin' on", crossing back and forth across the frigid waters of New York Bay........... Very Happy

"NYO"

["NEXT BOAT"]

BTW:

NONE of the old trans-Hudson railroad ferries were ever equipped with radar, with the exception of the CNJ's fleet, which had radar installed in the late 1950s.

The first SI boats to be equipped with radar were the "MERRELL" class of the early 1950s; the older boats of the "MISS NEW YORK"and "DONGAN HILLS" classes were then retrofitted for radar........

"NYO"

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2026 11:01 am Post subject:

NO, it is NOT simply "ICE".......

From several books in my library on harbor ferries in years past, veteran skippers had to contend with several types of ice, each of which had to be dealt with accordingly.................

1:

SHEET ICE (the least worrisome)

2:

WINDROW ICE (caused by the break-up of sheet ice, resulting in large chunks of "floes")

3:

PACK ICE:

A combination of wind and wave action would build up masses of ice in smaller fragments; most frequently found out in the harbor, they could also hinder operations in the ferry slips as well.

4:

SLUSH ICE

The name is self-explanatory, here; the main issue with this type of ice it could also clog the water intakes of a harbor ferry, resulting in a drop of water intake for the boilers. Slush ice could could also increase swell, causing the ferry to roll markedly.

5:

ANCHOR ICE

Any ice fixed to the shore, or anchored solid to the bottom; this type typically also contained large amounts of sand. This type of ice could foul the ferry slips themselves; "quick-water" from prop action was usually effective, except in the most extreme situations.........

"NYO"

["SLOW ASTERN"]

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 · Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2026 4:40 pm Post subject:

.........over 40 hyears ago, when I was a weekend volunteer at the Staten Island Ferry Maritime Museum at St. George, I had both the pleasure and honor of getting to know the late (and legendary) veteran SI skipper Ted Costa; I was even treated to several pilothouse rides (even a few after dark!) and to say he regaled Your's Truly with many intriguing tales of his long career as a SI skipper is indeed an understatement!

And, yes, he DID talk quite a bit about "braving the frigid waters of NY Harbor" during dense fogs and howling blizzards, back in the day! Wink

To say "Cap'n Ted" was a goldmine of harbor stories is to pit it mildly..... Very Happy

"NYO"

["KEEP HANDS OFF GATES"]