BusTalk

Waynejay · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:06 am Post subject: Strange Destination reading

This photo of MaBSTOA's T6H-5309A #4863 is actually in the photo gallery on this site. This bus started it's career at KB where it stayed until about 1980/81ish when it went to WF. The Bx1 was a KB route, but no routes terminated at Tremont - Sedgewick, The Bx40 simply passed this intersection going to/from nearby River Park Towers. The Bx1 never operated along Tremont Ave. I'm thinking the sign shop created this reading for fun?

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:14 am Post subject:

Waynejay,

Is it possible that 4863 was involved in a movie shoot?

It would have been a lot of trouble for the sign shop just to hand letter something like this as a joke.

Additionally, the license plate looks a bit phony!

And, unless this photo was taken when the bus was brand new, someone sure did a great rehab!

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY

Waynejay · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:00 am Post subject:

Mr. Linsky,

You make a good point. I never thought of that and it makes sense. I think the license plate is right for that time. The photo is dated, April 1982. Here's a pic of 4863 nearly one year later (assigned to 146th Street depot) missing the front license plate

This photo is what #4800-4919 looked like when new.

Dan · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 35 Location: Staten Island, NY

The license plate (11325-E) is a real plate. The blue on orange combo was issued by NYSDMV from 1973 through 1986.

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 1:40 am Post subject:

Bus # 4859 is obviously the real thing merely because it carries the same public notice placed in the same window as the earlier model MABSTOA new look behind it on the other street.

While the license plate may be correct, I am puzzled by the reverse color NY plate on the little station wagon behind it (unless it hasen't been properly registered for a couple of years).

Don't let license plates fool you though because the prop departments at most major movie studios can turn them out like you wouldn't believe (except that they are done in plastic!).

However, they are not permitted to use either real plates or existing registration letters and numbers and are usually provided with a list of permissible combinations by the state they are interested in.

If the 'Official' plates used by NYCTA at the time 4859 was photographed ended in 'E', you can bet that the plate was the real thing.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY

Dan · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 35 Location: Staten Island, NY

The green 4859 has the old-stlye pre-1973 orange on blue plate, and as you say the red station wagon behind it has the 1973-1986 blue on orange plate. The photo was probably taken in 1973 during the transition year from old plate to new plates.

The blue & white 4859 plate is a real 1973-1986 plate as we both agree. The jeep-type vehicle behind it has US government plates. The destination sign looks almost real, but not quite. Maybe for a movie shoot or a commercial.

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:01 pm Post subject:

Dan,

The little red car behind 4859 appears to be either a very early Toyota or Datsun from Japan although I'm not an expert in this area.

However, I don't believe it carries a government plate which would be white background with black letters.

It still looks like a New York issue to me.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY