BusTalk

[Q65A]

Check out this link to see what the NYCTA was running in 1978:
http://www.geocities.com/~buslist/NYCTA78.html

[TCC Senior Man]

Thanks for posting that list Q65A. You brought back some memories there for me. The last type of bus listed is for 8 double-decker Ley Buses that were used in service for a while back then (I thought that the MTA only had 4 but if the list says 8 then 8 it is.)

I recall once riding the M4 bus from Washington Heights down into Midtown Manhattan on one of them. Sure, I normally would have taken the Subway down but wanted to experience riding one of these buses at least once. Eventually I got to ride in the front row of the second deck and I remember how we would barely clear passing under the traffic lights each time we came to one. All traffic lights, as I recall, were raised along the M4 route in order to accomandate these buses. Too bad the MTA never saved at least one of these buses as a Museum Bus. Anyone know what ever happened to these buses?

[Q65A]

In the summer of '78 I was working as a building service employee in a co-op at 60th St. & 5th Avenue in Midtown. As summer help, I worked all kinds of jobs on all shifts. One of my favorite jobs was doorman on the 4PM-midnight tour. I had a grandstand seat for watching MABSTOA buses headed southbound on 5th Ave. I remember watching those Leylands bobbing up and down, barely clearing the traffic signals. They sounded very different from the MABSTOA Fishbowls that were common at that location (2-stroke Detroits ruled the streets back then). I suppose the Leylands were based at 132nd St. (no stranger to double deckers since it was an old FACCO depot). New Yorkers had speculated that Mayor Abe Beame (who apparently was born in the UK) had instigated purchase of these units, but they apparently had struck sewveral traffic lights on their demo trips. What did the city do? Raise the traffic lights, of course!

[ripta42]

[B53RICH]

There are a few errors on that list. Corrections are as follows:

NYCTA 1962 TDH-5301 2001-2175
MABSTOA 1963 TDH-5303 3301-3555 GMC serial #'s 0480-0734
NYCTA 1963 TDH-5303 3601-3950 GMC serial #'s 0735-1084
NYCTA 1965 FLX 5601-5790
NYCTA 1976 FLX 9000-9154 model 53102-6-1
NYCTA 1976 FLX 9155-9159 model 53102-8-1
MABSTOA 1976 FLX 9160-9164 model 53102-8-1
MABSTOA 1976 FLX 9165-9309 model 53102-6-1

I also believe still running during 1978 were some TA 1961 5301's, 1001-1130

[Waynejay]