BusTalk

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 12:25 am Post subject: 'A JAMAICA BUSES ACF!'

Pictured below is a late thirties ACF Model H-16 dressed in New York's Jamaica Buses livery complete with World's Fair destination signs and custom lettering.

The photo, which I came across at the New York Public Library site, appears to possibly have been taken at the fair grounds in Flushing with what are obviously a number of well groomed Jamaica drivers.

I am uncertain as to who the two dignitaries are and exactly what is contained of such importance in the trash pail they are holding.

Note that the photographer cleverly placed the shortest drivers so as to enable the camera to capture the name of the company.

What makes this photo so surprising to me is the fact that Jamaica was devout Twin Coach before the war and Mack thereafter with never a reference to any ACF purchases.

All of the city's private lines were granted special permits and routes to service the exposition from their respective territories during the 1939 and 1940 seasons.

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

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 12:09 am Post subject:

The featured bus in the photo above - a 1939 41 passenger ACF Model H-16-S was one of three (#'s 100, 101 and 102) purchased by Jamaica Buses in that year for New York World's Fair service.

In 1949, all three were transferred to commonly owned Triboro Coach Corporation and renumbered 924, 925 and 926.

Aside from 19 H-16-S's that Triboro had purchased new between 1939 and 1940, they also bought 17 used units from Queens Nassau Transit Lines in the mid fifties.

These prewar ACF's were good solid runners the quality of which could not be duplicated by the company in the post war era.

Seen below in a somewhat fuzzy image is a Triboro H-16-S leaving the famous Victor Moore Arcade in Jackson Heights, Queens (see better shot below it).

Photo credits; Bob Redden Collection

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

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Here's a better shot at the Triboro Garage.

Free-transfer · Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 10:08 pm Post subject:

Mr. Linsky,

Attached is a picture I believe you were looking for...

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 2:09 am Post subject:

F. T.,

Thanks for the great photo above of a Triboro prewar ACF H-16 with a little postwar handiwork from the company shops.

Of the three types of prewar models that Triboro operated (the ACF H-16 and 45-S and the Yellow 740), and updated after the war, the H-16's received the least of face lifts with the addition of only recessed headlamps, GM paired window front bumpers, GM under windshield wings and logos, updated signals and GM Thermomatic intake vents over the destination signs.

On the other hand, extensive body work was done on both the 740's and 45-S's.

The 740's (see photo below) received completely new front clips that made them appear as 4509's including bumpers, headlights, wings and logos, Thermomatic vents and angled windshields (the 740's original semi surface mounted destination sign enclosure was retained).

The 45-S modifications were amusing in that they featured, in addition to the usual post war GM touches, the oval framed angled windshield of the later model C-44's.

Rumor had it that GM sponsored these modernizations by supplying the parts at no charge.

Photo from Redden Archive Collection

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