BusTalk

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 1:57 am Post subject: 'MY BUS OF THE MONTH - JUNE 2009'

Pictured below in a factory pose is fleet number 208 - a 1971 Flxible Model 111CC-D5-1 and one of twenty 201 to 220 purchased by Green Bus Lines of Jamaica, NY between 1971 and 1972.

These 40 foot long 52 passenger coaches ran extremely well, were rather handsome looking and were favored by most Green Line drivers.

Service and maintenance were made very easy when you consider that many of vital parts including the drive trains were GM.

An additional 18 1970 35 foot 111DD-D5 Flxibles were purchased used from Albany's Capital District Transit Authority by NYCDOT for Green Line between 1984 and 1985.

All and all, a great bus of the month.

Photo credit; the Flxible Corporation, Loudonville, Ohio

Mr. 'L'

shortlineMCI · Age: 54 Joined: 07 May 2007 Posts: 241

A very handsome bus indeed! Thank you

Cyberider · Joined: 27 Apr 2007 Posts: 501 Location: Tempe, AZ

Agreed! I thought the '70's Flx New Looks were every bit as nice as the GM New Looks. Rode lots of them in LA in the early and mid-70's. Nice photo of GBL #208!

B53RICH · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 254

I remember these new. The first GBL New Look Flx I saw in service was on the Q10 while I was riding a 4100 series New Look Flx on the B53 now Q54.

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 11:59 pm Post subject:

B53RICH,

Of course, you're talking about Metropolitan Avenue when you talk about the B53 (now, I'm finally connecting your handle with the line!).

Looking at it from another point of view, I remember the city's wide bodied TDH 4510's that replaced the trolley cars on the route.

I whipped up a rare shot of a brand new 4510 (usually, they were dinged and dirty by the time they were photographed).

Great bus!

Photo credit; BusTalk Gallery

Mr. 'L'

Waynejay · Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 1:39 pm Post subject:

I hate to be the spoiler, but this probably was my least favorite of all new look buses. In OA territory we had 4600-4727 and all but except 4721-4727 operated in the Bronx for many years. I could tolerate them, but if one showed up and any other type came along... I'd almost always pick the other bus to ride. One exception though was those that were assigned to Jamaica Buses. I guess isnce JBI was still doing charter work theirs were geared for highway use with some comfy seats. We had one in middle school on a class tripto Great Adventure. That bus was a blast to ride and fast as heck. I didn't care much for NYCTA/MABSTOA's '75 Flxible 53102-6-1 (7500-7659, 7700-7937) either.

Q65A · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:16 pm Post subject:

Growing up in Queens 40+ years ago, I was fascinated by Flx New Looks, mainly because QTC at that time was an all-GM property. NYCT and the other Queens PBL's (except for STC) all had fleets of angular-looking Flx New Looks. My earliest recollection of the Flx New Look was seeing a TCC unit (one of the non-A/C 1964 order) working the southern end of the Q18 in Maspeth. I remember feeling a bit confused while trying to read the name on the front emblem; as a kid, I didn't realize the the word "Flxible" was an intentionally-misspelled tradename.