BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

All:

In "OLD LOOK BUSES" by Luke and Metler, I came across an interesting GM coach type designation, the "TDE".

According to the text, the rare "TDE" (Transit Diesel Electric) was specially built for PSNJ.

These were the TDE-4001's, 02's, and 05's.

".......in the relatively few YELLOW COACH 40-passenger buses built with electric drive, that records indicate that GM had General Electric motors installed in all of the 'E" types. None of the production 32, 36, or 45 models were electric...."

This is the first time I've ever heard of the type.

Can anyone provide any further info on this model?

Our resident expert Mr. "L", hopefully, will be able to shine at least a little light on this topic....

Thanks in advance!

John

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

According to the aforementioned book, a total of 30 TDE-4001's were built in 1940 by YELLOW for PSNJ.

7 TDE-4002's were also built in 1940.

In 1942, 16 TDE-4005's were added to the PSNJ roster.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

....not ONE response on this inquiry....not even from the EXPERTS......man, this MUST be a STUMPER.......

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

NO ONE HERE......NOT EVEN THE GRAND EXALTED EXPERTS......HAVE ANY INFO WHATSOEVER ON THESE RARE COACHES??

MAN, THESE BUSES HAD TO HAVE BEEN OBSCURE!!!

SCARY!!!

[HwyHaulier]

NYO -

This small group of YELLOW "TDE" type may simply have been building on what the builder and P S N J already knew?
The engineering and tooling had been in on the "ASV" designs.

Reader inference here? The DETROIT DIESEL (Est. 1938) designs quickly proved a great deal better than anticipated?
Thus, no point to further "bootstrap" the known "ASV" technology?

Side Note: What are the "Ohio Museum" lists reporting?

........................Vern.........................

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Vern.......

All the more reason why we need at least ONE exhaustive, comprehensive, lavishy-illustrated work on the late, great, PSNJ!<G>

"TDE" would have seemed an accurate designation for the "new generation", postwar GMC "All-Service Vehicles". (recall our old friend, GMC TDH-4509, when it was delivered to PSNJ as a "test vehicle" for a new generation of postwar ASV's)

Whatever the case, ANYTHING involving PSNJ history is never dull.......

John

[traildriver]

I don't know much about those PS buses. But there is sort of a latter day version of it.....those Neoplan hybrids that run on Boston's "Silver Line".
Ever seen or rode on one of those?

[RailBus63]

The Neoplan buses on Boston's Silver Line are not hybrids in the modern sense but are actually much more like the Public Service buses - they are 'dual-mode' vehicles that operate from overhead wires in the tunnel but switch to a standard Detroit Diesel powerplant for off-wire running.

Seattle's King County Metro also operated dual-mode buses built by Breda in the 1990’s and 2000’s for its routes which operate through the downtown transit tunnel but have since converted these vehicles to straight electric trolley coaches. They are is now utilizing New Flyer articulated hybrid buses for the tunnel routes – I believe these buses are modified to allow electric-only operation as needed (normally a ‘series hybrid’ bus like these would operate as an electric at lower speeds but the diesel engine kicks in above a certain speed).

Jim

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

All:

Back in the 1930's, PSNJ pioneered the dual-powered trackless coach, the "ASV" (All-Service Vehicle).

Late in the decade, the ASV's had replaced many streetcar lines, especially those in Newark, those of which had not been re-routed into the then-new City Subway.

Though a number of the dual-powered coaches were brand new, many were converted from older, front-engined equipment.

After WW2, there was some talk about paving over the trackbeds of the City Subway, and utilizing new GM-built ASV's, but, nothing came of that.

The very last PS ASV pulled down its poles in 1947.

Ironically, it was about 1950, three years after the last ASV ran, that PS experimented with the concept again, utilizing a brand new TDH-4509, "#D-900". It only operated in electric mode on newly erected dual overhead at the old Bell St. (Montclair) car house, and never operated in revenue service under wire.

Though the experiment was successful, PS wisely decided to go with an all-diesel fleet, and #D-900 had its electrical equipment removed, and lived out its service life as a straight diesel.

"NYO"

[traildriver]