BusTalk

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 4:14 pm Post subject: 'THE DOUBLE DECKERS OF CHICAGO'

It must have been fun years ago to be a Chicago commuter and get to ride to work on those great old 'Double Deckers' on a daily basis.

In a picture taken sometime during the war years on a sunny afternoon, we see two 1936 Yellow Coach Model 720's (dubbed Queen Marys) heading toward the city on Chicago's famous Lake Shore Drive and operating for the Chicago Motor Coach Company.

The 72 passenger double decked 720's were among Yellows first buses to feature rear mounted transverse gasoline engines coupled to patented angled drives and 'Banker' semi-automatic transmissions.

The 720's were exactly like the model 735's used by commonly owned Fifth Avenue Coach in New York except that the crowns of their roofs were six inches lower to accommodate Chicago's many low slung overpasses.

A small number of 720's were also used by Fifth Avenue on the #15 Jackson Heights Line to avoid contact with the Roosevelt Avenue El structure.

Many of the 720's and 735's were converted to Diesel after the war and were active into the early fifties.

BTW; the black convertible in the foreground was a then very rare 1942 Cadillac.

Photo borrowed for educational purposes only.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

andy47 · Joined: 17 Feb 2011 Posts: 96 Location: New York State

Great photo. I do remember the 720s and 735s in NY on FACO routes, particularly #5 on Riverside Drive, which gave a waterside view similar to Lake Shore Drive. One thought - those upper decks must have been quite hot in the summer, considering the black reinforcing on the roof. Anyone know why the roofs were black?

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 3:11 pm Post subject:

andy47,

While there's nothing in literature on the make-up of the roofs of the 720's and 735's (Queen Marys), all Yellow transit coaches up until the introduction of the Model 740 in the very late thirties had roofs made of steam bent plywood and covered in a black water proofing material.

That covering could certainly have been white but it may be that they were unaware of black's ability to attract heat in those days!

That's about the best answer I can give you.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

traildriver · Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2459 Location: South Florida

Great shots, Mr 'L'!
I noticed in the photo's those lane dividers on Lake Shore Drive. I vaguely recall that at least in the 60's, they were capable of raising and lowering remotely controlled to suit the prevailing traffic conditions.
Anyone else remember anything about that?

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:14 pm Post subject:

traildriver,

That's very very interesting about the lane dividers - I've driven Lake Shore Drive on visits to family in Chicago and I never noticed that.

It's exactly what they need for the buses during rush hours going to and coming from the Queens side of the Queens Midtown Tunnel.

Thanks for sharing.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

andrethebusman · Age: 70 Joined: 27 Dec 2011 Posts: 21 Location: Chicago IL

Up until the 1970's Lake Shore Drive north of Oak St was set up to be six lanes in the rush direction and two in the non-rush. From about Oak St to south of Belmont there were three sets of hydraulically-operated barriers that were raised or lowered four times a day to accomplish this. Where these did not exist, particularly north of Belmont, only traffic cones separated oncoming traffic. In later years the hydraulic lift system started becoming very unreliable, and there were more and more head-on collisions as motorists were becoming confused as to which lane went which way. Finally the whole thing was given up on and LSD is now 4 lanes each way all times.