BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

As I've stated many times in the past, the old NORTH HUDSON BOULEVARD LINES, which ran right by our old Union City apartment building when I was a kid in the 60's, was a major part of my growing up years.

Their diverse fleet of coaches was responsible for staring my lifelong love affair with vintage buses, and I have countless memories of seeing and riding these classic old coaches throughout the years.

In 1964, back in the heyday of Journal Square (Jersey City), we see three members of NHBL's diverse and colorful fleet.

A MACK, a WHITE, and a GMC are in attendance here; the MACK is about to pull out on a #1 LOCAL run, one of the routes that passed by our windows.

The WHITE (note the "5" card in the windshield), will also pass by our building, heading to the PABT, via the Lincoln Tunnel.

The GMC to the rear is also signed for a #1 LOCAL run to Nungesser's.

Though the graceful and historic LOEW's theatre still stands today, "The Square" has changed tremedously since this 1964 photo was snapped.

If I only had a dollar for every time Mom and I boarde a homebound #1 here.....

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?650

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

By the late 1970's and early 80's, only a few Old Looks were still in the old NHBL fleet.

The last three I recall were B-151 (seen here), B-116, and B-118.

AFAIK, the latter two coaches were the last NHBL Old Looks operating on the Boulevard, about 1986.

These last three were all similiar, and none had center doors.

I remember these handsome buses being good runners, right to the end.

Here are two views of B-151 on a charter at the old MEADOWLANDS stadium at East Rutherford; note that the sign shows a "1 LOCAL" reading, obviously "staged" for the photographer!

I have no idea of what company owned the other Old Look seen in the one photo......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3594

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3597

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Another old friend of mine was B-134, seen here on a fan trip at Newark, on a rainy day in 1975.

Gee whiz.....no one told me about this trip......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?654

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Another rainy-day scene from 1975.....

Here we see B-46 (SOUTH HUDSON BOULEVARD LINES) in the company of some old friends at the Bayonne garage; note approach to the Bayonne Bridge in the background.

This company served the Boulevard SOUTH from Journal Square, to the southermost tip of Bayonne, opposite Staten Island.

Note one of the NHBL's coaches laying over on the right.

These "Bayonne Boulevard buses" were also quite familiar to me, way back when.....

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?660

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

B-11, though a bit battle-scarred, still manages to "lead the pack", so to speak, at Journal Square (1972)/

The entire block of buildings on the left no longer exists; "NAPLES ON THE SQUARE" sure served up some great "family style" Italian meals, back in the day!

The Fishbowl on the left was operated by the BERGEN AVENUE lines.

Sip Avenue is in the background; the old PSNJ terminal was just down the block, and buses have not loaded on "The Square" since late 1974..........

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?652

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Another battered and bent warrior of the SHBL, B-8, is seen on as charter at Clifton, Staten Island, in 1971.

The stairway in the background leads to the SIRT station.

Note on the side of the coach: "BEE-EIGHT BUS COMPANY".

From the earliest days of buses on the Boulevard (both NORTH and SOUTH Hudson Boulevard lines), member "companies" (for both the NORTH and SOUTH Hudson lines) had many individual owners, and each was assigned a bus number preceded by a "B".

Whenever one bus was retired, its successor recieved the same number.

This, several generations of Boulevard coaches would utilize the same number.

NJT now operates the buses that serve Kennedy (formerly Hudson) Boulevard.

It just ain't the same.....

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?665

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"Psssst! Hey, pal! Listen up! I got a great tip for ya in the 4th race at Monmouth!"<G>

(Bayonne garage, 1975)

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?661

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The familiar orange coaches of the old BERGEN AVE LINES represented yet another old "indy" company that served Journal Square in my day.

Here we see B-12 loading passengers at JSQ; as noted earlier, none of the buildings on the left survive today.....

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?106

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

IMHO, ol' No. 42 was a particulary sharp-looking coach.....

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?110

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Like PSNJ, "indy" companies like the BERGEN AVENUE lines also operated shool tripper service, as is evident from the large flashers and dash signs seen here.

Man, it's all so long ago, now.......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?118

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"RIDE THE RED & TAN LINES"......

R&T was another long-establed Joisey "indy", affiliated with the Boulevard companies.

Here's No.37 waiting to pull out on a #2 run to Secaucus.

I particularly remember the old "MARION LOCAL".

The Fishbowl on the right was operated by the DOWNTOWN BUS COMPANY, holding down a "5&6" schedule.....

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1510

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Handsome R&T No. 38, signed for the "99 JERSEY CITY EXPRESS"......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1511

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Another once-familiar sight in and around Journal Square, once upon a time, were the grizzled old relics of the "LAFAYETTE & GREENVILLE"......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?691

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The end of the line....literally.....for ex-L&G No. 201.....the old fella certainly deserved better.....

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?690

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's a particularly handsome MACK C33 (No.70), dating from 1948; this bus represents another old "indy" I knew quite well as a kid, the CENTRAL AVENUE company.

The "CITY LINE" on the side roller curtain was the northern terminal of this company, an off-street facility on Summit Avenue, on the Union City-Jersey City border.

This depot was very familiar to me back in the 60's, as it was only a ten-minute walk from where we lived at the time.

We often rode the route that terminated at the old CRRNJ (Jersey Central) rail/ferry terminal in Jersey City; the buses on that line sported red roller curtains w/white lettering, reading "CRR FERRY".

Light years ago.....

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1478