BusTalk

frankie

This is just an observation, nothing more.

The 5000 series Bingham Macks were the only motor buses ordered by the BofT/NYCTA that had fluorescent lighting dating back to 1950. However these were preceded by two years with the 3000 series St. Louis Car Co. trolley coaches.

No pre-fishbowl era GM buses had them except for the experimental TDH-5101 #4898.

Frankie

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

I beleive that the Fifth Avenue Coach GM 5104's #2502-2551 that ran primarily on the #5 Riverside Drive route also had fluorescent lights. These buses were built in 1952 to replace FACO's last double deckers, which made their last runs in April 1953.

frankie · Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:40 pm Post subject:

You're probably right Andy. I'm sure many of the private companies in and around the city may have had buses in their fleets with fluorescent lighting, but I was just focusing only on the city owned fleet.

Frankie

traildriver · Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2701 Location: South Florida

I vaguely recall riding down Fifth in what was probably one of the last of the "Old Looks" around '59 or '60....I remember they had two rows of flourescents, and a flourescent destination sign as well.
I'm not certain, but I think they also had the passenger operated rear door. If they didn't, the TA owned ones did. Those also had such 'improvements' as vandal resistant fiberglas seats, arranged in a big 'U' in the rear, and subway style 'strap' handles for standees.