BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Gentlemen:

In my day, seeing an Old Look with some sort of "silver striping" or "silver siding" certainly was not uncommon.

I remember though, way back in the early/mid-60's, some of the old Orange & Black Macks having silver striping under the windows; aside from that, I cannot personally recall seeing any other Macks with any sort of silver ornamentation on thier sides.

For whatever reason, I would guess that this was not a common "adornment" for most Macks?

"NYO"

BTW:

A Happy & Healthy Thanksgiving to All!

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here are a couple of examples from the old Avenue B & E. Broadway......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?34

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?35

(courtesy of bus.nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

More nostalgia......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?37

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

A modest silver strip under the windows of this handsome HEMPSTEAD Mack (also note the windows; these have an almost ACF-Brill look to them).......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?632

[Mr. Linsky]

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629,

I would agree that a touch of Silversides added a degree of elegance to pre sixties transits but not quite the way that it appeared on Macks.

As you can see in the upper frame focused on Avenue B (N.Y.) Mack #505, it looks as though the pieces were picked up at a hardware store and slapped on with no particular design study in mind (notice that the angle at the front end of #505 doesn't even match the end angle on the Mack behind it which leads me to believe that they may have been aftermarket or home made).

GM, on the other hand, put a great deal thought into the manufacture of a correct blend and finish including 'soft' end as seen on Bee Line (L.I.) # 600 - certainly a much more professional job that would be expected from G.M.'s art department!

BTW; GM's version was an option in the catalog while Mack's was not.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Mr. "L":

As usual, great input!

Thanks!

The "silver striping" I remember seeing on GM Old Looks seemed to be pretty much relegated to the suburban models (at least, in my neck of the woods)

The one exception was several GM's owned by the old NHBL (these were the buses I refered to as "semi suburbans", as they had only one door; NHBL buses, for many years, were equipped with both front and rear doors)

The last of these handsome vehicles ran until about 1986.

These classics indeed added a subtle, but distinct, touch of class to the familiar, workaday fleet.........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

All:

Here is a photo of an old and personal friend of mine, NHBL's handsome B-151, seen here on a 1982 charter (note that the rollers are displaying a "1 JOURNAL SQUARE" reading for this timeless view; this was the same line that ran right by our old apartment building when I was growing up, and started my lifelong interest in buses!)

She was one of the last Old Looks to run on the old "Boulevard" lines; by this late date, the last few Old Looks in service were pretty well relegated the #1 LOCAL.

The "silver striping" on her sides is simple, yet stylish.......I was also particularly fond of the Old Looks that also sported silver bars on the dash, as seen here......VERY sharp, indeed!)

This was what a bus was SUPPOSED to look like........hard to believe it's nearly thirty years since I last rode on one of these classic, timeless coaches......boy, do I miss 'em!

Like B-151, the GIANTS STADIUM itself is history, only standing for a few decades.......

"NYO"

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

(courtesy of bus.nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The "silver" strips on the dash of this 1948 CENTRAL AVENUE C-33 Mack added a nice touch; this was another old company I knew very well during my childhood.

I also remember the Macks of SHBL (South Hudson Boulevard Lines) sporting similiar dash trim.......

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

(courtesy of bus.nycsubway.org)

[Mr. Linsky]

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629,

North Hudson Boulevard # B151 is a great photo.

The extra decorative stainless steel bib trim (under windshield) was also a GM option.

#B151 is somewhat of a mystery because it's not listed in Ohio records as being purchased new by North Boulevard and, amazingly, it was able to register in New Jersey without the required passenger window bars or split sashes although that rule was obviously abandoned in the 'New Look' era beginning in 1959.

While I can't find pedigree on B151, I certainly know for sure where Bergen Avenue #8 shown below came from.

#8, a 1958 TDH 5106, is an ex New York City Transit Authority 9000 series.

The only 5106's that GM ever built with sliding passenger windows and pantograph windshield wipers (with the transmissions appearing from below the stainless steel wings) were the 121 built for the city and numbered 9000 to 9120.

Some minor changes have been made to #8 including the addition of an aftermarket set of Michigan Markers, a chromium bumper in place of the original black steel unit and a change from a push open to a bi-fold rear door.

Bergen Avenue #8 is seen at its garage in a photo taken in 1975 by Doug Grotjahn and is part of the Joe Testagrose Collection.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Mr. "L":

As usual, a most educational and interesting response....thanks!

The "semi-suburbans" (as I always referred to the Old Looks with no center door and transit-style seating) on the NHBL were pretty much in the minority, as the only other such coaches on the line I remember personally so equipped were also B-116 and B-118.

These numbers (as was the norm on the old "Boulevard" lines) were assigned to replacement coaches when the old buses were retired.

Thus, one number would be used by several generations of Boulevard buses.

Way back in the day, I can remember NHBL running a colorful assortment of coaches; various GM models, Whites, and Macks. Certainly, this interesting melange made for some great bus-watching, when I was growing up!

On the NHBL, the only coaches I can recall having any sort of "silver stripping" were the several of the Old Looks.

The old BERGEN AVENUE company, likewise, was another of the old "indies" that offered much to the bus enthusiasts of the day.........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Another old friend of mine was NHBL's B-134, seen here on a 1975 charter.

Though not adorned with any silver-stripping, the old workhorse was still a handsome example of a classic Old Look........

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

(courtesy of bus.nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

This timeless scene from 1964, shows not only a Journal Square that has greatly changed from what it was here, but also, a small sampling of the wonderful variety of buses used on the NHBL.

I cannot tell you how many times Mom and I boarded a homebound # 1 here, after debarking from the Hudson Tubes (PATH), whose tracks burrowed directly underneath the bus lanes!

Here we see a WHITE, a MACK, and a GM (the WHITE is signed for the #5, which ran to the PABT, via the Lincoln Tunnel)

Like the #1, this was another line Mom and I rode frequently, when I was a lad.

I remember that the NHBL also operated some WHITE 798's well into the 60's; I still remember being astonished to find the stripped body of one of these buses, missing its entire left side, sitting in a vacant lot in Weehawken, back in the late 70's.

Sadly, I never was able to get any pictures, as it vanished not long after I had spotted it......what a sad, sad sight!

By the later 60's, I remember the very oldest of the GM's, as well as the WHITES and MACKS on the NHBL, were replaced by Fishbowls.

By the early 80's, only a few Old Looks still hauled passengers on the #1 between Nungessers and Journal Square.

I'm certainly VERY grateful for all the great memories I have of this once-colorful line.........

"NYO"

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

(courtesy of bus.nycsubway.org)

[Mr. Linsky]

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629,

The fleet numbers on North Jersey's Independent Bus Owner's Association (IBOA) buses were actually not fleet numbers at all although they did identify the buses for others reasons.

The numbers were actually permits owned by the owner of the bus and that permit number was carried to any replacement coach (while most owners only operated one bus, there were some that had them in multiples with each having a different permit number.

Interestingly, it was very much like the system used by Cuba's version of the IBOA system years ago.

Watch eBay, especially 4509bus, who often offers back issues of Motor Coach Age and you may eventually see a copy the May-June 1992 issue spotlighting Newark Independents as seen below - very interesting and informative reading.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Mr. "L":

Once again, thank you!

Yes, I can well remember seeing the individual owner's names on the old NHBL (and other indy) coaches, on the lower flanks.

For some reason, the one that stands out in my mind was "EFFKAY" (F.K.).

Back in the 90's, I became friends with a driver who drove on the what was the NHBL #1.

I'm not sure on this, but I also recall a Grumman (Flex Metro?) with the same number, on the #1

If I am correct, this bus was retired and replaced by ANOTHER Fishbowl (again, numbered B-118), that my friend told me had come from Cleveland and had been repainted.

This was a good-looking bus and a good runner, during the time I rode it.

By that time, it had been nearly a decade since the last of the Old Looks had been retired.......

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's my our friend again, B-151, on the same 1982 charter at the old Giants Stadium, as seen in a previous post.

In this timeless view, we see B-151 in the company of an unidentified friend, still looking mighty good after many service years......

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

(courtesy bus.nycsubway.org)