BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

John:

Not exactly "on topic", but, bieng from Baltimore, you should find this of interest!

"NYO"

http://www.greyhoundcoach.com

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Back in the later 1990's, I remember riding on ex-DART coaches (RTS units) that had been purchased by ACADEMY (I rode them as part of my commute between Hoboken (PATH terminal) and North Bergen (Nungessers) on the ACADEMY Boulevard East route (rush hours only)

These second-hand buses were HORRIBLE performers and had a/c's that were virtually worthless!!!

I cannot tell even begin to tell you how many times these clunkers died en route!!

The 3200-series Flex Metros previously used were far better than the second-hand RTS's, IMHO.

(and.......all the while...... dreams of Old Looks and Fishbowls danced through my head)

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

An interesting "overseas second-hand transaction" took place in the late 1940's, after PSNJ abandoned its ASV operations in Hudson and Essex Counties.

A number of retired ASV's made the voyage from the United States to Cuba, where they were to operate in Havana, replacing the ancient tram fleet then operating there.

Although a few were tested successfully under wire (dual overhead was already in place, as the trams were double-pole cars) none of the coaches ran in trolley bus mode.

Some ran as conventional motor buses for some years until they were retired......

"NYO"

*(scroll down page for old newspaper photo of one of the ex-PS coaches in Havana):

http://www.tramz.com/cu/hb/hbb.html

[Mr. Linsky]

NYO,

Here's an interesting one for you;

Pictured sometime in the late thirties at a company yard is fleet # 1450 - a 1935 32 passenger Yellow Coach modeled as a 728 and operating for Public Service Coordinated Transport of Newark, New Jersey.

What makes #1450 and four of its siblings so interesting is that they were ex New York City Omnibus Corporation (NYCO) numbered in the 500's (#1450 was #511) and sold off virtually before they were really broken in.

It's odd because neither company was short of buses at the time and, in fact, NYCO had a total of 270 of the model.

Just another one of those mysteries yet to be solved.

Enjoy,

Photo courtesy of '4509bus'

Mr. 'L'

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Mr. "L":

GREAT PIC!

Thanks for sharing! (being a lifelong "Joisey Boy", you KNOW how much I love anything PSNJ-related!)

That photo looks as though it might have been taken at either Newark's Ferry St. shops, or the Passaic Wharf facility in nearby Harrison (that is, if this was on the Essex Division!)

Little "mysteries" like this are what makes our hobby so interesting; for instance, even though I've had my tattered copy of a 1978 MOTOR COACH AGE for at least 20 years, last night was the FIRST time I had ever noticed in the roster that two DE CAMP C-44's were sold to NHBL IBOA owners SIVAD TRANSPORTATION and A&W BUS CO. in 1957 (the same year yours truly hit this planet)

The buses became B-148 and B-159; I don't think these buses (AFAIK, the only ACF-BRILLS in the NHBL fleet) lasted all that long on "The Boulevard", as I have no recollection of them whatsoever.

In fact, the only ACF-BRILLS I remember on the Boulevard were those operated by INTER-CITY, on the #97 (JSQ-Paterson)

Well into the 60's, DE CAMP operated C-44's on the old #22 out of JSQ; Mom and I often rode these out to Verona, to visit my aunt who then lived in West Orange.

Man, I LOVED those beefy, sleek, tough-sounding machines!

It IS true....you DO learn something NEW every day!

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Not on topic, but this late 40's PSNJ photo has always been one of my favorites.

You are looking northwest (towards Bergenline Avenue) in one of the cavernous bays of the sprawling PS "carbarns" in Union City (it also served ASV's until 1947, and streetcars until 1949)

Note the variety of now-historic buses keeping the old streetcars company; the "ol'-timey" front engined bus on the left is signed for the "22 HILLSIDE". Many years later, this route would be operated by FranMar, then ACADEMY, and finally, NJT.

This is a route I knew and rode quite often; it has, sadly, been cut back to Nungessers, and hasn't served my town for close to a decade.

Note the one bus on the right sporting a luggage rack (perhaps this was used on Atlantic City runs?)

The service truck seen here was on duty for decades; I well recall seeing it awaiting the call to duty, when Mom and I would walk up to the barns to "see the buses", many eons ago.

NJT closed this huge facility in the early 90's; it is now a city DPW garage.

http://www.newdavesrailpix.com/psct/htm/psct150.htm

(courtesy newdavesrailpix)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

More interesting "second hand trivia"........

Around the late 1950's/very early 60's, BTC purchased five ACF-BRILLS from a Queens, NY, operator.

The red and white buses never ran in revenue service in Baltimore, but were stripped of parts to be used on BTC's own fleet of Brills.

Could these have been former QUEENS-NASSAU TRANSIT coaches? (I know that the 15 rostered by this company were the only ACF-BRILLS to run in New York)

(source: Baltimore Transit Archives)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

On page #17 of "NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT BUSES" (Guy E. Martin) there is a photo of a QUEENS-NASSAU ACF-Brill (#107); according to the text, the last of the ACF-BRILLS were displaced by 1960.

Their replacements were GM TDH-5302 New Looks.......

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

More on "QUEENS-NASSAU TRANSIT", regarding used equipment:

Six TWIN diesels were aquired in 1948, numbered 2140 through 2144.......

(source: "NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT BUSES" (Guy E. Martin)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In 1949, TRIBOARO COACH COMPANY purchased three H-16-S ACF's from JAMAICA BUSES; 12 more were purchased from QUEENS-NASSAU TRANSIT in 1953.

Five more of the type were purchased used in 1954.

(source: "NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT BUSES", by Guy E. Martin)

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

One of TRIBORO's ACF H-16-S's..............

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1312

(courtesy bus.nycsubway.org)

[Mr. Linsky]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Mr. "L":

Yet another MAGNIFICENT glimpse into the distant past.....thanks for sharing!

The drivers' uniforms recall that long-gone era when bus drivers could easily be mistaken for a gentleman of a "much higher calliing"! (GREYHOUND and TRAILWAYS, in particular, gave the impression that their buses were being piloted by high-ranking Air Force officials!)

BTW: Were those drivers by any chance related to either Billy Shoemaker or Johnny Longden?

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's another ACF of TRIBORO, seen here awaiting the call to duty at the Elmhurst garage......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1314

(courtesy bus.nycsubway.org)