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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22635 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2017 9:24 pm Post subject: GM's dominance in New York |
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All:
I have always wondered why GM buses were "THE bus" in New York, starting in the early postwar years.
Though the BoT/NYCTA did also operate MACKS, it was still clear that GM buses were the dominant coaches in the City.
WHITES were indeed in the ultra-minority; BRILLS were virtually non-existent in the New York area (except those operated by suburban NJ companies that served the PABT)
TWIN COACHES, too, were quite in the minority when they operated in Gotham.
Many cities rostered several makes (and models), but, clearly, GM was the dominant bus in most areas, including New York
It DOES go without, however, saying that GM coaches were solid, reliable, and rugged......GM's durability has more than proven its worth, through the decades.
Appreciate any input....thanks in advance......
"NYO"
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frankie
Age: 77 Joined: 01 Feb 2011 Posts: 747 Location: St. Peters, Mo.
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Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:07 pm Post subject: |
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Your second to the last line says it all!
When you're king of the hill, you have a definite future. For most bus manufacturers of the late '40's and '50's, the handwriting was already on the wall.
Look what happened when new manufacturers, especially those with oversea influence began to chip away GM's dominance. Flxible gave GM a run for their money, but Flexible too slowly withered away thanks to competition from Western Flyer, Orion and especially Gillig.
Frankie
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22635 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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frankie wrote: | Your second to the last line says it all!
When you're king of the hill, you have a definite future. For most bus manufacturers of the late '40's and '50's, the handwriting was already on the wall.
Look what happened when new manufacturers, especially those with oversea influence began to chip away GM's dominance. Flxible gave GM a run for their money, but Flexible too slowly withered away thanks to competition from Western Flyer, Orion and especially Gillig.
Frankie |
Agreed 100%.
With GM's dominating so many companies, it was indeed much easier to obtain spare parts as the buses got older; by the time the last WHITES, MACKS, and BRILLS were running out their last revenue miles (in whatever city), spare parts were becoming harder (and many times, impossible) to obtain.
IMHO, I think that this was one reason why GM's New Looks lasted as long as they did in service; not only were the buses themselves built through the 1970's, but also, spare retired buses could easily be purchased to supply parts to a given company's revenue coaches.
I would guess, though, by the later 1990's, that New Look parts were becoming increasingly hard to obtain; the last New look in my general area was B-118 (an ex-Cleveland bus, which replaced an older New Look and inherited its number)) that was being operated on what had been the old NHBL's "#1 LOCAL", a route I knew since my long-ago childhood days (Journal Square-Nungessers).
I last rode this bus in 1997; it was also the last GM New Look I can recall running on the "Boulevard"....or anywhere else in my area.
Without a doubt, GM DID indeed build a solid, rugged, dependable, and now-iconic transit coach........
"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22635 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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Quick question, here:
Did the MTA ever express any interest in the AM GENERAL? (perhaps a demo?)
I know that they once ran in over 40 cities; today, the AM GENERAL, like the GM's, are now history
(I do know that STEINWAY operated 10 AM GENERALS)
"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22635 Location: NEW JOISEY
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MaBSTOA 15
Age: 70 Joined: 27 Feb 2013 Posts: 1059
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Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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The end of a Steinway AM General
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frankie
Age: 77 Joined: 01 Feb 2011 Posts: 747 Location: St. Peters, Mo.
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Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 11:24 pm Post subject: |
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Looks like you posted the wrong links!
Frankie
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