View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22646 Location: NEW JOISEY
|
Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:30 pm Post subject: The "Misfit" Postwar Twins |
|
|
By the late 1940's, New York's bus routes were pretty much dominated by GM vehicles; MACKS, of course, were also becoming quite prominent.
Given this, I have long wondered why the City ordered the postwar TWIN COACHES; not only did these buses not "conform" if you will, to a largely GM (and MACK) fleet, but their New York service lives were short.
By the mid-50's, these buses were already OOS; that I have seen photos of these buses being junked not even 10 years after they entered service, also made me wonder why the TWINS could not be sold off to another operator (were any spared the torch, and sold?)
Too, it seemed that these buses "aged" more rapidly than their GM counterparts; Brooklyn was the borough that these buses were commonplace....that is, at least for a while.....
"NYO"
It is also interesting to note that the CTA was the biggest purchaser of postwar TWINS, and went on to operate the largest fleet in the country.
Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Thu Mar 14, 2019 11:14 pm; edited 4 times in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22646 Location: NEW JOISEY
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22646 Location: NEW JOISEY
|
Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
W. 5th St. depot, 1955 ( also note the train of BMT "Standards" overhead).........
The TWINS are clearly in the minority, here.......
http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?4001
(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)
Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:56 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22646 Location: NEW JOISEY
|
Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
TWINS at a scrapyard, 1955; the buses were not even a decade old when this photo was taken........
http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3989
(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22646 Location: NEW JOISEY
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22646 Location: NEW JOISEY
|
Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
This TWIN was operating on the B-34, near the terminal of the 69th St. Ferry, 1955 (note that the bus, despite being in service for less than a decade, already wears a "banged up" look)........
http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?4007
(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)
Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:53 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22646 Location: NEW JOISEY
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22646 Location: NEW JOISEY
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22646 Location: NEW JOISEY
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22646 Location: NEW JOISEY
|
Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
In this dreary "On The Waterfront" scene from 1955, we see two TWINS near the old 39th St. ferry terminal* (after the massive St. George terminal fire in June, 1946, the 39th St. ferry ceased operations and, later, resumed operations, but running now instead to a new pier terminal at 69th St.)
Note that the old streetcar tracks are still visible, here......
http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3958
(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)
*Look closely at the one visible ferry slip; you will notice that the old terminal was equipped for passenger loading/unloading from the upper decks of the ferryboats.
The replacement 69th St. ferry, primarily a vehicular carrier, utilized "ELECTRIC FERRIES" that, while carrying passengers in upper deck cabins, were not equipped for upper deck loading.
The former 39th St. ferry dated back to the era when the "DEPARTMENT OF PLANT & STRUCTURES" and the "DEPARTMENT OF DOCKS" operated the boats.......
Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Thu Mar 14, 2019 11:02 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22646 Location: NEW JOISEY
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22646 Location: NEW JOISEY
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22646 Location: NEW JOISEY
|
Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:55 pm Post subject: |
|
|
In speaking of New York's postwar TWIN COACH buses, we should also recall the articulated "SUPER TWIN" demo of 1947.
The BoT did not place any orders for this massive behemoth (which was light-years ahead of its time; (think of how commonplace articulated buses are today, in New York, and elsewhere!)
Only 15 of this type were ever built.
Interestingly, some of the earlier postwar TWINS had a "NEXT BUS" light that was located to the left of the front license plate; Later models were not equipped with this light.....
"NYO" |
|
Back to top |
|
|
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22646 Location: NEW JOISEY
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22646 Location: NEW JOISEY
|
Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 11:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
TWIN #150, operating on the B-5, seen here pulling away from a stop (Kings Highway, at Coney Island Avenue).......
http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?4003
(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|