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Now that the RTS is history.....what might be the new "
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 11:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

From: "RAPID TRANSIT SERIES BUSES" (McCausland).......

".......to TMC's credit, the company had some success with other alternative-fuels, notably compressed natural gas. A number of such buses went to TRIBORO BUS LINES and COMMAND BUS in New York......"

"......these buses were designed to run on the gas, mounted in a large pod on the roof of the bus......"

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TRIBORO's #3000, a non-RTS CNG bus.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156363

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TRIBORO RTS........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154393

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154395

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 1:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wanted to include these two 1980 RTS photos from Baltimore......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156802

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156804

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

Unlike their New York brothers, Baltimore's fleet of RT buses were were not at all liked by the riding public; the reasons were numerous and valid.

It had eventually reached the point where riders were letting the new RTS's pass them by at their stop, in order to catch an older bus!Shocked

They (the RTS) were in service for far less a time than other Baltimore buses, and no one shed any tears when they were mercifully retired.....

"NYO"
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W.B. Fishbowl



Age: 57
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 6:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
Wanted to include these two 1980 RTS photos from Baltimore......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156802

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156804

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

Unlike their New York brothers, Baltimore's fleet of RT buses were were not at all liked by the riding public; the reasons were numerous and valid.

It had eventually reached the point where riders were letting the new RTS's pass them by at their stop, in order to catch an older bus!Shocked

They (the RTS) were in service for far less a time than other Baltimore buses, and no one shed any tears when they were mercifully retired.....

Makes one wonder what the residents of that city think of today's giant milk cartons and robotic caterpillars being passed off as "buses" . . . now that there are no "older buses" for them to wait for . . .
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 10:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

W.B.:

I hear ya......point well taken! Wink

Years ago, I belonged to a Baltimore-based transit forum, and was a member for several years before it (sadly) folded; I learned a great deal on the city's transit history (recall, they had streetcars until 1963, and trolley buses until 1959, and BRILL C-44 transits until about 1967; they had a number of Old Looks, that, unlike in New York, lasted through the 1970's.

The last Baltimore MTA bus I liked was the METRO; boxy, sure, but STILL with at least some appeal.

Today, as you said, it's all oversized milk cartons and robotic, people-eating caterpillars. Sad

Unlike New York, the BTC also once operated a number of second-hand Old Looks from several other cities, including Buffalo, Knoxville, and Augusta (Philadelphia also purchased second-hand buses after the War, to help with streetcar conversions)

I have a good friend from the old Baltimore board, an older fellow who, like us, has no use for the current equipment used in Baltimore, and other cities.

He told me awhile ago about how much the RTS was hated; TOTALLY unlike those in "Noo Yawk".

Drivers and passengers were virtually all united in their sentiments that the RTS was a rolling sweat-box of a disaster.....

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 11:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Baltimore did not begin operating Fishbowls until late 1963, when the last two streetcar lines (#'s 8 and 15) were converted.

These second-generation Fishbowls (TDH-5303's), 101 in all, also ushered a/c transit equipment to the BTC (note the now-useless streetcar line pole in this photo from 1980)........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156783

See also:

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156782

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 11:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Getting back to the RTS.....

In the 1990's (post-1993), when I was commuting via ACADEMY's "BOULEVARD EAST" line (rush hour only) and the PATH tubes (from Hoboken), they had been using METROS (some had high-backed (upholstered) seating, others hard plastic "transit" style-seating.

These were replaced by RTS coaches; all were good performers, with the exception of those several second-hand DART vehicles; the a/c's barely/rarely worked, and the wheelchair lifts were always balky.

They were also VERY sluggish on any semblence of a grade.

On ACADEMY's "#22 HILLSIDE", there were several ex-MTA RTS's that I often rode (I really liked these buses!); I jotted down their numbers long ago, but, somehow, lost the slip of paper I had the numbers jotted down on)

It's been close to 20 years since I've seen any sort of RTS in these parts.....

"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Fri Oct 01, 2021 4:21 pm; edited 1 time in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 2:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Appearances are indeed deceiving, so the old saying goes.....

In this 1980 photo, the Baltimore RTS seen here looks like a good, solid, reliable. modern city bus.

BUT, as I had mentioned earlier here, the RTS was an ill-fated vehicle in Baltimore right from the start.......without a doubt, the least successful bus in Baltimore's transit history.

Note that these buses were equipped with roller curtains.......

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156802
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W.B. Fishbowl



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2021 4:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
Appearances are indeed deceiving, so the old saying goes.....

In this 1980 photo, the Baltimore RTS seen here looks like a good, solid, reliable. modern city bus.

BUT, as I had mentioned earlier here, the RTS was an ill-fated vehicle in Baltimore right from the start.......without a doubt, the least successful bus in Baltimore's transit history.

Note that these buses were equipped with roller curtains.......

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156802

Wonder how they would have fared in that town had the back been of straight end rather than angled.

I wonder which was rated and received worst - the Baltimore RTS', or the 1965 order of Flxible 'New Look' buses in Detroit which was firmly a GM town in terms of the buses running on the streets. Or was it something of a toss-up? You decide . . .

http://www.detroittransithistory.info/Misc/DSRFlxibles.html
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2021 4:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

W.B.:

Thanks for this link: I'm REALLY going to enjoy "sinking my teeth" into this, later! Wink

Chicago, also, was NOT a "GM town", for the most part.

The postwar CTA fleet rostered Old Looks, which were inherited from CHICAGO MOTOR COACH and CHICAGO SURFACE LINES, a number of WHITES and ACF-BRILLS; of course, the most dominant player in the postwar CTA fleet were the TWIN COACHES (the CTA then operated the largest fleet of propane buses, anywhere)

Virtually all new CTA buses purchased during the 1960's were Flex New Looks.

It was not until the 1970's that the CTA began ordering large numbers of GM buses (beginning with T8H-5307A's in 1972)

several years after the war, the CTA was operating about 1,000 Flxible TWIN COACH model FT2P-40's........

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2021 1:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Boston, like so many cities, back in the day, also rostered the RTS; it would seem a safe bet that thee buses were not despised by Bostonians, as the RT was so hated in Baltimore.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?157419

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2021 1:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Beantown" RTS on the job......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?152930

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?152927

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)
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W.B. Fishbowl



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PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2021 8:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
Boston, like so many cities, back in the day, also rostered the RTS; it would seem a safe bet that thee buses were not despised by Bostonians, as the RT was so hated in Baltimore.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?157419

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

Based on that, Boston went with Luminator for their electronic signs . . .
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2021 10:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

W.B.:

Regardless of manufacturer/type, none of the ACADEMY drivers I used to know during my commuting years had anything positive to say about "electronic" signage" (this went for both the RTS and the METRO)

They hated learning codes (which took some getting used to by the guys); in fact, many times (as I was the first to board on a Hoboken-bound run in the vary early AM, at the starting point for the "BOULEVARD EAST": run) I would stand in front of the bus while the driver punched out the code he needed; I would give a thumbs-up when the correct sign was displayed (it WAS fun, I have to admit!) Very Happy

They all MUCH preferred the roller curtains (so did Your's Truly, for that matter!)

Originally, the METROS had HUGE (and I DO mean HUGE) roller curtains; these, literally, could be seen a block away; when ACADEMY retrofitted these buses with electronic signs, the howl these drivers sent up could be herd in da Bronx! Shocked

Recall the old saying, "Leave well enough alone?" Rolling Eyes

Outside of the "lemon" units from DART, the drivers all liked the RTS; two or three I knew particularly well liked the ex-MTA buses quite a lot. Wink

Can't believe this is all so long ago, now.....

"NYO"
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