BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

A few more "Q" photos........

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?6858

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?26057

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?75718

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?113400

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Remember, also, that the "Q's" started life as "typical" open-gate El cars ("BU's"), built between 1904 and 1908.

It was not until 1938, however, that these cars were rebuilt and modernized for service to the 1939/1940 World's Fair, now equipped with enclosed ends and automatic, subway-style doors.

As I had mentioned previously, later in life, the "Q" cars had their roofs lowered, after being removed from 3rd Avenue service in 1955; this was because, when the trucks from the retired IRT "Composites" were installed under the car bodies, the cars now had increased height.

Due to the lower clearances of the BMT's De Kalb Avenue station as a result of its massive rebuilding, it was decided to lower the "Q's" roofs, by removing the clerestories. (the old cars now had to travel through the BMT's De Kalb complex to reach the shops at Coney Island

There had been some talk of replacing the old "Composite" trucks with trucks from the soon-to-be-retired 1300 series "BU" convertibles running on the Myrtle Avenue line, but this would have been a far more expensive undertaking, due to the amount of rewiring that would have had to been done; lowering the roofs of the cars, was, indeed, the more economical solution to the height issue........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"Fares, please"........

An interesting "sidenote" to the Els was that, on some routes, during off-hours, fares were collected on-board the trains, when change booth clerks were off-duty, and the booths were closed.

On the old Fifth Avenue (Brooklyn) El, the lone shuttle car had a Johnson fare box mounted on one of the open platforms; off-hours on the Myrtle Avenue El, the conductor would collect fare on board (also using a Johnson fare box), but inside the car itself.

When the Dyre Avenue (IRT) line was still a shuttle, the change booth clerks on that line only worked one shift; at all other times (during hours of operation), again, the conductor collected fares using a fare box........

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cables, steam, and electricity over the Brooklyn Bridge......

In 1883, the first trains to cross the Brooklyn Bridge (NEW YORK & BROOKLYN BRIDGE Ry.) were cable-hauled coaches, switched at Park Row and Sands St., by small Forney locomotives (which, for many years prior to electrification, hauled New York's El trains)

During peak hours, the "Bridge Trains" carried, at times, 20,000 passengers an hour (no "social distancing", back then!)

During off-hours, the cable mechanism and power plant was shut down, and the Forney engines hauled the cars back and forth across the Bridge.

In 1894, these cars received electric lighting, and, in 1898, electric traction replaced the Forneys altogether.

Interestingly, the newly-electrified trains had the motorman's controllers located out on the front platforms(!!)

The Brooklyn Union Elevated and the Kings County elevated leased trackage rights over the Bridge in 1897.

As electrification of the Brooklyn El lines proceeded, more and more commuters could travel far deeper into Brooklyn than previously, as the Bridge tracks were tied into the complex (and expanding) Brooklyn network.

By 1900, the BRT (Brooklyn Rapid Transit) was now operating the trains; interestingly, until 1908, cable operation was used during rush hours, so tremendous was the traffic load.

After 1908, the old cable cars (built by PULLMAN) were taken out of service; as these cars were 10 feet wide, they were unsuitable for BRT El service.

A number went west, to the MASON CITY & CEDAR LAKES RAILROAD, where they were converted into interurban express/passenger motors. some running as late as 1950 (all BMT elevated service over the BB ended in 1944; streetcar service over the span lasted until 1950)

"NYO"

[traildriver]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

traildriver:

Agreed, 100%

The old "JFK EXPRESS", more realistically, indeed should have been dubbed "THE TRAIN TO THE BUS TO THE PLANE"!

(remember the TV and radio commercials for the "express", back then!)

Some people only associate the R-46 with the "JFK "EXPRESS"; however, I have read that, at times, other equipment was also used, included battle-scarred R-10's!

So ironic, that, many long decades before, you COULD, indeed, travel to an airport (La Guardia) via rail.......in this particular case, riding the TROLLEY!!

Back to the future, anyone?

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"TAKE THE TROLLEY TO THE PLANE!"........

http://www.newdavesrailpix.com/nyc/htm/bqt147.htm

http://www.newdavesrailpix.com/nyc/htm/bqt205.htm

(courtesy: newdavesrailpix)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

(SUBWAY) trains to the planes.......

I have always wondered why, back in the days when subway lines were reaching further out into the boroughs, why there seemed to be no serious consideration (AFAIK) of extending one of the subway lines (or, at least, building a branch) that would have directly served either La Guardia or Idelwild (JFK)

Dismissing the "AIRTRAIN", think of the tremendous convenience to air travelers, had a subway(s) been extended to one (or both) of the New York airports.

In London, direct service to Heathrow, via the Tube, has been available since 1977.

"FLY THE TUBE" station platform ads, showing a Tube train alongside an SST (with a traffic jam superimposed above) appeared in 1980, touting not only the reduced travel time, but also, the tremendous savings over taxis.

Here, indeed, was a TRUE "Train To The Plane"..........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Remembering R-46 #1204 on "The Train To The Plane"........

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?5753

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?5754

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?62207

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?150541


(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Brief "blurb" on the "JFK EXPRESS"........

https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/flashback-the-jfk-express

(courtesy: the gothamist)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"Uhhh, excuse me, conductor, but the station sign says 'Howard Beach', NOT 'JFK AIRPORT'! I THOUGHT this was the TRAIN to the PLANE!"

(QUITE a contrast in equipment, in this 1980 photo!)

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?5761

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

[traildriver]

The regular R-46's on that service had some baggage racks installed...AFAIK, the only ones in the subway.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

While on the subject of "rapid transit baggage", I had mentioned earlier in this topic that, until 1917, there was a checked baggage room at mezzanine level at the BMT's (then "BRT") Chambers St. station, when there was a joint BRT/LIRR operation between Chambers St. and Rockaway Beach, starting in 1913.

I only know a very little about this unique operation, but it had to be quite interesting, to say the least!

The BRT/LIRR trains used the easternmost platforms at Chambers St., sharing them with the BRT's Sea Beach subway trains.........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Earlier, I mentioned the cable-hauled trains that crossed the Brooklyn Bridge until 1908.

Some of these cars went to the LIRR, to operate as trailers for the MP-41's (the center doors were sealed off); in 1914, these cars were withdrawn from service, but, in 1917, were sold to the Washington, Baltimore, and Annapolis Railroad.........

"NYO"