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PSNJ streetcars: "The Twilight 30's"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2020 12:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Signed for the "HUDSON RIVER" line (Paterson-Edgewater), De Luxe car #3517 is seen in the yard at the MARKET ST. yard in Paterson.

From the looks of things, it looks as though another fan trip was in progress.

When the "HUDSON RIVER" line went to bus in August, 1938, the BERGEN Division became all-bus.........

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?118338

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2020 12:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"FAREWELL" to the last BERGEN Division trolleys, August, 1938 (note PSNJ ferryboat, just glimpsed on the right, at the Edgewater terminal of the 125th St. ferry)

The handsome 3500's were the backbone of the "HUDSON RIVER" line for years, and these cars were quite well known for their quick acceleration and high speeds; years earlier, on the long-forgotten "FAST LINE" (Newark-Trenton) the 3500's and 3600's could hit speeds up to 70 MPH)

As mentioned in my previous post, once the "HUDSON RIVER" line went to buses, the entire BERGEN Division was devoid of streetcars, for the first time since the 1890's........

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?118349

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Sun Jun 21, 2020 11:58 pm; edited 3 times in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon May 25, 2020 1:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fopotnote:

After the massive PSNJ conversions of streetcar lines to ASV's and buses (especially between 1937 and 1938), the streetcar roster was axed by more than half.

By 1939, PS operations would have been, roughly, about 70% buses/ASV's, and 30% streetcars.

Indeed, a great era had almost vanished, and, with the exception of the City Subway, vanished entirely by 1952........

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 08, 2020 10:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One of the most interesting "mysteries" of PSNJ, given their strong alliance to rubber-tired transit vehicles, is why the Newark City Subway was not designed for ASV-only operations from the start (the first major conversion of a PS streetcar line, the "#49 UNION", took place in late September of 1935, only several months after the Subway opened)

As all downtown Newark surface streetcar lines had been converted by 1938, one ponders why PS simply did not axe the streetcars altogether during the 1930's, and convert all operations to either ASV's or motor buses.

The ASV's, themselves, did not enjoy a long service life; many were barely a decade old when the last ASV's ran in 1948.........

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 21, 2020 2:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In June, 1937, the Newark City Subway was extended one stop past Broad St. (the downtown terminal since 1935) to Penn Station; the PRR/H&M "joint service" tube trains were also rerouted away from the old Park Place terminal to the new (1935) Pennsylvania Station.

In 1937, a short-lived connection (only in use until 1938), was used by several PS streetcar lines during rush hours, between the lower level of the PS Terminal and Penn Station, via the Cedar St. Subway.

The new City Subway terminal featured separate platforms for each of the several subway-surface car lines then in use, as well as multiple reversing loops.

The very last PSNJ subway-surface streetcar line to operate was the "#29 BLOOMFIELD", which was converted to buses in March, 1952.

Cars of this line were based at BELL ST., Montclair........


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Sun Jun 21, 2020 7:53 pm; edited 1 time in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 21, 2020 7:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Also in 1938, the very last streetcars ran on the surface in downtown Newark; only a year or two before, several busy PS streetcar lines served downtown Newark on surface-only routes, which did not connect to the City Subway.

The very last surface car route to operate in downtown Newark was the "#43 JERSEY CITY"; this was the last remaining inter-divisional route between Jersey City and Newark (lower level of the PS Terminal).

The "#43" was also the last streetcar route to serve either level of the PS Terminal.

ASV's took over this route in 1938; it was converted to diesel buses in 1948........

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 21, 2020 7:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

By 1938, PS was now only operating two types of streetcars; the newer "Compromise" roof cars, and the older "standard" deck roof cars.

The "standard" cars were the newest of the deck roof cars; the oldest deck roof cars (those built by various builders prior to 1912) had all been retired by 1938, either being scrapped at Passaic Wharf or rebuilt into work cars (most retired cars were scrapped, it should be noted; only a few were actually converted into work cars)

The unique one-man open cars (built by PS prior to WW1) made their last runs in Newark after the summer season of 1937.......

"NYO"
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N4 Jamaica




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PostPosted: Sun Jun 21, 2020 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If we can move from 1938 to 1946 and Hudson County, my repeated focus is on double-end vs single end. Somehow, my recollection is that the cars looked double-ended on the outside, but then you might notice no pole on the front end. I wonder what interior shots of that era would show.
---
As I've mentioned before, cars traversing Union City at night had to have a kerosene lantern displaying red from the rear window, in case a jumping pole left the car in darkness.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 21, 2020 11:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Joe:

Your observations were correct.

Originally, all PS cars (most deck roof cars and all "Compromise" roof cars) were all built as double-ended cars.

Exceptions included the single-ended, one-man open cars, which were built in PS's PLANK ROAD shops.

In the late 1920's and early 1930's, PS began going over to one-man operation, and began converting virtually all (with some exceptions) HUDSON Division cars to single-end configuration.

This was, also, when PSNJ was at work updating many of the cars with "De Luxe"-style bucket seating and new paint schemes.

This also entailed the "Compromise" roof cars being rebuilt, with a short front, long rear reversal rebuild.

Only a handful of "Compromise" roof cars escaped this rebuilding program.

The last remaining "Compromise" roof cars still operating in double-end mode on the HUDSON Division were those assigned to the "WEST NEW YORK" and "NORTH BERGEN" lines, which were converted to buses/ASV's by 1938.

Oddly, ESSEX Division cars (both deck and "Compromise" roof) retained their double-ended configurations until they were retired in the late 1940's/early 1950's, even though all but one subway-surface route ("#23 CENTRAL") used loops at their outer ends.

Regarding the interiors of the cars rebuilt to single-end configuration, the doors at what was now the rear platform only were either sealed off or paneled over.

The extra trolley pole, as you noted, was removed upon conversion to one-man operation.

From the few interior photos I have seen, some of these cars accomodated standees only on the rear platforms after rebuilding, while others had bench-style seating installed......

"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Mon Jun 22, 2020 2:35 pm; edited 1 time in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 9:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PS also once rostered a number of semi-convertibles; these were the cars of the 1500/1600/1700 series.

These cars were most frequently used on several inter-divisional lines out of Jersey City, running to Newark, Paterson, and other cities.

Interestingly, however, PS never rostered any convertibles.

The last semis ran in 1937; by this time (with very few exceptions) they were the oldest cars in the PS fleet.......

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 10:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's a rear view of deck roof car #2452 on a 1940's fantrip, outbound on the private ROW leading up to Boulevard East (Weehawken) from the West Shore terminal (the NYCRR's massive grain elevator can also be seen on the right)

It is easy to see that this car was originally double-ended; also, note the red running lights on the roof, which were, as we know, were required by a Union City ordinance then on the books......

http://www.newdavesrailpix.com/psct/htm/psct036.htm

(courtesy: newdavesrailpix)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 10:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's an old photo of deck roof car #2431, the last PS deck roof car in existence today, seen here at Shore Line (Branford)

From what I have heard, this historic car has been sitting in a barn for many years, untouched, and never fully restored.

It is easy to see that this car was originally double-ended.

This car ran on the HUDSON Division until 1949, when the remaining streetcar lines on that division were converted to buses.......

http://www.newdavesrailpix.com/psct/htm/psct146.htm

(courtesy: newdavesrailpix)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 2:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Compromise roof car #2647 is seen here operating on the Hoboken El, sometime during the 1940's.

The offside doors on this car have been sealed, and are no longer operable; also, note that the steps have been removed.

Also, note the the hook for the removed trolley pole (forward) is still intact.

Also, the lack of "bug eye" marker lights tells us that this was not a car that operated out of UNION CITY; this was a car that was operating on either the "OAKLAND" or "JACKSON" lines, which were based out of GREENVILLE (Jersey City)

Other PS cars, after conversion to one-man, single-end operation, had the offside doors completely removed and were replaced with new windows and paneling.......

http://www.newdavesrailpix.com/psct/htm/psct038.htm

(courtesy: newdavesrailpix)


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Mon Jun 22, 2020 4:14 pm; edited 1 time in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 4:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Circa-1948, we see Compromise roof car #2691 near the "GREENVILLE" car house in Jersey City (note PS bus following)

#2691 was another one of the cars that had its left-hand doors sealed, but not removed, as was the case with a number of other cars......

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116279

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 8:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PS once used symbol designations to denote the type of seating a car had:

"XL": cross seats (leather)

"XW": cross seats (wood)

"LL": longitudinal (leather)

"LW": longitudinal (wood)

"LR": longitudinal (rattan)

Interestingly, two Compromise roof cars (#'s 2670/2676) were experimentally fitted with "back up" controllers, after being converted into single-ended configuration.......

"NYO"
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