BusTalk

[W.B. Fishbowl]

And if any such pics existed, most likely it was I that brought them here!

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

GOOD LUCK!

A photo in "NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT BUSES" (Martin) caught my eye earlier this evening; the photo on page #76 shows "Tee-Yay" #2033 (a TDH-5301), displaying on its roller curtain:

"TO 165 ST TERMINAL"

NO route number is displayed.

Explanation?

"NYO"

["New York City Transit Authority"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.

Thanks.

At least in my area, back in the day, a route number always preceded a destination on a roller curtain*; the only exception being obvious ones, where the sign read:

"CHARTER"

"SPECIAL"

"GARAGE"

"NO PASSENGERS"

"EXPRESS"

On the old ORANGE & BLACK, the only roller sign readings without route numbers were:

"EXPRESS"

"RIVER ROAD EXPRESS"

"NYO"

*In Martin's book, there is also a photo (page #123) of one of STEINWAY #409 (AM GENERAL) signed:

"EXPRESS FRESH MEADOW"

The photo caption states that this route was the "QM-1", an extra-fare route............

["CHARTER"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"REAR WINDOW" or "A GATHERING OF THE BUSES" (Marcy Avenue, 1980)

EXCELLENT "rear window comparison" shot.............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?6403

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["M"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Further on 1980 photo in previous post (Marcy Avenue)

This photo (IMHO) is quite unusual, as virtually all photos at Washington Plaza (and similar locations under the BMT el, where there is a bus terminal) are all "head on" photos, showing the FRONT of the buses, making this photo a bit unusual.

Again, an interesting contrasts in Fishbowl and "Dangerfield" rear windows...........

"NYO"

["Metropolitan Transit Authority")

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Also.........

Note that, on the a/c buses, the windows are open, despite the fact that the photo was snapped in June.

Too, regarding the "batwing" Fishbowl, it is obvious that the rear side roller curtain boxes were then a thing of the past (by at least several years)

The other thing I find interesting is the different rear windows on the "Dangerfields"; the NJDOT-purchased "Dangerfields" I knew, many years back, had the narrow "slot"-type rear window.

Though the classic "Standards" (aka "Brooklyn Battleships") are still part of the NYCTM collection, those now-classic buses, sadly, were scrapped many years ago.............

"NYO"

["FLXIBLE"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B:

Recall, back in 1980. the newest buses in the "Em-Tee-Yay" fleet were, of course, the new GRUMMANS (aka "Borough Bombers")

Hopefully, these rolling basket cases at least had decent a/c.

Too, it would seem that, to the Powers That Be, that it would be a waste of money to repair the a/c units on buses that might be heading to the scrap heap, in the not-too-distant future.

The a/c's on the late-1960s (ex-PSNJ) "Z-300" series Fishbowls, which Your's Truly rode twce daily for years, IMHO, were the best in the business; when these suckers were going, you felt like you were riding inside a PFE ("Pacific Fruit Express") "reefer"!!!!

"NYO"

["GRUMMAN"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"BATWING BOMBER" (a la "stoa")........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154036

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

Am curious if "Bomber" #631 was intended as a "prototype" for installing batwings on the "Bombers", before it was decided to remove them all from the roster?

Or, was this just a "one-off" for the heck of it?

"NYO"

["M5"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Interesting...........

Take notice that there is only ONE photo of "Batwing Bomber" #631 at nycsubway.org.

It would seem to Your's Truly that such an "oddball" would have appeared in more photos, at least..........

"NYO"

["M"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Further.........

I wonder if "Bomber" #631 was delivered with batwings already in place, or was this done "in house" by the "Em-Tee-Yay", after delivery?

Imagine if more "Bombers" had been so fitted up.............

"NYO"

["MaBSTOA"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

GREAT photo; gives you an idea of how the "Dangerfield" fleet would have looked, equipped with batwings (what a sight at night!)

Man, between the graffiti epidemic and the deferred maintenance at that time (man, does yours truly well recall those dark days)

I can recall riding on some "Eye-Are-Tee" trains where even the interior lights were painted over; the interiors were virtually in total darkness.

Then, too, the snagged, torn roller curtains, the overall grime and rust................a far, far cry from 1950, for certain.............

Thankfully, the buses got off a lot easier; still, the inane, totally-insane scrawlings that adorned some buses made an otherwise good-looking bus looked trashed, unsightly, and neglected.........

"NYO"

"THIS STAIRWAY FOR EAST SIDE TRAINS"]