BusTalk

gmnewlook · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 4:59 pm Post subject: Best bus spotting places?

Hi everyone,

My wife and I are thinking about going either to Boston, New York or Washington for a weekend getaway before the baby is born.

Boston is a 5½ hour drive from Montreal, New York is 6½ hours away and Washington is almost 10 hours away by car.

What I wanted to know is where are the best bus spotting places in each of the three cities. What I'm looking for is multi-network hubs (i.e.: WMATA, Ride-On, or most of the MTA bus divisions like LI bus or similar possibilities in Beantown). Also, is there still fishbowls in service, and where can I find them? In NYC, is the bus museum worth going at this time of year? When is the next Bus Fest?

Also, do I need authorisation to take bus photos at transit centers, terminuses, subway stations? I know that on the sidewalk, everything can be taken on photo. I bring a bus photo album to show drivers and transit employees to show them how serious my hobby is. I then ask permission to take pictures.

That about sums it all up, if I have any questions, I'll make sure to post them.

Thank you!

Martin Cirino
President
Club des Amateurs d'autobus du Québec

The Port of Authority · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 118 Location: Hong Kong

Boston has a number of transit centers and bus terminals that are of interest. -- I'd recommend:

Quincy Center station
Ruggles station
Dudley station
Malden Center station
Forest Hills station
JFK/UMass station
and Ashmont station, as well as various streets in the downtown core.

Unfortunately the MBTA can be a bit hostile towards busfans, but you probably won't be bothered.

For New York I'd recommend:

downtown Jamaica (the area around Sutphin/Archer and Parsons/Archer subway stations),

Flushing (the area around Flushing/Main Street subway station),

Pelham Bay Park subway station,

242nd Street/Van Cortlandt Park subway station,

Fordham Plaza (accessible via Metro-North and numerous Bronx buses)

and downtown Brooklyn (accessible via the Jay Street/Borough Hall and Court Street/Borough Hall subway stations.)

Also, many places in midtown and downtown Manhattan, especially Madison Square and Herald Square, are excellent. You probably won't be bothered for photography in New York, but you occasionally have your irritated driver.

Washington I'm not that familiar with, though.

There are no fishbowls in service in either New York, Boston, or Washington. Had you come to New York two years earlier you could have witnessed the New York Bus Service fishbowls' last weeks in service, though.

gmnewlook · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 5:57 pm Post subject:

This is a start! Thanks. We have irritated drivers here too. Wink

They might go on strike, either them or the maintenance workers and mechanics. Last Friday, the drivers at LaSalle, Mont-Royal and St-Laurent garages parked their buses on the street as a pressure tactic. I don't know about Anjou, Frontenac, Legendre or St-Denis...

nycbusfan · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 258 Location: Brooklyn, NY

during rush hours. Battery place and State street is a good spot because you can see buses from the MTA, Bee Line and NJT. The Queens center mall at Woodhaven and Queens blvds. is also a great spot.

RailBus63 · Moderator Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 1063

RailBus63 · Moderator Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 1063

An MBTA roster (including a list of bus route assignments by garage) can be found here:

NE Transit MBTA Vehicle Inventory Page

Waynejay · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 11:09 pm Post subject:

In Manhattan a couple of my favorite spots were 57th-Madison and 34th--5th Ave.

In the Bronx there's also lots of action at Bainbridge Ave-206th Street (last stop of D train).

In the DC area some hot spots in addition to downtown are Silver Spring station, Wheaton, Rockville, King Street, West Falls Church, Anacostia and Ballston. The Pentagon is awesome, but you most definitely don't want to take photos there for the obvious reasons. I don't even bother to hang out there too long after the 9/11 security went into effect.

RailBus63 · Moderator Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 1063

One of my favorite Manhattan bus photography spots is 5th Ave. & 60th St.

N4 Jamaica · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 858 Location: Long Island

N4 Jamaica · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 858 Location: Long Island

Concerning hassles for taking photos: I would avoid locations near the bridges and tunnels of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Journal Square (Jersey City) bus terminal building. The police of PANYNJ have been known to bother photographers who have toll plazas, access ramps, or Port Authority buildings in the background. Also, MTA bridges (Verazzano, Triborough, etc.) have warnings posted about photography. Keep in mind, also, that a camera could invite robbery in a few neighborhoods (not many).

gmnewlook · Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 10:18 am Post subject:

Thanks everyone! Although our time will be limited, whenever we go, I will manage to do some bus spotting.

Thanks! Wink

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 2:59 pm Post subject:

gmnewlook,

As a self appointed member of the unofficial welcoming committee, let me take this opportunity to welcome you aboard BusTalkIII, and tell you that we look forward to your valuable input.

The suggestions made as to where the 'action' is buswise are excellent, and I would add that at any of the MTA depots you can get a pretty good idea of the 'livestock'.

I would suggest (being partial to Queens) JFK, La Guardia and Baisley as a good cross section, and there are no restraints on photo taking as far as I know.

Interestingly, this is not the first time that photo taking has been banned at certain strategic locations in the New York metropolitan area.

Upon discovering a plan by the enemy in World War II to blow up the Hellgate Bridge over the East River, signs where immediately posted on all bridges forbidding picture taking.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY