BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Another photo of one of the No. 3100's fellow coaches (No. 2622) at the Colesium yards; though bus is still sporting a functioning roller sign, and front ad card is in place, note the obvious damage to one of the rear engine hatches......somehow, I get the feeling that this was near the end of this vehicle's long service career.....

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?789

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Two eye-catching photos of restored No. 3100......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?2972

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?2969

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

All:

Just found this 1975 photo of a DC TRANSIT/METROBUS New Look at 6th & Bleeker, Manhattan.

The classic DC TRANSIT colors are quite prominent on the front (note the original "AIR CONDITIONED" legend beneath the windshield)

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?279

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

As No. 3100 was originally an FACC vehicle, I thought I'd share this outstanding FACC history page (courtesy of COACHBUILT) which I dug out of my files.

Truly an outstanding, in-depth work, loaded with a busload of vintage photos, blueprints, ads, etc.

Die-hard double-decker fans (yours truly being one of them!) will certainly find many rare old views of classic FACC double-deckers here......also, a number of historic garage and shop photos as well!

Enjoy!

NYO

http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/f/fifth_avenue/fifth_avenue.htm

[Mr. Linsky]

A question about MABSTOA 3100 (ex FACCO) seen below;

I notice the set of bars at the lower part of the driver's window that I do not believe came with the bus originally and, in fact, I've noticed similar arrangements on both city and MABSTOA New Looks especially in Martin's chapters.

Were these devices installed to prevent drivers from riding with their elbows out the window which, from my own memory of driving Old Looks, would have been rather uncomfortable, or were they meant to deter the unauthorized from reaching in to open a door while the bus was idle?

Good question Mr. Linsky!

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Mr. "L".....

Amazing what one can spot in an old photo if they use their eyes!

Seems that you and I have done pretty well, since yesterday!

I, too, had noticed those bars, but quickly forgot about them.

Here's a 1970 photo of No. 2690; if you look VERY carefully through the driver's window, it looks like the same type of bars can (barely) be seen.....

NYO

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?798

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Driver's side-view of the restored No. 3100; look closely through the driver's window....again, it seems as though those same bars are visible.....

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3064

[Mr. Linsky]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Mr. "L".....

Now that you mentioned vintage NYC bus stop signs, do you recall these classics, from the 60's onwards?

I was VERY fortunate indeed to obtain one of these FREE OF CHARGE, from a co-worker, who easily coaxed one out of an MTA employee who was putting up a new sign at his stop, back in '85!

This rare relic now graces the wall of my "transit den", and, man, what a FINE piece of transit history!

Sometime ago, I'd seen one on eBay, and when I was the asking price......WHOA!!

Once upon a time, you could have bought a good used car for that price!!

NYO

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?384

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

NYCTA (MTA, by the time of this 1971 photo) Old Look No. 7143, laying over at Park Row; look closely, and the driver's window bars are visible.....

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1652

[Mr. Linsky]

Here's GM Old Look Air Conditioning southern style as we see fleet # 99 - a 1954 Model TDH 5105 posed in a tranquil setting in 1971 somewhere in Richmond, Virginia and operating for the Richmond division of the Virginia Transit Company.

The unit, mounted on the roof with rooftop duct work, was of Thermo King design and very popular at the time as an after market option for transit operators as opposed to underfloor models available only in suburban configurations with space below their high floors.

While records indicate that Virginia's Richmond division did purchase twenty-two new TDH 5105's, # 99 was not one of them nor was it borrowed or purchased from their Roanoke or Norfolk operations.

My best guess is that it might possibly have been ex Detroit who, at the time, was selling off their 5105's in great numbers.

BTW: these units were so efficient that drivers referred to the buses as 'meat lockers' and came to work in mid summer with winter coats!

Photo courtesy of Bruce K. of eBay.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Mr. "L".....

Now THAT'S a BUS, my friend!!

That distinctive boxy roof duct is just what I can recall on several of the old ORANGE & BLACK coaches, back in the day!

I don't know why, but this type always greatly intriguied me!

I can STILL hear the mighty roar of those old THERMO-KINGS!

I have in my collection two photos I took waaaaay back in 1975, at a former truck/bus repair facility, where junked vehicles were also stored (Tonnelle Avenue, North Bergen).

An Old Look was in the back lot (standee windows, single door, boxy a/c duct on the roof) that had been painted red/white/blue.

Judging by its overall shape, it had not been out of service all that long, with its previous owner.

A quick inspection of the still-intact side roller sign told me that this was an ex-ORANGE & BLACK coach; oddly, there were no numbers or lettering to identify the last operator.

Too, the glass covering the front roller sign had been painted over, and some of the glass had been broken

I had planned to go back and see if I could purchase that roller sign box, but, somehow, never did.

Oh, well.....at least I've got two photos of this long-gone classic.......what a great bus to have been preserved!!

NYO

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Speaking of the air-conditioned Old Looks which had the "boxy" roof ducts, I decided to flip through my copy of William A Luke's "OLD LOOK BUSES", as I recalled several pics of similiar coaches.

SUN VALLEY BUS COMPANY (Phoenix) operated several TDH-4509's that featured the boxy roof duct; interestingly, this was not (according to caption) original equipment, as the a/c units were not installed on these buses until 1964, when the coaches were 12 years old.

I particularly find this interesting, as these buses were equipped with the older-style a/c units, well after the newer, more streamlined THERMO-KING a/c equipment (sans roof duct) became available.

There were also 5105's operated by SOUTH SUBURBAN SAFEWAY aquired second-hand from Denver, which were equipped the boxy roof ducts.

NASHVILLE TRANSIT operated several 4512's also so equipped.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Typical of the big air-conditioned TDM's was TNJ (ex-PSNJ) No. M787, every inch a classic......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3472