BusTalk

[frankie]

Deleted: See next message

[frankie]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Frankie:

WELL SAID, my friend!

How I wish I could go back to the days when GRUMMANS and RTS's once ruled the Jersey City-area indies and happily snap away with my KODAK "Instamatic".

The same with NJT's original "Jersey Cruiser" MCI's and their EAGLE fleet; at the time, I was not enamored with them (particularly the MCI's) as they were downfall of the Fishbowl and New Look fleets....today, well, let's just say I've either mellowed with age, or have a new outlook on current buses (I STILL miss my beloved Old Looks, WHITES, MACKS, and ACF-BRILLS....nothing can ever replace these beloved childhood friends!)

Again, as I have stated previously here, the years are flying by all to quickly......yesterday's commonplace had indeed become today's museum piece........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Gee whiz.....it sure doesn't seem all THAT long ago.......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?4343

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?4339

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)

[N4 Jamaica]

Regarding your photo of NJT RTS 2743, please note that it is southbound at Broad Street, Newark, and the new light rail track is to the left. Route 41 is the Park Avenue line, which turns by going around the triangular Lincoln Park.
Sometime in the early 1950's, Dad and I rode a Park Avenue bus to find St. John's parish school in Orange. I recall a rather old, short, probably gasoline bus. We transferred to/from the City Subway at Park Avenue station.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Joe:

Regarding your last post, and you and your dad transferring to/from the City Subway to/from " a rather old, short, probably gasoline bus"......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?4221

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)

[N4 Jamaica]

Brian Cudahy dates that Franklin Avenue photo circa 1954-1955. In Easter Week of 1954, around Tuesday, 4.20.1954, Dad and I saw the almost-finished construction of the loop at Franklin Avenue. If memory is correct, the City Subway service was provided by the older double-ended equipment. There we met some railfans who had a car and offered to drive us to a yard near Ferry Street (Ironbound?) where Minneapolis PCC's were being off-loaded onto Public Service tracks. I don't recall whether they were already painted gray, and I presume they then had to be hauled somehow to a ramp leading into the Subway.
---
Therefore, I would date that photo of bus 4081 later than April, 1954.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Joe:

Here are two rare photos showing the rehabbed ex-TCRT PCC's being offloaded at the abandoned inbound "#21 VIA W. MARKET" subway-surface ramp.

At that time, the overhead was still intact and was re-energized to allow the cars to descend the ramp into the subway (these ramps were located between the underground Washington and Warren stations).......

"NYO"

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?76133

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?76134

[N4 Jamaica]

The same concrete pillars holding an iron fence (at the left of the PCC) still show up on Google Street View, with Raymond Blvd above the subway, and the trolley ramps previously either side of the boulevard! This is at the intersection of Warren Street, Raymond Blvd, and Lock Street.

[frankie]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Frankie:

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That pic of the old Warren St. subway-surface streetcar ramps really blew me away!!!!!!!!!

Note the sidewalk in front of the old inbound ramp; back in 1972, this did not exist; the old rails leading to the inbound ramp were still intact, as well as cobblestone paving.

Look closely at the old line pole and you can see a small piece of the old cross span wires, still clinging on.

These ramps were last used by revenue cars in March of 1952.

Subway-surface cars of the "#21 ORANGE": entered and left the Subway at grade at Orange St.

Again, THANK YOU for posting this great picture!!

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

On a related note, subway-surface streetcars of the "#29 BLOOMFIELD" line entered and left the City Subway via ramps on Bloomfield Avenue.

Cars on this line were serviced/stored at the old BELL ST. barn in Montclair; later a PS bus garage, it was eventually turned into a bowling alley (Bel-Clair Lanes) but has since been torn down.

Here we see an inbound PS "Compromise" roof car, just after entering the subway's private ROW.

Note the PS bus traveling along Bloomfield Avenue.

Back in 1972, I took photographs at this location; the rails and line poles were still in place on both ramps, as well as a block signal on the inbound side.

The old inbound switch was also still intact; all have long since been removed.

PS replaced the streetcars on the v#29 in March of 1952 with modern diesel buses......

http://www.newdavesrailpix.com/psct/htm/psct087.htm

(courtesy: newdavesrailpix)

"NYO"

[N4 Jamaica]

PICT0014 by sphoto33, on Flickr

Is this an RTS? After this slide was processed in February, 2002, I wrote on the frame: Hampton Bays, December 22, 2001, 1978 GMC [taken from the window registration?], WLNG 92.1 fm station from Sag Harbor.