BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Note the "5" placard in the windshield of this NHBL WHITE, waiting for the starter's bell to signal its driver to pull out, to begin its inbound run to the PABT.

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153650

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

NHBL, at the time, also operated older WHITE 798's, as well as several different Old Look models.

The NHBL Fishbowl in the previous photo was "B114"; the MACK seen here is "B113".

Beginning, then, in the late 1930's, both the NHBL and SHBL buses (IBOA: Independent Bus Owners) began carrying a prefix to their bus numbers.

Interestingly, when it came time for a certain "Boulevard" bus to be retired, the new bus which replaced it was given the same number as the bus it replaced.

I can also remember two NHBL Old Looks in particular; one was "B125", while the other was "B125x".

The SHBL buses were assigned lower numbers, while those assigned to the NHBL carried higher numbers.

Also, the SHBL buses were mostly gray, easily compared to their NHBL counterparts.

The buses seen here, about 15 minutes after pulling out, would be passing by our old Union City apartment building, on 13th St.

Though the majestic and historic LOEW's theatre still stands today (presently undergoing renovation), none of the original businesses on the west side of the boulevard are still in operation today; also, the old, well-patronized, JM FIELDS store (which also had an entrance/exit to the old H&M/PATH station, which was marked by an overhead sign, seen here) had been, in more recent years, a CH MARTIN, which, itself, is also gone.

This modern discount department store was built about 1956.

Note, also, the Art-Deco bus waiting shelters, also long gone.

Mom and I boarded the #1 for Union City here too many times to count, when I was growing up, back in the 1960's.

Back then, you could look down into the railroad cut, and see both H&M/PATH trains and electrified PRR freights; today, the PATH Transportation Center occupies this area, and nothing on the east side of the boulevard remains today.......

[N4 Jamaica]

Back to the original story of the 1926 Eucharistic Congress closing day with 800,000 in attendance. I note that the bishops' committee for the Indianapolis celebration in July of 2024 presumes that attendance will be 80,000. I guess the drop is lack of the Indiana Railroad trolley network.