BusTalk

[Cyberider]

NYO:

You were lucky, indeed, with that interesting selection of school buses. All we had here were regular school buses, no transit types.

As for the appearance of those "late model" Old Old Look buses, the dual headlight model with the rectangular turn signals looked a lot better in my opinion. The "quads" just didn't go with the retro bus body.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cyberider:

Though a number of New Jersey bus companies (including PSNJ) DID indeed "contract" with schools to use their buses to transport students, there were also private schools that used "traditional" yellow school buses.

The use of transit buses in school service came to and end in the late 1970s/early 1980s, when NJT (New Jersey Transit) took over most of the independent bus companies.

It's all so long ago, now.....

"NYO"

["SCHOOL BUS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here are two 1970s photos of PSNJ/TNJ buses (a Fishbowl and an Old Look) fitted out for school service............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155353

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156471

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

['TRANSPORT OF NEW JERSEY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's two more New Jersey Old Looks being used in school service, during off-peak hours.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153608

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153609

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["OXM-816"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Now, How's this for a truly CLASSIC lineup of various models of Old Looks? (photo taken in 1975)

And check out the SCENICRUISER bringing up the rear of this charter line-up!!

Looks just like a vintage bus rally!!!!

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153607

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["CHARTERED"]

[Cyberider]

All very nice. Wish we could ride them now.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cyberrider:

That makes TWO Of us; I'd give ANYTHING to ride the vintage buses I grew up with, sixty-odd years back!

Sad when you look sat the hundreds of old bus photos at nycsubway.org, and realize that at least 99% of these buses in the photos no longer exist; even most of the garages are no longer standing, or, at best, converted for other uses.......

"NYO"

["BUS STOP"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Sounds...........

Another thing I distinctly recall growing up in the early/mid-1960s was the distinct difference in engine sounds regarding Old Looks with gas engines and those with diesel.

Back then, it was commonplace to see a gas-powered bus (regardless of make) "tanking up" at a local gas station; this was especially true of the local "independent" companies in my area, which, through a good portion of the 1960s, were still operating a number of gas-powered relics, some of them dating back to before the War.

Yes, indeed, how well I recall those wonderful old days of TRUE buses.......

"NYO"

["BERGEN AVENUE LOCAL"]

[Cyberider]

NYO,

I don't remember any gas-powered transit buses around here but I could tell the difference between Diesel powered square window and paired window Old Looks as well as the different sound of the V-6's in the Fishbowl compared to the straight sixes of the Old Looks.

A related topic is SMELL.

Most Diesels smelled good to me but the Fishbowls of the Santa Monica MBL's had a very different and much less pleasing smell than the others and I've always wondered why. The only thing I can think of is that there was something different about their fuel. The exhaust smelled disgusting!

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cyberider:

Good observations!

Also, when I was growing up, it was commonplace also to see the buses of the then-numerous "indies" being serviced at local auto garages; when I was still quite young, I saw a NHBL (North Hudson Boulevard Lines) MACK poking its nose out of the gloom of a local garage, being worked on!

There was also another non-bus outfit, "TRI-STATE DIESEL" (on Tonnelle Avenue, North Bergen), that, at least through the 1970s, also serviced "independent" buses.

Smell?

I remember still the distinct, intoxicating aroma of a bus in my childhood days; gasoline (or diesel fuel), paint, machine oil, and leather seats........ahhh, yes, the smell of a vintage bus, 60-odd years ago..............

"NYO"

["1 JOURNAL SQUARE"]

[Cyberider]

NYO,

I never liked gasoline engine fumes. Only Diesel for me!

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Another interesting Old Look "variation".......

When square-window Old Looks were still running in my area of Hudson County (at least through late 1966/early 1967), I can remember some of these older buses having "knobs" on the roofs (I'm assuming that these might have been ventilators)

I know several TG and early TDH models had these "knobs" on the roof............

"NYO"

["JERSEY CITY-BAYONNE LOCAL"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Also...............

Recall the "baby" Old Looks (the TGH/TDH-3501/3592) that went into production when full-scale Old Look production ended in 1959.

Ironically, GM reverted back to the old square window design, which predated the 1948 models.

Interestingly enough, some of these "new Old Looks" had quad headlights, while others only had two...............

"NYO"

["GMC"]

[Cyberider]