BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

(SEE PREVIOUS POSTS/LINKS)

Interesting historical info (includes the subways)..........

https://edisontechcenter.org/NYC.html

["INTERBOROUGH"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's an interesting, detailed, "in-depth" page on the electrification of New York City, beginning in the 19th century..........

https://ethw.org/Manhattan_Electrification

["EDISON"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

It is also interesting to note that Lady Liberty, in her earliest years, was illuminated by a power plant on Bedloe's Island, operated and maintained by the U.S. Lighthouse Board.

The Board also installed nine lamps inside of Liberty's torch, and several more exterior lights were also installed, illuminating her torso at night.

By 1902, the Lighthouse Board "de-classified" Lady Liberty as an "aid to navigation", as the light generated proved inefficient for navigation.

Interesting, also, to note that, for seemingly forever, Liberty's power is supplied by "Joisey's" own PSE&G, via underwater cables........

"NYO"

["LIBERTY ENLIGHTENING THE WORLD"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

You should find this of interest......

In the "IMAGES OF AMERICA" book, "THE STATUE OF LIBERTY" (Barry Moreno), there is the following (photo was also included)......

"THE HANDS ACROSS THE SEA" BROADCAST"

".....On January 27, 1950, this radio broadcast from New York to Paris was made direct from the Statue of Liberty, via the RKO radio station WOR......"

".......Announcer John Wingate hosted a program that featured Hollywood film stars (including veteran actor Burgess Meredith), a French actor, and the Broadway star of 'Miss Liberty'......"

"NYO"

["WOR"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Interesting history here on wireless/radio communication from Liberty Island and Governor's Island...........

https://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/2015/11/radio-broadcasting-from-statue-of.html

["WZAB"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

Saw the name Harold Ickes. Pronunciation rhymed with "stickies," but unfortunately, some years back a WQXR program about Martin Luther King and how music shaped his involvement in the civil rights movement had his surname mispronounced "Ikes" (rhyming with "spikes"). I alerted WQXR about the error, and they thanked me and said they'd look at it, but to this day the error still stands on air.

That error, B.T.W., was in connection with the point in King's life where Marian Anderson made her landmark appearance at the Washington Monument in 1939.

My late mother's ears perked up over that. So did mine, as Ickes' same-named son was a lawyer for Bill Clinton.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

QUITE interesting!

Now, this discussion got me to thinking about the use of radar in NY Harbor.

Radar did not become commonplace on vessels operating in New York Harbor until the 1950s; the "MERRELL"-class SI ferryboats were the first boats in the SI fleet to be equipped with radar; the older "DONGAN HILLS" and "MISS NEW YORK-class boats were all retrofitted for raday.

The 69th Street boats also had radar installed; interestingly, the CNJ had (by the 1950s) the only trans-Hudson fleet of ferryboats to be so equipped.........

"NYO"

["PLEASE KEEP HANDS OFF THE GATES"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Interesting reading............

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spark-gap_transmitter (ANCIENT history!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_telegraphy (note historic photos)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_VHF_radio

https://techhistorian.com/when-did-ships-start-using-radar/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_radar

["NYC"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

Well, we know RCA Chairman David Sarnoff got one of his earliest starts as a wireless operator; in fact he was on duty on that fateful day in April 1912 that the Titanic hit an iceberg.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Interesting histrorical triva.

In 1936, all FDNY fireboats had two-way radios installed.

Interestingly, during WW2,. these radios were used on a very limited basis, and not to be used at all during fire-fighting operations.

The reason?

The Navy was afraid that, with enemy U-boats lurking just outside the harbor, transmissions from one fireboat to another might be heard by enemy subs, and the (potentially valuable) information overheard could very well end up in the enemy's hands..........

"NYO"

["ENGINE 57/MARINE COMPANY No. 1"}

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Also of interest.........

https://greatships.net/distress

["C.Q.D."]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Another very interesting article w/historic photos.......

https://www.imradioha.org/CW.htm

["WGH"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

Meanwhile, speaking of "bit players," let us get to the death of WKRP In Cincinnati co-star Loni Anderson, only two days before what was to have been her 80th birthday.

When the show debuted in 1978, on "Noo Yawk" streets were Fishbowls of varying age, from the later "Jetsons" ordered by the "Tee-Yay" to the newer "small bullets" with A/C that plied both regular routes and those that went " 'spress" (per Ricky Ricardo); plus, even in Manhattan and the "tony" routes, the 1973-77 "Dangerfields" that, in that sense, had more respect than earlier representations (1964, 1965 and 1970) of that veritable bus. "The Little Red Bus That Could" was still hanging on, but barely, as during the show's four-year run (more specifically, towards the end of its second season) it threw in the towel. By the time the show ended, the Grumman 870 "Borough Bombers" made their, ahem, fiery presence known.

While on the subways, which hit its lowest point within WKRP's "toid" season, there were still the "Eye-Are-Tee" R-12/14 class intermingled with the newer "SMEE's" on the #1 line, most WF R-36's were on the #7 train but a few "got around," and graffiti was all over the cars and then some. Although many R-26 through 36 cars got retrofitted with A/C to make the commute more bearable for those straphangers. On the combined "Bee-Em-Tee" and "Eye-En-Dee" the oldest in the fleet were the "Arten" "Thunderbirds," followed by the lumbering R-16's and "Are-Toities"; the R-44 and R-46 were the shiny "new kids on the block" (in fact, the last of the "Fordy-Sixes" were being put into "soivice" when WKRP debuted), although they too got some defacement from the so-called "F.U.A.'s." (Although this was when the 46 had their infamous "teething problems" thanks to their Rockwell-made trucks.)

I bring these up because, at night, the buses in particular would have passed those stores that had TV's up front set on Channel 2 when the show was airing their installments for the "foist" time.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

EXCELLENT post.

I well remember the late, lovely Lonnie Anderson in the (early 1980s) gangster movie "SIZZLE", set in Chicago during the 1920s (John Forsythe was also in this film)

1978..........

Here in "Joisey", NJDOT "Dangerfields" were increasing in number almost daily.

The Jersey City-are "indies" still operated some "Shermans", but they were no longer in the majority, fleet-wise.

The "tubes" was still running the 1958 "K"/MP-52 cars (ex-"joint service"), mostly during the rush hours between Hoboken and WTC; also, JSQ-33rd Street.

ConRail was still running the old, iconic DL&W "Wickerliner" MUs out of Hoboken.

The SI Ferry was fleet was down from nine boats to but six ("MERRELL" and "KENNEDY" classes)

The "Es-Eye-Are-Tee's "Fordy-Fours" were still pretty much "the new kids on the block".

the old BMT Culver Shuttle had then been closed for 2 years.

"The Little Red Bus That Could" was still an "indy"; ditto, many routes in Queens.

Indeed, it is now all so long ago.......

"NYO"

BTW:

["LAH-KAL"- (according to Ricky Ricardo, this was the opposite of a "'spress).................