BusTalk

[W.B. Fishbowl]

In "Joisey," it was also 1-2 years before New Jersey Transit (NJT) was established. I sure remember those "En-Jay-Dot" "Dangerfields" well. ConRail had taken over the "LAH-kal" area ("Joisey") "Pea-Sea" routes emanating from Penn Station (ex "Pennsy") - and the ex-"En-Wye-See" routes coming from Grand Central - by that point (Amtrak had taken over the national routes). And the Culver Shuttle had actually been gone THREE years at the point WKRP debuted. Plus the Jamaica line being reduced in mileage.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.

And, in 1978, it had been only the previous year that the last of the venerable "Arnines" had been retired.

Over at Grand Central, ConRail also was still rostering a few ANCIENT ex-NYC "S" motors for switching duties(recall, the old lower level loop was still in use, and AMTRAK was still calling at GCT); postwar ex-NYC MU's were also still running (I STILL miss 'em!)

The "Eye-Are-Tee" was still 100% SMEE (now, THAT'S a LONG time ago!)

There were still 4104s and 4106s (and "Bison"!) on the ex-O&B "RIVER ROAD EXPRESS" (again, I rode 'em!)

In "Noo Yawk", batwings were ANYTHING but a rarity, in '78.......

"NYO"

["ConRail"]

['MTA"]

["GM"]

['FLXIBLE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Also in 1978...........

The ex-CNJ "Bayonne Scoot" shuttle (Bayonne-Cranford) was abandoned by ConRail; the BUDD car shuttle was very lightly patronized, and this allowed ConRail to abandoned the CNJ's old Newark Bay 4-track lift bridge (1926), the largest of its kind.

This shuttle began operation in 1967, after the CNJ abandoned through service to Jersey City and the connecting ferries to Liberty Street.

The ex-RDG "CRUSADER" and "WALL STREET" (also using RDCs by this late date, were running between Reading Terminal and Newark.

Commuter cars and buses now sported NJDOT insignia.

PATH fare was 30 cents, and the 1910-era ex-H&M Henderson Street shops and yard (today totally obliterated) was still in use............

"NYO"

["NJDOT"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

And of course, at the end of 1978, the JFK Express - "The Train to the Plane" (yeah, right) - made its debut, as the last of the "Fordy-Sixes" finally made their way to the vast "Bee-Em-Tee" / "Eye-En-Dee" network. (I think their original color was PMS Process Blue, before the 1979 revamping of the subway route colors that made that one PMS 312 - that reminds me, 1978 was also the last full year the 1967 colors were used on the subways.)

Meanwhile, above ground, it was apparently in this year that the last of " 'stoa's" first buses made specifically for them - the 1963 order ranging from 3301 to 3555 - were retired, thus leaving the 1964 set (within 5201-5525) as their oldest lot to that point. (Ironic that the "Tee-Yay's" own 1963 set of 3601-3950 ended up outlasting " 'stoa's" bunch of that year.)

Where I lived, I had a front row seat to all the buses that paraded around the ramp from PABT to the Lincoln Tunnel, as the window at the end of the apartment was orientated northwards. Besides the "En-Jay-Dot" "Dangerfields," the 4104's/4106's and the load of "Bison," there were also varying makes used on the Greyhounds when they were still a real "soivice," as opposed to the hollow shell they are today. I mentioned that I lived west of the space where old "Inter-City Lines" buses (by then operated by Maplewood Equipment) were stored during off-peak hours.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Man, talk about a FRONT-ROW seat, for sure!

Like when I was growing up in Union City, 60-odd years ago, our front-room window faced "The Boulevard", affording Your's Truly an OUTSTANDING view of both NHBL and INTER-CITY buses! (and there were PLENTY, back in those days!)

For a good chunk of the 60s, it was all Old Looks (various models), WHITES (two models), MACKS (two models) and ACF-BRILLS ("INTER-CITY") C-44s

Into the 80s, before "En-Ja.y-Tee" went gung-ho in wiping out the colorful liveries of the old "suboiban" companies, there was still a lot of the "old guard" from "Joisey" represented at the "Port-of-Authority"; today's, it's virtually all big white milk cartons, shoe boxes, and "Bendies"..........not a hint of the colorful diversity we all took for granted.......