BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

(SEE PREVIOUS RESPONSE)

Into the 1960s, another long-forgotten H&M/PATH service was between Hudson Terminal and Grove-Henderson (today's Grove Street).

These (westbound) trains, upon discharging passengers at "G-H", would then pull out of the station, crossing over to the eastbound track.

After the crew changed ends, the trains would then pull into the station, load, and then would be heading back to Lower Manhattan.............

"NYO"

["GROVE-HENDERSON"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Further:

Through the 1960s, the "GROVE-HENDERSON" station featured a silver-metal clad headhouse (allowed to fall into disrepair) as well as kiosk entrances, of the same design of those at Hoboken.

The entrances/exits with kiosks were closed in the late 1960s; the headhouse was replaced by a bland open-air entrance of concrete that always reminded me of LEGO.

Today's entrances are, of course, less than inspired...........

"NYO"

["PORT AUTHORITY-TRANS-HUDSON"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"Guiding spirit"......

Going back over 40 years now, I truly felt as though I were being guided ny the ever-present spirit of one of my greatest heroes, the great William Gibbs McAdoo (I had the great honor of meeting his grandson at the H&M Diamond Jubilee celebration, to which I was invited, back in 1985. To say he was a living replica of his illustrious grandfather, even to his attire is an understatement)

I remember, over time, visiting every PATH station in the system, my eyes ever-alert to detect any forgotten elements of the past.

l'd be on the lookout for any and all evidence of former stairways/entrances/exits, old signage, remnants of incandescent fixtures, long-forgotten advertisement panels, all the while deeply inhaling that intoxicating, musty, distinctive aroma so much a part of the "tubes" long and colorful history.

Sad to say, with so much modernizations and "improvements" since those days, it would be totally impossible to embark on such historic "expeditions" today.

That was, indeed, also the "Indiana Jones" in me, working overtime.....

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Also:

Back in the mid/late 1970s, the Chistopher Street (PATH) platform still had some incandescent lighting; I found a couple of dead bulbs in a trash can, which I rescued, and put into my old briefcase.

The bulbs were marked:

"STREET RAILWAY"

I valued these rare relics for many years, until they both were broken during a move, many years later.........

"NYO"

["STREET RAILWAY"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Yes, those old "Aitch & Em" bulbs WERE "reverse screw"; of course, I can never replace them.

Sad that you lost those drawings; again, certain items CAN be replaced, while others cannot.

I indeed HIGHLY value the large, wooden, early PATH era "HUDSON TERMINAL" platform sign, I purchased at one of the old Hoboken Terminal Festivals, close to 40 years back, for a mere $10! (a BARGAIN, even then!)

I've had it displayed on the wall alongside my bed (along with many other transit items) for over 30 years, now......it might well be the ONLY surviving example, at that............

"NYO"

["P.A.T.H."

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Interesting...........

I've read of some proposals to have built the orginal Twin Towers on the East River; had that come to pass, might have Hudson Terminal survived?

IMHO, I doubt that it could have survived in the configuration it was in then, with its very tight loop trackage and short platforms.

Perhaps a "new" Hudson Terminal might have been configured to specifications used by the original WTC terminal?

Or, a new "stub" facility, like 33rd Street?

Today, we can only speculate...........

"NYO"

["HUD TERM"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Incandescent tunnel lighting (PATH).........

By the mid-late 1970s, PATH had replaced virtually all incandescent lighting fixtures in the tunnels with large and ungainly enclosed florescent fixtures.

If one was standing at the RFW (especially if motorman was using his "brights") it was easy to spot the long-disconnected incandescent fixtures in the tunnels (many of which still had bulbs)................

"NYO"

["TRAINS TO NEW JERSEY"]