BusTalk

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Funny you should say this; I also had noticed how "scruffy" #3133 looked in this photo, which made the bus more than "fit in" with its "down-at-the-heel" surroundings in "da Bronx".

We have both seen many photos at nycsubway.org of "Tee-Yay" and MaBSTOA buses in service, with missing body panels, batwing ad panels, etc.

Sadly, this became more and more commonplace as the 70's progressed; the first-generation Fishbowls were indeed, by this late date, looking more than a bit "battle-scarred"...............

"NYO"

["New York City Transit Authority"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In contrast, two-tone blue Fishbowl #6781* looks quite "respectable" in this 1973 photo, taken at Grand Concourse & Fordham.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155650

(courtesy:nycsubway.org)

["12 to City Island"]

*(Note new "lower case" roller curtain up front, contrasting with the older "all caps" curtain adjacent to the rear door)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Tremont & Arthur, 1974 (note lack of both "GM" trapezoid and front ad rack, then commonplace on many of the buses).............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154052

(courtesy:nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Webster & Gun Hill Road, 1974.

By the time of this photo, the lower level of the IRT El structure at right (which served the 3rd Avenue line until the previous year) was no longer in use (note also the aptly-named "BUS STOP STATIONARY" shop on the left).......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154041

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["BX41 136 STREET"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's another "battle-scarred" first generation Fishbowl "on the job" in early 1970 (Webster & Fordham)

A little TLC was clearly needed, here...............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153814

["Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

And "da Bronx beat" goes on (Bryant & Westchester, 1972)......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153831

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

Battle-scarred, rough-looking first-generation Fishbowl #3172, much like its diesel-driven companions in the fleet, indeed has seen some rough days on the streets.

Note that #3172 is not even displaying a full destination sign reading; all ad frames are void of ad cards.

The bus (again) is "right in sync" with a depressed Bronx block in the background...............

"NYO"

["35 CROSSTOWN"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

As always, I greatly appreciate you sharing so much of your wealth of historic information; just discussing the many variations of roller curtains (fonts/materials/etc.) is an intriguing study in itself.

You have to wonder at just how much of the riding public preferred the MaBSTOA buses to the 3rd Avenue El trains (recall, with the El gone, there were no longer enclosed, heated waiting areas; plus, the streets were getting more and more "rough" with each passing day)

That the Bronx section of the El last nearly two decades longer than the pruned-back Manhattan section still puzzles me.

Getting back to the buses:

Recall, that the replacement buses for the El trains* were the T6H-5309A Fishbowls; it would have been interesting, to say the least, had the 'Em-Tee-Yay" purchased "Dangerfields" instead of the GM's..........

"NYO"

*In one "ALL IN THE FAMILY EPISODE", Archie referred to the subway as "Mayor Lindsay's Toonerville Trolley"(!!)

["4841"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Tremont & 3rd, 1973.

Note how the green Fishbowl beneath the El has been particularly hard hit by "taggers"..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?2744

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["M"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

3rd Avenue & Washington, 1973 (note both buses are devoid of ads).......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154044

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["BX55 FORDHAM RD"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Webster & 201st St., 1973..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154038

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["BX41"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

Notice, both T6H-5309A's and the 6400 series TDH-5303's (the non-batwing, 4-piece rear window Fishbowls) held down the "replacement" Bx55 route. The newer Fishbowls were more a replacement for the first-gen FACL and ST Fishbowls that were left in service. Once 4860-4919 arrived at Kingsbridge depot in the summer of '73, that was it for the remnants of the total 3101-3210 plus 3211-3220 (the A/C ex 1-10).

Notice a year after that, the last seven of the 1969-70 'Dangerfields' at that depot - 4721-4727 - were transferred to Hudson depot in Manhattan, their first taste of the "tonier" areas of that borough.