BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

(SEE PREVIOUS POSTS)

Now, for a glaring contrast, compare these two views from 1967 and 1980 (Jamaica El territory).........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?160279

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154291

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

['TA"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

A few glimpses from "under da 'Toid Aven-uh' El" up in "da Bronx" (first photo is my personal fave!)

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?28692

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?28686

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?28675

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?57278 (1969 was also the year when the ancient "Lo-Vs" on the 3rd Avenue line were replaced by "R-12s")

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["SS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

With a "cameo" by "Jetson" Fishbowl #602, this hustlin', bustlin', "Noo Yawk" street scene (160th Street, Jamaica) literally explodes with urban nostalgia!

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?160111

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["New York City Transit Authority"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Sharp contrasts indeed in this snowy scene showing the now-demolished "Bee-Em-Tee" elevated Jamaica line at Sutphin Boulevard, in 1961........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?6327

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

Up above, we have an elderly train on "Standards" (aka "Brooklyn Battleships"), while, down below, a sleek new "Jetson" Fishbowl goes about its appointed rounds.

Interesting to recall that, when the first "Standards" hit the rails, the United States had not yet entered WW1, and, here, in 1961, they were STILL in service, when the sleek Fishbowls were indeed "the new kids on the block"...............

"NYO"

["B.R.T."]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Interesting, over the years, the many "conflicting reports" regarding the year when the "Standards" first entered service.

Some sources state that the year was 1914; others say that the "Standards" entered service in 1915.

Whichever year these long-lived "Brooklyn Battleships" entered service, it was they that truly brought the "modern era" to the subways, with the very first cars, far more up to date than the "INTERBOROUGH's" rolling stock.

For example:

Recessed marker lights

Automatic doors

Pantagraph safety gates (it would not be until 1948, when the "R-12s" arrived, that IRT cars were so equipped)

The IND's "Arnines", of course, had these gates since Day One.

By the time the last "Standards" disappeared from service in 1969, the "Tee-Yay"/"Em-Tee--Yay's" bus fleet was made up of mostly Fishbowls and "Dangerfields"; the "Pattons" had already been retired, and, by that year, most "Shermans" had been put out to pasture.

Too, in 1914/1915, FACCo was then the largest operator of motor buses in the United States (London's "GENERAL", on the other hand, was the largest bus operator in the world)........

"NYO"

["B.R.T."]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

This photo dates to 1914; here we see a train of shiny new "Standards"* at CIY *note the extra "railfan window", then standard); the once-familiar "one-eyed" look, would come in later years, and, in fact, became the standard on NYC subway cars for decades, on all three divisions.............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?132293

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

*IMHO, the BSS cars (Philadelphia), I feel, used the "Brooklyn Battleships" as inspiration.............

["MUNICIPAL RAILWAY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here are two 1915 interior photos of "Standards"; note the extra "railfan window".

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?114184 *note also the fold-down seats; the SIRT's ME-1's were also so equipped.

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?114185

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

Also, note the lack of standee straps; I have seen a number of interior photos throughout the years, and it is interesting to note that while some series of "Standards" were equipped with straps, others were not (neither the "D"-type "Triplexes", nor the "Multi-Sections were equipped with straps..............

["SEA BEACH EXPRESS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

When the "Standards" first entered service, FACCo was operating open-top ("Blunderbus") double-deckers such as preserved #303.

Now, think of all the decades that had passed since early open-top buses like #303 were in service, by the time the remaining "Standards" ran out their final miles in 1969..............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155413

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155417

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["4 TO CLOISTERS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

See:

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154385

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

When FACCo's newest buses were the TDH-5104s (1952), the newest subway cars in service would then have been as follows:

"R-10"

"R-11"

"R-12"

"R-14"

"R-15"

By the time that the "12s/14s/15s" were retired in the early/mid-1980s, the last of the hard-working "Shermans" had already been gone for more than a decade.

And, when the last IND "Artens" were retired in 1989, the last "Shermans" had already been gone 18-odd years.................

{"GO THE MOTOR COACH WAY"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Great observations; agreed!

Recall, the "eye patch" look for subway cars virtually identified most "Noo Yawk" subway cars for decades (recall, also, the "Es-Eye-Are-Tee's" ME-1's)

I often wonder just what led the "Tee-Yay"/"Em-Tee-Yay" to abandoned the time-honored sign boxes above the storm doors, in favor of the large "Sesame Street" letters ushered in by the R-40s (today, we have those ridiculous little "cyclop" signs to identify routes (the iconic "Brightliners" looked horrendous when they were "upgraded" with the new electronic signs up front.......truly destroyed a lot of their timeless character)

When recalls how easily read those "Sesame Street" route letters where, and then look at the tiny "cyclops" signs in use today on most equipment, you scratch your head and say: "THIS is PROGRESS?"

And look at how the "Em-Tee-Yay" wasted $$$$$$$$ years back, by removing classic-era metal station signs on columns (and suspended from platform ceilings) with NEW signs that (in most cases) say the SAME thing as the old signs!

What I HATE is these "new" signs where you see a huge sign handing from a station ceiling, and the wording is confined to the left hand of the panel, with the rest of the sign blank.

Why not simply CENTER the station names on these signs?

Now, onto the Fishbowls and "Dangerfields".......

WHY the need to switch over to roller curtains using upper and lower case lettering, instead of the old "all caps" signs?

Clearly, the "all caps" were far easier to read (especially at a distance) than the newer versions.

I'm glad the "Shermans" and "Pattons" were spared this.

Recall, too, how "big and bold" (and so easily read) the rear roller curtains were, on the "batwing" buses.

Hey, if it AIN'T broke, DON'T fix it!

"NYO"

["1 SOUTH FERRY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"Brightliner" bulkhead sign comparisons (what WERE they thinking?)

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?151723

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?46243

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

['BUDD"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Fishbowls displaying "all uppers" roller curtains...........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153203

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153173

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["New York City Transit Authority"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's "Jetson" #1027, repainted two-tone blue, and re-equipped with new-style signs curtains (note photo date of 1979; it would not be at all long before #1027 would be put out to pasture)..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153172

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

['B60"]