BusTalk

[Mr. Linsky]

I had some difficulty in deciding whether this piece belonged in 'Buses in Pop Culture' or here at 'Vintage New York City' and opted for the latter because it is genuine New York of yore even though it was part of a film.

And, that film was a late 1955 release of MGM's 'The Tender Trap' starring Frank Sinatra and Debbie Reynolds in a comedy about a young good looking Broadway Agent (played by Sinatra) who finds himself in big trouble with the ladies.

The bus, loading passengers at what was the original main terminal at New York International Airport, is a 1949 Flxible Clipper (Airporter) Model 23B247 and one of 93 of the basic design that operated for Carey Transportation of New York (the last 54 of which being delivered beginning in 1951 as Visicoaches with a difference only in the size of the passenger windows).

In the scene, it appears as though Frank and party are heading toward the inaccurately portrayed taxi cab center stage presumably for a trip into the city (bad choice on the part of the prop department - any cab that would have been standing there would have been NYC Meter with rates on the door and no advertising panel outside the rear window - what can I tell you - I'm a stickler for accuracy!).

A funny coincidence; in 1992 I worked on the L.A. sets of Warner Brothers 'Sinatra the Mini Series' and supplied a couple of period buses including one Greyhound 'Silversides' at Long Beach Airport which was fixed up to resemble late thirties La Guardia.

Photo thanks to Internet Movie Cars Data Base (IMCDb).

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

[HwyHaulier]

Mr 'L' -

Anyone have the clips from the light hearted (somewhat mindless) film of the late 1950s (?), in which a
cameo role of D C T S, ACF-Brill IC-41 parlors in New York? Memorable, so say the least...

Yes, yes, the coaches in the signature Tropical Fruit Salad colors...

.......................Vern.........................

[Mr. Linsky]

It's a clear but brisk day along Fifth Avenue in early 1960 as we see fleet number 2966 waiting at the light to continue its run to the west side via Central Park on the 86th. Street Crosstown line.

2966 was one of 300 GM TDH 4509's purchased by the New York City Omnibus Corporation between 1949 and 1951 and its last new buses to see service before its takeover by the city in 1962.

Note that, in an attempt to reduce costs, these buses were ordered sans the ornate two tone green and cream livery that had been the company's trademark for so many years - also gone was the logo 'Go The Motor Coach Way' made famous by its sister company Fifth Avenue Coach.

While the driver waits for the green signal, he opens his door to watch a very pretty Elizabeth Taylor being filmed in a scene from MGM's 'Butterfield 8'.

In the background, we espy another NYCO 4509 heading north on the avenue as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art (upper right).

Photo courtesy of IMCDb.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

[nycbusfan]

Wow 5th Ave. looks so weird as a two way street. Do you happen to know when it became one way?

[Mr. Linsky]

[Free-transfer]

On the Van Wyck Expressway at New York International Airport...with an
Air France plane taxiing above.

photographer unknown

[Mr. Linsky]

Free-transfer,

That's another one out of the ballpark! Great find!

The photographer may have been unknown, but I know where he was standing to take the shot - on the other taxi-way bridge.

If you could look real closely at the rear cowl of the bus, you would see a small porcelainized 'Buick' logo referencing the Straight Eight Buick Fireball power plant under the hood.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

[Mr. Linsky]

In a photo taken at the Hudson Body Works of Hoboken, New Jersey in July of 1989, we see fleet number 8032 - a 1975 Flxible Model 53102-8-1 operating for Metro Apple Express Lines of Brooklyn, New York.

Metro Apple was a small start up company in the mid eighties and ran express commuter service to Manhattan from various locations in Brooklyn with headquarters in Sunset Industrial Park at 21st. Street and the waters edge in the Red Hook section of the borough.

Their equipment was used with GM New Looks from Red and Tan Lines (who I believe owned the company) and Flxibles such as 8032 all the way from AC Transit of Oakland, California.

# 8032 must have been involved in quite an accident because Hudson Body Works was a master bus re-builder and, in fact, did more than one near total disaster for Green Line through the years.

My knowledge of Metro Apple stems from the fact that two very close friends of mine owned the park in which Metro rented space and I saw the operation first hand on a number of occasions.

Also shown below is AC Transit 8012 of the same group still in its original livery and still equipped with high back seats.

Upper photo; eBay
Lower photo; ACT Archives

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

[Hart Bus]

I seem to think that Metro Apple was chartered by the NYS Unemployment Service to shuttle people between Court St Brooklyn to their office on Main St (?) under or near the Brooklyn Bridge since there was no public transportation to that area at the time. I remember seeing a Fish on Court Street with a yellow and black card in the window with the words of Unemployment Shuttle.

Would have loved to have bus-fanned that route, but didn't have enough time on lunch hour, nor asked if there was a fare, or having to show evidence that you had to go there.

[Mr. Linsky]

ECA,

Metro Apple probably did plenty of charter work as well as commuter transit so I don't doubt that they may have had city contracts as you describe.

In looking at the two buses above which were of the same group, I notice that the second passenger window on the right side appears to be solid with no ability to open.

I'm wondering if that was standard on all Flxibles or was by special order from AC Transit - although Green Line's similar equipment pictured below does have standard slider in that placement (maybe it was a special section for card players!).

Regards,

WCA

[Mr. Linsky]

In what appears to be a bus without passengers on Oliver Street crossing St. James Place in downtown Manhattan, we see fleet number 611 - a 1968 GM Model T6H-4521A and one of five of the series (611 to 615) operating for the Avenue B & East Broadway Transit Company.

Avenue B was the smallest of the Manhattan private operators with the M8 and M9 crosstown lines as a mainstay along with various rush hour extensions and some later express services from uptown to the Battery.

The company, with origins that date back to the days of the horse and buggy, holds the distinction of being the last of the private lines in the borough to be absorbed by the MTA and held out until March of 1980.

Brand new buses such as 611 and its siblings were an oddity at Avenue B who depended almost solely upon used equipment through the years and had a preference for Mack until they disappeared.

Photo courtesy of eBay.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

[Mr. Linsky]

I can't seem to find an 'in your face' photo of a Carey Transportation Flxible Clipper but, I'm certain that if I keep looking one will eventually turn up.

Until then, enjoy the attachment taken at what was then the main terminal in New York International Airport (now JFK) at 1:30 PM on a lovely spring day circa 1950.

We see two Carey Clippers with the one stage left loading international passengers and the one stage right waiting in the wings.

These buses were done in a very elegant livery of a two tone dark green with flags in gold leafed script - a trademark of the company.

The control tower was the original and served through the fifties until an eleven story replacement was built elsewhere on the property.

Note the 'Robert Moseseque' wooden parkway lamp posts and the 1950 Cadillac Model 61 coupe center stage.

All and all, a really great image.

Photo credit within frame.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

[gh3751]

Hear Mr. Linsky and HARTBUS,

Thank you for the kind words on my late father, Don Weiss. He was certainly a walking transit encyclopedia. He worked on many Motor Coach Age and MBS projects. For sure he took volumes with him. Have no fear, his legacy lives on with me and my 20 month old son Max Dallas. My office is the things bus guys dream about. I'm happy to share some pics with you. I am having a hard time attaching pictures in this message. If you could tell me how to attach pictures that would be great. When I hit the Img button, I get the img's below.

Enjoy, Craig Weiss
[img][/img]

[gh3751]

Mr. Linsky, and HARTBUS, I hope this works.

Here's my 3rd generation bus nut Max Dallas racing buses in my office. His middle name is for Dad. I put some other pics of my custom models in this album. No surprise, I am a Liberty Lines and Westchester Street fan. I was able to attach links to the pictures. I still can't figure out how you guys embed the pictures in your posts. Craig Weiss


http://www.flickr.com/photos/27318581@N03/5040515431/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/27318581@N03/5040515449/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27318581@N03/5040515437/

[Mr. Linsky]

Craig,

The welcome mat is certainly out for you here at BusTalk being that your father was the great (and, I mean great) Don Weiss - a bus maven of the first order and my mentor! - what little I knew about the business he manicured for me and, beyond that, taught me most of what I know about surface transportation in New York - you should be most proud of your heritage!

Now, after I have wiped away the tears from my eyes I'll try to help you with your pictures (which must be spectacular);

Images placed on this site must be transferred from your computer via an on-line photo service such as Photbucket which is what I use.

However, you can post pictures directly to BusTalk Gallery without intervention.

Photobucket or most other on-line services will guide you through the process but remember that these services support the pictures and, if for some reason, you become inactive with them your works will disappear after a specified period (usually three months or so).

Getting back to your father for a moment; we were great friends and spent many hours on the phone together discussing buses - there was absolutely nothing he didn't know!

I also had the pleasure of lunch with him at his desk in Westchester a couple of times and those were memorable experiences.

Anyway, welcome aboard.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'