BusTalk

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 3:17 pm Post subject:

In a photo taken in 1958 and only months after the Queensboro Bridge Railway Company ceased operations on that East River span connecting Manhattan and Queens, we see a GM Coach Model TDH 4509 and one of fifty-five likenesses numbered between 301 and 355 delivered in increments in 1949 and 1951 to Steinway Omnibus Corporation of Long Island City, New York.

Our focus, which is working either the Q-101 (Manhattan to Astoria via Long Island City) or the Q-102 (Manhattan to either Roosevelt Island via the 36th. Avenue lift bridge in Long Island City or Long Island City locally), is seen at the former trolley 'loop' depot under the Manhattan ramp to the Queensboro Bridge just east of 2nd. Avenue.

The uniquely hidden terminal was a mecca for northern Queens bound commuters with no less four traction lines serving Astoria, Flushing, Corona and College Point and all of which being predecessors of Steinway's bus operations which began in 1939.

Interestingly, the Manhattan and Queens Traction Company which also used the Queensboro Bridge in servicing its Manhattan to South Jamaica route, did so on separate tracks that it had built on the lower main roadway.

The facility was eventually closed down and converted to a garage for the Department of Public Works.

Photo courtesy of the New York City Archive (Queens Borough President file) and is for sale as item # DPW 27150.

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

traildriver · Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2752 Location: South Florida

Thanks for that fascinating photo and bit of history, Mr. Linsky.
I wonder of there are any traces of the original still evident, if you peeked inside that garage?
As for being uniquely hidden....didn't the Manhattan end of the Williamsburgh Bridge have a similar traction terminal adjacent to the subway station?

Do you know of any maps or further details of the former traction lines you mentioned extending to Flushing and College Point available online?

I have always been curious about what was in the early days of where I live.......

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 1:25 pm Post subject:

traildriver,

The following URL may answer a lot of your questions;

http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/qborobr.html

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

X-Astorian · Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 173 Location: Central NJ

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Wed May 23, 2012 2:48 am Post subject:

X-Astorian,

Very interesting map of Queens traction - thanks for sharing.

Manhattan and Queens Traction is shown from 59/2 to Queens Plaza as 'M & Q T (Hoffman Blvd)' - Hoffman Boulevard was the former name for Queens Boulevard.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Wed May 23, 2012 1:54 pm Post subject:

Once again, I have to thank my good friend Jeff Marinoff of GM Old Look Bus for leading us to some very interesting pictures of Vintage New York City scenes from the collection of the Chicago Tribune Archive (New York Bureau).

It's August 23rd. 1949 and just about noontime at 5th. Avenue and 42nd. Street where we see the last remnants of the tracks of the Third Avenue Railway System (TARS) being removed.

The double decker bus, a 1936 Yellow Coach Model 735 and operating for the Fifth Avenue Coach Company (FACCO) as number 2050, is heading south and just about to pass the main branch of the New York Public Library.

Seen in the upper right frame and attempting to make its eastward crosstown run on 42nd., is a 1947/48 GM Coach Model TDH 4507 operating for TARS Surface Transportation System subsidiary.

Passing the FACCO in the opposite direction on 5th. is a late forties seven passenger Packard 'twenty second series' taxi and, while no match for New York's vast fleets of Checkers and DeSotos sales wise, the model did fairly well with over 1,000 on the streets and was favored as the most comfortable by its riders.

Interesting to see how the tracks along with their cobble stone beds and underground conduits were picked up in whole sections (BTW; someone should have told the worker (lower center of frame) that you really don't want to stand on a manhole cover too long in Manhattan!).

Photo available for sale as item # AJK 081-CT and is borrowed for educational purposes only.

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

N4 Jamaica · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 869 Location: Long Island

Thank you for posting J. J. Earl's map on May 22. I would like to mention this page on Forgotten-NY.com
http://forgotten-ny.com/1998/09/woodsides-trolley-barn/
---
The towers of the Woodside car barn exist, and each time I travel to Manhattan on the LIRR, they are easily seen from the train (north window).
---
Joe

traildriver · Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2752 Location: South Florida

traildriver · Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2752 Location: South Florida

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 3:55 pm Post subject:

In the attached 1931 Standard Oil Company of New York (SOCONY) ad probably from Bus Transportation Magazine, we see fleet # 108 - a 1929 ACF Model 508 and one of four likenesses numbered from 105 to 108 leased by the manufacturer to the Brooklyn and Queens Transit Corporation (B&QT) division of the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Company (BMT).

# 108 and its ilk were among the very first buses to operate for the BMT over its vast network of routes in Brooklyn and were dedicated to temporary replacements on trolley lines in which service had to be suspended for the installation of a borough wide sanitary sewer system.

At the time the photo was taken # 108 was signed as 'Emergency Service Ocean Avenue Line to Church Avenue' and it was also a time when the company name was changed to Brooklyn Bus Corporation which re-dedicated itself to servicing newly created routes and to the general replacement of BMT's aging trolley system.

Interestingly, the BMT's combined operations in Brooklyn including subways, trolley cars, trolley buses and buses were second only to those of Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

Photo courtesy of 4509bus and is up for bid on eBay as item # 350568882303.

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

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 3:07 pm Post subject:

traildriver,

To complement the above map of traction services in northern Queens, I have attached a great rendition of what was to be found in the southern tier of the county which has been invaluable to me in tracing the original 'footsteps' of what subsequently became Jamaica Buses, Inc. routes.

Excerpted from a 1951 book entitled Long Island Electric Railway/Jamaica Central Railways by Vincent F. Seyfried.

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

traildriver · Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2752 Location: South Florida

Great stuff! Thanks!

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:36 pm Post subject:

Peeking at a more recent time in the history of New York City surface transportation, we see fleet # 1003 - a 1979 GM Coach Model T8H-203 and one of fifteen likenesses numbered from 1001 to 1015 delivered to Green Bus Lines, Inc., of Jamaica, New York in October of that year.

# 1003 and its ilk were among the first of a new generation of coaches from GM which were officially dubbed RTS II's and featured revolutionary 'modular' construction which made major repairs much easier and lent themselves to lengthening or shortening almost at will.

Our focus is shown posing for its family portrait when new in front of the company's main garage (now JFK Depot) at 147th. Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard in Jamaica.

Green Line wasn't exactly ecstatic over these new models at first and hedged their bet with an order of fifteen Canadian built GM New Looks that arrived simultaneously.

Of note is the slope at the rear end of the roof which was squared off in later production to house a more powerful air conditioning unit.

In the trivia department, these buses were the first ever for the company to carry four digit fleet numbers.

Photo courtesy of Vintage Vault and is up for bid on eBay as item # 180894851247.

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

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 4:13 pm Post subject:

I like my beer served icily light, but my buses are a whole different story!

Caught in what appears to be a good old fashioned nor'easter circa the early fifties we see fleet number 932 - a 1947 GM Coach Model TDH 4507 and one of twenty-five likenesses numbered from 926 to 950 delivered to Green Bus Lines. Inc., then of Cornell Park, New York.

Designed to Surface Transportation System of New York specifications and diverted from an order of one hundred 4507's for that company, # 932 and its ilk featured, old fashioned 'Golden Glow' headlamps, rare outward opening front doors, rear door treadle steps, flood lighted fare boxes and extremely rare 'BACKING' fixtures on their left engines hatches.

# 932 is seen at Jamaica Terminal (Archer Avenue and New York Boulevard) awaiting its next trip in which it will head south to 'Jamaica Junction' via Sutphin and Rockaway Boulevards on the Q-6 line.

Standing next to # 932 readying to return to the suburbs of adjoining Nassau County are a GM TDH 3612 (center) and a pre war Mack LD-3G operating for Schenck Transportation of Floral Park, New York.

Photo scanned from this writer's copy of the October/December 2000 Motor Coach Age.

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

traildriver · Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2752 Location: South Florida

Nice shot, thanks!

Do you have any more photo's of the Jamaica Terminal shown in it?
I vaguely remember it. Much more familiar with the 165th Street or 'Long Island Bus Terminal', as it was enscribed......I used to go to it on the way to 'Driver's Ed' at Delehanty HS back in '63 aboard the Q17.