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Now it's time to say good-bye...to the faithful RTS.....
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GBL Rebel
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Location: Long Island, N.Y.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2019 2:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is my understanding MTA NYCT wants all RTS buses off the property extremely soon.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2019 2:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ripta42:

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shocked Shocked Shocked

THANK YOU for REALLY making my day with these photos.....NEVER knew such a vehicle existed!!!!! Shocked Shocked Shocked

(is it still in use? Given its uniqueness, it should be a PRIME candidate for preservation!)

Just now imagining the MBTA operating a fleet of RTS trolley coaches on the Cambridge lines........I LIKE what I am seeing in my mind's eye! Very Happy

Thank you once again! Wink

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2019 2:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

GBL Rebel wrote:
It is my understanding MTA NYCT wants all RTS buses off the property extremely soon.


Too bad I do not have the $$$$$, nor the room....I would not hesitate to buy one of these buses, and keep it in its original MTA livery! Very Happy

Ahhhh, perchance to dream......... Rolling Eyes

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2019 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

....remember....not all that long ago.....when we took scenes such as this for granted??

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3299

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Wed May 22, 2019 8:25 pm; edited 1 time in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2019 12:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"What Bus Is This??!!??"

Just purchased "THE HONEYMOONERS" 2005 flick on dvd; I'm about a half-hour into it, and am really enjoying it!

I especially enjoyed the opening where Ralph is driving his Orion (Old Looks had been gone QUITE awhile when this film was made!) on Madison Avenue, and he starts singing along over the PA with a local DJ on his radio; it is VERY clear that the interior of his bus is an RTS, and NOT an ORION (what was what he was driving at the time!), just prior to zipping past a certain Alice Gibson, who was waiting for the bus! Shocked Shocked Shocked

Ahhh, the magic of Hollywood, when it comes to scenes involving transit vehicles! Rolling Eyes

No matter, am really ENJOYING the film (what I've seen thus far!) as well as the bus scenes; Cedric The Entertainer plays a 2000's Ralph Kramden who, like his 1950's Jackie Gleason counterpart, you can both laugh AT and laugh WITH! Wink

Interesting, too, that both Ralph and Ed are big METS fans....makes sense...... "Dem Bums" had left Brooklyn for LA back in the late 50's, the last time Brooklyn had a big-league home team!

"NYO"

PS: Near the "Honeymooners" end, it was a hoot (and touching!) watching Ralph punching out a heartfelt message to Alice, via his destination sign, while behind the wheel of his RTS :

".......HOW ABOUT.......A SECOND CHANCE......I'M SORRY.........."

I tried to make out what the insignia on Ralph's uniform cap read; I could only make out "MANHATTAN DIVISION".


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Thu May 23, 2019 7:07 pm; edited 4 times in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2019 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"PORTRAIT OF AN RTS"

This photo of #PA 3312, taken back in 1987, presents a truly timeless portrait of a truly timeless bus.

Note the reading on the destination sign.....how appropriate, given the recent retirement of the last of the classic RTS buses in the MTA fleet.......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3311

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2019 10:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gentlemen.......

Today, (finally!) I received in the mail my long-awaited softcover copy of "RAPID TRANSIT BUSES" by Evan T. McCausland.

To say that this book is an exhaustive, highly-researched, and outstanding study on the RTS is indeed an understatement.

The book is crammed with hundreds of photos (b/w and color), diagrams, cutaways, and information that truly leaves no stones underturned, regarding this now classic bus.

There are, as you might expect, a number of great MTA photos here, as well as photos showing the old private carriers.

I was truly astounded as to how complex and fascinating the development (and history) of this bus really was; again, the author truly put forth a truly DEFINITIVE work on the RTS.

One interesting photo (NOT a favorite, by the author's less-than-pleased remarks) shows an ex-MTA RTS (T8J-206) #9431 up in Boston, operated by "Paul Revere", now sporting a Boston Red Sox logo and carrying Sox fans and other passengers around the town.

One can only imagine, back in the day, how many Yankee and Mets fans this bus must have carried, during its years of service in the Big Apple.

As I have already stated, there are many MTA and NYC-area private carrier photos in this book; one in particular shows MTA #6360, which was supposed to be the first of many LOCKHEED/NOVA hybrids for the MTA. However, the caption states that situations changed, and the bus left service so quickly that most bus enthusiasts could not even snap a photo of it.

Again, this is an EXCELLENT work that well deserves a place in any RTS buff's or NYC bus enthusiast's library.

It is indeed a work that will keep you reading, studying, and LEARNING....for quite awhile to come.....

"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Fri May 24, 2019 11:59 am; edited 1 time in total
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traildriver




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PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2019 3:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

NYO...
Sounds like a great book!

By chance, did it cover the RTX, the prototype for the RTS?
I believe I told the story here previously, of my encounter with it, way back in 1968, when I toured the GM Truck and Coach plant in Pontiac...
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2019 9:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver wrote:
NYO...
Sounds like a great book!

By chance, did it cover the RTX, the prototype for the RTS?
I believe I told the story here previously, of my encounter with it, way back in 1968, when I toured the GM Truck and Coach plant in Pontiac...


traildriver:

You asked: "....did it cover the RTX....?"

Well, did King Kong climb the Empire State Building (TWICE)?? Laughing

This exhaustive, 159 page book has two VERY thorough, highly-detailed "evolution" chapters: "CHAPTER 2: WINDS OF CHANGE" and "3: FEDERAL INTERFERENCE"; here is a total of 16 pages dedicated to the developments that eventually led up to the RTS itself, with many photographs, diagrams, and photos.

We start off with the Steam Bus Program (involving the New Looks) and then, move on to the RTX and GTX.

There is a also a truly nostalgic photo showing #T-2193 in 1975, parked outside of ALEXANDERS; until I got the book yesterday, I was unaware that the RTX had a rear window.

There are also many construction photos showing RTS bodies being built, and also, an extensive fleet/model list, showing what companies owned RTS's, as well as models and years.

Again, if it is even REMOTELY connected with the evolution of the RTS, you will certainly find it here.......I paid $29 for my copy, and it is MORE than woth the money! Very Happy

"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Fri May 24, 2019 12:01 pm; edited 1 time in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2019 11:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

See also:

https://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php/Rapid_Transit_Series
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2019 11:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

From the aforementioned "RAPID TRANSIT SERIES BUSES" book:

".........while it was important to win the impressions of operators and passengers alike, GM was much more concerned about with what maintenance professionals thought of their RTX design. In short, they were not impressed......."

".........In their eyes, the RTX was everything a bus shouldn't be; costly, complex, and cumbersome. Should they be required to work on such a bus, fleets would have to heavily invest in order to update their training and tools....."

".........by and large, the most common criticism came in regards to the bus' low floor. The move to smaller, non-standard tires posted a number of problems, most notably tire supply. There were also many complaints regarding the dual rear axles......

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2019 1:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is worth remembering, too, the one-of-a-kind RTS articulated, the "MEGA"; only one prototype was built; at that time (1981), GM determined that there was not enough interest in this bus, so did not sell any production models.

This bus used a Detroit Diesel engine mounted in the rear, and a Schultz anti-jackknife system manufactured in Germany.

The a/c installation and other features matched those of the Series 04.

With articulated buses so commonplace today in many US cities (including New York), it is easy to imagine such "MEGA"-monsters being operated by the MTA........

"NYO"
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Q65A



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PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2019 4:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Evan McCausland really did an outstanding job with his RTS book.
It is one of my favorites.
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Q65A



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PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2019 5:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://utahrails.net/ajkristopans/GMCTMCNOVARTS.php
(From the A.J. Kristopans page at utahrails.net.)
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PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2019 6:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Q65A wrote:
Evan McCausland really did an outstanding job with his RTS book.
It is one of my favorites.


Q65A:

I agree 1001%! Very Happy

This book ,obviously, was the result of several years of VERY intense research; the author literally went beyond the proverbial "nine yards" and gave us what, IMHO, would be THE definitive book on the RTS.

Though I have had a decent "working knowledge" of the RTS over the years, in NO way did I know 90% of what Mr. McCausland included in his book.

Like the legendary Old Looks and New Looks, the RTS, without a doubt, has now forever established itself as a truly classic American bus.

I am only sorry that their service days in this area have ended, but, at least I have great memories of riding NJT's and ACADEMY's (including some ex-MTA units back in the day)

IMHO, now that the RTS has been retired from the MTA fleet, I'm wagering that this bus will become even more popular with enthusiasts, and will be seen for the rugged, hard-working classic it has truly become, over the past several decades...... Very Happy

"NYO"
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