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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22675 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2021 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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W.B.:
Agreed, 100%.
With even the once-commonplace Flex Metros and RTS gone, all that is left today these days are the economy-sized milk cartons. shoe boxes, caterpillars ("Slinkys"'/"Bendies"), and, of course, the steady, never-ending parade of rattletrap jitney "dollar" vans.
When the GWB Terminal opened in 1963, the Fishbowls were the newest on the road, and Old Looks were beyond commonplace.
ACF-BRILLS and WHITES were also, at the time, still commonplace, and the colorful paint schemes representing any of a number of private companies indeed made our hobby an interesting and enjoyable one.
Those days, sadly, are long, long gone......
"NYO"
Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Wed Dec 29, 2021 9:19 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22675 Location: NEW JOISEY
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W.B. Fishbowl
Age: 57 Joined: 02 Oct 2014 Posts: 2423 Location: New York, New York, USA
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Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 2:53 pm Post subject: |
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I worked a temporary job in the Washington Heights section in the mid-1980's - and passed through the GWB Station a couple times. It reminded me of PABT's interiors before the big late '70's remodeling. Since that time, of course . . . |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22675 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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W.B,:
As a kid (early/mid-1960's), when the GWB terminal was still new, Mom and and I only visited a few times (the midtown PABT was another story!)
One time, I remember Mom and I rode PSNJ back to NJ, another time R&T (Old Looks both times!)
As you correctly stated, the interior of the GWB terminal was reminiscent of its downtown cousin, pre-circa 1980 "improvements".
The last time I visited was on a Sunday in the 1990's, when my late brother (who also lived here in town) and I drove up to Fort Lee, where he parked; we then walked across the mighty span of the GWB (neither of us ever had, previously); it was a lot of fun (a bit breezy, though!)
At the GWB terminal my brother says to Your's Truly: "You're the bus man here.....what bus do we take to get back to Fort Lee?"
I only glimpsed briefly at the main concourse area; a lot of the early 1960's "streamlined" look was still there, but several stores were closed up. and neither my brother and I felt all that comfortable (I think we saw a drug deal or two going on); everything had a dismal, depressing air to it, and it did not encourage us to linger.
Fine by the both of us; we ended up boarding a R&T bus (MCI) for Fort Lee, and my brother, who had not been on a bus in well over 20 years, put me "in charge" of paying the fares, and then signalling the driver to stop at Fort Lee.
Both of us were QUITE glad to be back on "home turf" again!
In later years, I was never all that comfortable in the midtown PABT either (to me, all it was nothing more than a bus terminal within a shopping mall; again, too many "characters" about)
When I retired in 2003 (I could no longer commute into downtown via PATH tubes, due to the 9/11 attacks) I was MORE than glad to bid "farewell" to the PABT, which was nothing at all like I remembered from my much-younger days.
I was not at all comfortable going through the Lincoln Tunnel in those early post-9/11 days, and often took the ferry instead (to/from Hoboken), until the winters closed in.
The PABT, ironically, was once hailed as "the most beautiful bus terminal"; thee days, however, I've, more recently, have heard it called "one of the ugliest buildings in New York".
Indeed, a gross understatement......
"NYO"
Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Fri Dec 31, 2021 10:56 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22675 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2021 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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The "saga" of the PABT......
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Authority_Bus_Terminal
Note, also, the 1930's photo of the old GREYHOUND terminal opposite the late, great Penn Station (the buses are indeed reminiscent of the 1934 comedy, "IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT" which prominently featured ATLANTIC GREYHOUND)
I well remember this classic "streamlined" terminal as a kid, prior to GREYHOUND moving into the PABT in 1963 (recalling now SCENICRUISERS and 4104's, in my youth!)
Like the Penn Station itself, the old GREYHOUND terminal has long since disappeared.
Man, is the current PABT ugly as all hell........
"NYO"
Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Fri Dec 31, 2021 7:21 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22675 Location: NEW JOISEY
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22675 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2022 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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One old (1964) RED & TAN (ROCKLAND COACHES) tt )pocket-sized) I have is for Route #9, running between New City/Nyack and New York (GWB Terminal)
This TT is a "Special Holiday Timetable", and was effective 1964.
The "9A" ran via Tappan over Oak Tree Road; the ""9C" ran via St. Agnes Convent, Sparkill.
GWB Terminal (for R&T) telephone was LO4-1114
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22675 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2022 12:34 pm Post subject: |
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It is interesting, too, that so many Jersey carriers used the GWB to terminate in upper Manhattan, far above even the the then-thriving 125th St. corridor.
The first segment of the IND's new 8th Avenue line also afforded an easy connection to midtown and downtown (remember, also, that were plans to have a branch of the IND's 8th Avenue line cross the GWB into Fort Lee.
Too, remember that the GWB opened in 1932, five years before the first tube of the Lincoln Tunnel (when the Holland Tunnel opened in 1927, it marked the first time that buses from New Jersey could access Manhattan directly).
It would be interesting to see how NJ bus services were affected, during the construction of the new GWB terminal; surely, buses had to be detoured, etc. during the construction period (which, I am sure, also must have included much demolition work, in the area).....
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22675 Location: NEW JOISEY
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W.B. Fishbowl
Age: 57 Joined: 02 Oct 2014 Posts: 2423 Location: New York, New York, USA
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Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 12:42 am Post subject: |
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Yes, think about that, and then think about what it's become . . .
But notice also, it wasn't until January 1971 when the ex-FACCo #5, until then terminating north at 168th Street and Broadway (near where many buses going to "Joisey" via the GWB used to have their terminals pre-1963), was extended to 178th and Broadway, across from the GWB Bus Station. |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22675 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 1:36 am Post subject: |
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W.B.:
In the Ogden FACCo book, on page 27, there is a 1947 photo of FACC0 #1289 (a 1931 YELLOW) on Route #2, with both the RED & TAN and PS stations in the left background.
R&T's WHITES are clearly prominent.
This "outdoor terminal" arrangement reminds me of pre-mid 1974 Journal Square, back when all the "indy" buses loaded out on the Square itself, before the Transportation Center opened.
PSNJ had the distinction of of being the only bus company to have its own off-street terminal, on Sip Avenue.
In Journal Square, the thriving, bustling shopping/business district went into a slow and steady decline, with the buses now removed from the Square itself.
To this day, there are many (Your's Truly included) who strongly and steadfastly believe that the opening of the Transportation Center, and the removal of the buses from the outdoor lanes and the PS terminal, was the prime cause of the area's decline, especially in later years.
I am now wondering if the "local" business establishments adjacent to the old outdoor bus stations, prior to the GWB Terminal's opening, also experienced a downward turn, once the buses began using the new terminal, bypassing the local streets.......
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22675 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 4:34 pm Post subject: |
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Too, as in most "Noo Yawk" neighborhoods, surely, the area surrounding the GWB Terminal has changed quite a bit since it opened in 1963.
I very much doubt that any of the business establishments that were located there in 1963 are still operating today.
Surely, bus traffic is not what it was, now nearly 60 years ago.....
"NYO"
Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Sun Feb 13, 2022 8:48 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22675 Location: NEW JOISEY
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22675 Location: NEW JOISEY
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22675 Location: NEW JOISEY
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