BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Agreed!

I'd love to see both photos and detailed "stats" on these "split orders" between the Fishbowls and the "Dangerfields" in detail.

Again, a concise book like this is looooooong overdue, IMHO...........

"NYO"

["TA"]

["MTA"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Would also really like to see a chapter on "BUS-O-RAMA", and the batwing era, from the debut in the 1960s, through to the end in the 1980s........

"NYO"

["BUS-O-RAMA"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

Have you noticed, when the orders for new buses in the 1964-65 period were carried out, there were NO stipulations for the 'batwings' to be added onto any of the "Dangerfields." Sounds like a giveaway that no part of any of those orders for the "Tee-Yay" were to go to the 126th Street depot in Manhattan to "soive" on routes like M-15 - First and Second Avenues or M-3 - 49th-50th Street Crosstown (later M27, now M50) - one wonders, if a few had been "resoived" for use in Manhattan, how many if any of the "Dangerfields" would have had 'batwings' added on.

As opposed to the following " 'stoa" buses of the same time frame:
- 1 (#3472, 1963 order)
- 2 (#5516 - 5525, 1964 order)
- 200 (#6701 - 6900, 1965 order)

Of course, come 1967, and both got A/C batwing Fishbowls.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

This IS interesting; thanks for posting.

IMHO, the "batuwing" era indeed coincided with the era of buses that featured all-florescent lighting; I doubt that even the brightest bulbs then available would have looked as bright as the florescent tubes used on the "batwings", had "BUS-O-RAMA" arrived in the 19g50s.

Then again, remember, by the 1950s, ALL new subway cars had already dispensed with icandescent lighting........

"NYO"

["New York City Transit Authority"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Speaking of batwings.......

Interesting that "batwings", by the time the last disappeared in the early/mid-1980s, were but a mere shadow of what they they had been in their heyday.

Rear door sign boxes had disappeared, missing ad panels, bent frames, and missing florescent tubes; indeed, by that time, you could clearly see that batwings were then gasping their last..........

"NYO"

["GMC"]

["FLXIBLE"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Interesting question; indeed, makes for some thought.

The batwing Fishbowls PSNJ/TNJ once rostered (if memory serves me correctly) had been retired for a few years, at least, before the last ran in "Noo Yawk".............

"NYO"

["PSNJ"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

1980 is the latest date of a nycsubway.org photo showing an ex-PSNJ Fishbowl with batwings; note we are seeing "Jetsons" here (clearly OOS, by this time, and obviously retrofitted some years after delivery).......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156466

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156467

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["TNJ"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

And as I showed in one pic, "Pea-Ess-En-Jay" only had the side signs on the side where passengers exited near the rear, not bothering to do so on the other side.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Curious........

Earlier on "TIEMPO!" (on ABC-7), there was a very interesting segment on the long-gone "San Juan Hill" neighborhood, now the site of Lincoln Center.

There was some historical film footage shown, and the were a few quick (1950s) glimpses of buses.

Now I know that both the 6th and 9th Avenue Els once "double-decked" through this area, and have seen photos.

I'm curious as to what bus routes once served this now long-gone neighborhood, prior to its demolition.

Appreciate info............

"NYO"

["INTERBOROUGH"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Looking at this incredible 1933 photo, it is sobering indeed to think that nothing seen here exists today; the "double-decking" of the Els at this point indeed had to be of great interest to to the transit enthusiasts of that era!

Today, Lincoln Center now occupies this area.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?136349

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["IRT LINES"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

GREATLY appreciated the wealth of historical info you've provided; thank you!

I see that there was FAR MORE bus activity in that area than I had previously thought....man, it had to be one COLORFUL and DIVERSE parade, back in the day!

Hard to imagine lumbering "Blunderbuses" and "Queen Marys" were once part of this now long-gone neighborhood.........

"NYO"

["FIFTH AVENUE COACH COMPANY"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]