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Mr. Linsky BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 5071 Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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Here's an unusual and interesting photo taken at the docks in New York in May of 1955 with the focus being on fleet # 527 - a 1955 45 passenger Mack Model C-47-DT and one of fifty likenesses numbered 501 to 550 that will eventually see service with the Puerto Rico Ports Authority of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
# 527 is seen on the end of a crane being loaded on to the USS Elizabeth for its brief ocean going voyage.
Aside from a second set of under windshield floor vents, this rare view shows us a little of what makes up the underpinnings of a Mack Bus including its pre air suspension heavy leaf springs and neatly placed fuel tank.
Also of note are the fresh air intakes in the windshield eave just under the destination sign.
Photo courtesy of 'cootsimagery' and is available at eBay as item # 350908272372.
Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York
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frankie
Age: 77 Joined: 01 Feb 2011 Posts: 748 Location: St. Peters, Mo.
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Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 12:12 am Post subject: |
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This photo defies description mainly because I have no idea when it was taken, where it was taken, what model Mack this was or who owned the bus. It lies derelict between two well maintained Greyhound GM's - a PD-4107 to the left and a PD-4104 to the right. I'm thinking late 60's - early '70's. However we can say for sure that it's 1959 "Niagara" design as the single rear window gives it away.
Wait a minute! Did I say single? That the oddity of this one. The rear window has a divider in the center, but not sure if the window is one or two panes. All rear end shots of the Niagara Macks have a single pane - until I found this one. I'm thinking that this is an aftermarket application, perhaps a replacement for the original window. Just a guess!
Frankie
Photo courtesy of Flicker for educational purpose.
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Free-transfer
Age: 64 Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 123 Location: South Florida
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Hart Bus
Age: 74 Joined: 24 Apr 2007 Posts: 1150
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Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 9:48 am Post subject: |
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Also appears to be an Alemeda County fishbowl to the right of the 4104 in the third picture.
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bill937ca
Joined: 03 Sep 2013 Posts: 20
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 2:47 am Post subject: |
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frankie wrote: | This photo defies description mainly because I have no idea when it was taken, where it was taken, what model Mack this was or who owned the bus. It lies derelict between two well maintained Greyhound GM's - a PD-4107 to the left and a PD-4104 to the right. I'm thinking late 60's - early '70's. However we can say for sure that it's 1959 "Niagara" design as the single rear window gives it away.
Wait a minute! Did I say single? That the oddity of this one. The rear window has a divider in the center, but not sure if the window is one or two panes. All rear end shots of the Niagara Macks have a single pane - until I found this one. I'm thinking that this is an aftermarket application, perhaps a replacement for the original window. Just a guess!
Frankie
Photo courtesy of Flicker for educational purpose.
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The rear window is original. All Muni 2600s had this when I first visited San Francisco in 1975 and possibly the 2500s too.
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MaBSTOA 15
Age: 70 Joined: 27 Feb 2013 Posts: 1062
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Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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This appears to be definitely an ex-NYCTA Mack C-50-DT. The oddity here is that it is operating in Guantanamo Bay naval base.
How did it get there and when?
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Mr. Linsky BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 5071 Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.
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Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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MaBSTOA 15,
Great picture but what leads you to believe that it's ex NYCTA C-50 because I don't know of many that ever escaped! (some later C-49's did though).
Getting to Cuba was obviously by boat - who got it there is another question!
The photo appears to indicate that it is entering Guantanamo which would lead me to believe that it might have been a local Cuban operator possibly in the transport of civilian day workers to the base - if that was permitted.
This bus could have been purchased pre embargo or through Canada thereafter - there are a million possibilities although my post war Mack production records show no Macks to the island.
It's certainly interesting.
Regards, Mr. 'L'
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MaBSTOA 15
Age: 70 Joined: 27 Feb 2013 Posts: 1062
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Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 11:42 pm Post subject: |
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I've examined the photo using a lupe and it appears that the standee and rear end windows are of the sliding style as in the NYCTA C-50s. No other C-50s had that feature.
I agree with you that it is almost impossible for any NYCTA C-50 to have escape and certainly not to Cuba because of the political situation, etc. since the city got rid of them after 1959 and the embargo certainly would not have allowed it.
However, I think we both missed a stronger possibility about the bus in the picture. Miami Transit did have 20 identical C-50s. In fact as you know they were diverted from the New York City order. Perhaps it is one these that made it to Cuba. I have no idea when Miami got rid of their 20 buses.
Btw, Mack "AB" model buses operated in Havana in the late 1920s. Mack trucks were plentiful both before and after the war. The only post-war Mack bus to make it to Cuba brand new was a C-33-DT serial 1032 of 1948 and it went to Motors Mart.
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Mr. Linsky BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 5071 Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.
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Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 1:51 am Post subject: |
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MaBSTOA 15,
You are one hundred percent right!
I was in the shower tonight before dinner thinking about your Cuban Mack and it was like a light went on in my brain as I suddenly remembered the 20 new C-50's destined for New York that were first lent to Miami and then purchased - and they were put right out in the field in New York livery (which must have given the 'snow birds' a thrill!).
There is no question in my mind that, if it is a C-50 in the photo, that's how it got there!
Buses that size weren't exactly Miami's cup of tea at the time but 'begger's can't be choosers' and I don't imagine that they kept them too long.
Regards,
Mr. 'L'
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Mr. Linsky BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 5071 Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.
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Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 2:57 am Post subject: |
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MaBSTOA 15,
Talk about a Cuban Mack Model 'AB' from the twenties!
It sure is a Mack Any Look Oddity!
Photo courtesy of Flickr
Enjoy,
Mr. 'L'
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MaBSTOA 15
Age: 70 Joined: 27 Feb 2013 Posts: 1062
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Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 9:52 pm Post subject: |
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Great photo! At first these buses were one man operation and had Johnson coffee grinder fare boxes. They also issued half-fare tokens.
This company had at least one FACCo model "A" open top double decker. It worked along the harbor side boulevard.
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JimmiB
Age: 81 Joined: 19 Apr 2011 Posts: 516 Location: Lebanon, PA
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Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:53 am Post subject: |
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While in the Navy in 1962 I spent a couple of weeks at Gitmo. There was a gate between the base and the rest of the island for the passage of civilian workers. I had not seen a civilian bus on the base but in that livery I'm reasonably sure it was a Cuban bus. Otherwise it would have been painted in the standard Navy grey. There were quite a few civilian employees on the base.
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Mr. Linsky BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 5071 Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.
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Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 2:05 am Post subject: |
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JimmiB,
I can see just the top of the Johnson Model 'D' fare box through the windshield which is of no surprise because it was introduced in 1909 and was the biggest selling right through to the early fifties and unchanged to boot except for the electric option which appeared in the thirties.
Regards,
Mr. 'L'
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Mr. Linsky BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 5071 Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.
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Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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In what must be one of the most unusual and oddest Mack Buses ever conceived, we see a late thirties Model 'EH' tractor pulling a very presentable coach body built by others and reminiscent of a Greyhound 'Silversides' in style.
The popular and versatile Mack Model 'EH', which was built in variations between 1936 and 1950, gained its power from a 310 cubic inch 90 h.p. six cylinder gasoline engine coupled to a mechanical transmission.
No indication is mentioned as to where the bus was or where it was going at the time that it collided with an early forties Oldsmobile woody wagon except to say that its passenger were U.S. Military personnel.
Photo courtesy of the Associated Press.
Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York
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frankie
Age: 77 Joined: 01 Feb 2011 Posts: 748 Location: St. Peters, Mo.
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Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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Great photo Mr. L, however with due respect I must take issue to the fact that a tractor-trailer as a unit can not be considered a Mack bus, even if the tractor (theoretically a truck) is a Mack, unless we know for sure that the trailer unit was built by Mack.
The only Mack built trailers that I'm aware of were those used with a cut-down cab-less Mack ED 1 1/2 ton tractor built as trackless trains for the 1939 New York World's Fair - for a bus, an oddity in itself!
The July-Dec 2009 issue of MCA devoted the issue to trailers as buses including photos of Mack tractors. However only about six or so companies built and supplied the trailer for various makes of tractors.
Frankie
Image courtesy of the MBS for educational purposes.
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