BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Today, Brooklyn's sleek postwar trolley buses exists only in photographs, home movie footage, and memories.

At least, today, at the IRM, one can experience seeing AND riding a CTA trolleybus (too bad at least ONE of the Brooklyn coaches did not make it into preservation)

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?56228

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?56231

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?56229

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?56206

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's a glimpse of CTA's handsome "heritage fleet"; yes, a "Dangerfield"* is amongst the preserved vehicles!

https://www.transitchicago.com/heritagefleet/

*Note the narrow width of this 1969 "Dangerfield"; this was due to the tight clearances under the Lake Street "L".......

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Surviving WHITES are virtually as scarce today as the proverbial needle in a haystack.

Here is one VERY fortunate (and RARE!) WHITE 798 (1944) which originally operated for CHICAGO SURFACE LINES.

In my area of Hudson County, when I was growing up, 798's were still quite commonplace, through much of the 1960's....I remember them well.....

https://www.irm.org/player/csl3407

["WHITE")

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

A few photos of CTA "Dangerfields" and Fishbowls......

https://www.chicagorailfan.com/rosctap5.html

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Note here, that, the Old Looks that ran for the CTA were the nearly 600 "inherited" when the CTA took over the CMCCo in the early 1950's.

An ex-CMCCo/CTA Old Look (#605)* is seen here at the IRM.......

https://www.chicagorailfan.com/rosctap4.html

*Note the familiar "GO THE MOTOR COACH WAY" script; also the red/black roller curtain.

Note the "silversides" strip under the windows; a number of Old Looks in my area, many years ago, also sported these....quite sharp-looking!

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Historic CSL/CTA bus rosters and photos......

https://www.chicagorailfan.com/rosxcsl.html

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Also of interest:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Motor_Coach_Company

Interesting, also, to note that the CMCCo only dated back to 1917, whereas FACCo's roots dated back to the horse-drawn bus era of the mid-1880's..........

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Chicago Motor Coach Company roster:

https://www.chicagorailfan.com/roscmc.html

Note that the postwar GM's were TD-4506's and TDH-4507's.

Some of these buses (1400 series) lasted in service until 1969, when they were replaced by new, narrow-width "Dangerfields"........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Conflicting information:

According to "OLD LOOK BUSES" (Luke/Metler), CMCCo purchased 101 TDH-5502's in 1948, the only TDH-5502's built.

These buses were not listed in the CMCCo roster linked in the previous post.....

"NYO"

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

In the voluminous book I have in my library, "CHICAGO SURFACE LINES: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY" (Alan R. Lind), though most of the book is dedicated to streetcars, there are number of bus photos as well.

CSL's bus fleet, in the 30's and 40's, was about as diverse as you could get, with many models and vintages well represented:

SUPERIOR/REO

TWIN COACH

ACF

FORD

WHITE

CSL's largest postwar bus order was for nearly 300 WHITE 798's, delivery starting in 1944.

Affiliate CHICAGO RAILWAYS purchased new TD-4506's in 1946; MACK was indeed in the minority, right after the War, with only 17 C41GT's on the streets (CSL/CHICAGO Rys.)

CSL also rostered 34 prewar YELLOW TG2706's, delivered in 1941......

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

From: "WELCOME ABOARD THE GM NEW LOOK BUS" (McKane/Squier)...

".....by the Spring of 1960, Flxible had developed a new look design, incorporating many of the features of GM's new line......."

"......the CTA wanted to compare the two builder's products, and placed simultaneous orders for 100 GMC TDH-5301's, and 150 Flxible Model F2D6V-401-1's......"

"......both groups of buses were equipped with 6V-71 diesels........"

"........upon delivery in mid-1961, the buses were assigned to several CTA operating divisions for side-by-side comparisons. ......."

"......CTA continued to favor Flxible until the summer of 1972, when the CTA took delivery of a massive order of GM's then-popular T8H-5307A's, followed by additional large infusions in 1974 and 1976......"

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

See also:

https://www.chicagobus.org/buses/1000-newlook

https://www.chicagobus.org/buses/700

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CTA's 1969 (96" wide) "Dangerfields"........

https://www.chicagobus.org/buses/3700

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"REAR WINDOW" (Fishbowl,1966)............

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/531213718540089324/

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"New Kid/New Look On The (Chicago) Block" (1963)..........

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/531213718531364528/