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The last "BUS-O-RAMA" (batwing) ad racks
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2018 3:57 pm    Post subject: The last "BUS-O-RAMA" (batwing) ad racks Reply with quote

All:

When were these last used in New York?

The last time that I can clearly remember them was during the 1980's.

The big roller curtain over the rear exit door was quite distinctive, and still stands out in my memory.

Thanks in advance for any input....... Wink

"NYO"
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W.B. Fishbowl



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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 12:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That'd pretty much be it, likely the early to mid-1980's.

I've seen photos of the 8829-8878 buses from the 1968 order of T6H-5305A's to the TA which had the "batwings" initially, and they were removed by the time a few saw service in the early '80's on OA routes such as M101.

As for the huge rollsigns in the middle on both sides (not just above the rear exit door), I wonder why there'd never been any on OA routes with this variant (a re-creation from original roll sign elements) for what from 1969 to 1974 was known as 101A:

Those signs, B.T.W., were ~34.5" wide. But as for that specific route, I'd reckon they largely only exist on non-batwing side signs made after 1969 or so.

Many of them, cut up in little pieces, have been sold over the years on eBay. Several sections of an OA roll sign dated Dec. 13, 1966 have been offered for many years (except for 3 Limited Stops, 4 Fifth Ave Ft Washington, 12 Spring St Delancey St, 17 79 Street Crosstown and 21 Houston St Avenue C). The ones from the TA side being offered were usually from the Flatbush and Ulmer Park depots, but have yet to see any batwing side signs for the TA's Manhattan routes.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 1:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

W.B:

Thanks for the detailed input as well as the photo of the center roller curtain; man, you could read those suckers a block away!!!

I see my memory was about right; I cannot recall the "batwings" beyond the mid-80's; to me, it seemed as though one day they were quite commonplace, and, a few days later.....they were all gone.

Some TNJ Fishbowls also had "batwings", back in the day.....man, where have the years gotten to? Rolling Eyes

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 1:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Batwings", Jersey-style............ Wink

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?2350

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1505

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1503

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3466

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3467

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3471

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

MABSTOA "batwings"; (note the blue center sign sported by #8728, in top photo).......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1308

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1297

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1290

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3180

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Sat Jul 28, 2018 10:37 am; edited 3 times in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 10:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

More MABSTOA "batwing" nostalgia.........

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3184

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3196

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3204

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3210 (the ads for the Merv Griffith Show and RHEINGOLD beer date this wonderfully nostalgic photo as much as the bus does, likewise the SALEM placard!) Wink

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)
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W.B. Fishbowl



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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 12:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

On 8733, I saw reference to '10 8th AVE CENTRAL PK W' on the side - a clear sign that was a 146th Street depot bus.

On 8736, the front sign was obviously post-1969 - and behind it 8644 with a front sign taken from the first group (3301-3555) of built-for-OA Fishbowls. (Those 2A roll signs with large black blank spots at right - i.e. '2A to 8 ST' or '2A to 168 ST' - were covering up 'via 7 AVE' . . . which seems to point to MaBSTOA, from the 1966 Fifth and Madison one-way conversions, operating that line and the defunct-after-1969 Fifth-Madison-Lenox 2 [with 'via LENOX' after the destination on front roll signs, no doubt] as one route with two branches, a la the 3 via St. Nicholas and Convent Avenues, and the 14 via Avenues A and D. That, plus 2 and 2A both, after 1966, assigned out of 146 St.)
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W.B. Fishbowl



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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 1:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
W.B:

Thanks for the detailed input as well as the photo of the center roller curtain; man, you could read those suckers a block away!!!

I see my memory was about right; I cannot recall the "batwings" beyond the mid-80's; to me, it seemed as though one day they were quite commonplace, and, a few days later.....they were all gone.

Some TNJ Fishbowls also had "batwings", back in the day.....man, where have the years gotten to? Rolling Eyes

"NYO"

And the side roll signs were last seen on TA and OA 'batwings' in the mid-1970's, after which the 'square' was plastered as much with advertising as the two 'long' ones.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 2:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

W.B. Fishbowl wrote:
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
W.B:

Thanks for the detailed input as well as the photo of the center roller curtain; man, you could read those suckers a block away!!!

I see my memory was about right; I cannot recall the "batwings" beyond the mid-80's; to me, it seemed as though one day they were quite commonplace, and, a few days later.....they were all gone.

Some TNJ Fishbowls also had "batwings", back in the day.....man, where have the years gotten to? Rolling Eyes

"NYO"

And the side roll signs were last seen on TA and OA 'batwings' in the mid-1970's, after which the 'square' was plastered as much with advertising as the two 'long' ones.


W.B:

Again, very informative input and interesting trivia! Wink

I am now recalling that, in later years, the center roller sign area was covered over by ads; I remember that, in those days, a bus still displaying the large roller sign over the rear doors were becoming more and more difficult to spot.

Too, I had long thought that the "batwings" were only used in the New York area; I was surprised to learn (in later years) that other properties used them as well, including Metro Dade County Transit Authority, and Nashville.

I am not 100% positive, but I think they were also used in New Orleans.

Those "batwings" really could make you "stand up and take notice", that's for sure! Wink

"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Sat Jul 28, 2018 2:48 pm; edited 1 time in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 2:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's a few more vintage MABSTOA views (only two photos here show buses with the roller sign over the rear doors still in use; in the other, later, photos, the former sign boxes are covered over by advertising)........

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1277

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1287

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1289

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3174

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3175

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)
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W.B. Fishbowl



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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That 8712 bus' front roll sign was definitely from 1966 vintage; it would have said 'via 7 AVE' at the end originally before that was blacked out.

But another major city that had 'batwings' - and the same type of side roll sign layout as New York - was Los Angeles. Pics of such buses are few and far between, but some have turned up from time to time on eBay.

Also, another 'batwing' city, I.I.N.M., was New Orleans.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 3:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

W.B. Fishbowl wrote:
That 8712 bus' front roll sign was definitely from 1966 vintage; it would have said 'via 7 AVE' at the end originally before that was blacked out.

But another major city that had 'batwings' - and the same type of side roll sign layout as New York - was Los Angeles. Pics of such buses are few and far between, but some have turned up from time to time on eBay.

Also, another 'batwing' city, I.I.N.M., was New Orleans.


W.B:

I was not at all aware that Los Angeles once used "batwings"; I have, to date, never seen any pictures whatsoever showing any LA buses fitted with the wings.

I am surprised that the CTA (AFAIK) did not use "batwings"; in all honesty, I cannot recall seeing any photos showing CTA buses with the wings......

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 3:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A few more MABSTOA views from the "batwing" era.....

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3129

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3142

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3144

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1221

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)
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W.B. Fishbowl



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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 6:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
I was not at all aware that Los Angeles once used "batwings"; I have, to date, never seen any pictures whatsoever showing any LA buses fitted with the wings.

Type in "Los Angeles bus" on eBay, you'll see some L.A. batwing photos. Even on Flxibles, not just the GM Fishbowls.

EDIT: And here is one such pic, below:
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B53RICH




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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 9:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

W.B., yes, New Orleans (NOBSI) used batwings on GM's and Flxibles as well. There were many other cities and counties that used batwings on their bus fleets.

Here's a photo of TA 8059 with the center section used by what I think was a yellow smiley with a blue background with a message, " Courtesy Powers The MTA."



Photographer unknown; collection of Joe Testagrose. Taken at Manhattan & Nassau Avenues on January 20, 1977.
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