BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

From the "IMAGES OF RAIL" series.........

Just received my copy today; the book is chock-full of rare and interesting historic photos, most of which I had not seen previously.

I was VERY surprised (and delighted) to see a 1965 photo at St. George, showing the "RIDE THE RAPID" electric sign at the head of the steps leading down to the SIRT concourse! (what great childhood memories that old sign evoked!)

Oddly enough, though...........

Virtually NO mention of the massive St. George Terminal fire of 1946 (nor photos)

No photos showing the St. George Terminal and its ferry slips.

Though there was ONE photo showing a SIRT sidewheel ferry on the Tottenville-Perth Amboy crossing, no photos showed the small diesel boats that I remember, which served the line until late 1963 (the wooden ferry house is, thankfully, represented)

One old photo at Tottenville really jarred my memory; the large electric "RAPID TRAINS" sign affixed to the old brick station house.

More following............

"NYO"

['RIDE THE RAPID"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Continued...........

Some excellent photos depicting SIRT/B&0 freight/marine operations, including interesting views at St. George.

Several rare views of the "ME-1s" when still new, at St. George and Tottenille.

One VERY rare photo shows "ME-1" #363, after being relegated to snowplow duty, seen on a siode track at the Clifton shops.

This car had been damaged in the 1946 St. George fire, and converted into a plow.............

"NYO"

["S.I.R.T. Ry"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

MOST interesting, to say the least.....(!!)

There is a reproduction of a 1925 GE ad, touting the electrification of the SIRT's passenger services.

Your's Truly did a double-take at the train featured in the ad; at first glance, it appears to be a train of "standard" ME-1s......HOWEVER, a second look reveals that what we are actually seeing is a train of "Standards" (the end of the lead car and roof line make it pretty obvious!), BUT with correct "ME-1" door and window arrangements!

"NYO"

["5:15 TOTTENVILLE LOCAL"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The "Fordy Fours"...........

There are only two photos of these classic, now-retired cars in this book; one depicts a train of blue-striped "44s" at St. George, laying over on one of the leads for the old Arlington line.

The other photo shows a later-day interior view of the Clifton shops, with "R-44" #464 over the inspection pit.

Mention is made of these cars originally being equipped to FRA standards.............

"NYO"

["SIRTOA"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"Steam days"

In this book, there are very rare and interesting steam-era photos, showing B&O steamers of various vintages, along with wooden coaches, "cabeese", etc..........

"NYO"

["B&O"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Grade crossings.........

Nice collection of photos showing the SIRT's last grade-crossing elimination project of the mud/late 1960s (new station houses, tracks relocated into open cuts, etc)

Also, photos of the grade crossings in the years prior to the elimination projects......

"NYO"

["STOP-LOOK-LISTEN"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Nitpicking, perhaps.........

I wish that had been, in this book at least one or two "transition" photos, showing the new "44s" side-by-side with the elderly "ME-1's" in 1973.

There is only one photo of one of the sets of LIRR "MP-72" MUs at St. George, awaiting the next load of ferry passengers from Manhattan.

Throughout the book, the "ME-s" are not referred to as such, but, instead, simply, as "multiple unit electrics".................

"MYO"

["GREAT KILLS EXPRESS"]

[Cyberider]

Another book missing from my shelves. Are there any larger format books on the SIR?

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[MaBSTOA 15]

Another excellent book is Staten Island Railroad 35 years of color 1952-1987 by Robert J. Yanosey. Published by Morning Sun Books. Plenty of color photos of the SIRT ME 1 and R44.

A non SIRT related book but an excellent book just the same is Rails Under the Mighty Hudson by Brian J. Cudahy. The book is the story of the Hudson Tubes the Pennys Tunnels and Manhattan Transfer.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

SIRT connecting buses........

As a kid, I can recall seeing NYCTA buses making stops at certain SIRT stations; for whatever reason, a memory of a MACK (aka "Patton") at the old New Dorp station, back in the grade crossing days (circa-1964) is still particularly vivid in my mind......

"NYO"

[""NYCTA"]

["SIRT"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Back in 1972, the face of transit (both bus and rapid transit) had, as you can see, far more appeal and nostalgia than today in 2026.

When these nostalgic photos were taken, both the veteran, ancient SIRT "ME-1s" and Old Looks were indeed running out their last miles.

Newest boats then in the SI Ferry fleet were the "KENNEDY"-class diesels of 1965; steamers were then, also, still a part of the SI Fleet..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154940

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?115329

(courtesy:nycsubway.org)

["R107"]

[" 12:30 TOTTENVILLE LOCAL"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Indeed, by 1972, the hard-working, iconic "Kramdens" were quickly riding into the sunset, no matter what borough they were operating in.

Had the elderly "Staten Island Toonerviles" ("ME-1s") lasted until 1975, they would have celebrated their 50th birthday.

Had ex-BMT "Standards" been sent over to "The Isle of Staten", back in the 60s, I'm wondering if they might have prolonged the life of prewar equipment on the "Es-Eye-Are-Tee", of only by a year or two
.
Still dind it hard to fathom that the now-retired "Fordy Fours"lasted in "soivice" longer than those distinctive, wonderfully antiquated, delightfully noisy "ME-1s".............

"NYO"

["S.I.R.T."]