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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23132 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2022 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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W.B. Fishbowl wrote: | MaBSTOA 15 wrote: | Academy numbers 16, 25, 75-90, 97 were 1982 GMC RTS- T8J-204
Ex-NYCMTA 1668, 1671, 1676, 1683-1684, 1701, 1708, 1710, 1715-1718, 1721, 1730, 1783, 1790, 1802, 1806, 1851, 1856, |
Good to know. Did Academy maintain the Luminator electronic front and side signs that were part of the T8J RTS's, or did they make their own arrangements? Luminators were my favorite among such signs . . . |
W.B.:
I wish I could answer that one for you; back then, with no "BusTalk" (and the internet in its infancy!) I only knew of two kinds of bus signs, roller curtains and "electronic"(!!)
All I had to go by was "BUS WORLD" magazine and "The Bus World Encyclopedia of Buses" that book, (a 1988 Christmas gift from one one my brothers) indeed truly launched me into a new realm of bus identification and information.....
"NYO"
["22 Hillside"] |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23132 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2023 8:19 pm Post subject: |
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Just sayin'...........
Like the now long-gone "Borough Bombers", the now iconic RTS was also a bus that, at first, in all honesty, I was not all that enamored with.
I much preferred the tried-and-true Fishbowls and "Dangerfields".
But, gradually, I found myself "warming up" to them, and, eventually, grew to like them.
The ones I remember best were the ex-MTA and DART buses that were operated by ACADEMY ("22 HILLSIDE"/"BOULEVARD EAST".
By the later 1990's, I found myself enjoying the later models that NJT was now operating.
Outside of the current MCI coaches, the RTS was the very last "neww" transit bus that I could really say that I liked; I also rode them several times up in Boston, back in 1992 and 1997.
Still cannot believe that it has already been several years that the last RTS ran in "Noo Yawk"; much longer since they departed Northern NJ......I still miss them......
"NYO"
["Rapid Transit Series"] |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23132 Location: NEW JOISEY
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23132 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2023 1:18 am Post subject: |
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Here's a fine view from 1980 (43 years ago!) of a new RTS, ready to roll for SEPTA..........
https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156683
(courtesy: nycsubway.org)
["H BROAD & ERIE"] |
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W.B. Fishbowl
Age: 57 Joined: 02 Oct 2014 Posts: 2537 Location: New York, New York, USA
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Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2023 8:56 am Post subject: |
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Both with Luminator electronic signs, alternating 5 x 7 type with 4 x 7 as from TransDot. |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23132 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2023 11:40 pm Post subject: |
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In my area, the last RTS I recall were those originally operated by ACADEMY (these included the ex-MTA buses) and the NOVA models operated by NJT.
These now-classic buses have now been gone from my neighborhood for many years now.
A few items I am curious about:
1:
Which MTA garage(s) were the last to host the RTS?
2:
Were the RTS that the MTA "inherited" from the independent takeover retired prior to the buses that the MTA purchased new?
3:
What was the oldest RTS in service at the time that the MTA retired them, a few years back?
"NYO"
["B-100"] |
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W.B. Fishbowl
Age: 57 Joined: 02 Oct 2014 Posts: 2537 Location: New York, New York, USA
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2023 8:33 am Post subject: |
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I know as the days dwindled down, the Quill depot had quite a few, as I saw them running on the M20 and M42 lines until about a month or two before the last ride. You may have to research old Daily News articles about the Brooklyn neighborhoods where they were predominantly towards the end, to get the route numbers and then connect to which depots they were assigned, to get the feel as to where those last ol' reliables were housed in that borough. |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23132 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2023 10:34 am Post subject: |
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W.B.:
Thanks for the info.
I DO recall a lot of "noise" in the news a few years back, about certain areas complaining that they were always getting "cast off" older buses.
I wonder now if these same neighborhoods were voicing objections to having to be served by "old" Fishbowls and "Dangerfields", as these older models were being displaced on the more "prestigious" lines by the new RTS, back in the 1980's.............
"NYO"
["M9 CHATHAM SQ"] |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23132 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2023 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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Another quick RTS question:
When the mass retirement by the MTA of the RTS began a few years ago, what were the oldest still in service?
Were any of the original series of RTS still in service, or had these already been retired?
Thanks in advance for info............
"NYO"
["PA 1347"] |
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W.B. Fishbowl
Age: 57 Joined: 02 Oct 2014 Posts: 2537 Location: New York, New York, USA
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2023 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote: | Another quick RTS question:
When the mass retirement by the MTA of the RTS began a few years ago, what were the oldest still in service?
Were any of the original series of RTS still in service, or had these already been retired?
Thanks in advance for info............
"NYO"
["PA 1347"] |
There may've been a few latter-day TMC's lurking about, but basically the remnants on the roads were all Nova Bus. By then all the GM RTS's, plus the earlier to middle TMC's, would have been all retired (after a few got some rebuilds). |
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W.B. Fishbowl
Age: 57 Joined: 02 Oct 2014 Posts: 2537 Location: New York, New York, USA
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2023 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote: | W.B.:
Thanks for the info.
I DO recall a lot of "noise" in the news a few years back, about certain areas complaining that they were always getting "cast off" older buses.
I wonder now if these same neighborhoods were voicing objections to having to be served by "old" Fishbowls and "Dangerfields", as these older models were being displaced on the more "prestigious" lines by the new RTS, back in the 1980's.............
"NYO"
["M9 CHATHAM SQ"] |
I don't think we were hearing about this in, say, 1970-73 as the last of the "Shermans" and the FACL/ST Fishbowls were being retired, but even then that was the pattern, shuffling them off to the outer areas. They may even have done this with "Borough Bombers" in their last months before the 'Em-Tee-Yay' removed them from the roads permanently. |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23132 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2023 6:32 pm Post subject: |
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W.B. Fishbowl wrote: | NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote: | Another quick RTS question:
When the mass retirement by the MTA of the RTS began a few years ago, what were the oldest still in service?
Were any of the original series of RTS still in service, or had these already been retired?
Thanks in advance for info............
"NYO"
["PA 1347"] |
There may've been a few latter-day TMC's lurking about, but basically the remnants on the roads were all Nova Bus. By then all the GM RTS's, plus the earlier to middle TMC's, would have been all retired (after a few got some rebuilds). |
W.B.:
Appreciate this info.
I well recall the ex-DART units that ACADEMY purchased in the 1990's; these buses have to go on record as being the ONLY ones I did NOT like!
These buses were VERY sluggish when encountering even the slightest great, and the a/c was usually OOS (and BARELY worked when it function)
BRUTALLY hot late afternoon rides, on stifling "Noo Joisey" summer days........OUCH!!!!!
Their wheelchair lifts were QUITE problematic.
I often rode the ex-MTA units that ACADEMY used on the "22 HILLSIDE" for some years; they gave a good ride and seemed quite adept at handling even slight grades.........
"NYO"
["B-100"] |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23132 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2023 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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W.B. Fishbowl wrote: | NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote: | W.B.:
Thanks for the info.
I DO recall a lot of "noise" in the news a few years back, about certain areas complaining that they were always getting "cast off" older buses.
I wonder now if these same neighborhoods were voicing objections to having to be served by "old" Fishbowls and "Dangerfields", as these older models were being displaced on the more "prestigious" lines by the new RTS, back in the 1980's.............
"NYO"
["M9 CHATHAM SQ"] |
I don't think we were hearing about this in, say, 1970-73 as the last of the "Shermans" and the FACL/ST Fishbowls were being retired, but even then that was the pattern, shuffling them off to the outer areas. They may even have done this with "Borough Bombers" in their last months before the 'Em-Tee-Yay' removed them from the roads permanently. |
W.B.:
Again, appreciate your input.
Here in "Joisey", protocol (in many, but not all cases) relegated the oldest buses in a fleet to rush-hour service only, once the newer buses began to dominate, before they were eventually bumped even from tripper runs.
By the 1970's, when you would see the remaining "Shermans" out on the streets, you knew a rush hour was in the offing.
Remember, too, when I was quite a young lad, many of the old, long-established Hudson County "indy" companies were still using buses that dated back to the later 1930's and early 1940's.
In addition to the "Shermans" and "Pattons", there were not only WHITES, but also, some now quite-obscure makes still running, including late-1930's "slant back" TWINS, FITZJOHNs, and REOs.
By the mid-1960's, these rolling relics began to rapidly disappear (as well as the remaining square-window "Shermans"); by about 1967/1968, the last of the "Pattons" and WHITES had also vanished, all replaced by Fishbowls.
By 1986, the very, very last of the few remaining NHBL "Shermans" were put out to pasture (How I still miss 'em!)
And, today in 2023, even the Fishbowl, "Dangerfield", and RTS are now relegated to history......
"NYO"
["BERGEN AVENUE LOCAL"] |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23132 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2023 9:40 am Post subject: |
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Thoughts on the "Em-Tee-Yay's" now-retired RTS.......
For Your's Truly, it was, indeed (as it was for most of us) the end of an era.
The RTS became as familiar to us as the Old Looks, Fishbowls, and "Dangerfields"once were.
It was also the last MTA bus that I could easily identify; it was also the last bus in the fleet that I can truthfully say I liked.
Though the "indy" companies in the outer boroughs took delivery of early models of the RTS, it is interesting to picture the earlier "slant back" models as part of the MTA fleet.
The RTS, indeed, again, like the Old Looks, Fishbowls, and "Dangerfields", became the backbone of trhe MTA's fleet 9as well as countless other fleets throughout the country.
Also, like the older buses we so enjoy waxing nostalgic over, the RTS was a true workhorse, a bus that gave many years of solid, reliable service in "Noo Yawk".
At one time, it seemed as though the RTS would be around forever.
Sadly, "forever" only lasted until a few years ago.
I particularly miss the ex-MTA buses that ACADEMY purchased for use on the "22 HILLSIDE" here in my area;these buses were good-riding and were a pleasure to ride.....I miss 'em still...........
"NYO"
["PA1347"] |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 23132 Location: NEW JOISEY
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