BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

(cannot post links at present) Your's Truly just found an outstanding page (w/article and rare photos) "THE TOP 10 SECRETS OF THE CHELSEA PIERS"; one photo dates to 1912-showing the new piers-and just across the street is a sizeable streetcar yard (Your's Truly is wagering this yard stabled "NEW YORK RAILWAYS" cars)----------"NYO"

[W.B. Fishbowl]

A few blocks north from the 1972-2003 Hudson depot (Pier 57) of " 'stoa," I see.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[traildriver]

The Quill depot (former Greyhound garage) is on the block bordered by 12th Avenue, 40th, 41st Streets, and 11th Avenue...

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Earlier in this discussion-we were talking about the Hudson waterfront at the foot of W 125th; until late 1950-the ELECTRIC FERRY to Edgewater (this busy line was operated by PSNJ until 1943) was in operation; until 1964-DAY LINE boats docked here; and-until the 1930s-boats running to Coney Island also docked here (TARS streetcars-as we already know-were replace with SURFACE buses in the late 1940s) Question-what types of "stoa" buses were running on the crosstown 125th Street line in 1964-the year that the DAY LINE abandoned running to the 125th Street pier? As always-appreciate info-------"NYO"

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

WB: Thanks for this info; 125th Street has always been a busy thoroughfare-and one that had connections to a plethora of transit lines-including TARS/subway and el lines/NYCRR/NHRR-and-of course-the buses--------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Being that the last "hold out" boat operations at W 125th were the DAY LINE boats (until after the 1964 season) I wonder if passenger loadings on "stoa" buses operating along 125th Street (near its western foot) dropped accordingly-with no further boat operations (of any sort) existing--------"NYO"

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

WB: This recalls what happened to the towns of Newburgh and Beacon-after the coal-fired ferryboats connecting the two towns were replaced by a new bridge in late 1963 (interestingly-local bus lines also crossed on the boats); both towns entered a long period of decay as well as the flight of businesses out of the downtown areas-with no traffic (foot or auto) heading to the now-gone ferryboats----the new bridge* bypassed BOTH towns on opposite banks of the Hudson-thus rendering the once-bustling business districts redundant; a LOT of serious urban decay took place after the boats stop running-for certain (Newburgh-in particular-was hit particularly hard when the ferries were shut down)--------- *(a second span opened in 1980-carrying eastbound traffic only)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Recall also-that the buses (as well as the TARS streetcars) which began/ended their runs along 42nd Street once connected with the NYCRR's West Shore ferries to Weehawken (until 1959) and the "DAY LINE" (until this operation folded)-and-of course-the iconic "CIRCLE LINE"(thankfully still with us) as well as the nearby (now gone) West Side piers-where the stately and graceful trans-Atlantic liners once docked----------'tis a far different world today-to be sure---------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

(sidenote:) NY WATERWAY today operates passenger-only ferries between Newburgh and Beacon; already it has been 60 years since the last of the old double-ended coal-burning ferryboats crossed the Hudson between the two towns------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The huge decline and the decay that hit Newburgh following the replacing of the ferries to Beacon when the new bridge opened in late 1963 was a glaring picture of just what can happen to an area when public transport (of any type) is suddenly withdrawn; the bus lines that had crossed on the boats were of course re-routed across the new bridge-bypassing the downtown area------"progress"------- "NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

-------the 39th Street (Brooklyn) ferry to St George was shut down in 1946 when the huge blaze destroyed the St George slips; when the ferries began running to Staten Island again-it was 69th Street where the new slips were located----the old 39th Street ferry house lasted until well into the 1950s (pictures at nycsubway show postwar "Oddball" TWINS on 39th Street with the abandoned ferry station in the background)-----now-I wonder how great a loss in traffic there was for the streetcars (an/or buses) after the 39th Street ferry was shut down at least-at the western end----------"NYO"