BusTalk

[Cyberider]

NYO,

Thanks for the great memories and photo links to the Newark City Subway!

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cyberider:

You are welcome!

The subway-surface car line (#21), interestingly, had two branch-offs from the Subway.

The "#21 VIA W, MARKET" branched off underground between the Washington Street and Warren Street stations; on either side of Raymond Boulevard, two long, narrow, open-cut ramps carried cars up to street level (these ramps/cuts still exist today; into the 80s, sections of the old overhead and rails were STILL intact!); interestingly, the underground switches and crossover for the "21 VIA W. MARKET" cars remained intact until the early 1980s)

This branch was converted in late 1951.

The other branch-off was at the Orange Street grade crossing; here, "#21 ORANGE" cars branched off and headed west along Orange Street (this section of track was also used to access the now-demolished Roseville carbarns and yards until 1953)

This line went to buses in early 1952.

I also took photos of the abandoned Warren Street ramps in 1972 and in 1988............

"NYO"

["21 VIA W. MARKET"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In late 1953/early 1954, the ex-TCRT PCCs were delivered to the City Sunway the PRR and flatbeds.

They were carried to Warren Street, where the cars were eased off of the flatbeds, and down the abandoned inbound "#21" ramp (overhead was still intact); the cars rolled down the ramp and into the Subway under their own power.

This was the last time this ramp was ever used, and the ONLY time a PCC ever used one of the old connector ramps.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?76134

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?76133

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["INBOUND CARS STOP HERE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Circa-1950, we see one of the "Compromise" roof cars (built between 1915 and 1919) on the "29" (heading for the Bloomfield Avenue ramps), clattering across the crossing at Orange Street.

The "21 ORANGE" tracks branched off to the right..............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?158233

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

When the PCCs began arriving in late 1953, a new loop/station was built at Franklin Avenue (then the end of the "7" line), replacing the old stub terminal in use since 1940.

This was a very busy bus transfer point during rush hours, but quite "laid back" during the off hours.

This station (where I took many photos over the years) no longer exists, as the line was extended in later years (after the PCCs were retired) and a new station, "Silver Lake", was built......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116250

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?88045

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?87844

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?76137

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?72503

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

{"FRANKLIN AVENUE STATION"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Further on the ex-TCRT PCCs in Newark.........

The PRR had a spur that served PSNJ's massive Plank Road shops in Newark; after the cars were rolled off the flatcars, they were pushed about the complex by gas tractors, as the overhead had been taken down in 1938, after the track connections between the HUDSON and ESSEX Divisions were severed, and the last Newark surface lines were converted to ASVs and buses.

Little work needed to be done on the PCCs; basically, it was just "fine tuning" them for City Subway service, as well as repainting them and installing new destination signs, and installing new seat coverings.

There were only two readings on the new roller curtains:

'CITY SUBWAY"

"SPECIAL"

The PCCs also had the distinction of being the last streetcars to be refurbished at the Plank Road shops; this huge complex continued to be used by PSNJ, TNJ, and NJT buses until the early 1990s, when the new Meadowlands facility opened........

"NYO"

["PUBLIC SERVICE COORDINATED TRANSPORT"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

When these photos were taken at Franklin Avenue , the ancient, hard-working deck roof and "Compromise" roof City Subway cars were in their last days of service, as PS motormen were being trained to operate the "new" PCCs......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?76098

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?88093

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?18984

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["7"]

[Cyberider]

NYO,

Thanks for all of the interesting information and photo links. Some pretty sharp looking older streetcars, PCC's, and buses. Also the route and methods of getting the PCC's to the unpowered shops. I wonder if there were railfans back then who didn't like seeing their old streetcars replaced by modern PCC's?

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's a rare photo of "D-900" operating on a fantrip (on Staten island) in the early 1960s.....

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154498

NO CLUE to this bus once briefly operating as an ASV!

PSNJ's 4509s ran on the "16" and the "17", right up the block from our old apartment building, back in the 1960s.....I knew these classic buses WELL in my much younger days!

"NYO"

["17 SUMMIT"]

[Cyberider]

That was fortunate, indeed, that PS bought the second hand PCC's instead of paving the subway. What a beautiful fleet of cars they were.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[Cyberider]

Interesting! I forgot what the disposition of AC's Brilliners was but maybe they could have sold them to PSTC to supplement their Brilliner fleet! PSTC's lasted a long time.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Presenting ex-BTC PCC #7407, now in the collection of the BSM; a most HANDSOME piece of transit history!

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?161928

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["17-WESTPORT"]