BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Moshulu Parkway overpass, 1938; note TARS streetcar running beneath the El.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?73631

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["Third Avenue Railway System"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

On a long-ago day, a short train of old Composites was snapped at Tremont Avenue........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?15513

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["Interborough Rapid Transit"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

This excellent page features many rare old photos of Bronx neighborhoods as they appeared decades ago; there are a number of TARS photos here, as well as pictures of SURFACE buses and the elevateds.......enjoy!

"NYO"

https://backinthebronx.com/address-book?sf_paged=26

["J-Glen Island"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's a page (w/vintage photos) on former trolley terminals/hubs in the Bronx.....

www.forgottenbronxtransit.mysite.com/photo.html

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

On this day in 1939, the IND's World's Fair line opened, serving the Fair Grounds for both the 1939 and 1940 seasons.....

https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/IND_1939_Worlds_Fair_Line

["Take The Subway To The Fair!"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here are three photos of IND World's Fair Line trains; in photo, one train is signed for the "E", while another train is signed "GG".....

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?71098

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?75917

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?2355

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["S Special-World's Fair"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

.........here's a rare photo of a BMT "Standard" fitted with a temporary illuminated sign for the BMT's* connecting train service to the 1939/1940 World's Fair.....

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?132267

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

"World's Fair Train Connection"]

*Recall, that the BMT rebuilt a number of older elevated gate cars with enclosed ends and sliding doors into the "Q" units; these cars were painted in the Fair colors of blue and orange, and operated from Queensboro Plaza.

In later years, these cars also operated on the 3rd Avenue El, as well as the Myrtle Avenue El in Brooklyn, where they closed out all service in late 1969.......

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's an (undated) photo of a train of "Q" cars on the IRT Flushing line; had the World's Fair not been held in New York, the "Q" cars would have never been, and they would have continued in service as conventional elevated gate cars.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?6855

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["Take The BMT To The Fair!"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The IRT, for service to the 1939 World's Fair, designed a new subway car, that differed markedly from the earlier equipment.

These cars were the first IRT car to dispense with end vestibules; they were also the first to be equipped with end roller curtain signs (old-fashioned metal sign plates were still used for side signs)

The new cars featured an "ogee" or "monitor" roof that resembled those used on H&M cars.

The first postwar IRT cars (the R-12's/R-14's) also utilized this style roof, as did the IND's R-10's.

The IRT World's Fair cars ended their service lives on the Bronx 3rd Avenue El; when they were retired in 1969, the era of prewar IRT cars in revenue service ended......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?7170

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["World's Fair"]

[traildriver]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

traildriver:

The following is from "UNDER THE SIDEWALK OF NEW YORK"(Brian Cudahy)......

"......although built to the IRT's narrower specifications, both the Flushing and Astoria lines were operated by the IRT, as specified by the Dual Contracts......

"......the BMT, of course, could not operate its 10-foot wide steel subway cars on these lines. It, instead, maintained its half of the service using open-platform elevated cars*, which were compatible with IRT standards....."

Also:
".....in 1949, the Dual Contracts arrangements of the IRT and the BMT ended joint IRT-BMT service on the Flushing and Astoria lines.The Flushing line with its new postwar cars became exclusively IRT, while the Astoria line had its platforms shaved back to take care of operation as an extension of the BMT's regular subway service......."

"......routes through the eight-track Queensboro Plaza station were consolidated, and half of the sprawling structure was later torn down......"

*Recall, also, that the "Q" cars later served on the IRT's 3rd Avenue El; after the Manhattan section of the El closed in 1955, these cars went back to BMT rails. Steel door sills were also installed to accommodate the BMT's platforms.

The "Q" cars replaced the last of the old convertible open-platform El cars on the Myrtle Avenue El in 1958, and closed out service on that line in 1969.

"NYO"

["Change at Queensboro PLaza For Astoria Trains"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

traildriver:

Check out this page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensboro_Plaza_station

The "Dual Contracts" section on this page will give you much information on how this huge facility (and the trains serving it) functioned, pre-1949, also, much information on how track arrangements were changed after 1949......

*(Note, also, the diagram showing past and present track arrangements at QP)

"NYO"

["8-Astoria"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Scroll down page to "CONSTRUCTION UNDER THE DUAL CONTRACTS":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRT_Flushing_Line

["7 Times Square"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

See also:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMT_Astoria_Line

["8 Astoria"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The following is from "NEW YORK SUBWAYS" (Sansone)......

"......beginning in 1949, a group of "Q's", three-car units, (and "QX"cars) were sent over to the IRT; these cars were to be replacements for the old IRT gate cars and Composites used used for the 3rd Avenue El through-express service....."

".......the marker lights on the cars were moved from outside the the clerestory section of the roof to the inner part; this was done to provide sufficient clearance to the station platform canopies....."

"......all the "Q" cars were placed in 3rd Avenue service between April and September of 1950......"

".......after the Manhattan section of the El closed in 1955, they ran as locals in the Bronx until being replaced by IRT Steinway cars in 1956.....

"NYO"

["3rd Ave Thru Express"]