BusTalk

[Rob]

Very nice!

In my brief notes I indicate that the Reading Street Railway started operating the Reading Coach Company in 1931 and the Reading Bus Company in 1950. I believe I pulled that from a book I have titled "Reading Transit Trolleys" This book is currently in storage and I have been scouting around for it the last couple days, which means it is in a box, with other books from a recent move and probably at the bottom of the pile. I know there are three bus photos (at least identifiable ones) in the book. A number 112 circa 1930, A number 261 circa 1935, which may be a Twincoach, and a 401 circa 1940. I had also come across a history of BARTA online and that may have mentioned it. Of course, I can't find that on google now either.. (sigh)

The Reading Railroad also operated busses to supplement their passenger trains under the name of the Reading Transportation Company, which also operated trucking lines. Many of those bus routes were turned over to Capitol Trailways, in fact I recall a photo somewhere of a Trailways bus that also had Reading Transportation painted on the side in one of my books on the history of the Reading Company.

Capitol Trailways had a really neat collection of old motor coaches which they displayed around the area for a long time. I have a pamphlet with photos "somewhere" Unfortunatley Capitol apparently has fallen on tuff times and I am seeing Bieber Tourways busses operating most if not all of their routes and may well have bought them out. I still see the busses, but all the lettering has been removed. I believe (and hope) that the bus collection has gone to the bus museum in the Hershey, PA. area. It is on my agenda to check that out when it gets warm again.

Later
Rob

[Rob]

Came across a BARTA roster online the other night www.cptdb.ca/wiki, which listed the retired 1975 T6H-4523A fishbowl numbers as 901 - 944.......uh-oh! Is this a Canadian wikileak?
Photographed by me behind the Reading carbarn on 24 SEP 1982.

[Rob]

Compare the buildings behind 946 with the buildings in the lineup photo Mr. Linsky posted in this thread on 05 DEC 2010........ Same bat place!

[ripta42]

Great photos!!

You can create an account at the BusTalk Galleries and add them there, too. You will need to register for the Galleries separately.

[MOVIEBUSES]

In this picture the bus looks like a newer model 4523 but look closely. The belt rail below the windows is raised and that was only on the 4517-5301 series. The front bumper is also lower on the older models than the newer buses. This is either a rehab or someone installed newer style marker lights, its definately a original 4517-5301 series.
www.rts-regionaltransitservice.com

[Mr. Linsky]

Rob,

Found another one that I didn't realize I had on file - # 822 ex Triboro Coach (1948 TDH 4507).

Also have photo of # 675 - a 1958 TDH 3714 that Reading bought new but I'm having a little difficulty posting it right now.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

[Rob]

Definately Cool and many thanks. The photo is again taken on Reading's main drag, Penn Street (aka US 422 Business) The photo is taken between 6th Street to the rear of the bus and 7th Street to the front. 7th Street is infamous in Reading as it was the two track mainline of the Reading Railroad which crossed several streets in a row at grade just before entering the main freight yard. That meant slow freight trains and angry citizens. In fact there is a youtube video of a firetruck on a hot run and as it approaches 7th and Franklin, the gates come down and the fire crew chooses to stop instead of going for it. The photo is also after "Downtown Urban Renewal" when they knocked half the buildings on Penn Street down and forgot they had no money to replace them. On the right one can see the Abe Lincoln Hotel, where John Philip Sousa drew his last breath. Also under the "American Bank" sign is 5th & Penn where some of the other bus shots were taken. I believe every bus route on the system navigated some portion of Penn Street, and crossed 5th.

[Mr. Linsky]

Rob,

My pleasure!

Now, they seem to be coming out of the woodwork! - you can add # 820 to your collection (also an ex Triboro Coach 4507).

BTW; (if you're interested); while still in the hands of Triboro, 820 and most of the others received slight face lifts including heavier 'paired window' front bumpers, the later 'GM' badge under the windshield and updated and brighter signal lights.

What is missing are the factory floor vents that were between the headlights.

Enjoy and regards,

Mr. 'L'

[Mr. Linsky]

Rob,

I think I'll dazzle you with my foot work on this one!

Attached is fleet number 675 - a 1958 GM TDH 3714 and one of five (671 to 675) delivered new to Reading Bus Company of Reading, Pa. in May of that year.

Note that 675 carries the earlier or pre cream over red livery used in the 1960's.

Enjoy,

Photo borrowed for educational purposes only.

Mr. 'L'

[Rob]

I AM dazzeled and awed and very appreciative. But now I am drooling for a Green Spot, I haven't had one in years - it was my childhood favorite.

The 820 is west bound on Penn Street between 4th & 3rd Streets. All of those buildings are still standing but the Reading Times (the morning newspaper) was eliminated and the Reading Eagle (was the afternoon paper) survives as the morning paper, both at one time printed in this building.
The 675 looks like it is pulling off Exeter Street into the car barn. I am lovin these photos.

[Rob]

BTW, that pre cream and red was the forever color prior to that, that grey and red paint pretty much matched the trolleys, although there were some cream and red trolleys too.

[ripta42]

[Rob]

Thanks ripta42 for that lead. Of course it took me to places I have never been. The NCATA roster led me to ny5/nebuses rosters and that led me to the Ohio Museum of Transportation website where I scoured over their GM rosters. (well some of them, it wll take a while for all of them.)

I got some interesting data and I got some interesting questions out of it too.
So thanks again.
Rob

[ripta42]

Google can be very helpful in searching the OMOT rosters. Just put site:omot.org after your search criteria.

Here's what I came up with for Reading Bus Co./BARTA from the various sources (mainly OMOT, NEBuses, Canadian Delivery Lists, CPTDB, you, and Mr. Linsky); see if you can add/correct:

Reading St. Ry./Reading Bus Co.:

843-847 1940 Yellow Coach TD3601
848-853 1941 Yellow Coach TD3605
700-702 1944 Yellow Coach TG4007
600-610 1945 Yellow Coach TD3206
703-717 1946 Yellow Coach TD4007
718-737 1946 GMC TDH4008
510-525 1946-7 Twin Coach 34S
550-555 Twin Coach 38S
575-578 1947 Twin Coach 41S
611-630 1947 GMC TDH3207
820,822,824,825 1948 GMC TDH4507 (ex-Triboro Coach ?,?,?,1105) -- 10 to 15 coaches total
651-655 1949 GMC TDH3612
800-809 1949 GMC TDH4507 (ex-Green Lines 301-310)
? 1950 GMC TDH4509 (ex-Green Lines 341)
656-660 1951 GMC TDH3612
661-665 1952 GMC TDH3612
671-675 1958 GMC TDH3714 (674 to NCATA 1981)
676-680 1960 GMC TDH3714 (678 to NCATA 1981)
248-250 1960 GMC TDH4517 (BARTA; ex-Akron 2-4?, to NCATA 1981)
945-946 1960 GMC TDH4517 (BARTA; ex-?; 946 has Busorama)
100-103 1962 GMC TDH4517
200-205 1965 GMC TDH3501


BARTA

901-944 1975 GMC T6H4523A*
969 1981 Neoplan AN460A (ex-Demo; to Midwest Bus Sales 1993)
960-963 1982 Grumman 870 40096-6T (961 to Shamrock Coaches #96; 963 to Double A #190)
964-968 1983 Neoplan AN440A (967-968 to Shamrock Coaches #65-66)
1952 1989 Spartan Trolley Bus
8901-8910 1989 Orion 01.507
8911-8915 1989 Orion 01.508
9001-9011 1990 Orion 01.507 (9005 ex-9000(9001?), Demo)
9012-9016 1990 Orion 01.508
9101-9112 1991 Gillig Phantom
9113 1992 Chance AH-28
9201 1992 Orion 05.501 CNG
9301 1993 Chance AH-28
9401-9402 1994 TMC RTS T80206
9403 1994 Orion 05.501 CNG
9601 1996 Orion 05.501 CNG
9602-9606 1996 New Flyer C40LF
9801-9803 1998 Orion 02.501
0301-0310 2003 Optima Opus 35'
0321-0323 2003 New Flyer D40LF
0401-0410 2004 Optima Opus 35'
0431-0432 2004 Gillig Low Floor 40'
0533-0549 2005 Gillig BRT 35'
0750-0756 2007 Gillig BRT 35'
0857-0863 2008 Gillig BRT 35'
0881-0882 2008 Gillig BRT 40'
0983-0984 2009 Gillig BRT 40'
0991-0995 2009 Gillig BRT HEV 40'
1096-1099 2010 Gillig BRT HEV 40'

*911, 923 to Reading Co. Technical & Historical Society
916 to Nick DeBenedetto, NJ
930 to Quinn's Transit Lines, PA
935 to Baran's Transit Lines, PA

[Mr. Linsky]

Michael,

Happy New Year to you and the family.

Very comprehensive Reading roster - thanks for sharing.

A few comments;

While the Green Line information is correct, the Triboro data is greatly underestimated as at least ten to fifteen 1948 4507's in the 1100 series found their way to Reading.

The photo below shows at least four Triboro Coaches just after arrival and awaiting shop work in Reading.

Unmentioned in the roster is Green Line # 341 - a 1950 TDH 4509 which is also spotted in the attachment and which was the only GBL 4509 sold to them.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'