BusTalk

[mcibus1]

Hi,

Does anyone have a saved copy of the psct rosters linked here in many of the forums (now dead link)?

http://www.davemackey.com/psct/roster/1960-1973.html

I'm trying to ID a TNJ bus from a partial photo taken in the 1970s of a GMC “New Look” transit bus. It appears the fleet number might be something like J4472 but i'm not 100% certain of the last two digits as they were mostly cut off. There's definitely a four digit number starting with 44..

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[mcibus1]

Thanks, that explains it then. I actually sent him a PM over FB a few days ago. His profile had showed activity up through August 2020. I had no idea.

I noticed that there were a few websites that, although shut down, had survived by being hosted on some type of "caching" site, but I guess that never happened with his stuff.

I typically like to download information like that to local copies/PDF files for save keeping myself. I can't be the only one.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

You are most welcome.

This reminds me of the old "STRAYHOUND" site, which has now been offline for at least a decade; this was the ULTIMATE site for GREYHOUND enthusiasts/historians; the site featured many rare photos and excellent documentation.

Sadly, this extensive site was never "picked up" by anyone else, and nothing on the web can match what this site once offered.

Ditto "Scenicruiser.com", which disappeared several years ago; again, another excellent site, with a tremendous amount of SCENICRUISER info, photos, etc.

Though I have one book on the history of PSNJ streetcars, I've yet, to date, have seen any books regarding PSNJ/TNJ bus operations.

Here again, this is a huge void that indeed needs to be filled; such a work would be invaluable for PS historians......

"NYO"

[GojiMet86]

[GojiMet86]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

It would appear that PS began using prefixes with numbers early in the postwar period; two of the oldest pictures I've seen with this numbering format date to the late 1940's; both pictures are in "THE BUS WORLD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BUSES".

One photo shows a 1948 PDA-4101 (B606), and another shows a 1948 TDM-4509 (single door Old Look w/standee windows)

This was was "C522", displaying the new postwar gray paint scheme.

In the early 1960's, PS began repainting the Old Look transits two-tone green, and the Old Look suburbans blue and white......

"NYO"

[mcibus1]

Thanks for finding the wayback website. I had no idea you could do this for any website. All his rosters for PSCT are there, so I went through each one and saved it offline into a Word document for safekeeping.

Since my bus is most likely a T6H-5306, I'm guessing the TNJ went through a renaming of sorts that isn't documented on his website. Otherwise, maybe it was a IBOA bus, with numbering for an independent or private owner who operated service for TNJ. Maybe that first character isn't even a J.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Another interesting facet to PSNJ bus operations seldom discussed is paint; sadly, there are few color photos of PS buses in their prewar schemes.

PSNJ, through the war, had different paint for intrastate and interstate buses (red/cream, orange/yellow)

The orange/yellow was more "in sync" to the streetcars; PS began to change over to the famous gray scheme sometime around 1946/1947.

PSNJ also repainted the newer model ASV's in the new postwar gray, even though ASV operation ended in 1948.......

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's an example of an ASV repainted into the new postwar gray scheme.

In the left background, you can also glimpse a PS deck-roof streetcar on the "#23 CENTRAL" subway-surface line; this would date this photo prior to December, 1947, when the "#23" was converted to buses.......

https://www.trolleybuses.net/psct/htm/usa_h_psct_yellow_9314.htm

(courtesy: trolleybuses.net)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

For comparison, here's an ASV wearing the old postwar paint worn through most of the ASV era (the "#49 UNION" replaced streetcars in September, 1935; interestingly, running time on this line was over two hours, making it PS's longest ASV run)

Running time on this line from "A" to "B" was over two hours; this was, in fact, the longest ASV line that PS operated........

https://www.trolleybuses.net/psct/htm/usa_h_psct_yellow_9134_newark_bv.htm

(courtesy: trolleybuses.net)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Note the different paint schemes PS used on its intrastate and interstate buses, in this circa-1937 photo, showing the upper level of the long-since-demolished Public Service Terminal in Newark.

Through the decades, streetcars, ASV's, and buses served both the upper and lower levels of the Terminal, which was used by buses through the 1960's.

By this late date (circa-1937), only a few streetcar lines were still using the Terminal; all of these lines went to ASV and bus during 1938.......

https://www.trolleybuses.net/psct/htm/usa_h_psct_yellow_003.htm

(courtesy: trolleybuses.net)

[MaBSTOA 15]

We went down the wrong road thinking it was a “J” prefix.

The prefix “J” was assigned to a group of GM model TDH/TDM-4512, TDM-4515, and TDM-5108. As well as a three used PD-4104 from Safeway.

The new look/fishbowl in your photo is number 344A, one of sixty-five model T6H-5306A bought in 1969.

With this order, PSC began assigning fleet numbers with three digits and a suffix.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

....earliest photo of a PSNJ Fishbowl that I have seen was taken in 1960, showing one of the new "first generation" transit models; the "P" prefix was used.

These buses soon became commonplace sights, especially on the ESSEX and HUDSON Divisions; the delivery of the "first generation" transits would have replaced the old "square window" Old Looks that were still in service.

In 1958, the last new GM's arrived sporting the classic PS gray; in the early/mid-60's, PS began repainting the Old Look transits in two-tone green, and the Old Look suburbans in blue and white.......

"NYO"

[mcibus1]

Thanks for clearing this up. It's my fault for mistakenly jumping to the conclusion that the first character was a "J" instead of a number "3." That never crossed my mind. But that explains everything now. Thanks, I really appreciate it!!!