BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

(SEE PREVIOUS POST/LINK)

Here are two exterior photos of the Bell Street (Montclair) car house (looking north from Bloomfield Avenue) when the "29" subway-surface car line was being converted to buses in early 1952..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116983

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116985

(courtesy: nyvsubway.org)

["SUBWAY CAR-SAVE TIME & PARKING"]

[Cyberider]

Awe-inspiring photos. Born too late!

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The "23 CENTRAL" was the first subway-surface car line to be converted to buses (December, 1947); these photos (Norfolk Street, where the "23" cars switched off to reach street trackage) date to the 1950s.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?76112

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?76125

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

On the right, we see the ramp and connecting trestle which was used by outbound cars; inbound cars used to the ramp on the left.

In the early 1970s, the rails on both ramps (and the trestle) were still intact, as was the switch at the entrance to the outbound ramp.

I also walked out onto the trestle and took some great photos!

In the early 1980s, the rails were removed, and the trestle torn down.

Again, I'm most fortunate that I was able to take as many photos as I did!

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The same location, decades later, in 2011..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?149776

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["7 CITY SUBWAY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In these 1950s photos, we are looking north towards the abandoned ramps for the "29" subway-surface line at Bloomfield Avenue (note overhead and rails are still in place)

By the early 1970s, the rails on the abandoned ramps (though overgrown) and one switch (inbound ramp) were still intact, though the wires had long since been taken down.

I took a number of photos here, over 50 years ago; there was still a block signal on the inbound ramp, weather-worn, but still intact.

The rails on both ramps have been since paved over; they were last used by the "29" cars in March, 1952.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?76130

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?30589

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["29 BLOOMFIELD"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In this rare color 1948 photo, we see "Compromise" roof car #2608 running on the "29"; note the "SUBWAY CAR-SAVE TIME AND PARKING" slogan on the car's side............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?18978

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["PSCT"]

[Cyberider]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cyberider:

I'LL SECOND THAT!!

(at least, from the photos, you can get an idea of what I knew so well, over 50 years ago!)

"NYO"

["INBOUND CARS TO PENN STATION"]

[Cyberider]

Seeing photos of the PCC's, I always wondered what the "City Subway" was. Thanks to you, I have a much better understanding of what it was back in the day and what it connected to.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Circa-1916, PS built a small fleet of open cars at their Plank Road (Newark) shops); these open cars (built very late in the open car era) were unusual in several respects.

Unlike conventional open cars, these cars had screened-in sides, front entrances, and seating on either side of the aisle; though they were designed as one-man cars, they COULD, however, be operated by a two-man crew, during busy periods.

These unique cars only ran on the ESSEX Division, but did not operate on any of the City Subway's subway-surface lines; however, the DID run on lines that served the lower level of the PS Terminal, via the Cedar Street Subway.

These unusual cars were retired after the 1937 summer season (this photo dates to about 1935, and was taken in downtown Newark ; the long-gone "BAMBERGER's" department store is seen in the background).........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?118341

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["25 SPRINGFIELD"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The first photo here dates to circa-1936, showing an open car about to pass under the new Penn Station's platforms (Newark)

The second photo (taken in 2010) was taken near the same location; here, we see a now-retired "NEOPLAN" articulated NJT bus.

As recently as the 1970s, the old wire hangers used by both the streetcars and the ASVs were still in place over the roadway/bus platform area in the ceiling.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?118340

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?157341

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["PUBLIC SERVICE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In this 1935 photo, we see a forlorn-looking one-man open #4108, languishing in the yards at the Secaucus car house.

I've read that this particular car had suffered some sort of serious electrical damage, and was deemed too expensive to rebuild; it was stripped of parts to help keep its sister cars running.

Note the lack of running boards, an ever-present feature among "conventional" open cars, as well as the front doors.

PS motormen called these cars "breeze cars" and "breezers".

PS did once roster a large number of conventional "summer cars", all of which were retired by the mid-1920s........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?118356

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["PUBLIC SERVICE"]

[Cyberider]

Interesting that they saw the need for open cars at that late date. Meanwhile, on the other coast, PE had a few open cars early on but what really stood out on both the PE and LARy were the "California" cars with open ends and an enclosed interior area. PE also had many cars with one open end and an enclosed end where, in later years, the open end was enclosed.