BusTalk

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Good observation!

Thinking back to ex-MTA "Torpedoes" on the "22 HILLSIDE", well over 20 years ago, these buses were easy to identify, by the MTA stickers still affixed to certain seats, advising riders to allow the elderly and handicapped access to them.

The ONLY "Torpedoes" on the "22" I DID not like were the buses purchased second-hand from DART; these buses, clearly, had not been maintained decently by their original owner for some time, and were VERY sluggish climbing even the slightest grade (let alone a HILL!) and the a/c's were light-years beyond hit or miss.

Overall, as I said, the RTS were the last ":overall reliable workhorse" operated by "En-Jay-Tee"..............

"NYO"

["ACADEMY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"Late in the game"..........

I always wondered why "En-Jay-Tee" waited as long as they did to jump onto the RTS "bandwagon" (circa-1997)

By that late date, as I have already noted, "Torpedoes" had already been in "Em-Tee-Yay" service for well over a decade.

Certainly, the RTS era had a far shorter "run" on NJT, than over on the MTA , which was beginning in the early 1980s...........

"NYO"

["RAPID TRANSIT SERIES"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Interesting..........

The early "slant-back" RTS that ran for the Queens independents had the distinction of being the only ones in "Noo Yawk" fitted with roller curtains..........

"NYO"

["GMC"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Agreed.

I was, during my commuting years, more than familiar with the METRO "Bs" on both NJT and ACADEMY; the latter used them (prior to the RTS) on the "22 HILLSIDE" and the rush-hour "BOULEVARD EAST" lines.

I also remember them on the "B-1", which had been a TNJ (Bergen County) line for many years.

The 3200-series METRO "Bs" rostered by ACADEMY were referred to "stretch limos" to the drivers (actually, Your's Truly introduced them to this moniker!), as they were equipped with high-backed, cushioned seats.

Occasionally on the "BOULEVARD EAST" run you'd get another series of "Bs", with hard plastic (transit) seating (this was what was used on the "22")

It all seems so long ago, now......

"NYO"

["ACADEMY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's a 1990s photo of an "ACADEMY" 3200-series METRO "B" at Hoboken; for some years, I commuted on these buses on the rush-hour "BOULEVARD EAST" run (Nungessers-Hoboken)

These buses were solid, good riding, and performed very well.

By the time I retired, RTS had taken over.

Today, even the RTS is a memory.............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156356

(courtesy: nycsubway,org)

["3275"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Indeed!

How ironic that the "Recycled Borough Bombers" ("RBB") went on to perform long and well, the total opposite of the original GRUMMAN "Bombers".

Before I retired, one of the regular ACADEMY drivers I had in the mornings gave me a "FLXIBLE" nameplate and a horn button, both of which are proudly displayed in my sizeable collection today!

Another driver I knew quite well took off his ACADEMY MCI tie clip and presented it to me as a last-minute (and totally unexpected!) Christmas gift!

This, also, of course, is proudly displayed today!

"NYO"

["FLXIBLE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Back in 1982, this "Joisey City" GRUMMAN indeed made for a sharp contrast, alongside a veteran RED & TAN" Jetson" Fishbowl.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153645

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["PA 1208"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

And we once again observe the anniversary of the "last run" of the faithful "Are-Tee-Ess' " in "Noo Yawk," on May 6, 2019, on Route M55 from 44th and Sixth to Rector Street and Broadway. I was on the final run of #5241 (built in 1999 by Nova Bus, but carrying a TMC nameplate). Bus "soivice" in "Noo Yawk" hasn't been the same since. Indeed, it could be said this helped ring down the final curtain on runs of the "old" buses when they were buses. I did mention that there was a blind passenger who thought this was a regular run, didn't I?

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

STILL find it hard to believe that the now-classic RTS has been gone from the streets of "Noo Yawk" for SEVEN YEARS now.....where has the time gone?

"En-Jay-Tee's" have been gone far longer (my favorites were the ex-MTA buses that ACADEMY was using on the "22 HILLSIDE", well over 20 years back......miss 'em still.)........

"NYO"

["22 HILLSIDE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Read your excellent "coverage" over on BusChat on the last days of the iconic, legendary RTS; also, other info your provided was well-documented.....interesting reading!

Like yourself, I thought all the "media hype" about the old RTS being assigned to routes serving lower-income areas to be nothing more than than the work of baseless, far- too-vocal, "politically correct" agitators.

Certainly, we never had (AFAIK) this sort of thing here in "Joisey", when older buses were being replaced by newer models.

The RTS was, for many of us "veteran" bus enthusiasts, the very last "likeable" bus on the streets.

Like yourself, "BINOs" are not my cup of tea....I prefer REAL BUSES, thank you very much....... \

"NYO"

["Rapid Transit Series"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

IMHO, the "RTS" was the last bus purchased by the MTA and NJT that one could actually LIKE; I still wonder why NJT did not keep their fleet for longer than they did.

After all, NJT's only began arriving in the later 1990s, and ;they still had a lot of good years, left.......indeed, the end of an era, an era that ended far too soon......

"NYO"

(only "dud" RTS that we here were the ex-DART units purchased by "ACADEMY"; quite sliggish in overall performance, and the WORST a/c going).............

["RTS"]