BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here is one of the two historic token/change booths at the City Subway's mezzanine at Penn Station.

Through the 1970s, it was still in use during rush hours (PM only)

During the PM rush hours, fare agents (using old Johnson "D" fare boxes) collected the outbound fares; all other times, fare was paid upon boarding the cars.

The booth was much the same as those used on the then-new IND aubway in New York...........

https://nycsubway.org/perl/show?149759

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["FARE 25 CENTS-FIRST ZONE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

This nostalgic 1965 photo shows an inbound (to Penn Station) PCC at the Broad Street (today "Military Park") station.

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?76105

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

Look carefully through the columns and you will see large electric sign boxes suspended from the ceiling; last used ion the early 1950s, these illuminated signs designated which surface car line would stop there.

These long-disused sign boxes lasted through the 1970s; at the far end of the outbound platform, ware the escalators that led to the lower level of the old PS Terminal.

The lower level closed in the late 1960s (I recall well when the lower level was still in use); the old escalators and signs, however, remained in place for many years, gated off.

Not a trace remains today of this area today.

A change booth on the outbound platform was also used during the PM rush hours, prior to 1980.............

"NYO"

["OUTBOUND CARS THIS PLATFORM ONLY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Until 2001, sweeper #5246 kept the rails of the City Subway clear of snow.

Interestingly, this ancient sweeper (purchased from the TTC) orinally was rostered by TARS.............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?78384

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?78385

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["PUBLIC SERVICE"]

[Cyberider]

Nice looking machine! What do they use now?

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In this 1975 photo, we see flatbed work motor #5223 at the Franklin Avenue loop.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?78383

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

When I last saw this car (about 1973), it was was still painted dark green; it was cut down from a retired "Compromise" r99f car in late 1953, just prior to the PCCs replacing all of the old PS streetcars.

City Subway manager Bob Kittler allowed me to ride this car (with the work crew) several times in the early 1970s; WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!!

Like a REAL streetcar, it screeched, screeched, growled, whined and hummed!

The remaining body section STILL had sections of the old seats,, as well as some of the metal straps for standing passengers (and, yes, I DID take photos!)

The old roller curtain had three readings:

CITY SUBWAY

FRANKLIN AVENUE

SPECIAL

(I DO have a small section of a side roller curtain from one of these cars!)

Like the other old PS work cars, it remained in service until 2001.

#5223 was used mostly to haul trash cans out to Franklin Avenue (from the online stations) out to Franklin Avenue for disposal)

What great memories I have of this historic car!

"NYO"

['"CITY SUBWAY"]

[Cyberider]

That's one cool looking work motor. Lucky you!

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Speaking of PS work cars.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?117975

(courtesy" nycsubway.org)

Here we see rail grinder #6051 on New York Avenue in Union City (I grew up just 10 minutes south of here!)

This car was sold sometime around 1938 to CAPITAL TRANSIT (DC) where it remained in use until the end of streetcars in 1962.

The massive, now-demolished Union City car house* was just behind the photographer (who is looking northeast); it served streetcars until 1949, and buses until about 1995........

"NYO"

*At that time of this photo, several busy car lines were based here:

UNION CITY

SUMMIT

PAVONIA

PALISADE (some cars on this line were also based out of the WNY car house)

Several bus routes were also based here.

["UNION CITY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here we are treated to a few more rare 1930s PS photos taken at the Union City car house (this was the New York Avenue [east] side of the complex; the western side of the building was on Bergenline Avenue........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?118323

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?118320

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?117966 *

*Note the lettering "BIG TREE" on sweeper #5181; "BIG TREE" was the car house in Nutley (CENTRAL Division; when the cars on this division went to ASV and bus, some work cars were transferred to both "UNION CITY" and "GREENVILLE" (Jersey City)

The PS bus seen in the background is on 29th Street, facing east........

"NYO"

["SUMMIT"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In this 1941 photo, we see a freshly-painted 3200-series "Compromise" roof car on New York Avenue (Union City); the car house is just out of the picture on the left.

This car (#3281) is displaying the new PS paint used on the streetcars.

The car is running on an NRHS fantrip; back in those days, both the NRHS and the ERA held many fantrips on the remaining PS streetcar lines, on the HUDSON and ESSEX Divisions.

Note that the car is signed "OAKLAND"; this route was based out of the "GREENVILLE" car house in Jersey City, and did not run in Union City.

By 1941, only two car lines were still based out of the Union City car house:

"SUMMIT"

"UNION CITY"

In this timeless photo, you are looking north on New York Avenue...........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?117015

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["OAKLAND"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

These two undated classic views (circa-1930s/1940s) depict several single truck sweepers slumbering away during the off-season at the Union City car house, in one of the facility's cavernous bays.

The last such sweepers were assigned to the Montclair car house (Bell Street); this car house became a bus garage in 1952, when the #29, the last of the subway-surface lines, was converted.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?117962

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?117964

(courtesu: nycsubway.org)

[Cyberider]

Thanks, NYO. Nice collection of equipment and facilities.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Ctberider:

You are, as always, quite welcome!

"NYO"

["21 ORANGE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here is a very rare photo of the interior of the Bell Street (Montclair) car house on Bloomfield Avenue, circa-late 1930s.

We are looking (south) towards the front of the building (Bloomfield Avenue)

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?118324

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

This car house was unique in that it was the only one on the PS system to have curves and switches in its interior; the rear of the building angled back from the street, as can be seen here.

By this time, only "Compromise" roof cars were assigned to the "#29"; note the line of work cars against the wall on the extreme right.

PS used this building as a bus garage for many years; TNJ closed it sometime before 1975.

After being sold by TNJ, it was used as a bowling alley "BEL-CLAIR LANES" for quite a few years, before being demolished in the early 2000s; I've read that the old streetcar rails were still in place, under the new flooring and bowling lanes.

I took a number of photos of this former car house, back in early 1989.

It was also the very last surviving PS car house on the ESSEX Division......

"NYO"

["29 BLOOMFIELD"]