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What's going on with The Hound?
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N4 Jamaica




Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 858
Location: Long Island

PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 11:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Since NYO 2629 mentioned New England Transportation, I must refer to this thread and its link to New England Transportation in Winsted on YouTube:
http://bustalk.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4986&highlight=winsted

In the late 1940's and early 1950's, we rode New England Transportation between Winsted, Torrington, Waterbury, and New Haven, plus between Winsted and Hartford. At some point, their ticket agent was at the north end of Torrington, and the driver would sometimes pick up canisters of 35mm feature film from the only movie house in town.
---
Torrington-Hartford service was provided by a meet in Canton.
---
In 2018, service is provided by Kelley Transit Company, schedule HERE.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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Joined: 18 Dec 2007
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Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 12:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

N4:

Thanks for posting the link here! Wink

Interesting trivia about the buses carrying the movie film canisters.....I LOVE stuff like this! Very Happy

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 12:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

N4/All:

Speaking of buses making "special deliveries".....

Early in its life, DE CAMP once carried both mail and express, however, as recently as the 1970's, DE CAMP occcsionaly would carry blood between New York and Morristown, on the #77 line.

The short distances traveled by DE CAMP buses, plus the street-corner stopping places, argued against the consideration of reviving package express business.

This info came from an old issue of MOTOR COACH AGE, in an article on the history of DE CAMP, by Johnathon Goodman and WSilliam Fahey.....

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 12:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TRAILWAYS of New York package express service......

https://trailwaysny.com/package-express/
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Mail By Transit"........In the heyday of street railways, many traction companies also operated mail service.

Streetcar versions of the RPO, these cars carried mail between the mail post offices, substations, and steam railroad terminals.

Many such cars were also equipped with letter slots, for the convenience of last-minute letter writers!

Trolley mail cars followed regular schedules, which were arranged so that cars from different routes would meet in the downtown area, to exchange mail pouches destined for other parts of the city or the main post office.

By 1915, however, due to increased use of motor trucks, trolley mail cars were only operating in three cities; the very last such cars ran in Baltimore in 1929, which was quite late for such operations.

Interestingly, as late as the 1950's, CAPITAL TRANSIT streetcars (PCC's) carried pouch mail from Cabin John and Glen Echo into the city, where it would be then transferred to a USPS truck......

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 1:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

August 2, 1784:

On this day, an important one in public transport history, John Palmer (a Brighton theatre owner) secured a contract with the Post Office, and started a regular service of mail-coaches between Bristol and London.

As is obvious from the term "mail coach", these horse-drawn vehicles carried both mail and passengers.

Indeed, GREYHOUND's famed Post House had their origins in the "stage stops" of the "Wild West Era".........

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 1:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Post House trivia:

....in a number of cities, including Atlanta, Dayton, Spartanburg and others, beautiful and costly bus terminals were being built. In these facikities it was feasible to install company-owned restaurants......"

"......when they were opened under GREYHOUND management, they were the first of GREYHOUND's "Post Houses". Some of these served over 100 busloads a day. And they were soon listed in 'BEST PLACES TO EAT'....."

Source:

"THE GREYHOUND STORY"

(Oscar Schisgall)
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traildriver




Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 2452
Location: South Florida

PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 3:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
Also worthy of mention:

The Jersey Central Railroad (Central Railroad Company of New Jersey) operated connecting motor coach "parlor" service that connected with its crack "BLUE COMET" train, which began operation in 1929 (Jersey City-Atlantic City)

The buses (YELLOW "Y's") made a connection with the train at Hammonton; this, incidently, replaced a train that had previously operated between Winslow Junction and Bridgeton.

The buses (painted in a special "COMET" paint scheme, were leased from PSNJ.

Large illuminated sign boxes over the windshield read:

"NEW JERSEY CENTRAL TRAIN CONNECTION"

"NYO"


Speaking of CRRNJ, mention should be made of it hosting several B&O, as well as Reading trains over its line between Bound Brook and Jersey City. Passenger's had a choice of using the ferry's to reach Manhattan, or B&O's fairly extensive network of connecting buses to several B&O "City Ticket Offices" in locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
I am not sure if B&O operated those buses themselves, or contracted them out to some other operator. The buses were distinctively styled in B&O's livery....

I recall in the sixties, the Susquehanna Transfer buses loading from Platform 51 in The Port, to connect to 'Susie-Q' trains...I think Public Service was contracted for that operation, but again, not sure....

For a period in the 80's, up until Amtrak moved all their Empire trains into Penn Station, Amtrak contracted with Red Apple to run a Grand Central Terminal/Penn Station shuttle bus for its connecting passenger's.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 4:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver:

Yes, the B&O train connection bus operation utilized several Manhattan stations (including hotels) and one stop in Brooklyn.

One Manhattan station was located at Columbus Circle, and can often be glimpsed in TARS streetcar photos.

This unique operation ended in 1958, when the B&O cut back all passenger service to New York (the buses crossed over into Manhattan via the CNJ ferries; I have seen photos were the ferries were carrying only B&O buses, with no other vehicles on board)

I also recall reading awhile back that FACCo. was involved with the operation of the B&O train connection buses.

At Jersey City, a turntable outside the train sheds turned the buses for the next run into Manhattan; I still remember the remains of that turntable in the 60's, prior to the ALDENE Plan, which rerouted all CNJ passenger trains to Newark.

Until 1963, the RDG operated passenger trains between Jersey City and Harrisburg; until 1967, the "CRUSADER" and the "WALL STREET" still served the CNJ's Jersey City terminal, via the connection at Bound Brook Junction. B&O varnish used this same cut-off until 1958.

After trains were rerouted to Newark in 1967, both the "CRUSADER" and the "WALL STREET" became RDC trains only, and remained so until they were discontinued in the very early 80's.

PSNJ, indeed, was contracted by the "Susie-Q" to operate train connection bus service to New York (the PABT after 1950)

I have seen 1940's photos of PS YELLOWS with "SUSQUEHANNA" lettering; this bus service began in 1940, when the new Transfer station was built adjacent to the looming Lincoln Tunnel helix.

NYS&W connecting buses (PABT-SUSQUEHANNA TRANSFER) last ran in July of 1966, when the railroad abandoned all commuter trains.......

"NYO"
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traildriver




Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 2452
Location: South Florida

PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for that detailed explanation of B&O and NYS&W bus ops, NYO...

I did not know the buses used the ferries...I had assumed the buses used the Holland Tunnel. While it seems somewhat wasteful of ferry space, I suppose eliminating a transfer at the Manhattan side would make the option more attractive to some. So long as your city destination was served by one of the bus routes...
Perhaps that option would work nowadays especially in light of the "helix" rebuilding nightmare. Wink


As for the Reading Wall Streeter and Crusader...I rode those trains a few times, even into the Conrail era. I was friendly with a well know railfan-RDG conductor, Bob Linden. At one time you could ride one of those trains all the way to Pottsville, Pa., without change...they just reversed direction at Reading Terminal in Philly. While the train numbers changed there, the thru trip had to be one of the longest commuter train rides of all.
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traildriver




Joined: 26 Mar 2011
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
Post House trivia:

....in a number of cities, including Atlanta, Dayton, Spartanburg and others, beautiful and costly bus terminals were being built. In these facikities it was feasible to install company-owned restaurants......"

"......when they were opened under GREYHOUND management, they were the first of GREYHOUND's "Post Houses". Some of these served over 100 busloads a day. And they were soon listed in 'BEST PLACES TO EAT'....."

Source:

"THE GREYHOUND STORY"

(Oscar Schisgall)


I have always been interested in all aspects of Greyhound's history, including the story of its coast to coast Post House chain. I have a vintage dinner plate from them with a nice stage coach and team on it.

I especially liked the "highway rest stop" Post Houses, which were situated at strategic intervals on heavily traveled Greyhound routes, usually out in "the country", where land and bus parking was cheap. One of them was in Belvedere, NJ. My all time favorite Post House was one of the last ones built...the Breezewood, Pa. Post House, just off old Exit 12 of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. It had about twenty bays, two cafeteria lines, a snack bar, a gift shop, and a travel-ticketing bureau. It also had a small two-bus garage, and EGL maintained a few mechanic's there.
It was strategically located where buses from New York City and Philadelphia, as well as from Balltimore and Washington would cross and go on to Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and beyond, or to Cleveland, Chicago and beyond. It was also served by local routes using either the Lincoln or William Penn Highways.

Here's a Post Card of the Post House..
https://www.flickr.com/photos/103688802@N02/15013431874/in/album-72157647622207805/lightbox/
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver:

You are quite welcome! Wink

Prior to 1942, the B&O buses could also head back to Jersey City via the CNJ's 23rd St. ferry line; this line was discontinued in 1942.

When the B&O started the train connection bus service in the late 1920's, the CNJ removed Tracks #2 and #3 at the Jersey City terminal, and replaced them with a driveway.

In this way, the buses could enter or leave the ferry boats in a straight line across the 1914 train concourse and through the 1888 station headhouse.

After the buses stopped in 1958, the driveway was used for CNJ employee and visitor parking.

That driveway is still intact today, under the crumbling and neglected Bush train sheds (incidently, these were the largest Bush train sheds ever built)

As to the last New York (via Jersey City) RDG trains, the reason why these trains became all-RDC consists was that, after the CNJ abandoned passenger service to Jersey City in 1967, there was no longer facilities for turning the F units that were used on the "CRUSADER" and the "WALL STREET".

After the ALDENE Plan went into effect, only CNJ/RDG/B&O freight power continued to be serviced at the CNJ's Communipaw Engine Terminal (Jersey City)

During mid-day layups, the RDC trains simply sat in the CNJ's new passenger yard at Harrison.......

"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Fri Aug 17, 2018 9:05 pm; edited 3 times in total
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traildriver




Joined: 26 Mar 2011
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Location: South Florida

PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

By the way, once you have that link, you can click on the arrows on the left side to see a few more Post Houses, and than old schedules going back a long ways...
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver:

Ahhh, the nostalgic aura of that old Post House postcard! (thanks for sharing!)

Not surprisingly, toy GREYHOUND buses could be purchased at the Post House newstands/souvenier counters.

I have one VERY large 4104 that was purchased at a Pennsylvania Post House back in the 50's; what makes this big toy bus even more cool is that it is lettered "PENNSYLVANIA LINES", in addition to the GREYHOUND lettering and running dog.

I also have a pair of metal 4104 salt and pepper shakers, as well as a set of shakers (ceramic) that are SCENICRUISERS. Very Happy

Looking at these old collectibles indeed makes it easy top recall the halcyon days of the 'Hound......

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22281
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 9:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

More on the B&O buses:

It is interesting to note that these buses had priority over the other vehicles waiting in line for the ferries; it would sometime seem it was indeed a parade of buses, one after the other, either entering or leaving the boats, both at Jersey City or at Liberty St. (Lower Manhattan)

As the B&O operated several daily trains into Jersey City, the buses were kept quite busy.

Had this unique and most interesting bus operation held on at least until the early 1960's, I certainly would have had some really great B&O bus memories of my own....oh, well......... Rolling Eyes

"NYO"
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