BusTalk Forum Index BusTalk
A Community Discussing Buses and Bus Operations Worldwide!
 
 BusTalk MainBusTalk Main FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups BusTalk GalleriesBusTalk Galleries   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

PSNJ: the last years........
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3 ... 9, 10, 11 ... 15, 16, 17  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    BusTalk Forum Index -> Surface Transit - Eastern United States
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22278
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 10:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Though PSNJ's Journal Square terminal was miniscule when compared to the massive terminal in Newark, it, nonetheless, was a very important local hub.

The Journal Square terminal featured ticket offices, a waiting room, as well as an arcade of shops; direct access to the H&M/PATH station was made via a wooden escalator from the PS "concourse".

Transferring PS passengers could also walk through the "concourse" (past the"'TUBE TAXI" stands) and access the main H&M/PATH station concourse via a bank of escalators and a stairway.

PS also had a platform (covered with a glass canopy) where passengers debarked incoming buses and streetcars; the adjacent PS office building still stands today (complete with the platform canopy), the sole reminder of the once-busy station.

For many years before its demolition (buses used it until the new PATH facility opened in 1974) a commuter's parking lot was located where the buses once pulled in from Sip Avenue.

In Newark, the PS Terminal boated several stories, which also housed PS's offices; buses and streetcars used both the upper level and the lower level (ASV's also used the lower level until 1948)

The main concourse/arcade of the PS Terminal in Newark also featured a number of shops, newsstands, etc.

The lower level closed before the upper level; today, not a trace remains of either the Journal Square terminal or the Newark terminal......

"NYO"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22278
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PSNJ's extensive GREENVILLE (Jersey City) facility once served streetcars, ASV's and buses.

This facility also boasted the only yard on the HUDSON Division; in later years, streetcars of the "JACKSON" and "OAKLAND" lines were stored/serviced here, as well as the cars which served the wartime "FEDERAL" and "WESTERN ELECTRIC" lines.

Note that, unlike the ESSEX Division's rolling stock, after conversion to one-man, all HUDSON Division cars were rebuilt into single-ended cars (as seen here)

This facility lated well into the NJT era, and served buses into the early 1990's.......

https://www.newdavesrailpix.com/psct/htm/psct039.htm

(courtesy: daverailpix)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22278
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 9:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PS paint schemes......

It i interesting that PS once used different paint schemes for transit buses and "highway" coaches.

The "city" buses were orange/yellow, as were (later on) the streetcars (the now-classic PS orange/yellow painted was adopted for the streetcar sometime around 1940)

The inter-city buses were painted a red/maroon and cream.

Around 1946, PS adopted its famous gray scheme (only the newer-model ASV's in the fleet wore the new paint for a few years; the older ASV's retained their original orange until they were retired.

By the 1950's, all PS buses (including the City Subway PCC's) were all wearing the gray paint; the new 4104's had a distinctive blue scheme)

By the 1960's, PS began re-painting all buses (the Newark PCC's, however, retained the old gray paint); the Old Look transits were re-painted two-tone green, and the suburban Old Looks wore a new blue and white scheme.

The Fishbowl transits wore green, while the Old Look suburbans were repainted blue and white (Fishbowl suburbans were blue).........

"NYO"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22278
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 10:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Though this photo (taken at the UNION CITY car house/garage, about 1947) is in black and white, it does give an idea of what PS bus paint was like, prior to the adoption of the classic grey paint of the postwar years.

Note, too, the bus in the background still carrying a prewar-style luggage rack on its roof.

Until 1948, ASV's were also serviced/stored at this facility (known locally as "the carbarns"); growing up in Union City, we lived only about a 15-minute walk from this facility, which I knew very well when I was growing up, as well as in the years that followed.

NJT closed the UNION CITY garage down in the early 1990's, when the new MEADOWLANDS facility opened......

"NYO"

https://www.newdavesrailpix.com/psct/htm/psct150.htm

(courtey: davrailpix)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22278
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 2:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another of the many interesting historical "tidbits" regarding PSNJ streetcar operations is that, clearly, PS had little or no interest in purchasing new rolling stock, by the early 1920's.

Thus, it was clear, early on, that PS management was already looking forward into the future, when the company would be all bus (with the possible exception of the Newark City Subway)

Unlike many other streetcar operators across the country during that era, PS did not order any new cars, such as Peter Witts.

PS did not attempt to rebuild older cars into more modern articulated units (as was done in Baltimore); such cars would have been a boon to the City Subway, particularly during rush hours.

Nor did PS ever see any sort of "demo" streamliner on its rails, even though, of course, it was involved in the President's Conference Committee.

I have seen one drawing (dated 1934) for a PS-designed streamlined streetcar (the "Proposed Noiseless Independent Drive" streetcar), which had the general overall appearance of an early PCC and/or a Brilliner.

The most PS did to "modernize" the streetcar fleet was to upgrade a number of deck roof and Compromise roof cars into "De Luxe" cars, which only meant that the cars received new bucket-type seating and a new maroon paint scheme.

There had been, for a time (1950's) talk of purchasing BRILLINER cars from Atlantic City to replace the old cars in the Newark City Subway, but, for a number of reasons, this plan fell through.

Eventually, PS settled on purchasing 30 PCC's from TCRT, to replace the remaining old equipment.........

"NYO"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
N4 Jamaica




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

PostPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 8:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The route number signs on Essex Division cars puzzle me. They were on the roof above the front entrance and faced both the curb and forward. The other divisions apparently did not use these angled double signs. However, how did the sign get changed? No ladder or hand rails appear near the front door. Perhaps the maintainers in the car shop were extraordinarily tall men.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22278
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 9:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

N4 Jamaica wrote:
The route number signs on Essex Division cars puzzle me. They were on the roof above the front entrance and faced both the curb and forward. The other divisions apparently did not use these angled double signs. However, how did the sign get changed? No ladder or hand rails appear near the front door. Perhaps the maintainers in the car shop were extraordinarily tall men.


Joe:

Only ESSEX Division cars used the angled route number signs you are mentioning; the ESSEX Division was the only PS Division to utilize route numbers for streetcar lines.

This practice began in 1927; PS assigned odd numbers to the streetcar lines, and even numbers to the bus lines.

Many years ago, I was told by one of the old PS "trolley men" still working on the City Subway cars in the early 1970's that the different numbered sign "boxes" were changed by shop men at the car houses, utilizing ladders to reach the car roofs (an incandescent bulb illuminated the numbers from behind)

The only two PSNJ car lines to enter the HUDSON Division (Jersey City) to use route number boxes, were the #1 and the #43; these were the last two inter-divisional car lines between Newark (PS Terminal, lower level) and Jersey City.

The #1 became an ASV line in 1937; the #43 also went over to ASV's, 1938........

"NYO"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22278
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 9:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's a 1930's portrait of Compromise roof-car #2704, running on the "#3" line in Newark (note number box)

This was the "BERGEN" car line; this was a "local" route, which did not extended beyond the Newark city limits.

In November, 1936, this line was converted to ASV operation.......

https://www.newdavesrailpix.com/psct/htm/psct041.htm

(courtesy: davesrailpix)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22278
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 9:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In this circa-1935 photo, we see "De Luxe" deck roof car #2213, signed for the "#27 MT. PROSPECT"*; however, as is indicated by the dash placard, the car was assigned to one of PS's popular "Mystery Trolley Tours".

After a number of years of research, I found that these "mystery" tours were railfan excursions; enthusiasts simply rode the cars, not knowing just what line(s) they would be traveling over.

Often, a stopover at a car house was also included.

These "mystery" tours ended in 1938, when all surface track connections between the HUDSON and ESSEX Divisions were severed.......

https://www.newdavesrailpix.com/psct/htm/psct067.htm

*This line was converted to ASV in late 1937; cars used on this line were stored/serviced at the MILLER ST. car house (Newark)

(courtesy: davesrailpix)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22278
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 10:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Like the "HUDSON" Division, none of the BERGEN Division's streetcar lines were numbered; all were referred to by the names on their sign boards (interestingly, no Compromise roof-cars were ever assigned to the BERGEN Division).

However, the bus routes were numbered, as they were on the HUDSON and ESSEX Divisions:

Sample streetcar route names from the BERGEN Division:

"HUDSON RIVER"*

"COYTESVILLE"

"FORT LEE"

"HACKENSACK"

"ENGLEWOOD"

(as noted earlier, all BERGEN Division car line were converted to buses in 1938)

Some of the names of HUDSON Division streetcar lines:

"UNION CITY"

"SUMMIT"

"PALISADE"

"WEST NEW YORK"

"NORTH BERGEN"

"JACKSON"

"OAKLAND"

"PAVONIA"

"GROVE"

"WEEHAWKEN"

*(inter-divisional line)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22278
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 11:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PSNJ cars in Camden ran on numbered routes; however, the only numbers were displayed on the dash signs.

They did not have roof-mounted, illuminated route number boxes, as did the ESSEX Division cars.

The PS lines in Camden began disappearing rapidly by the late 1920's; the last remaining line vanished in 1937; some Camden lines went to motor buses, while others went to ASV's.

Interestingly, as the Camden lines began to be converted, a number of cars were transferred to the ESSEX Division (these cars were shipped north via flatcars); the cars were refurbished (at the Plank Road shops) for Newark-area lines; some were also re-geared for faster acceleration in City Subway service, prior to the Subway's opening in 1935.......

http://www.newdavesrailpix.com/psct/htm/psct044.htm

(courtesy: davesrailpix)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22278
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Fri Oct 23, 2020 9:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Riding the (PSNJ) rails into the sunset......

In August, 1949, the four remaining HUDSON Division car lines were converted to buses; these lines were then assigned route numbers:

"#17" was assigned to the "SUMMIT" line

"#19" was assigned to the "UNION CITY" line

"#'s 7 and 8 were assigned to the "JACKSON" line

"#37" was assigned to the "OAKLAND" line (rush hours only)

With the conversions to buses, travel time was increased on these lines between outer points and the Hoboken Terminal, as the demolition of the Hoboken elevated forever eliminated the direct, private ROW from Jersey City Heights to the terminal.

Now, the buses had to deal with with traffic and traffic signals to reach the DL&W/H&M station.

So much for "progress".

When the streetcars were replaced by buses (TDH-4509's) a special restriction on the "#8 JACKSON" line took effect; the buses on this line would not pick up or discharge passengers between Hoboken and Central Avenues, Jersey City & Observer Highway, and Henderson St., Hoboken.

"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Thu Jan 07, 2021 4:31 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22278
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 10:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Last month, it marked the 82nd year since the connection between the lower level of the PS Terminal and the City Subway, allowing through cars to operate into Penn Station.

This connection was used by several routes, during the rush hours; why PS even built this connection (at the tail end of the Depression) is still a puzzler, as it was barely in use by revenue cars for roughly a year.

The last PSNJ streetcar route to use this connection was the inter-divisional "#43" (Jersey City-Newark); inbound cars ducked down under the City Subway itself, near Broad St., and then climbed a ramp into the Subway proper.

The "#43"" was also the last car line to operate on the surface in downtown Newark; ASV's replaced the cars, and these ran until 1948, when it was converted to diesel bus.

For decades, these now-idle connectors were used to store work equipment, and other pieces of rolling stock.

A portion of the old outbound tunnel is today used by Newark Light Rail cars heading to Broad St......

"NYO"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22278
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 11:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

.......for several months after the second-hand PCC's arrived on City Subway property in early 1954, PS stored several of the old "Compromise" roof cars in the old inbound PS terminal connector.

These cars were retained in case of emergencies; however, the cars were eventually taken out to Franklin Avenue, where they were loaded onto flatbeds for the short trip to FEDERAL scrapyards.

For many decades afterwards, most of the Subway's work equipment was stored in the former inbound connector; a few other work cars (and, later, several OOS PCC's) were also stored in the former outbound connector to the PS terminal.......

"NYO"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22278
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 4:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Though a number of streetcar lines terminated at the PS Terminal's lover level, only a few ever used the new connector to the City Subway, when it opened in 1938, and, even there, through service was only during the rush hours (then Monday through Saturday; most people then worked half-day on Saturdays)

By 1938, when the last inter-divisional car line (#43) was converted to ASV's, the PS Terminal was then entirely served by buses and ASV's; the last cars to use the Terminal's upper level ran in 1937........

"NYO"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    BusTalk Forum Index -> Surface Transit - Eastern United States All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3 ... 9, 10, 11 ... 15, 16, 17  Next
Page 10 of 17

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You can attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group