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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2459 Location: South Florida
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2021 8:02 am Post subject: |
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NYO--
Thanks for sharing your memories of old Philly.
Back in 1967 and 1968, I had a girl friend in Philly, and I used to take either EGL or CTS, or sometimes the PRR down there almost every Friday night. I always would get on line early, in order to secure the front aisle seat behind the driver. I was really not supposed to, but if the driver was receptive, I would ask lots of questions about buses and being a driver. I did have enough sense not to speak while negotiating our way thru traffic situations, but once we were on the open Turnpike, I spoke. Some driver's did not encourage further conversation, while other's enjoyed sharing their knowledge. When we arrived in Philly, I would always offer to buy the driver a coffee, or a doughnut at the snack bar, before I departed the terminal.
I enjoyed many of the same variety of equipment you mentioned. Philly was a favorite weekend destination for me, even before I met my girlfriend there. It was fairly close, had unbelievable number of schedules from NYC, around the clock, and the roundtrip bus ticket was only $6.75 at the time. It also had an amazing variety of transportation equipment, as you know. And three bus terminal's, Suburban Station, 30th Street Station, the Reading Terminal, etc. to visit.
I learned so much, speaking with the driver's. One driver who I rode many times with, encouraged me to apply for a terminal position with the company (Safeway Trails), as I was not yet old enough to be a driver. I did in March of 1968, and scored a job as a telephone information agent at The Port. And the rest is history, as they say.... |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
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Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22662 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2021 10:59 am Post subject: |
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traildriver:
Now THAT is the kind of stuff "memories are made of"......thanks for sharing here!
When I visited Philly (two weekends in July and August, 1982) I went down there with two pals from work; the first time we drove down in my friend's Mustang, the second time my friend (this was another fellow I worked with) took AMTRAK down and back.
Neither, sadly, were transit enthusiasts, but, you may be sure that Your's Truly got to do some SERIOUS "transit fanning!"
The friend with the Mustang was then an organist for his church in Staten Island, and I got the organist as Wannamakers to let us go up in the organ loft, where my friend was even allowed to play for a minute or two......I know, wherever he is today, he still remembers that experience!
I got to have a couple of good talks with Norristown line-motorman, one aboard a "Bullet", the other aboard a Strafford; both guys had been on the job for quite some time, and were happy to share some of what they knew with me.
The staccato clickety-clack of the wheels, the thumping compressors, the whining traction motors, the growling gears, the thick cushioned seats, all made it easy for me to imagine the era of interurbans!
The two weekends I went down, the Red Arrow lines were not running (bummer!) but I did get some good photos of the old cars laying over at 69th St. terminal.
On the one return trip, my friend stopped for gas while still in Philly; I remember there being tracks in the street and overhead wires, but did not see any streetcars.
However, across the street from the service station (where I was taking pictures of the tracks) I saw an old (relay? fuse?) box, long-disused, and missing its small door, attached to a rusty line pole; when I went to take a photo, I stubbed my foot on something, and, wonder of wonders, it was the small iron door that had been affixed to the line pole box, now resting in the weeds!
On the front, in raised letters, it read:
PHILA. RAPID TRANSIT CO."
I wasted no time in grabbing up this rare piece of discarded Philly streetcar history, and taking it back home, to add to my ever-growing collection!
Who knows how long this ancient artifact had been just lying there in the weeds?
You KNOW I value it highly!
The new KAWASAKI LRV's were just them coming on line, but, I was far from impressed (I MUCH preferred a PCC!); on the spot, I named these new cars "electric shoeboxes"
Believe me, Your's Truly still relish the memories of what he saw and experienced, during those two visits, now nearly 40 years ago!
"NYO" |
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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2459 Location: South Florida
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Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 11:30 am Post subject: |
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I always enjoyed long-distance motor trips, as well as public transportation. One night in 1965, I was at a party at a friend's house, and at about 2 AM, five of us decided we were hungry, and wanted to go out for some food. We also wanted to do something 'different', and I convinced them we should go get some White Tower (not Castle) hamburger's. They said okay, and we piled into my friend's new "65 Cutlass convertible, and since I was the only one that hadn't been drinking, I was the 'chauffeur". I said I would select the location, and guess where I went...
That's right...The White Tower at Broad and Race Streets in Philly!
I had put them all to sleep by the time we passed thru Manhattan, and I took US 1 all the way to save on tolls. Took about 3 hours. Weren't they surprised when they woke up in the pre-dawn streets in the shadow of City Hall.
On the way back, we took the Turnpike to save time, and the fairly new Verrazzano Bridge. |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
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Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22662 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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traildriver:
In my general area, WHITE CASTLE was the norm (and most of my family could easily put away a PILE of those delicious little guys at a sitting!
Since living in this general area of southeastern Bergen County since 1976, the closest "Castle" was the one at Nungesers, jjust a few minutes south by car, and about 10 minutes south via bus.
Not onloy did I love their tried-and-true "cuisine", but the location was EXCELLENT for watching buses, especially back in the pre/early-NJT days, when you'd see Fishbowls (transit and suburban models) for several different companies, in a near-steady paraade, heading to and from New York.
Right next door WAS the old NHBL off-street station, where Old Looks could still be seen as late as 1986!)
On the corner, was an old PS line pole, which, until 1937, supported streetcar wires, and, until 1948, ASV overhead.
Today, the old Circa-1950) WHITE CASTLE has gone, replaced with a new (but identical) one, just a few steps away (go figure!)
Car hop service was still available into the mid-60's!
The old PSNJ line pole was ripped out about 25 years ago, and the Old Looks and the Fishbowl have long since vanished.
In the warmer months, I loved to get a few WC cheeseburgers (and fries!), and an ice-cold Coke, and then, cross Bergenline Avenue and sit on the bus stop bench by the park, and just relax and watch the buses go by....ahhh, the memories!
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
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Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22662 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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traildriver:
In both of these 1981 photos, the WHITE CASTLE (Nungessers) is just out of the picture (on extreme left);you can just glimpse the old PARK VIEW diner, also on the left.
Also on the left, you can see the old PSNJ line pole.
In the first photo, note the ex-PSNJ Fishbowl heading into the PABT on the #166; just behind is an M&G #22, heading to Hoboken (at that time, the #22 terminated at 14th St)
This line (VERY familiar to both Mom and I for many years) was also operated by FranMar, before ACADEMY took it over; is is now an NJJT line, and, back around 2005, was cut back to Nungessers, no longer serving my town.
In the second photo, you'll see an "X" series PSNJ Fishbowl on the #21 (heading to the Lackawanna/PATH terminal in Hoboken); I rode this line as part of my commute for many years, beginning in 1979
This is an NJT line today, and only running during peak periods; much truncated.
Seeing an "X" series Fishbowl on the #21 was unusual; the backbone of the fleet on this line for years were the Z300 series, then based out of the now-closed UNION CITY garage (which also saw streetcars and ASV's until the late 1940's)
You are looking north (towards Fort Lee) in both photos......
https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155372
https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155379
(courtesy: nycsubway.org) |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
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Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22662 Location: NEW JOISEY
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
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Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22662 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2021 12:16 am Post subject: |
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Here's another handsome and historic relic from the long-gone glory days of the 'Hound; there's a few nice photos of this streamlined historic depot* here, as well as one showing a handsomely restored SILVERSIDES.........
https://busdigest.blogspot.com/2013/04/historic-greyhound-bus-depot-visitor.html
The nostalgic top photo, recalling the "olden days", features a SCENICRUISER, a 4104, and a SILVERSIDES....now, THESE were REAL buses!! ![Very Happy](images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif) |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
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Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22662 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2021 12:29 am Post subject: |
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....I know Your's Truly certainly wouldn't mind "finding" one of these magnificent buses in some deserted location....aa HUGE difference, you may be sure, from the many vintage toys and models in my collection......
https://barnfinds.com/vintage-greyhound-1955-gmc-scenicruiser/ |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
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Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22662 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2021 12:41 am Post subject: |
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WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Talk about "CUSTOMIZING"!!!!!
(I actually saw this highly-unorthodox bus, many many, years ago, parked on a Manhattan street one night, when in town with a carload of relatives!)
www.scenicruisers.com |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
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Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22662 Location: NEW JOISEY
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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2459 Location: South Florida
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote: | WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Talk about "CUSTOMIZING"!!!!!
(I actually saw this highly-unorthodox bus, many many, years ago, parked on a Manhattan street one night, when in town with a carload of relatives!)
www.scenicruisers.com |
That and a few similar contraptions were built by some religious cult.
One of them was a perrenial visitor to NYC, parked by the Post Office, across the street from Madison Square Garden, every time the “Grateful Dead” group appeared there… |
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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2459 Location: South Florida
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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One of my favorite terminals, brilliantly designed, highly functional and beautiful. Spent a lot of time passing thru it years ago… |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
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Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22662 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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traildriver wrote: | NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote: | WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Talk about "CUSTOMIZING"!!!!!
(I actually saw this highly-unorthodox bus, many many, years ago, parked on a Manhattan street one night, when in town with a carload of relatives!)
www.scenicruisers.com |
That and a few similar contraptions were built by some religious cult.
One of them was a perrenial visitor to NYC, parked by the Post Office, across the street from Madison Square Garden, every time the “Grateful Dead” group appeared there… |
traildriver:
THANK YOU for jogging my memory; THAT is where I saw that oddball, bizarre "customized cult" bus parked, many years ago, near the Post Office!
Though it DID resemble a VERY "fanciful" vintage Japanese tin litho toy, I now have to wonder if the "designer" was coming off a particularly nasty LSD/meth high, when he envisioned this highly-unorthodox vehicle!
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
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Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22662 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2021 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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traildriver wrote: |
One of my favorite terminals, brilliantly designed, highly functional and beautiful. Spent a lot of time passing thru it years ago… |
traildriver:
Years ago, "Department 56" issued a illuminated ceramic bus station (about 1:48 scale) that I use with my GREYHOUND diorama, featuring my CORGI "Hounds; the signs read "BUS DEPOT" and "BLUE LINE" (this was actually issued with a ceramic, rubber-tired "generic" late 30's/early 40's highway bus)
Clearly, this beautiful little piece was inspired by a "streamlined-era" GREYHOUND station!
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
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Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22662 Location: NEW JOISEY
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