BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's a few more views of B&QT streetcars running on private ROW.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?7749

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?140955

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?40014

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["8002"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

While on the topic of private streetcar ROW's in urban areas, mention must be made of Canal St., in New Orleans.

For decades, until the Canal St. line went to buses in 1964, the center of this busy thoroughfare boasted a four-track streetcar "boulevard", with vehicular traffic on either side.

Interestingly, after the Canal St. streetcars were replaced in 1964, the former streetcar ROW became a "reserved" thoroughfare for the buses.

Even more interesting (and ironic!) is that, today, streetcars are now once again using this "boulevard"exclusively, just as they had for decades prior to 1964 (the present-day "CANAL" line is a "new" line, and, indeed, almost a mirror image of what once was; this ROW is no longer four-tracked, however).......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?29798

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?126492

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?109811

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["CANAL"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Many rare and historic photos of New Orleans streetcar operations are in this incredible and extensive "album"; there are also a number of trolleybus and motor bus photos here as well.......

https://friedman.cs.illinois.edu/album/Album.htm

["DESIRE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

At one time in the distant past, downtown Brooklyn once boasted a streetcar "boulevard" of sorts; look closely at this busy 1937 photo (downtown Brooklyn) and you can (bottom center) just barely make out the partially paved-over third track on Court St (this former third track is also briefly mentioned in "BROOKLYN TROLLEYS")

Note, also, the interesting variety of streetcars in this nostalgic view of a bustling, downtown Brooklyn of the late 1930's......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?117339

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["67 SEVENTH-PARK ROW"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cable cars are generally not associated with Brooklyn, but, at one time, the borough had two cable lines.

From "BROOKLYN TROLLEYS":

"......the cable method of power had been considered, and two lines in Brooklyn had been constructed.; the cables were soon abandoned on the Park Avenue line, deemed costly and impractical......"

"......the other cable line, Montaque Street, because of its short length and long hill, lasted for 19 years before it was electrified......"

In this early 1900's photo, note the single track branching off into a two-track layout; note, also, the cable conduits, and lack of line poles for overhead wires.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?118138

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["WALL ST. FERRY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

While on the topic of cable streetcars in Brooklyn.......

It is important to remember that, long before the Brooklyn elevated network was electrified (and expanded to connect to Brooklyn Bridge trackage), that cable-hauled trains crossed over the East River, between Manhattan and Brooklyn.

In 1883, the year the Bridge opened, the "bridge trains" (the first mode of public transit to cross the Bridge) began operating between Park Row and Sands St.

These "trains" originally were single cars, hauled by a cable mechanism, whose power plant was located on the Brooklyn side of the span.

Traffic on the "Bridge Railway" steadily increased, and more cars were added for greater capacity; trains were now several cars in length, during rush hours.

These cars resembled the elevated cars that would later be electrified themselves, and also replace the cable-hauled bridge trains.

Sands St. (like Park Row) was originally the Brooklyn terminal for the cable trains; as the Brooklyn elevated lines expanded over the years (and electrified) Sands St. would be greatly exapanded (like Park Row) and become a multi-level "through" station.

Originally, at both terminals, small Forney steam engines (of the type that hauled New York's el trains until electrification) switched the coaches; the trains ran 24 hours a day.

Interestingly, in the early years of El electrification, the cable system was also in use during the rush hours, before finally being abandoned altogether.

The center sliding doors seen on some of the oldest BRT (BMT) El cars were originally used at Park Row, as entrance and exit doors.

In later years, these doors were no longer used, and seats were installed across the former door panels.

This following 1900's-era photo (and quite rare) shows the interior of the cavernous Park Row terminal, in the early days of electrification; this view dates to before the station was greatly be expanded and reconfigured.

Notice the early, exposed third rails in this fascinating old view*......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116198

*(Before extension and expansion of the BRT's Brooklyn els further into Brooklyn, the trains would ramp down to street trackage (which they often shared with streetcars) and, also, then operate off of the same overhead wires used by the streetcars)

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["BRIDGE RAILWAY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Just did a little research, and came across this detailed and fascinating historical page, contemporary with the Bridge Railway.......

www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/bbcable.Html

["TO BROOKLYN"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Bus routes terminating at Park Row........

Awhile ago, I had commented on how odd it seemed that when streetcars stopped crossing the Brooklyn Bridge in 1950, there were no bus replacements, leaving the Bridge without any form of public transportation (the BMT elevated trains, as we know, stopped crossing the Bridge in 1944)

In my mind, I can still easily visualize (Brooklyn) buses using the former streetcar loops at Park Row; I know that the streetcar routes that had previously crossed the Bridge were cut back to the Brooklyn side.

Given this, I am curious as to what "Tee-Yay"-era routes terminated at Park Row, and what routes terminate there today......

"NYO"

["New York City Transit Authority"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Park Row memories........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153621

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155696

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154652 *

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154821

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116940

*(Something was certainly going on in this 1971 view; note the two NYPD cars parked behind Tee-Yay "Sherman"#7143 and the police barricades in the background......a "Dangerfield" can also be glimpsed)
(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["101 TO 96 ST"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

More bus nostalgia, a la Park Row......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153259

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153215

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153050

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153087

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["1 MADISON-CHAMBERS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Park Row streetcar loops, circa-1948, several years after the demolition of the BMT El terminal......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?7748

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?140690

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?140795

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["67 PARK ROW"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

These early 1980's recall the days when "Dangerfields" still called at Park Row......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155498

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155499

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["M102"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

Now we go to a sad sight: Brooklyn trolleybuses at sunset, in what amounted to the sunset of their careers, in 1960, just as they were about to be replaced by the "new kids on the block" - the Fishbowls . . .

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

It never ceases to amaze me, that, as the "Bee-oh-Tee" was at work phasing out the remaining Brooklyn streetcar lines, that they even bothered to purchase new postwar trolleybuses in the first place (built by St. Louis)

IMHO, the "Bee-oh-Tee" should have, instead, placed an order for new diesel buses.

At one time in the distant past, there was quite a decent market for used trolleybuses; I always thought it a bit odd that no buyer could have been found for these modern electric coaches, barely more than a decade old.........

"NYO"

["47-TOMPKINS"]