BusTalk

[Transbustuser104]

Is Museum NYCTA 1962 GMC 5301 model bus #2151 the same as
Vintage TA 1963 GM 5303 model bus #3758? Are there any big differances between these 2 classics?

[Q65A]

NYCT's booklet titled The Vintage Bus Fleet said that 2151 was one of 175 TDH-5301's delivered in August 1962. It had "red forward-facing seats toward the back of the bus (the front longitudinal seats were painted green), pale green interior lighting and a plastic ceiling pattern." It was part of contract # MB-13, and was assigned to the Queens Division (which at that time consisted of 2 depots: Flushing and Jamaica). It had typical exterior spotting features characteristic of First Generation Fishbowls: squared markers with bright finish trim pieces, sculptured taillamp housings, and screened engine air intakes.
The same booklet says that NYCT #3758 was part of a 605 bus order delivered in 1963 both to NYCTA (who received 350 units, #'s 3601-3950) and MabSTOA (who received 255 units, #'s 3301-3555; these apparently were the first new buses purchased by MabSTOA, which itself was formed in 1962). According to some literature references in my collection, this bus was part of contract MB-14, delivered in July 1963 and was first assigned to Crosstown Depot in the Brooklyn Division. NYCTA sisters #'s 3601-3745 went to 126 St. Depot; #'s 3746-3825 went to Crosstown Depot; #'2 3826-3906 went to Ulmer Park Depot; #'s 3907-3950 went to Jamaica Depot. On the MabSTOA side, #'s 3301-3555 were assigned to West Farms and Kingsbridge Depots in the Bronx. According to the NYCT booklet, "The seating arrangement was the same as the 5301's, except that the longitudinal seats in MabSTOA buses were painted green, while the NYCTA buses were painted gray. (#3758) features gray seats in front, red seats in the rear and has a Formica ceiling." These buses replaced 1948 GMC Old Looks (probably TDH-4510's). Typical 5303 spotting features are apparent: non-sculputed taillamps, bullet-type marker lamps without bright trim pieces, and louvered engine air intakes.
Both models were 40' long, 102" wide, and were equipped with Detroit Diesel 6V-71N engines and Model VH hydraulic transmissions, with air suspension, manual steering, and 2-leaf push-type exit doors. Neither bus had A/C. Both were delivered in the then-current dark green livery with light green script-style rooftop lettering; they were repainted later in a 2-tone blue livery and subsequently equipped with radios. The 5301's and 5303's lasted in service until 1982.

[Transbustuser104]

I originally thougth that Staten Island also received some of the
1963 GM 5303's brand new in the 3895- 3910 series.

[Q65A]

You are correct: #'s 3931-3950 were later reassigned to Edgewater Depot, and were the first Fishbowls on Staten Island.
The TDH-5303 was the most popular GM New Look nationwide, with 6205 units sold. NYCTA and MaBSTOA were no exeptions to this trend, buying 2112 buses in 6 orders from 1963 to 1967. MaBSTOA in particular was a big 5303 user, with 1503 units.

[Transbustuser104]

Actually did'nt the Castleton Bus Depot on Staten Island get the
1963 GMC 5303 model Fishbowl's when they were a few years old as
hand me down buses from Brooklyn in the late 1960's?
Keep in mind that Edgewater did not open until 1977.

[Q65A]

You may well be correct about the Fishbowls at CAS.
Given the way NYCTA routinely moves its bus fleets around, I would not be surprised if the 5301's were at CAS earlier than the 5303's.
The resource I am citing (The 2005 NYCTA Bus Fleet Fact Book) is not an official NYCTA publication, and I'm not positive about how encyclopedic it is.

[Transbustuser104]

There were hardly any TDH 5301 GMC's over at Castleton. The vast majority were second hand 1963 GM 5303 Fishbowl's.

[Dieseljim]

Did any of these buses get delivered with the four piece rear windows from the factory or were they retrofitted after some time in service after experiencing cracking problems with that big piece of glass between the window posts?