BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Aaahhh, me.........

It has been several years since Your's Truly has purchased any "original" transit collectible from eBay.

The prices dealers now ask for most items are light-years beyond astronomical; items that, a few decades back, might have cost less than $20, now command prices in the HUNDREDS (if not THOUSANDS)

Even sections of roller curtains (which I used to purchase at the NYCTM for under a dollar 40 years ago, now command prices at near $100 or more.

Signboxes (buses and subway) with curtains still intact, now command THOUSANDS.

As I am a lifelong bachelor, I always enjoyed the fact that I could spend a little more of transit items than a fellow, say, with a family.

Today, however, the hobby has largely become far too expensive for me; the prices now asked far exceed what an "average" collector can afford.

Even transit-related books (mostly printed, of course, in China, Korea, and Mexico) are now well over $50.

Nowadays, I pretty much (transit-wise) collect only the cheapest books, as well as reasonably-priced toys, models, etc)

When I look at the impressive collection I have built in the span of four decades, I realize that it would be impossible to duplicate my collection for what I originally payed, forty-odd years ago.

Too, most of what I have had for years would be nearly impossible to find today.

A novice collector of modest means, just starting out in the hobby today, is going to find out that the selection of items available are going to be far out of his reach, for the most part.

VERY fortunate I was ALWAYS a collector, and started waaaayyyy back in the late 1970s.......

'NYO"

["AA HUDSON TERMINAL"

["WATCH YOUR STEP"]

["BUS STOP"]

["SHUTTLE"]

["NEW YORK VIA TUNNEL"]

[Cyberider]

NYO:

I haven't priced anything lately but I'm sure you're right. As long as there are dealers or "flippers" involved the prices must go higher.

Fortunately for me, I've stopped collecting things. I've got enough stuff from the good old days to satisfy me and what I don't have I can see or watch online.

When we kick the bucket, whoever cleans up after us will probably throw away all that "nasty old stuff" anyway.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cyberider:

Not long ago, I saw for sale on eBay a steel frame from a front sign box of a prewar IND car; it was devoid of its roller curtains, and was, to be frank, nothing more than a piece of rusted junk.....and YET, the dealer wanted well over $100 for it.......it was a piece of JUNK, pure and simple!

I've also seen old enamel subway station signs going for well over three and four thousand dollars......and look at the vast multitude that were simply tossed in a dumpster, when replaced by modern signs.

If you find bus roller curtains online for sale (no sign box) they will easily set you back a few hundred......VERY little out there these days for the collector of "fixed" financial means.....again, I MORE than treasure what I DO have!

"NYO"

["22 JERSEY CITY"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

And this is why much of what I've accumulated in terms of my knowledge has been "online" through pics and such.

[Cyberider]

Much appreciated, W.B.!

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

.....one of the reasons roller curtains (bus/subway) have become so increasingly rare and overpriced these days is because, back in the day, many buses/subway cars were scrapped with their roller curtains still intact.

Then, too, there was the countless roller curtains which were simply tossed in the trash, after being removed from condemned equipment.

So much valuable transit history simply reduced to trash............

"NYO"

["SHUTTLE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Just a word to the wise, fellows.......

If you collect toy buses, DO NOT pass up vintage toy buses made of PLASTIC!!

These are often far cheaper than tinplate/cast-iron/slish-cast toy buses, and came in many varieties and styles

Battery operated and friction versions also once abounded!

One VERY rare plastic (vintage) bus I have is a good representation of a FORD transit, and is lettered "HOLLYWOOD BUS LINES".

A few of the "indies" I grew up with still rostered a few old FORDS (they were NOISY as HECK; the way a GOOD vintage bus should be!)

The destination sign reads: "VINE".

It looks to be about 1:48 scale in size.

Interestingly, there is no manufacturer's mark anywhere on this rare plastic bus.

I paid 25 cents for this neat little bus at a local flea market, about 40 years ago!

"NYO"

["FORD"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Toy 4104s.............

Many tin (and plastic) toy buses were made back in the 1950s and 1960s, clearly inspired by the iconic 4104.

The largest two I have (in tin) are battery-operated (by CRAGSTAN) one done up as a GREYHOUND, the other as a sachool bus.

A large hollow plastic version of this big bus (nearly 2' long!) with rolling wheels, utilized the shell of the tin 4104 just mentioned.

A smaller version (12" long) was also available; there were two variations.....one red/silver, the other blue/silver.

A couple of these I had purchased off of eBay quite awhile back, the others are cherished memories of my long-ago childhood days!

"NYO"

["EXPRESS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Interesting..............

I have a number of late 1950s/early 1960s tin lithographed (Japan) military buses (ARMY/NAVY/AIR FORCE)

What is interesting is that a number of them (in different sizes) are clearly based on the passenger/cargo "BRUCK"..........oldest I have dates to 1959, with those distinctive "AEROCOACH"-type windshields!

"NYO"

["U.S.ARMY"]

[Cyberider]

Sounds like you have quite a collection, NYO. The closest I got to that was considering an HO scale bus or two but never quite did it.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Truly dated.................

Several of the early-1960s vintage tin Fishbowls I have in my collection are emblazoned with the then eye-catching legend "AIR CONDITIONED".

Back in those days, virtually the only Fishbowls with a/c were the suburban models; Washington, DC, was the exception, then (early 1960s) boasting the largest fleet of air-conditioned transit buses in the world!

Back in my much younger days, there were many tin toy buses that were loosely based on the ACF-BRILL IC-41.........I have quite a few of these in my collection as well; the rarest one ("LIMITED EXPRESS") is battery operated, as all the others I have (and have seen though the years) are friction powered.

All of these toy buses (made through the 1960s) shared the same basic body shell, but the variations among them were virtually endless!

"NYO"

["SIGHT SEEING"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Vintage toy "SCENICRUISERS"..........

Nothing short of mind-boggling when you consider the near-endless variations of toy "SCENICRUISERS" in the 1950s and 1960s; some of these toys were so authentic as to be almost scale models; others were "semi-realistic", while others, indeed, were downright fanciful!

Most were made of tin (and made in many sizes) and were both battery operated and friction (a few were radio controlled!)

Still others were made of plastic; there were also die-cast versions (and, I kid you not!) INFLATABLE friction toys!!

Those tin versions sold in GREYHOUND's "Post Houses" often featured rooftop lithography depicting local landmarks; I have several of these in my collection!

All told, I have about 80 vintage toy "SCENICRUISERS" in my collection, and I love 'em all!

"NYO"

["SCENICRUISER"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Postwar TWIN COACH toys....................

AFAIK, only RENWAL and TOOYSIETOY made toy buses based on the postwar TWIN COACH.

Those made by RENWAL (hard plastic) were about "S" scale in size, those made by TOOTSIETOY (metal) were roughly "HO"-scale in size.

These came in several colors; I have some of these rare toy buses proudly displayed in my collection today........

'NYO"

["57 LARAMIE-NORTH"]