BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

(SEE PREVIOUS POSTS)

Interesting historical PS trivia............

In the late 1920s, PS began assigning route numbers to both the streetcar and bus lines of the ESSEX Division; odd numbers were used for streetcar routes, while even numbers were used for bus routes.

Interestingly, on the adjoining HUDSON Division, the bus routes were also assigned even numbers, while the streetcar lines never received route numbers.

To the very end of streetcar operation (1949) on the HUDSON Division, the remaining streetcar lines were still using their original line designations:

"SUMMIT" *

"UNION CITY" *

"JACKSON" **

"OAKLAND" **


*assigned to the Union City carhouse

** assigned to the Greenville carhouse

"NYO"

[Cyberider]

NYO,

Thanks for the interesting PSNJ information and memories. Sounds like a wonderful place to have been, at least for bus and streetcar memories.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

32nd St. & Bergenline avenue, Union City, 1981 (my old stomping grounds; how well I knew this area, since childhood!)

You are looking north on Bergenline Avenue, from 32nd Street, in this photo.

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?155378

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

By this late date, NJT was in charge of operating the former PS/TNJ routes; this veteran Fishbowl is still wearing the old PS green of the 1960s, and still sports its early 1970s "TNJ" emblem.

Out of this photo on the right was where both the long-defunct #s 16 and #17 terminated/started their runs (a TRAILWAYS ticket office/travel agency was adjacent!)

The "19-26", like all other lines then serving Union City, were based out of the old, historic (recently demolished) "carbarns", a few blocks south of where this nostalgic photo was snapped.

So much I remember..........so much I never thought would disappear............

"NYO"

['TNJ"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In this 1975 photo (I graduated from high school that June!) we see an ex-PSNJ (now TNJ) Fishbowl working the "13 BROAD" line in Newark; this was a very heavily-traveled line during rush hours.

The "13" was operated with streetcars until late 1937, and by ASVs until 1948, when diesel buses took over..............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?153299

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["13 BROAD"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Exchange Place, Jersey City (PSNJ terminal), circa-1955..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?157233

I well remember this old off-street terminal (demolished during the mid-1960s)

It was across the street from the PRR ferry terminal; the ferries to Manhattan shut down in 1949, while the commuter trains continued to serve the terminal until late 1961.

The Exchange Place area has been totally rebuilt; nothing I remember remains today.

On the extreme left, note the body of a former PSNJ trailer cas, sans trucks, being used as a waiting shelter; I remember this well!

PSNJ used trailers on the ESSEX Division until 1935; one survives today at the Shore Line Trolley Museum.

Note the bus signed for the "16"; you can see that "32nd Street" (Union City) is listed as the northernmost terminal; Mom and I often rode this line, as well as the #17.

Both long-defunct lines ran right up the block from our old apartment building in Union City, back in the 1960s!

A lot of fond memories, for sure.......

"NYO"

["E173"]

[Cyberider]

[quote="NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629"]Exchange Place, Jersey City (PSNJ terminal), circa-1955..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?157233

I well remember this old off-street terminal (demolished during the mid-1960s)

It was across the street from the PRR ferry terminal; the ferries to Manhattan shut down in 1949, while the commuter trains continued to serve the terminal until late 1961.

The Exchange Place area has been totally rebuilt; nothing I remember remains today.

On the extreme left, note the body of a former PSNJ trailer cas, sans trucks, being used as a waiting shelter; I remember this well!

PSNJ used trailers on the ESSEX Division until 1935; one survives today at the Shore Line Trolley Museum.

Note the bus signed for the "16"; you can see that "32nd Street" (Union City) is listed as the northernmost terminal; Mom and I often rode this line, as well as the #17.

Both long-defunct lines ran right up the block from our old apartment building in Union City, back in the 1960s!

A lot of fond memories, for sure.......

"NYO"

["E173"][/quote

Awesome photo, NYO. The Old Looks sure looked good in PSNJ livery.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cyberider:

In the early 1960s, PS begain to repaint its Old Look fleet.

Interestingly, the transit models were repainted two-tone green, while the suburbans were repainted blue and white.

If my memory serves me correctly, it was no later than 1966 that one could still spot a PS Old Look still wearing the original gray paint, every so often.

I always dound it interesting that, while the Old Look transits were repainted into the new two-tone green scheme (quite nice looking, I might add) the City Subway PCCs retained the original PS gray until they were repainted into a lackluster "Bicentennial" scheme" in the mid-1970s..............

"NYO"

["17 SUMMIT"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

PSNJ bus numbering............

Through the 1960s, PS used a unique numbering system for its buses; a letter prefix came before the number.

A particular letter (from "A" through "Z") designated the year in which a particular buses(s) were pirchased.

By the end of the 1960s, however, PS ran out of prefixes for its new buses; now, a letter suffix was placed after the bus number..........

"NYO"

["165 NEW YORK"]

[Cyberider]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cyberider:

You are most welcome!

I first got the "inside scoop" on this unique numbering system back the 1980s, from a pal of mine (who started with PS back in the 60s) who was still driving for NJT (I rode with him every weekday morning, on the old #21, to the Hoboken terminal, aboard a "Z-300" series Fishbowl!)

It was he who gave me the "low down" on PS's unique numbering system (also gave me his old PS jacket and cap, which fitted as though it had been tailored for me!)

You KNOW how much I value these rare PS relics!

"NYO"

["23 CENTRAL"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The City Subway's "Rapid Transit 8000s".............

These upgraded "Compromise roof" cars, as noted earlier, were initially relegated to service on the #7, which was all private ROW, enabling the cars to attain maxim speeds.

However, by the 1940s, the 8000s could also be found running on the subway-surface lines, the last of which being the "29 BLOOMFIELD", which was converted to buses in March of 1952.

PS men often referred to the 8000s as "speed demons".

The very last of these venerable cars were retired in early 1954, after the last of the ex-TCRT PCCs had arrived.............

"NYO"

["8019"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Car #2657 was one of the "Compromise roof" cars upgraded for City Subway service in the early 1930s, renumbered into the 8000 series.

This rare 1915 photo shows #2657 just prior to entering service; the photo was snapped at PSNJ's massive Passaic Wharf shop/storage complex near Newark.

In 1927, the "ORANGE" line was assigned the number "21"; both the "21 ORANGE" and "21 ORANGE VIA W. MARKET" were converted to buses in late 1951.................

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?117007

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["21 ORANGE"]

[Cyberider]

Nice looking car! As nice in it's day as the PCC's were in their day.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]