BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

(SEE PREVIOUS POST)

Also.........

When "THE TIDES" and "THE NARROWS" were chartered by the CNJ In 1965 (for service to/from Liberty Street) they were NOT popular with commuters, as, being primarily vehicle carriers, they lacked passenger cabins on the main deck.

The upper deck cabins were miniscule, compared to those old CNJ steam-powered boats.

Continued agitation from commuter's groups had the CNJ take the boats to their Jersey City marine yard (directly behind Lady Liberty) where "no frills" passenger cabins were hastily installed (there were now two vehicular lanes instead of four).

"THE TIDES" was the last ex-Brooklyn boat to depart NY Harbor (sometime during the 1990s), and is now out of documentation......

"NYO"

["STATEN ISLAND FERRY-SHORT ROUTE TO NEW JEWRSEY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Further:

As there was no way to adapt the two ex-Brooklyn boats for upper deck loading/unloading at Jersey City and Liberty Street, this was yet another fly in the ointment (for both commuters and bridgemen), and loading/unloading times at both terminals were indeed greater than with the older CNJ steamers.

Also, even with the addition of passenger cabins on the main deck, their passenger capacity was far less than the old CNJ boats.

CNJ ferry crews, also, were not at all pleased at the prospect of learning to operate diesel craft.......

"NYO"

["TO UPPER DECK OF FERRY BOATS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Interesting thought..........

With fuel prices now soaring through the roof, due to the ongoing war in Iraq, I cannot help but wonder how this will all eventually affect the operations of the SI Ferry?

Reduced service (especially during off-peaks) fewer boats in service, would seem to be something that might, at some point, be implemented,for the duration....

"NYO"

["NEXT BOAT"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

On this day in 1822........

Ferry service aceoss the North (Hudson) River begins between Hoboken and Barclay Street, Manhattan; only one boat was in service at the beginning of service.

This was the "HOBOKEN" (1822); ferry service to Barclay Street ended in late 1967, when the Erie-Lackawanna abandoned service.

By the time service shut down, the line was served by only two boats ("ELMIRA" and "LACKAWANNA"); the four other boats had been taken out of service not long before, and had already been sold, sitting idle at the Hoboken Terminal, their boilers cold and their powerful engines stilled.............

"NYO"

["BARCLAY ST. BOAT"]