BusTalk

[MaBSTOA 15]

Surface Transit fleet number 7. GM model TDH-5301 with air conditioning.

Fleet numbers 1 to 5 were assigned to FACCo and numbers 6 to 10 went to Surface.

Route 2 is the Concourse Hub route in the Bronx.

Its summer and yet the windows are open!

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Ahhhhh, how REFRESHING it is to see vintage photos of REAL buses!!!!

How we all took the iconic Fishbowl for franted, when they were still as commonplace as today's bland, biarre-looking "BINOs"

Truly sad that none of these historic buses was saved for preservation.

Again, GREAT PHOTOS.....thanks again for sharing!

"NYO"

BTW: winder who the fellow in the photos is.....a driver, mostly out of uniform?; I say that because, back then, even in the warmer weather, few drivers would have notlsported ther caps, at least, when posing for the camera!

STILL hoping that, one day, SOMEONE will FINALLY come out with a photo history book on "Soiface".....I think such a book would be QUITE welcomed by more than a few "Noo Yawl" bus historians!

["SURFACE TRANSPORTATION"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

Actually, 6 to 10, in late 1960-early 1961, were REASSIGNED to Surface Transit around the time 3161-3210 arrived. Those A/C buses were originally named under Fifth Avenue Coach Lines, scattered amongst NYCO Division depots; 8 was confirmed to run on the 10 Eighth Avenue line (and thus assigned to 146th Street), while 10 was on the 1 or 2 Fourth and Madison Avenues route (betraying a 100th Street assignment).

But yeah, REAL buses.

Another key this was a reassignment is that at least one of the front roll signs - the red-colored route designator - appears to have been made of cloth rather than mylar. Probably the black end destination sign too. (The side '2' appears to be original mylar, back from when it was at one of the NYCO Division depots - 54th Street, perhaps).

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

A WORLD of difference, indeed, between a REAL bus and a "BINO".....like comparing a pre-schooler's crayon scribblings with a Rembrandt.......(!!)

"NYO"

["GMC"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

I had, in the past, put up photos of those last few A/C buses when they were originally marked FACL. One at Central Park West and North, the other traveling down Madison Avenue. But yeah.