BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Looking down from Hudson Boulevard at the H&M yard at JSQ, 1950's.

Until the arrival of the new "PA" cars in 1965, this scene would have still been virtually unchanged during the first half of the 1960's....yes, I remember this scene so well, from my much younger days.......

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?31308

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Getting back to buses.......

Here are several early 1970's views of the open-air bus loading area at JSQ, prior to the opening of the PATH Transportation Center in 1974.

The buses of many "indy" companies once loaded here, including some long-distance lines.

PSNJ also had its own off-street terminal, just around the corner, on Sip Avenue (that terminal has also been since demolished)

Here we see some battered Old Looks and some Fishbowls; through the 1960's, MACKS and WHITES would have been on hand, including a few old REOs and prewar TWINS.

The business block seen to the left of the buses in the first three photos has totally vanished; the area, once home to many popular shops and restaurants, now awaits development......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?652

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?663

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?659

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1510

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

I had only been working "downtown" several months when this timeless photo was snapped at Journal Square in 1979; here, a train of "K" cars, inbound from 33rd St., is about to pull into the JSQ station.

Note the "fallen flags" box cars on the ConRail freight, off to left.......

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?21751

(courtesy:nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

TNJ #Z-526 (still adorned with its original PSNJ emblems) is seen on the Summit Avenue bridge, just east of the PATH station, holding down a #124 run, back in 1973.

The tracks carrying PATH "tube" trains and Penn Central freights are just below........

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1508

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

A TNJ (ex-PS) batwing Fishbowl R-321 (running on the #44) awaits the turn into the loading shed at the PS terminal at Journal Square (note the batwing ad for WPIX 11 NEWS; also, note the GREYHOUND depot in the background, on Sip Avenue)

The PS office building on the left (as well as the old bus unloading platform and glass canopy) still survives today, as part of a college property.

Nothing remains today of the station shed (which also served streetcars until 1949) and its adjacent shops, all long-ago demolished.

There also used to be a wooden escalator (down only) that connected the PS "concourse" with the old H&M/PATH station......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1505

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

An aged PRR/H&M "Red Train" west of Journal Square, late 1950's.

One look at this nostalgic old photo makes it clear that this was indeed PENNSY territory!

http://www.newdavesrailpix.com/odds/nj/htm/hm17.htm

(courtesy: newdavesrailpix)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

(this photo, taken at the Harrison H&M/PATH station, would date to the late 1950's/early 1960's)*Note the large GM plant in the background, a reminder of the days when America was still an industrial nation; back then, both New Jersey and New York played key and vital roles in our manufacturing base.

Prior to the Aldene Plan (1967), which redirected CNJ commuter trains away from the Jersey City ferry terminal and into Newark, off-peak "joint service" trains were often only two cars in length.

Here, we see two PRR MP-52's at Harrison, stylish adorned with Pennsy keystones.

I'm quite, QUITE grateful to have memories of these long-ago days, to re-live today.......

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?93664

(courtesy:nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"BERGEN AVENUE" was another of the long-established "indy" companies that served Journal Square; when these early 1970's photos were taken, the old H&M station was being demolished, as the new PATH Transportation Center construction was taking place.

As noted in an earlier post, in these photos, the entire business block to the left of the buses no longer exists.

Mom and I were quite familiar with HORN & HARDART; my folks and I often ate at "NAPLES ON THE SQUARE", either before or after seeing a movie at either the LOEW'S JERSEY or the equally-opulent STANLEY (GREAT Italian food and VERY reasonable prices, BTW!)

The Old Looks seen here seemed to keep on going on forever.......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?106

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?119

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?113

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In 1972, when Journal Square was still alive with the buses of several long-established "indy" companies, we see a RED & TAN Old Look (note driver sporting a tie!) flanked between Fishbowls of "BERGEN AVENUE" (left) and "DOWNTOWN" (right).

As I had mentioned previously, the entire block of businesses on the left has been razed........

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?2300

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

SHBL Old Look #1, awaiting departure at Journal Square, on what was obviously an off-hour run, 1972.

All "Boulevard buses" (as we locals always referred to them) all had numbers with a "B" prefix.

The buses of the SHBL (JSQ-Bayonne) had the lowest numbers, while those of the NHBL (JSQ-Nungessers) had the highest numbers (B-118, B-125, etc.).......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?657

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Journal Square PATH station, circa-1965.

Look closely at the top of the picture, and you will see a VERY blurry NHBL Old Look awaiting departure time (either on the #1 or the #5); to the left of the bus can be seen (just able to be made out) the starter's booth for the NHBL buses.

Note, also, the PRR catenary on the left; this photo would be impossible to duplicate today.

The train shown here, laying over until the next call to duty, was the unique and eye-catching "Blue Train", made up of several of the ancient "Black" cars, which had been modernized/upgraded at levels that varied from car-to-car.

This upgrading included new windows, modernized doors, upgraded interior lighting, and air conditioning (the bulky a/c unit was installed in one of the vestibules of car #439, a Class "J"), requiring one door to be blanked off and ventilation grills installed.

Mom and I often saw the "Blue Train" on a yard track at JSQ, and also rode it a number of times before it was retired.

These units (along with a group of other "Black" cars) became work cars after the last of the new PA-1's arrived in late 1965, and served in this capacity until around 1980.......

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?21745

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

.....in 1962, the "Tee-Yay" and the new MaBSTOA were biggest bus operators in town.

Plus, you still had a number of "indy" companies in operation then, including:

"AVENUE B & E. BROADWAY"

"QUEENS SURFACE"

"JAMACIA BUS"

"TRIBORO"

"COMMAND"

"AVE B." would be the first to disappear into the history books; in later years, the other companies would be swallowed up into the "Em-Tee-Yay".

In 1962, only AMERICAN-made buses served the city's bus riders (GM, of course, dominated the fleets, with MACKS rounding out the numbers as well)

Articulated buses (production models) were still light-years into the future when FACCo. vanished in 1962 (imagine a FACCo. Old Look or Fishbowl artic??)

City politics, demographics, and traffic patterns have changed dramatically in the nearly 60 years since 1962 itself faded into history.

In comparing the number of routes then in operation (including "short turns"), headways, service patterns, etc. to those of today would, indeed, show a dramatic and profound difference.

Who among us here knows what the future might have held for FACCo./SURFACE/NYO, had corporate politics been different from what they were?

Too, one has to wonder how veteran FACCo. and SURFACE drivers felt about now driving for the "Tee-Yay" (and MaBSTOA).

Sadly, virtually all (if not all) of those men have long since retired to that big bus depot in the sky.

Time certainly does NOT stand still, neither for man, nor for buses.......

"NYO"

[X-Astorian]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

X-Astorian:

Appreciate your comments.....HOW did I ever forget GREEN BUS?? (my sincerest apologies to our late friend, Mr. "L"!)

Also, appreciate the information on COMMAND; I had the feeling that they were a more "recent" company, unlike the older, long-established operators.

When the last of the "indy" companies were finally swallowed up by the "Em-Tee-Yay", a long and colorful era of bus operations in the city ended forever.

It is much the same here in New Jersey; virtually everything is NJT these days, and there is very little in the way of color and variety for certain.

Good thing for us that many hundreds of photos were taken back in the day, top preserve the "way it was" for the bus enthusiasts of today.....and tomorrow......

"NYO"

[X-Astorian]