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PSNJ: the last years........
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2020 5:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The old Franklin Avenue stub terminal for the #7 City Subway cars, about 1950.

Note the ERIE hopper on the coal trestle, in the background......

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?116251

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2020 7:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In discussing the former PS "City Subway"........

In 1965, a transit report, that was ordered by Essex County, suggested that the "#7 CITY SUBWAY" line be extended beyond its Franklin Avenue loop terminal to Paterson, using the the West Orange Branch of the Erie-Lackawanna, and then on to Mountain View, via the E-L's (former ERIE) Greenwood Lake Branch.

By 1968, things had indeed changed; PSCT advised the City of Newark of the intention of discontinuing City Subway service on December 31st, citing losses of over $930,000 during the past five years.

The following year, the State approved subsidies to keep important transit lines running, including the City Subway......

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2020 8:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The cavernous, monolithic and bustling PSCT Terminal* in Newark, once known as "The Eighth Wonder Of The Traction World"..........

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newark_Public_Service_Terminal

*The last streetcar line to use the upper level of the terminal (1937) was the "#1", which ran between Newark and Exchange Place, Jersey City.

The last streetcar line to use the lower level was the "#43" (1938), which also connected Newark with Jersey City........


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Wed May 06, 2020 8:22 pm; edited 1 time in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2020 8:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mention must also be made of the long-defunct "Fast Line", which once served the PS Terminal in Newark (just imagine if this route still existed today as a high-speed light rail line!).......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newark-Trenton_Fast_Line
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2020 10:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Though old saying goes:

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"

In 1948, the Vanderhoof Brothers of West Orange, holding permits on the Route #24 (Newark-West Orange) and also operating charter service, established the "Newark-Caldwell Bus Line" as a subsidiary to buy Route #144 from DE CAMP.

The line received/discharged most of its passengers within the town limits of West Orange, and it was operated from the Vanderhoof garage on Wifred Street.

Although nine fairly new GM transit buses were aquired with the route, they lasted only a short time; along with a new ACF-BRILL C-44 transit purchased in 1949, these aquired buses were painted red and tan.

By 1953, VANDERHOOF was painting all of its buses in the same gray/white scheme (complete with blue striping!) that was then used on PSNJ's buses; all that was lacking were PS insignias! Shocked

Income and profit on the line disappointed the owners by comparison with their lucrative Newark-West Orange line, and service suffered; new GM's were used on Route #24, while mostly second-hand WHITES struggled with the steep grades of the #144 line.

Just how long the buses wore their pseudo PS paint I do not know; however, in 1957, the PUC revoked Vanderhoof's operating authority, and "MOUNTAIN COACHES" was formed, as an affiliate of "TRACKLESS TRANSIT" of East Orange.

Takeover of the #144 was accomplished by hastily purchasing a group of ex-NYCTA TDH-4507's rebuilt with mechanical shift; no center exit doors, and suburban interiors.

In the early 60's three SDM-5301's were purchased, painted green in the style of PS's then-new Fishbowls.

Through the 60's, more new and second-hand Fishbowls were added, but there was little "fleet standardization"; some buses had center doors, while others did not.

Some of these buses had hydraulic shift; others had manual.

When Your's Truly lived in West Orange from 1971 until 1974, we rode the #144 too many times to count; later on, during my commute to my senior year classes at Mountain High School in West Orange (1974-1975), I rode the #144 every weekday morning from Penn Station, Newark, to West Orange.

After classes, I rode the #144 as far as Orange, where I boarded an ex-DL&W "Wickerliner" MU for Hoboken, where I would catch the TNJ #21 for home.

Ahhh, transit was DANG FUN, back then! Wink

"NYO"

(Historical data in this post was from "MOTOR COACH AGE" (an issue from 1978, dealing with DE CAMP)


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Thu May 07, 2020 1:32 am; edited 1 time in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2020 1:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Regarding "TRACKLESS TRANSIT"/"MOUNTAIN COACHES" #144.....

This now-defunct line ran between Penn Station, Newark, and the Caldwell loop; this was the same loop used by PS/TNJ #29 buses (until 1952, subway-surface cars of the #29 terminated/began runs here)

Until the line was abandoned, DE CAMP's #22 (JSQ-Caldwell) also used the Caldwell loop.

DE CAMP's #33 (Caldwell-New York) also called at this loop.

Back in the day, I can still recall seeing glimpses of the old streetcar rails here, as well as a line pole or two.

By the time my family moved to West Orange in 1971, only Fishbowls were in service on the #144.

MOUNTAIN COACHES was also interesting, as ownership was divided among five corporations.

A number of reasons were responsible for the decline in patronage for MOUNTAIN COACHES; there was, also, a long strike in 1972 (which I still remember)

Weekend service was reduced first, and then weeknight service ended at 9PM; services were basically halved, and all Sunday service was abandoned.

By 1976, new State-owned Flxible New Looks entered the fleet, by that time, however, the damage was already done.

Peak-hour service was now only 20 minutes, with off-peak headways of 60 minutes; Saturday service now ran only every 45 minutes.

I rode the #144 one more time (on business) in early 1979, and that was my final ride on a route that I was most familiar with, nearly 50 years.......

"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Thu May 07, 2020 1:56 am; edited 1 time in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2020 1:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Caldwell Loop, circa-1951.

Here, we see in its twilight, a PS "Compromise" roof car ready to head back to Newark (via the City Subway), on the #29 (this line was also the very last of the subway-surface car lines, converted to bus in 1952)

On the right, a new DE CAMP suburban GM awaits its next run; the bus to its left might have been a #144*.........

http://www.newdavesrailpix.com/psct/htm/psct042.htm

*In 1945, when the #144 was still a DE CAMP line, new GM TD-3206's were purchased, and were assigned to the line.

(courtesy: newdavesrailpix)
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2020 4:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is also interesting to note that only PSNJ operated trolley buses (ASV's) in the State of New Jersey; no other private "indy" company ever operated electric coaches, dual-powered or otherwise.*

It would have been quite interesting, to say the least, had the NHBL and SHBL operated trolley buses, with double overhead stretching all the way from Nungessers (North Bergen) at the north, to Bergen Point (Bayonne) at the south.

With smaller "indies", of course, which had originally been jitneys, conversion to trolley coach operation would have been quite impracticle.

The saga of the ASV/trolley bus in New Jersey was a brief one; the first major conversion of a PS streetcar line to ASV took place in late 1935.

By 1948, the ASV's had been retired and sent to the scrap yard, and the double overhead dismantled.

Ironic that the old streetcars outlasted the "modern" ASV's, if only by several years.......

"NYO"

*Also interesting to note, the only other operator of trolley buses in the greater NY/NJ metropolitan area was B&QT/BoT/NYCTA, operating trolley buses in Brooklyn until 1960.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2020 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's an interesting comparison between the Public Service ASV's and Brooklyn's trolleybuses.

These two old photos show the rear of the coaches; note the narrow rear windows used the Brooklyn trolley coaches ("gun slots", I've heard them called!) and the larger ones used on the ASV's.......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?4013

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)

http://www.trolleybuses.net/psct/htm/usa_h_psct_yellow_9311_newark_bv.htm

(courtesy: trolleybuses.net)


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N4 Jamaica




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PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2020 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did not ride the Cortelyou Road trackless trolleys, but I did ride the St.Louis Car Company coaches on other Brooklyn lines. Nor did I ride the PSCT All-Service Vehicles. However, please notice the difference in retrievers.
---
One purpose of the spring-loaded retriever is to catch the pole if it gets off the wire and heads to major entanglement. At the end of a run, an operator could easily use the rope to bring each pole down to the hook and secure it.
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The All-Service Vehicles seem to have the more advanced (yet older!) system of a motorized pull down of the poles into slots that work as clips. That is, a driver who reaches the end of wire, probably could push a button from his seat and the motored retrievers would lower the poles to the roof. Whether there would be overhead pans to guide them to the wires when going up is a question.
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I was in Washington, D.C., when D.C. Transit installed motorized retrievers about 1958. Previously, the pit change (as on North Capitol Street) needed two men, one beneath the pavement, one on the street. The guy on the street would work the pole. With the motorized retriever, the PCC operator flipped a switch, and the pole was hauled down and locked, somewhat as on an ASV. I am fairly certain that northbound cars released their poles slowly and an overhead inverted V guided them onto the wire. Not positive about that, as I was inside the car as a passenger.
---
Maybe there is a YouTube video of poles going up or down on Boston's Silver Line.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2020 5:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Joe:

VERY interesting post.....thanks for sharing some great info! Wink

Not only Boston's "SLIVER LINE" uses the dual-powered trolley bus concept pioneered by PSNJ's ASV's, but also, Seattle's articulated trolley buses also are dual-powered, operating off of overhead wires underground.

Only three cities in the United states ever had trolley buses that operated underground; Newark (until 1948) and, today, Boston and Seattle*.

From what I've read, had PS gone ahead with "new generation" ASV operation in the City Subway, the subway-surface lines (including the #23, which went to buses in 1947) would have all used new ASV's.

The limit of the overhead wires would have been the top of the subway ramps; once the coach reached street level, there would have pans to automatically lower/raise the poles upon leaving and re-entering the Subway.

The Cambridge tunnel in Boston, though mostly used by trolley buses over the decades, also would see diesel coaches, as was the case with the Cedar St. Subway in Newark......

"NYO"

*Today, "straight" trolley buses operate underground in Seattle; there are no longer dual-powered vehicles in operation.


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Thu May 07, 2020 6:29 pm; edited 1 time in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2020 6:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Regarding PS's ASV's overhead operations.....

When an ASV driver approached a junction in the overhead, if his route was a "straight" route, and did not require the switch, he would get a "running start" and simply coast through the switch.

If, however, the ASV was on a route that would have been on a diverging route, the driver simply would "cut" the power, thereby actuating the overhead frogs to switch to the diverging route.

Simple enough!

BUT, IF this occurred during a rush hour, and traffic required the ASV driver to apply the brakes and stop, the poles would proceed to the left (or right) with the coach going on straight ahead!

Then, of course, the retrievers would not work, and so the driver would have to get out and re-set the poles for the correct route in the middle of heavy rush-hour traffic; this was, from driver accounts I have read, QUITE an acrobatic feat, to say the least!Rolling Eyes

"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Thu May 07, 2020 8:06 pm; edited 1 time in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2020 6:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Boston trolleybus operations*.......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolleybuses_in_Greater_Boston

"*Note the heading for the "SILVER LINE"; the current coaches are diesel-electric (the ASV's were, of course, gas-electric)

Had new GMC dual-powered coaches been purchased for the City Subway, these buses would have been the first dual-powered dual-powered vehicles in the PS fleet......

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2020 6:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seattle operations......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolleybuses_in_Seattle
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PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2020 6:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

See also:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual-mode_bus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_electric_bus
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