BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Regarding electric buses in New York......

Back in 1960, when the last St Louis-built trolleybuses were replaced with diesel buses in Brooklyn, no one was thinking about diesel fume exhausts, nor its eventual impact on air quality and the environment.

It was not until the later 1960's that the ecology movement began to gain traction, yet, even so, thoughts of "green" buses were pretty much non-existent in most people's minds.

In London, steam-bus operation began in 1907, with the formation of the "METROPOLITAN STEAM OMNIBUS Co., Ltd"; the "NATIONAL STEAM CAR CO., Ltd" operated nearly two hundred steam buses from 1909 until 1919.

Of course, back then, "going green" was not a factor in the operation of such buses.....

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's an interesting page on steam-powered buses; note the photo of the experimental steam-powered Fishbowl ("Lear Steam Bus) near the bottom of the page....

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

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Yes, Virginia, indeed there was once such a thing as a steam-powered Fishbowl......

https://www.sfmta.com/blog/munis-steam-powered-bus

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

How about a steam-powered Flex New Look, while we're on the subject of steam buses?

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2011/06/07/gettin-steamed-on-the-bus

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The "New Generation" of electric buses in Germany.....

https://www.bydeurope.com/article/398

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

This page lists the companies that are building electric buses; also, the different models (photos included).....

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

[traildriver]

Wiki left out MCI...
https://www.mcicoach.com/coach/electric-series/features/

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

traildriver:

......this only goes to prove that the MCI "legend" is now moving into previously uncharted waters; just think, if, way, way back in the day, "The Hound" was boasting an "all electric" MCI fleet......

Thankfully, with so many drastic changes in the bus industry during the past few decades, MCI is still with us; recall, too, when we once thought that EAGLE would always be part of the ever-changing picture?

Long live MCI.....

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

More on the new electric MCI coaches......

https://busride.com/mci-all-electric-coaches-unveiled/

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Heard on 1010 WINS earlier about the "Em-Tee-Yay's" new "lectric buses" going into service.

What really caught my interest is that these buses will be initially going into service on routes serving low to middle-income areas, areas where respitory issues are commonplace.

Indeed, this clearly contradicts the ages-old "Noo Yawk" scenario, where the NEWEST buses are placed into service in the more "tony" areas, while relegated the OLDEST buses to the more "inner city" nabes.......

"NYO"

["Clean Air Hybrid Electric Bus"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's a new "Em-Tee-Yay" electric bus at the 2022 NY International Auto Show......

https://www.silive.com/news/2022/04/mta-showcases-electric-bus-at-new-york-international-auto-show-2022.html

["Welcome Aboard The New Zero Emissions Clean Air Bus"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

At least some of the milk cartons, er buses, on the streets of 'Noo Yawk' look almost like a poor attempt on the top to replicate the 'batwings' if looking from the front.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Regarding " 'letric buses"...............

As you all well know, I'm a dedicated PSNJ enthusiast/historian, and have many childhood memories of both the buses and the PCC's of the Newark City Subway, which were retired in 2001.

I've spent many, many years researching PS and its diverse operations, and STILL, to this day, find I STILL have much to learn.

Case in point:

Last year, I purchased an OUTSTANDING nook on PSNJ's dual-powered ASV's (dual-powered trolleybuses), the last of which ran in 1948.

Though I had a good "working knowledge" of the ASV's and their basic operations, I was beyond blown away by what I found in the pages of:

"PUBLIC SERVICE OF NEW JERSEY'S ALL-SERVICE VEHICLE" (Wilkins/Phraner)

HUNDREDS of photos I have never seen before grace the pages; there is also a great deal on the engineering and development involved in the inception of these advanced gas-electric buses (schematics, diagrams, etc.); much, also, on the erection of new wiring, relocation of existing streetcar wires, and so much else of tremendous historical value.

The operations of these unique vehicles were QUITE complex; there are also many schematics of transmissions, drive trains, motors, etc., which, by themselves are fascinating.

The ASV era on PS lasted a little more than a decade; the very last ASV on the ESSEX Division ran in 1948; those on the HUDSON Division had been replaced the previous year.

In 1949, PS attempted to revive the ASV concept, using 4509s (PS ordered hundreds of these buses after the War); the dual-powered coaches were to replace the remaining streetcars of the City Subway and its connecting lines.

The demo coach, #D900, was a "basic" 4509 that featured many interesting modifications for electric operation.

Test overhead was erected on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair, near the now-demolished Bell Street car barns.

Though the tests were successful, PS abandoned the idea of running ASVs in the Newark Subway when the City announced it would not pay to have the Subway paved for ASV operation.

#D900 was soon stripped of its electrical gear, and ran as a diesel (on both the ESSEX and HUDSON Divisions) before being retired in 1969, and sold to Puerto Rico, for further operation.

So, so much for thinking that the concept of "electric" and "hybrid" buses is a new one; PS developed the ancestor over 90 years ago!

Anyone with even a passing interest in PSNJ would do well to purchase the aforementioned book; to say you will be MORE than intrigued is indeed an UNDERSTATEMENT!

"NYO"

["49-UNION"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Interesting trivia...........

PSNJ was always noted for its many operational "quirks"; one of these was that ASV drivers were referred to by management as "salesmen"

Also, some end-of-the-line terminal points (such as Nungessers for Route #21) required the ASVs to make a loop under gas power; no overhead was used.

Interestingly enough, PS garages were NOT wired for ASV operation.

"Salesmen" had to lower the poles before entering the garage, and switching to the gas engine; it was just the opposite for ASVs leaving the garage.......

"NYO"

["21 WEST NEW YORK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

On a related note, here is a map for B&QT's trolleybus lines.......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?/img/maps/trlybusm.jpg

Also, by the time that the Brooklyn trolleybuses pulled down their poles for the last time in 1960, PSNJ's last ASV lines (those of the ESSEX Division) had already been gone 12 years..........

"NYO"

["3199"]