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Friday, July 4, 2014

Does the number "35" go to FIRST AVENUE but not the Fishbowl?


  In the late 1950's, in New York City and elsewhere, many of the older buses, and of course, some of the last trolleybus lines were replaced by modern and sleek new diesel buses produced by General Motors.  They were given the nickname "Fishbowls" because of the large curved windscreen at the front.  In New York City, for many years, for both Transit Authority and private buses, the fishbowls ruled.  When the fishbowls came to Brooklyn and elsewhere, I noticed as a small child, that the front destination signs were not that clear.  In those early years, there were no side signs and no back signs or route numbers in the back of the bus.  I remember the following signs:

35 TO FIRST AVENUE
35 TO ROCKAWAY AVENUE
16 TO SHORE ROAD
9 TO SHORE ROAD
44 TO WASHINGTON PLAZA

  In Manhattan, I remember:
1 TO GRAND STREET

 So my question was, is it the number "35" going to First Avenue but not the bus and passengers?
And,  which FIRST AVENUE are we going to?  There is a FIRST AVENUE in Brooklyn at the waterfront, as shown in this blog regarding the Church Avenue Trolley loop.  There is a FIRST AVENUE in Manhattan as well.  There is probably a FIRST AVENUE in Seattle as well.  So which FIRST AVENUE are we going to?  And is the number going only?

It could be worse, for the sign could have said:  1 TO GRAND.
Grand Street, Grand Avenue and in which borough?  What happens if Grand Street is very long.  Which intersection are we going to?

The point that I am trying to make is that the signs, as planned by our transportation planners were not so grand, after all.

 A Fishbowl in Brooklyn on the 60th Street route.  I believe near Flatbush Avenue.  This fishbowl had a side destination sign installed near the rear doors sometime in the 60's.

4 comments:

  1. I remember riding on those GM"fishbowl"buses as recently as
    1978 nowadays i rarely take the bus now that i ride my bike to work.as for trolleys coming back to Brooklyn they should run on existing railroad tracks which is more economical similar to what they have over in Newark NJ so it wont interfere with street traffic.

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    1. Thanks Anonymous for your contribution. Light rail would be great in Staten Island on the north shore line. i believe that there is a place for light rail or streetcars in different environments as well. Some of the very busy bus routes, in Manhattan and Queens, on wide streets can also be candidates with street running.
      Thanks for your comments. Tramway Null(0)

      Delete
  2. There are a lot of rail lines in and around NYC that goes unused through out the day that could be utilized for trolleys known now as"light rail"modeled on the systems they have in Hudson county and Newark N.J.which would make more sense anyway instead of running them directly in the streets making the current traffic situation worse.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Anonymous: I forgot to tell you. Check out "What are Strong Tramway Corridors? in "Pedestrian Observer", July 20, 2016
      Tramway Null(0)

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