Trains.com

Convertible streetcars (and semi-convertibles?)

29879 views
81 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 7:56 AM

Straight-side convertible 78 had both poles and a conduit plow carrier.  Herv is is westbound on West 145th Sreet, conduit west of Lenox, marked "Special," bwcause instead proceeding to the 149th Crosstown western terminal at 145th and Broadway, it will turn right on Amsterdam Avenue and followcthe "K" to Kimnsbridge Car Hous House.  1947 photo.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 11:01 AM

Highschool buddy, later Dr. Mark Steele, physician and surgion in Pittsburgh, at Gardner Avenue Yayd in 1947

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Saturday, April 29, 2023 3:10 PM

Just the truck itself, or the overall betwee outer wheel centers of both trucks?

I'll tyy to get the answer to both, but Googling "Brill sytrteetcar trucks" and finding data on "Maximum-Traction Truck" might get you the answer sooner.

  • Member since
    July 2008
  • 1 posts
Posted by 62monzaman on Saturday, April 29, 2023 12:22 PM

Great pictures in this thread! Would anyone know the truck wheelbase on car 270?

Thanks,

 

Jeff C

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 8:38 AM

Spring 1947 photos, with convertables, before ex-Manhattan former conduit cars replaced them, fvior the remaining year oif streetcar ioperation:

207th & Broadway, 207-Fordham "X"

Boston Road north of the crossing of Southern Blvd, near West Farms Carhouse.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Monday, October 31, 2022 10:31 AM

Previous posting corrected.  Smokestacks across the East River are also in my L. I. City photos in the Peter Witt thread.

Hi 
I think this is in the Crosstown yard on the waterfront property adjacent to the old Box St. Carhouse in Greenpoint.  The yard was shared with trackless which took over the Graham car line and others in 1948.  This yard is still in use by the MTA.  Tracks are still in the former car and bus inspection building and track remnants in the surrounding area and on the Commercial St leads. The site is slated to be redeveloped with waterfront facing high rises, the MTA taking their time vacating.
 
The loop in LIC at the foot of the old bridge at Vernon and Jackson (DLK: LI City) is being redeveloped right now.  Tracks into and out of the old loop are still there last I was over there.  There are good restaurants in the immediate area these days, replacing old school, elevator supply, auto parts stores and the like.
 
Jan Lorenzen
  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Monday, October 31, 2022 8:34 AM

At Greenpoint, across the bridge to Brooklyn from Long Island City, probably March, definitely 1947. on Brooklyn's Crosstown Line.

Rare, usally 6000 single-end Peter Witts were used.  But like them, the 4100s were single-end, converted from double-end cars.  Like the 6000s, they had a turnstyle in the aisle juyst after vthe entrance door.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, May 22, 2022 1:58 PM

85, in Winter configuration, is running south on the "K" linr, light, somewhere on Broadway between  181st and 200th Srtreet, coming from the Kingsbridge Carhouse, to go into service on West 145th Street, wherr it will turn from Amsterdam Avenue to run east on 145 to the plow-pit east of Lenox Avenue, where the conduit plough will be dropped and the pole raised.  It will then cross the bridge to 149th Street in The Bronx, and to the eastern terminal at Southern Boulevard. 

 

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Monday, May 2, 2022 3:21 AM

Back to Brooklyn, the 4100s were originally gate-door 2-man-operated double-end convertables, like 4573 at Branford (Shore Line Trolley) and its sister at Seashore, but were converted into air-operasted-door, single-end. one-man convertables with a nickle turnstyle at the front, like the single-end Peter-Witt 6000s and some 8500s.  This view is at Coney Island yard, probably after removal from service and ready for scrapping.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Thursday, April 14, 2022 4:56 AM

149th Street Crosstown car at the Hub, 3rd Avenue, Webster Avenue, Willis Avernue and Westchester Avenue.  Third Avenue Elevated and its 149th Street, two-island-platrform express station overhead.  In the backgrond, the "Bergen Cutoff." allowing elevated Freeman  Street Expresses to bypass congestion at the 149th Street Elevatred Station.  And, underground, is the 2-track subway still used by the "2" and "5."

81 will continue west, change to conduit operation just beyond the Harlem River Bridge, then use West 145th Street to Broadway,

 e

  • Member since
    September 2011
  • 6,449 posts
Posted by MidlandMike on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 7:56 PM

Three levels of transit!  I guess those were the days.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, April 12, 2022 5:18 AM

TATS-TARS had two Bronx "V" lines, one being Sond View Avent - Clason Point, and  the second one shown here.  Convertable 1134 in winter, configuration, is at the northern terminal at Gun Hill Road and White Plains Avenue, about to return, via the east of Bronx Park, to West Farms Square

The "W" Webster Avene line entered from the left and contined north on White Plains Avenue, and overhead the 3rd Avenue Elevated trains did the same   The IRT subway trains, on the top level, still come north on the  east of Bronx Park.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Saturday, April 2, 2022 7:39 PM

A March 1947 photo of 270 at the other end of the 207th Street - Fordham Road Crosstown "X" Line, with an ex-"B" Broadway-42nd Street Huffliner running on the "K" on conduit on Broadway:

The Broadway 145th Street Line used one car and provided service every 45 minutes, with the "K" giving regulasr service between 145th and Amsterdam Avenue and 181st Street where the B-145 reversed.  Similarly. the 149th St. "X" Crosstown between Amsterdam and Lenox Avenues on 145th Street.  Here, it is trning from Amsterdam Avenue to 145th Street, where it will se conduuit to the plow-pit west of Lenox Avenue, switch to wire to cross the Avenue, reverse through a spring-switch trailing crossover, and then switch back to cobduit for its return to 181st Street and Broadway.  149th Street Crosstown "X" cars are in the background, one in each direction.:

 

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 7:46 AM

And a 1939 photo, unknown source, 272 at approximately the same location, same line, but summer configuration:

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 7:38 AM

Third Avenue convertable 271 is on the Fordham Road - 207th Street Crosstown running north From West Farms Square at 177th Street on Bronx Park West to Fordham Road:

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Thursday, September 2, 2021 11:12 AM

Henry Raudenbush

Attachments5:48 PM (1 hour ago)
 
 
 
Nice pictures!  Did a bit of location seeking.
 
 
 
11385  I think I have to differ on this location, but it is a bit tricky.  Note the NY Connecting RR catenary bridge in the background.  Neither the NYConn nor the LIRR Bay Ridge Branch would be visible from the Canarsie loop area.  I think this is in the extreme back of the yards at Fresh Pond Depot.  In the satellite view, this would be about the location of the blue P parking lot area, backing against the LIRR Montauk Branch (out of sight down in an a cut) and looking over the tracks of the Myrtle Ave el (hidden in the grass, from the low camera angle), to the NYConn. 
 
  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Thursday, September 2, 2021 7:54 AM

A visit of (now) Shore-Line Trolley's 4573 to the Canarsie Shore:

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 11:18 AM

One of the Birneys of the type brought to the final ceremony as the closest thing to the cartoon's single-trucker immediately available.  3rd Av. leased these cars to Steinway.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 11:14 AM

Herewith:

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 8:26 AM

Tell us the story behind Fontaine Fox and the Westchester trolley line

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 4:49 AM

At the same location, the Harlerm River Shuttle car that ran ever the 3rd Avenue Bridge to the wired loop under the Elevated structure across Third Avernue from the East 129th Street Carhouse.  The line was closed in 1940. when the 3rd Avenue Bridge was made one-way sourhbound, with the 1st Avernue bridge, that had been used by the Willis Avenue streetcars, made one-way northbound.  The Willis Avenur bus replaced both dtreetcar lines.

The tracks over the 3rd Avenue Bridge were retained until sometime in July 1947 for middte-of-the-night non-revenue car transfer moves.  

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Saturday, July 3, 2021 2:51 PM

From Jack May, unkown original source, 138th Street and Third Avenue, south end of the Boston Road line, with the entrance to the 138th Street IRT subway station in the background.

 

 

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, June 8, 2021 6:15 AM
149th Street Crosstown, wire in The Bronx and conduit on 145th Street in Manhattan, was the last Third Avenue System line to use only Convertibles.  But curve-sides were gone a few months after this Spring 1947 photo, with  only straight-sides closing out the service, as seen on previous postings. 

 

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, April 11, 2021 7:47 AM

Back to Pelham Bay Pasrk and the north end of the "A" Westchester Avenue Line, with my High-School classmate Mark Steele at the trolley-pole retriever rope.  Perhaps some Pittsburgh-area resder will remember Doctor Mark Steele as a very successful physician.

Another straight-side convertable at the same spot:

When I took the above photo, I did not know the car had a previous spot as a news item:

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Thursday, March 25, 2021 12:17 PM

On West 145th Street in Manhattan, straight-side convertable 79 with trolley poles for use on 149th Street in The Bronx uses conduit current collection.  The 149th Street crosstown was the last  Third Avenue Transit line to use conduit, going bus in the late summer of 1847.  It was also the loast Third Avenue line to use conveertables, wit enough sec ond hand and home-buiolt steel cars to handle the remaining routes

 .

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, March 21, 2021 11:43 PM

Edited the photos in the previous posting:

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Friday, March 19, 2021 5:08 AM

 

Third Avenue Convertable, summer configuration, on the "C" line approaches West 262 St., Yonkers City Line, coming from West Farms Square, and after reversed, heads south on Broadway, followed by Yonkers "1" line home-built lightweight 343 from Waburton Avenue and the Hastings town line.  343 will go only as far as W. 242 St., northern terminal of the IRT Broadway subway line.

At left is Van Cortland Park.

 

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Thursday, January 21, 2021 8:02 AM

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • 20,096 posts
Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, January 17, 2021 3:18 PM

West 181st Street & Broadway was the terminal for four Bronx lines, O - Ogden Avenue, with 301-series lightweights, U University, with 1201-series second-hand steel cars, X 167th - 148th Crosstown, anf Z 180th Street crosstown, both with convertables.  889 iis an older curveside, and 35 a newer straightside.  Richard Akknab inporoved my restoration work on this photo, partiuclarly brining out grill detail on the auto on the left.

SUBSCRIBER & MEMBER LOGIN

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

FREE NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Get the Classic Trains twice-monthly newsletter