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W.B.'s Bus Almanac for June 8th (W.B.)

Mon, 8 Jun 2026 12:58:28 GMT

Posted by W.B. on 6/8/2026 7:58:28 AM EST
June 8, 1936 - The Book of First and Last Runs and Route Operational Changes Manhattan, New York New York Railways Corporation Green Bus Lines, Inc. New York City Omnibus Corporation Buses replace streetcars on the 86th Street Crosstown line in Manhattan. The trolleys had been run by New York Railways; in addition, there was already an existing bus route along the street which had been started as an "emergency bus line," Route D, by the city's Department of Plant and Structures on November 3, 1919, and since 1933 had been run on one-year franchises by Green Bus Lines as Route M-5. All bus service will now be operated by New York City Omnibus as Route 18 (today's M86). This was the last trolley line operated by New York Railways, the last of their routes to be "motorized," and the first of four Green Bus Lines routes in Manhattan to come under New York City Omnibus aegis (the other three will follow two weeks from this date). (Sources: "Knell for Trolley Line," The New York Times, June 6, 1936; New York City Omnibus Corporation v. Commissioner, Docket No. 2757, 7 T.C.M. 899 (1948), United States Tax Court, entered November 30, 1948; "New York City Omnibus Corp." by Bernard Linder, Motor Coach Age, February 1969; "New York Railways Cars Quit 70 Years Ago," New York Division Bulletin, May 2006; "New York Railways Street Cars Quit 80 Years Ago" by Bernard Linder, New York Division Bulletin, June 2016.) June 8, 1954 - The Book of Route Service Changes Brooklyn, New York New York City Transit Authority BMT Surface Division Effective as of this date, Route B-54 - Myrtle Avenue's easternmost terminus is cut back from Washington Street to Jay Street. (Source:: Motor Coach Age, June-July 1975 - article by Bernard Linder, route history by Donald W. Harold and Mr. Linder.)

W.B.'s Bus Almanac for June 7th (W.B.)

Sun, 7 Jun 2026 12:12:27 GMT

Posted by W.B. on 6/7/2026 7:12:27 AM EST
June 7, 1942 - The Book of Route Service Changes Manhattan, New York Surface Transportation Corporation of New York Effective as of this date, service on the M-107 - 180th-181st Street Crosstown shuttle (a.k.a. Haven Avenue) line is reduced to one franchise trip a day. The route had been started on June 24, 1941 as Surface Transportation System's first bus line in Manhattan (and the only one in the borough not to have been converted from a former streetcar line), and will be discontinued on May 30, 1943. (Source: "Surface Transportation System - Manhattan and the Bronx." Motor Coach Age, March 1970.) June 7, 1943 - The Book of Wartime Restrictions and Route Service Changes Brooklyn, New York Board of Transportation of the City of New York Brooklyn Bus Division In accordance with U.S. Office of Defense Transportation (ODT) mandates to save on gas, the following service changes are put into effect: - Route 1-B - Brighton Beach Avenue is discontinued; it will resume service on March 18, 1946 as Route 21 - Through service along Route 2 - Flatbush Avenue-Avenue R to Riis Park is restricted to summer weekends only, with supplementary shuttles from Avenue U to the Brooklyn end of the bridge - Route 6 - Bay Parkway-Avenue J is cut back from Bay Parkway and Cropsey Avenue to Bay Parkway and Kings Highway; this truncation will last through October 3 - Route 8 - 18th Avenue-Foster Avenue is cut back from 14th and Cropsey Avenues to 18th and Cropsey Avenues; this too is until October 3 when full service is resumed - Route 11 - 49th and 53rd Streets is cut back from East 3rd Street to 49th Street and 18th Avenue - Route 14 - Pitkin Avenue is cut back to Fountain Avenue through October 3 - Route 17 - Remsen Avenue is re-routed to Rockaway Parkway and Glenwood Road - Route 20 - Decatur Street is cut back from Linden Boulevard and Pennsylvania Avenue to New Lots and Pennsylvania Avenues through October 3 - Route 24 - Greenpoint Avenue is cut back to 47th Street and Queens Boulevard (Source:: Motor Coach Age, June-July 1975 - article by Bernard Linder, route history by Donald W. Harold and Mr. Linder.)

W.B.'s Bus Almanac for June 6th (W.B.)

Sat, 6 Jun 2026 13:28:27 GMT

Posted by W.B. on 6/6/2026 8:28:27 AM EST
June 6-7, 1943 - The Book of Wartime Restrictions and Route Service Changes New York City New York City Omnibus Corporation Fifth Avenue Coach Company Surface Transportation Corporation of New York Board of Transportation of the City of New York - Brooklyn and BMT Bus Divisions (et al.) Sunday bus service, almost completely suspended May 30, resumes on June 6 on Manhattan bus routes. However, for several lines it will be the last time for the next few months, as curtailments and suspensions of certain bus routes will be implemented beginning next week to meet U.S. Office of Defense Transportation (ODT) mandates to save on gas. Meanwhile, in the Bronx, service on Surface Transportation System's original Bx-49, the Parkchester-West Farms route, is discontinued on June 6. The line had run since October 11, 1941. After the end of the war in 1945, the Bx-49 designation will be applied to the Highbridge route, which was first launched on January 29, 1942 as the Bx-50, but likewise eliminated "for the duration" because of ODT-imposed restrictions. As well, cutbacks to Brooklyn bus service due to ODT regulations will take effect on June 7, as follows: - 2 - Flatbush Avenue-Rockaway Ferry: Through service to Riis Park only on summer weekends, with supplementary service from Avenue U to the Brooklyn end of the bridge - 6 - Bay Parkway-Avenue M: To Bay Parkway and Kings Highway - 8 - 18th Avenue-Foster Avenue: From 14th and Cropsey Avenues to 18th and Cropsey Avenues - 11 - 49th Street-53rd Street: From East 3rd Street to 49th Street and 18th Avenue - 14 - Pitkin Avenue: To Fountain Avenue - 17 - Remsen Avenue: Re-routed to Rockaway Parkway and Glenwood Road - 20 - Decatur Street: From Linden Boulevard and Pennsylvania Avenue to New Lots and Pennsylvania Avenues - 24 - Greenpoint Avenue: To 47th Street and Queens Boulevard (Sources: "Manhattan Buses Stay on Job Today," The New York Times, June 6, 1943; "Surface Transportation System - Manhattan and the Bronx," Motor Coach Age, March 1970; Motor Coach Age, June-July 1975, article by Bernard Linder, route history by Donald W. Harold and Mr. Linder.) June 6, 1954 - The Book of Last Runs and Route Service Changes Manhattan, New York New York City Omnibus Corporation Surface Transportation Corporation of New York Eighth Avenue between Abingdon Square and Columbus Circle (and Hudson Street between Chambers Street and Abingdon Square) is made one-way northbound, while Seventh Avenue between 47th and Houston Streets (and Varick Street between Houston and Leonard Streets) becomes one-way southbound. As a result of these changes, the following bus routes see alterations in certain of their directions accordingly: - 10 - Eighth Avenue and Central Park West: Southbound buses rerouted south on Broadway from Columbus Circle to Times Square, and on Seventh Avenue south of Times Square on to West Broadway at Leonard Street. (SIDE NOTE: New York City Omnibus had also intended to reroute northbound buses of its 8 - Seventh Avenue line to Hudson Street and Eighth Avenue for the whole of its run between Canal and 59th Streets and, after June 12, reroute part of its southbound route from the east side of Times Square to the west side starting at 47th Street; instead, on advice from Traffic Commissioner T. T. Wiley, Rt. 8 is discontinued and combined with Rt. 10; service on Seventh Avenue between 47th and 59th Streets would continue to be handled by its 6 - Broadway and Seventh Avenue line.) - M-104 - Broadway: Northbound buses between 42nd and 47th Streets shifted from the west side of Times Square to the east side, now traveling along Broadway and part of Seventh Avenue in that stretch before rejoining Broadway at 47th Street. (Sources: "Bus Changes Listed in 7th and 8th Aves.," The New York Times, June 4, 1954; "7th, 8th Aves. Shift Tomorrow," New York Herald Tribune, June 5, 1954; "7th and 8th Aves. Shift to One-Way" by Joseph C. Ingraham, The New York Times, June 7, 1954; "7th and 8th Avs. Go 1-Way Smoothly in Sunday Lull" by B. J. Cutler, New York Herald Tribune, June 7, 1954; "New York City Omnibus Corp." by Bernard Linder, Motor Coach Age, February 1969; "Surface Transportation System - Manhattan and the Bronx," Motor Coach Age, March 1970.)

Re: W.B.'s Bus Almanac for June 4th (Snilcher)

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 20:25:33 GMT

Posted by Snilcher on 6/5/2026 3:25:33 PM EST
So perhaps "a spur of the Q65" didn't imply adjacency, or any commonality. The press often gets details wrong, as we all know.

Re: W.B.'s Bus Almanac for June 4th (Stephen Bauman)

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 18:46:56 GMT

Posted by Stephen Bauman on 6/5/2026 1:46:56 PM EST
I have the advantage of having been there. My family moved from Forest Hills to Queensboro Hill in late 1951. I traveled between the two residences many times, taking the Q65A. I spent too much time in the cold waiting for the Q65A to turn around at its terminal at Kissena Blv and Jewel Ave. Forget about a bus shelter; there wasn't a sidewalk. Here's a link to a split screen view of aerial maps that should show the Kissena/Jewel intersection in 1951 and the present. https://arcg.is/1zyy4G1 You can see that Jewel Ave did not cut through between Kissena and 164th. The width of Jewel Ave is much wider between Kissena and 164th, than in sections west from Kissena or east from 164th. The width difference is a result of the later standards, when Jewel was finally extended.

Re: W.B.'s Bus Almanac for June 4th (Snilcher)

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 17:43:48 GMT

Posted by Snilcher on 6/5/2026 12:43:48 PM EST
Jewel Av extended only to Kissena Blv, when the Q65A was introduced around 1951. The Q65A ran between Forest Hills and Kissena Blv. The intersection of Kissena & Jewel Ave connected to the Q34-25, at that time. I tried to find verification of this in Wikipedia, but that doesn't seem to match what I found, which is that the Q65A began as a spur of the Q65 on 164th St. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewel_Avenue_buses#History The source is a page in fultonhistory.com from the Long Island City NY Star Journal 1951 that describes the genesis of the route. Here is the text of the article: New Bus Route A valuable addition to the Queens bus system will be made when the new Q65A route is established to connect Flushing Hillcrest and Kew Gardens Hills with the Independent Subway express station at 71st avenue and Queens boulevard in Forest Hills. The new route can be started when the franchise approved by the Board of Estimate is signed by the mayor. The new route will be a spur from the 164th street route operating between College Point and Jamaica. It will enable riders from communities all along that line, and from the home neighborhoods to the west, to ride directly to the subway express station. It will make their trip shorter and quicker and it will take some of the pressure off the jammed subway station at Union turnpike in Kew Gardens. [rest omitted]

Re: W.B.'s Bus Almanac for June 4th (Stephen Bauman)

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 12:30:32 GMT

Posted by Stephen Bauman on 6/5/2026 7:30:32 AM EST
Their only connection was the intersection at Jewel Av & 164 St, Jewel Av extended only to Kissena Blv, when the Q65A was introduced around 1951. The Q65A ran between Forest Hills and Kissena Blv. The intersection of Kissena & Jewel Ave connected to the Q34-25, at that time.

W.B.'s Bus Almanac for June 5th (W.B.)

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 10:55:18 GMT

Posted by W.B. on 6/5/2026 5:55:18 AM EST
June 5, 1970 - The Book of Last Runs Queens, New York New York City Transit Authority Queens Bus Division After nearly a year in service, the Q-80 - Linden Boulevard route is discontinued. It had begun operations on September 8, 1969, and had been extended to Lefferts Boulevard and Liberty Avenue on December 8, 1969, and to Liberty Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard on March 23. At the time of its demise, the rush-hours-only line was carrying only about 8 or 9 passengers on each bus. This was the third and last pilot allowed by the TA for this line. (Source: Motor Coach Age, April-May 1977.) June 5, 1972 - The Book of Route Extensions Queens and Manhattan, New York New York City Transit Authority Queens Bus Division As of this date, the Q18X Hillside Avenue, Q20X Rosedale and Q24X Linden Boulevard Queens-Manhattan expresses are extended to 23rd Street and First Avenue. (Source: Motor Coach Age, April-May, 1977.)

Re: W.B.'s Bus Almanac for June 4th (gbs)

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 04:45:35 GMT

Posted by gbs on 6/4/2026 11:45:35 PM EST
Same with the Q65 and Q65A (today's Q64). Their only connection was the intersection at Jewel Av & 164 St, but the route designations made it sound like the 65A was some branch of the 65, instead of their being completely separate routes perpendicular to each other.

Re: W.B.'s Bus Almanac for June 4th (Snilcher)

Thu, 4 Jun 2026 19:14:11 GMT

Posted by Snilcher on 6/4/2026 2:14:11 PM EST
A new route, Q-12A - Little Neck Parkway, begins service on this date. A branch of the Q-12 - Flushing-Little Neck line, this addition runs along Little Neck Parkway between 40th Avenue and Jamaica Avenue. I wouldn't have called it a "branch" of the Q-12, since it (later Q79, then part of the Q36, now whatever the new Queens system has done with it) was a separate route that shared nothing with the Q-12 outside of the intersection of Northern Blvd. and Little Neck Parkway.