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| Re: Former Bx4 Jerome-Bainbridge, now Bx34 (305859) | |||
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Re: Former Bx4 Jerome-Bainbridge, now Bx34 |
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Posted by Joe on Tue Jun 9 11:09:31 2015, in response to Former Bx4 Jerome-Bainbridge, now Bx34, posted by Joe on Thu Jun 4 14:07:19 2015. Allow me to theorize about why this route has often been called the Jerome Avenue - Bainbridge Avenue line, despite the fact that it uses Jerome Avenue for only 0.6 mile (from the IRT Woodlawn Road station north to East 233rd St.), while the bus operates on Bainbridge for about 2.1 miles.--- Until the Interborough Jerome Avenue line reached Woodlawn Road on April 15, 1918, TARS operated a streetcar line on the street beneath it. The streetcar, if I have the history correct, began around Central Bridge (Macombs Dam Bridge) and reached Empire City Race Track (opened 1899). The street named Central Avenue was later named Jerome Avenue, presumably after Leonard W. Jerome. When subway service began overhead, TARS discontinued the Jerome Avenue carline south of the subway terminal. The single-track section from McLean Avenue to Yonkers Avenue remained in service until about 1922, when TARS and its subsidiaries relinquished their franchises on much unproductive trolley mileage in Westchester. However, until 1952 Yonkers Railroad #4 trolley held the Jerome Avenue/Central Park Avenue franchise between the IRT terminal and McLean Avenue. That blocked several bus operators in Yonkers from bringing suburban passengers to the IRT Jerome Avenue line. Articles in the Yonkers Herald Statesman in the late 1930's and the late 1940's reflect the complaints of bus riders who had an unpleasant choice at the corner of McLean Avenue and Central Park Avenue: either board YRR #4 for another nickel to reach Woodlawn or stay on the bus, cross the Nereid Avenue bridge, and endure the longer ride on the White Plains Road subway line. --- Surface Transportation apparently was not the first bus service to connect Woodlawn Heights (Katonah Avenue) with the Jerome terminal. Mayor Hylan and Grover Whalen probably ran buses marked Dept. of Plant and Structures, but I have found no photos. At any rate, in October of 1927, Surface Transportation was awarded the Jerome-Bainbridge line as Route #4. My recollection is that even the transfers said Jerome-Bainbridge. I suspect TARS, parent of Surface, wanted to maintain their exclusive franchise on Jerome Avenue north of the IRT terminal. --- Link |
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