Home Buses Photo: Vintage buses hitting the M42

Photo: Vintage buses hitting the M42

by Benjamin Kabak

As the Nostalgia Train continues to make its ride along the M line on Saturdays this month, the MTA unveiled its historic bus rides for the holidays this week as well. Every weekday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the MTA will run its fleet of vintage buses along the M42 route. Everything, says Transit, is original except for the MetroCard farebox.

“These buses are a piece of New York City’s commuting past,” said Darryl Irick, head of MTA’s bus divisions. “I started my MTA career as a bus operator, driving these types of buses. As charming as they are, you cannot help but realize how far we have advanced when you ride one of our modern, low-floor buses.”

For transit buffs, a chance to ride these old buses comes but once a year. While the MTA rolls out its fleet for the bus fare during the September Atlantic Antic, only in December do these old vehicles run routes in Manhattan. Catch one now before they’re gone again.

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5 comments

Mistral December 16, 2011 - 3:32 pm

Well, at least they’ll be able to run a slow-moving, leisurely route. 😛

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John-2 December 16, 2011 - 3:45 pm

“I started my MTA career as a bus operator, driving these types of buses. As charming as they are, you cannot help but realize how far we have advanced when you ride one of our modern, low-floor buses.”

I’ll take the padded seats on the older of the Old Looks over the low-floor option, Darryl. Definitely not low-exhaust or ADA compliant, but way more comfortable, especially on the north-south avenue runs.

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SEAN December 16, 2011 - 6:07 pm

Are those busses fishbowls?

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Linkage: Fifth Ave. Townhouse Turned Theater; Scaffolding Collapse - The Broker Buddy December 16, 2011 - 6:15 pm

[…] via Curbed Flickr pool/ reallyboring · Vintage buses on the M42 line this month: weekdays 10a-2p [SAS] · 5th Avenue townhouse transformed into a theater for play based on a Goethe novel […]

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Paulie3jobs December 17, 2011 - 9:39 am

The one pictured above is not a fishbowl. I can tell by the rear windows. But I do believe one or two fishbowls ran the route last year.

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