Bang! Zoom! To The Jackie Gleason Bus Depot

The main floor is where all the storage, repair, parts inventory and cleaning take place. Above it are the offices and facilities for the drivers to relax, eat and exercise when they are not out on the road.

Now, we have to admit we aren’t the biggest fan of buses and it didn’t seem as impressive as a subway shop, but it did satisfy our curiosity of what goes on in that big building on 5th Avenue. Still, we were surprised to find out that the modern bus uses a great deal of electronics, has redundant systems, has a fire control system, uses air instead of hydraulics, and costs around $500,000 each. Although you would expect for that kind of money the MTA would spend the extra $500 or so to stick a bike rack on the front.

We should also note that the depot houses several of the Transit Museum’s fleet of vintage buses. When we visited they were getting one ready to put in service to run on a regular Manhattan crosstown route during the holiday season. There will be seven historic buses running around Manhattan and since they don’t have air conditioning, winter is the perfect time for them to run since they all have heat.

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By Toby von Meistersinger in News on December 12, 2007 2:21 PM

Comments [rss]

muhamor

They also have a superintendent of savety who does a great job killing pigeons in Jackie Gleason depot.

At the beginning his contractors have keeped the birds to suffer to deaf in cages but that was not enough to kill all the birds. He has hired additional contractors to install special springs where the birds' legs get caught for good and the birds die.

I did some shots of the dead pigeons in one of those cages. Will post the pics tomorrow.

muhamor

They also have a superintendent of savety who does a great job killing pigeons in Jackie Gleason depot.

At the beginning his contractors have keeped the birds to suffer to deaf in cages but that was not enough to kill all the birds. He has hired additional contractors to install special springs where the birds' legs get caught for good and the birds die.

I did some shots of the dead pigeons in one of those cages. Will post the pics tomorrow.

Toby von Meistersinger

They had a lot of safety banners, but the three monkeys had to be the best of the lot.

Jen Chung

I love the safety banner with the monkeys.

Toby von Meistersinger

We didn't see a napping couch or the office of bus delays.

We were told the historic buses will be on the Manhattan cross town routes, but nothing more specific.

Thanks about the photographs. We took about 100 and narrowed it down. It is really hard to get interesting shots of buses and try to get shots that give a sense of the place and its vastness.

JenChungsBaby

The city has tried in the past to name a sewage related facility for Art Carney but his family would never go along with it.

RatherBeBiking

Nice pictures. Any info on what lines the historic buses will run on?

tsol

Did you get a tour of the dispatcher's office where they decide to delay the 61 bus for 40+ minutes on rainy nights, then send 4 busses at the same time?

If you did see it, how nice was the napping couch?

muhamor

They also have a superintendent of savety who does a great job killing pigeons in Jackie Gleason depot.

At the beginning his contractors have keeped the birds to suffer to deaf in cages but that was not enough to kill all the birds. He has hired additional contractors to install special springs where the birds' legs get caught for good and the birds die.

I did some shots of the dead pigeons in one of those cages. Will post the pics tomorrow.