MTA Buses on 9/11/01

[QM1to6Ave]

During the 9/11 memorial earlier today, I began thinking about how MTA buses were affected that day. I've read about how 9/11 affected NYPD/FDNY/DSNY, but never really saw anything about how MTA buses were affected, besides for the occasional blurb about bus 2185 that was damaged and given the special paint scheme after being fixed up. 

 

From pictures, it seems like more than just that 1 coach were damaged, but I've never heard of any B/O's or passengers that were injured that day. Does anyone know what happened? Were those just express buses on layover, or did any B/O's have to evacuate their buses and passengers during the attacks?  Were any local buses damaged? 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I remember that day very well. I was in college at the time and was heading to a tutoring session for Spanish since I had some down time before class.  I got to our Learning Center and saw the TV.  Horrible feeling... I didn't make it down to Ground Zero until some months later, but the smell of death for blocks was something I'll never forget.  I've seen a few express buses in the rumble.  I know that 2185 was actually salvaged and restored as you know.  That bus (I believe) is no longer in service and is part of the museum collection.  There were a lot of others that were destroyed though and could not be salvaged.

Remembering 9/11 Through Express Coach 2185

September 10th, 2013

MTA NYC Transit bus No. 2185, a Brooklyn express coach assigned to Ulmer Park Depot, is emblazoned in a unique paint scheme that takes on an added significance this time of year.  The coach operates between Shore Road in Brooklyn and Midtown Manhattan along the X27 route transporting customers to work and home again each day. With its distinctive red, white and blue paint job, it is a source of pride to the depot’s employees who remember the once heavily damaged hulk as it sat on the street 12 years ago near Ground Zero.

Covered in dust, ash and falling debris on the morning of 9/11, the express coach could have been written off and sent off to scrap.  It was decided, however, to rebuild her as a symbol of NYC Transit’s resiliency and a rolling example of the dedication of the agency’s employees.  Full repairs took about three years and when they were completed, Ulmer Park workers developed a design for a paint job that would highlight the special coach, allowing it to stand out, both in the depot and on the street.

“This coach has a special place in our hearts throughout the year, but even more so this time of year when we all reflect back on the tragic events of that morning,” said Darryl Irick, President MTA Bus and SVP NYC Transit Department of Buses.

Recently retired Bus Operator Dominick Spinelli drove and cared for No. 2185 from January 2006 until he left Transit in February after 32 years of service and the bus was in his care for most of its second life.  Spinelli was usually the one behind the wheel when the bus was in service and often came in on his day off to give the 45- foot coach a wash and wax.

“I don’t want anyone to think that it was just me,” said Spinelli during a recent visit to the depot.  “Everyone at Ulmer Park viewed this coach with a source of pride and everyone here takes a special interest in her.”

Spinelli refers to 2185 as “her” for a reason.  One day, he recalls that he was driving up Madison Avenue toward midtown when a rider asked what “her” name was.  “I thought about it for a moment and realized that every special vehicle has a name, so I named the bus Pamela in honor of a lady I knew who died on 9/11,” said Spinelli.  Since then, 2185 has had a name to go along with her fleet number.

These days, “Pamela” is driven by veteran Bus Operator Joseph Rotondo, who also views the historic coach as something special. “I take care of her just like Dom did,” said Rotondo.  “I am extremely proud to be Pamela’s driver but that responsibility also comes with a great sense of sadness, especially this time of year.”

Dominick Spinelli  and Joseph Rotondo

Bus 2185 after 9/11

Source: http://www.mta.info/news/2013/09/10/remembering-911-through-express-coach-2185

[MysteriousBtrain]

RTS 4544 and MCI 1998 were completely destroyed in the attacks with no way of returning.

I'm pretty sure everyone near World Trade had to evacuate their vehicles when they knew what was going on.  Most routes in that section were cut to City Hall and the M9 obtained it's infamous routing it had from 2001-2010.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I do know that the Staten Island Ferry was used to shuttle people away from the area and to what was thought of as a "safe area".  The express buses however have been used to help out in a number of catastrophes over the years, including for hurricanes in other states.

[trife86]

Some SI express busses were used to transfer bodies to where they were the ME and other agencies we're sorting on SI

[Lil 57]

6 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

including for hurricanes in other states.

Are there any articles or pictures of this?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Just now, Lil 57 said:

Are there any articles or pictures of this?

You can do a search. I do recall seeing the express buses on the news though. Not sure about any articles.

[trife86]

13 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

You can do a search. I do recall seeing the express buses on the news though. Not sure about any articles.

Yeah they are out there. I might have a bunch of some MCIs going down to Katrina used mostly to support national guard movements

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 minute ago, trife86 said:

Yeah they are out there. I might have a bunch of some MCIs going down to Katrina used mostly to support national guard movements

Yeah I figured they were....

[QM1to6Ave]

1 hour ago, trife86 said:

Some SI express busses were used to transfer bodies to where they were the ME and other agencies we're sorting on SI

Wow, that is a bit eery to think about. 

 

And there used to be a CP MCI that had a plaque commemorating how the bus was sent to New Orleans after Katrina to help with evacuations. Haven't seen that bus in a while. 

 

I also remeber the MCIs being used to transport old people from nursing homes after hurricane Irene and Sandy

[trainfan22]

RTS 9500 was used to transport firefighters to the W TC site in the days after the attack as seen in this video

 

 

Skip to the 9:28 Mark to see the RTS but I suggest watching the whole video, it's pretty rare prospective of ground zero, the turnstiles and booth of Courtlandt station is also seen in the video.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

2 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

Wow, that is a bit eery to think about. 

 

And there used to be a CP MCI that had a plaque commemorating how the bus was sent to New Orleans after Katrina to help with evacuations. Haven't seen that bus in a while. 

 

I also remeber the MCIs being used to transport old people from nursing homes after hurricane Irene and Sandy

That’s because I believe a lot of the MCIs that went down there were somewhat new at the time, so some may now be retiring if not already.

[Deucey]

4 hours ago, Lil 57 said:

Are there any articles or pictures of this?

Dunno personally, but I was here in 96 when  sent new RTS' to Atlanta to help MARTA out during the Olympics.

So it does happen -  lending equipment out to help others.

[FLX9304]

I came back to the city during the October 1-3, 2001 visit (10 months after I said good bye as a resident). The area looked naked with no buildings around it. The  train was starting to get their own R142s (6701-6730 was the first 30 trains in service as I stood on watch at 180th St). Most of its service was comprised of R33s only. There was only 1 trainset of R26/28/29 left in service. When it finished its trip, it went to Uniport Yard to park permanently. The  was predominantly R142s but it did had 2 trainsets of R62As and 2 sets of R33s. 

On the surface, I saw the 1984 RTS buses (3560, 3671, 3490, 3559, 3681, 3703, 3764 & 3668) which was on its last legs. The 7000s & 7500s had some different kind of horsepower but still had my favorite DD92s (except 7004). 

They was supposed to order a set of RTS Hybrid Buses in the 6300s. But that all changed. 

[78 via Stew Leonards]

3 hours ago, FLX9304 said:

I came back to the city during the October 1-3, 2001 visit (10 months after I said good bye as a resident). The area looked naked with no buildings around it. The  train was starting to get their own R142s (6701-6730 was the first 30 trains in service as I stood on watch at 180th St). Most of its service was comprised of R33s only. There was only 1 trainset of R26/28/29 left in service. When it finished its trip, it went to Uniport Yard to park permanently. The  was predominantly R142s but it did had 2 trainsets of R62As and 2 sets of R33s. 

On the surface, I saw the 1984 RTS buses (3560, 3671, 3490, 3559, 3681, 3703, 3764 & 3668) which was on its last legs. The 7000s & 7500s had some different kind of horsepower but still had my favorite DD92s (except 7004). 

They was supposed to order a set of RTS Hybrid Buses in the 6300s. But that all changed. 

When did the  ever have R62A's. I don't ever recall seeing an R62 or 62A on the  or  ever.

[FLX9304]

17 minutes ago, 78 via Stew Leonards said:

When did the  ever have R62A's. I don't ever recall seeing an R62 or 62A on the  or  ever.

The  had them from 1995-2001. Those was from the  and used them during the peak hours and OPTO during the overnights. The majority of trains the used was the R26/28/29s The  used them as supplements during the years that the  and  ran into Brooklyn while the  went only to 14th St, which was after 9/11

[78 via Stew Leonards]

11 minutes ago, FLX9304 said:

The  had them from 1995-2001. Those was from the  and used them during the peak hours and OPTO during the overnights. The  used them as supplements during the years that the  and  ran into Brooklyn while the  went only to 14th St

Seeing a R62/A  just seems so odd. I vaguely remember the redbirds on the  ( I was 5 years old in 2001 ) and even less so on the . The first time I ever remember seeing a R142 was on the  sometime in late 2001/early 2002, then I remember the R142A on the  in August 2002, (vaguely remember seeing redbirds on that line before that, but nothing else). The  is the only IRT line I remember seeing R62s on back in the day (other than the  ) and those things made the  line what it was, (along with the occasional redbird here and there). I don't remember the  getting any newer trains until several years after the  around late 2002/early 2003.

[FLX9304]

4 hours ago, 78 via Stew Leonards said:

Seeing a R62/A  just seems so odd. I vaguely remember the redbirds on the  ( I was 5 years old in 2001 ) and even less so on the . The first time I ever remember seeing a R142 was on the  sometime in late 2001/early 2002, then I remember the R142A on the  in August 2002, (vaguely remember seeing redbirds on that line before that, but nothing else). The  is the only IRT line I remember seeing R62s on back in the day (other than the  ) and those things made the  line what it was, (along with the occasional redbird here and there). I don't remember the  getting any newer trains until several years after the  around late 2002/early 2003.

Well welcome to the club! Just to give you the meet that you are entitle toentire to

[Lawrence St]

I know some MTA buses operated over the Manhattan/Brooklyn Bridge to get people away from Lower Manhattan.