Hmmmm...144 avenue des Pins bus...the fruit stores has a WE5/935 exchange so...thinking it might be Ste-Catherine at Atwater...but which corner, NW (where Alexis Nihon Plaza is now) or SW (where the 3000th McDonald's once was)...hmmmm???
Sure looks like the Forum building. I still remember the circus using the empty lot across Atwater for their vehicles and trailers where Alexis Nihon Plaza is today.
Mack buses were regulars on the 144 route for years. Their rear bench seat was higher than the other seats. If you were tall and sat there, your shoulder was almost at the top of that small rearmost side window.
Montreal in the 1950s, 1960s and even early 1970s had a real variety of buses from different manufacturers. Besides the Macks, there were "old look" GMs on the 65 route, Fageol Twin Coaches on the 19 Hampstead route and CanCar Brills everywhere else.
The CanCars ranged from the older ones where the windows slid open sideways to the newer longer buses with windows that opened vertically.
In the 1960s Montreal started receiving the "new look" fishbowl GMs that almost became the standard for the MTC. They still had some oddballs though, like the "new look" CanCars that were used on the Sherbrooke route or the Western Flyers on the 165 Cote des Neiges route. Then there were a number of "new look" Flxibles (correct spelling) used on the 150 Dorchester.
At one time, there were even Fords, Whites and Reos. In the very early days, there were several British models including the very first trolleybuses in Montreal.
I find it kind of interesting that the old Montreal Forum has a plaque or whatever you want to call it in the sidewalk on the Atwater side of the building and on the St. Catherine Street side of the Forum there is a Tim Horton's doughnut shop. Kind of like a smack in the face considering Tim was a long time Maple Leaf.
I agree that Hagerstown,MD is not as nice a town as Frederick or Westminster...but the majority of Mack buses came out of their Allentown,PA facility...NE Pennsylvania...the Tri-Cities of Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton. The most arrogant and sanctimonius broadcaster in Montreal came out of Easton. An Orange Maison if you can identify him. (Hint: He's in another market now since his raison d'etre to be here moved to said market)
As a boy in the 70s, I used to take the long-defunct 128 bus from my school downtown back home to Outremont. It went up Parc, then west on Bernard, and up Outremont st. to Van Horne. I am not a bus connoisseur like some folks on this thread, but I remember that that line occasionally had some old-looking brown coloured buses on the route.
For completists, that 128 bus route was the successor to the earlier route 97 streetcar line--the remaining tracks of which can sometimes be seen emerging through cracks in the pavemnent on Outremont Avenue.
Bouchard over to Harvey who brings the puck up ice and passes to Blake. Blake slides the puck over to the boards where Lach is waiting. He moves in on the net. Warren Godfrey slides out to smother any pass Lach might make across the front of the net but is too late. A streaking Rocket puts a wrist shot behind Terry Sawchuk. The crowd goes wild!
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That's the Montreal Forum building!
ReplyDeleteHmmmm...144 avenue des Pins bus...the fruit stores has a WE5/935 exchange so...thinking it might be Ste-Catherine at Atwater...but which corner, NW (where Alexis Nihon Plaza is now) or SW (where the 3000th McDonald's once was)...hmmmm???
ReplyDeleteBack in the Day Rte. 144 Ave de Pins/Pine ex Terminus Atwater usually had a Mack bus as shown here.
ReplyDeleteOne reason, a Chauffeur said, was that Macks were a good Mountain bus on the grades when compared with Can Cars and GMs.
Nice bus to ride, 4-cycle Diesel. You knew you were riding in a Mack.
Rarely seen in the West end.
MTC had several service vehicles that were also by Mack.
Taking down Trolley Bus wire with a Mack Tower Truck.
http://www.expositionstm.info/bus/photo29.html
The colours on this truck would be Creme over a light Brown
The Blue and White came later.
Mack Bus.
http://www.stm.info/en-bref/3303.htm
One class of Can Car Autobus had 'Sanders' ahead of the rear wheels for severe winter service.
Can Car buses were poor in snow until limited slip differentials were applied in the Sixties.
Thank You.
Leon's Fruit Store
ReplyDelete2321 Ste Catherine St. W.
Last time I rode a Mack bus was on route 150 along Dorchester back in the mid-60s.
ReplyDeleteSure looks like the Forum building. I still remember the circus using the empty lot across Atwater for their vehicles and trailers where Alexis Nihon Plaza is today.
ReplyDeleteMack buses were regulars on the 144 route for years. Their rear bench seat was higher than the other seats. If you were tall and sat there, your shoulder was almost at the top of that small rearmost side window.
Montreal in the 1950s, 1960s and even early 1970s had a real variety of buses from different manufacturers. Besides the Macks, there were "old look" GMs on the 65 route, Fageol Twin Coaches on the 19 Hampstead route and CanCar Brills everywhere else.
The CanCars ranged from the older ones where the windows slid open sideways to the newer longer buses with windows that opened vertically.
In the 1960s Montreal started receiving the "new look" fishbowl GMs that almost became the standard for the MTC. They still had some oddballs though, like the "new look" CanCars that were used on the Sherbrooke route or the Western Flyers on the 165 Cote des Neiges route. Then there were a number of "new look" Flxibles (correct spelling) used on the 150 Dorchester.
At one time, there were even Fords, Whites and Reos. In the very early days, there were several British models including the very first trolleybuses in Montreal.
I find it kind of interesting that the old Montreal Forum has a plaque or whatever you want to call it in the sidewalk on the Atwater side of the building and on the St. Catherine Street side of the Forum there is a Tim Horton's doughnut shop. Kind of like a smack in the face considering Tim was a long time Maple Leaf.
ReplyDeleteI was busy looking at the Mack bus, as they were quite elegant, for the time.
ReplyDeleteIt is the Forum.
Many years ago we used to go there by streetcar to watch the Circus and the Ice Follies.
Here are more views.
http://www.stm.info/en-bref/tramways/images/S61112/S611122_27.jpg
http://www.stm.info/en-bref/tramways/images/S61112/S611123_29.jpg
http://www.stm.info/en-bref/tramways/images/S61112/S611123_25.jpg
Thank You.
Macks used to be made in Hagarsfield Maryland. An armpit of a town.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Hagerstown,MD is not as nice a town as Frederick or Westminster...but the majority of Mack buses came out of their Allentown,PA facility...NE Pennsylvania...the Tri-Cities of Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton. The most arrogant and sanctimonius broadcaster in Montreal came out of Easton. An Orange Maison if you can identify him. (Hint: He's in another market now since his raison d'etre to be here moved to said market)
ReplyDelete@Wayne That would be Van Horne. But I've only ever heard good things about him. What gives ?
ReplyDelete@Wayne BTW Une grande Orange Maison , S.V.P. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, ndgguy, Van Horne...just ask Joe Cannon, Malcolm Charlton...he would belittle and bring down The Duke which is unforgivable.
ReplyDeleteAs a boy in the 70s, I used to take the long-defunct 128 bus from my school downtown back home to Outremont. It went up Parc, then west on Bernard, and up Outremont st. to Van Horne. I am not a bus connoisseur like some folks on this thread, but I remember that that line occasionally had some old-looking brown coloured buses on the route.
ReplyDeleteFor completists, that 128 bus route was the successor to the earlier route 97 streetcar line--the remaining tracks of which can sometimes be seen emerging through cracks in the pavemnent on Outremont Avenue.
ReplyDeleteSkeletons of our past.
Correction to my previous post:
ReplyDeleteThe 96 and 97 streetcar lines were the predecessors of the later 128 bus route.
Bouchard over to Harvey who brings the puck up ice and passes to Blake. Blake slides the puck over to the boards where Lach is waiting. He moves in on the net. Warren Godfrey slides out to smother any pass Lach might make across the front of the net but is too late. A streaking Rocket puts a wrist shot behind Terry Sawchuk. The crowd goes wild!
ReplyDelete