New York Railways Corporation
Encyclopedia
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
between 1925 and 1936. During 1935/1936 it converted its remaining lines to bus routes which were operated by the New York City Omnibus Corporation
New York City Omnibus Corporation
The New York City Omnibus Corporation was formed in 1926. It ran new bus services that replaced the New York Railways Corporation streetcars when they were dismantled in 1935/36. It purchased the Fifth Avenue Coach Company from The Omnibus Corporation in 1954 and renamed itself the 'Fifth Avenue...
, and now operated by the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority
Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority
The Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority is a subsidiary of the New York City Transit Authority that was created in 1962 to take over bus services from the bankrupt Fifth Avenue Coach Company and Surface Transit, Inc...
. The organisation was the successor to the New York Railways Company which was in receivership
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
.
History
The New York Railways Corporation took over operations from the receivers of the New York Railways Company on May 1, 1925.A majority of stock was bought in August 1926 by the Fifth Avenue Coach Company which had been acquired by the newly formed The Omnibus Corporation
The Omnibus Corporation
The Omnibus Corporation was formed in 1925 and acquired control of Fifth Avenue Coach Company and the Chicago Motor Coach Company with John D. Hertz as chairman. In 1953 it purchased Yellow Drive-It-Yourself from General Motors and sold its interests in public transport...
the same year. It was reported at the time that the company had plans to abandon the lines and replace them with buses operated by the newly-formed New York City Omnibus Corporation
New York City Omnibus Corporation
The New York City Omnibus Corporation was formed in 1926. It ran new bus services that replaced the New York Railways Corporation streetcars when they were dismantled in 1935/36. It purchased the Fifth Avenue Coach Company from The Omnibus Corporation in 1954 and renamed itself the 'Fifth Avenue...
.
The Eighth and Ninth Avenue Railroads merged in December 1926 to form the Eighth and Ninth Avenues Railway, but that company entered receivership on May 5, 1927, and was bought by the Fifth Avenue Coach Company. The New York and Harlem's lines were leased again in 1932.
Conversion to bus operation started with the Fourth and Madison Avenues Line
Fourth and Madison Avenues Line
The Fourth and Madison Avenues Line is a public transit line in Manhattan, New York City, United States, running mostly along Park Avenue and Madison Avenue from Lower Manhattan to Harlem. Originally a streetcar line, it is now much of the M1 bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority...
in February 1935 using specially-built larger vehicles from Yellow Coach Manufacturing Company). The line was judged to be a success and the remaining streetcar lines were converted over an 18 month period:
- Sixth Avenue LineSixth Avenue Line (Manhattan surface)The Sixth Avenue Line was a public transit line in Manhattan, New York City, United States, running mostly along Sixth Avenue from Lower Manhattan to Central Park...
- March 12, 1936 - Seventh Avenue LineSeventh Avenue Line (Manhattan surface)The Seventh Avenue Line is a surface public transit line in Manhattan, New York City, United States, connecting Lower Manhattan with Central Park along Seventh Avenue...
- March 6, 1936 - Eighth Avenue LineEighth Avenue Line (Manhattan surface)The Eighth Avenue Line is a public transit line in Manhattan, New York City, United States, running mostly along Eighth Avenue from Lower Manhattan to Harlem. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the M10 bus route and the M20 bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority...
- November 12, 1935 - Ninth and Amsterdam Avenues LineNinth and Amsterdam Avenues LineThe Ninth and Amsterdam Avenues Line or Ninth Avenue Line is a surface transit line in the New York City borough of Manhattan, running mostly along Ninth Avenue and Amsterdam Avenue from Lower Manhattan to Manhattanville...
- November 12, 1935 - Broadway LineBroadway Line (Lower Manhattan surface)The Broadway Line is a public transit line in Manhattan, New York City, United States, running mostly along Broadway and Seventh Avenue from Lower Manhattan to Central Park. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the southbound direction of the M5 bus route, operated by the New York City Transit...
- February 12, 1936 - Columbus Avenue LineColumbus Avenue LineThe Columbus Avenue Line is a public transit line in Manhattan, New York City, United States, running mostly along Columbus Avenue, 116th Street, and Lenox Avenue from Lower Manhattan to Harlem. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the M7 bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority...
- February 12, 1936 - Lexington Avenue Line - March 25, 1936
- Eighth Street Crosstown LineEighth Street Crosstown LineThe Eighth Street Crosstown Line is a public transit line in Manhattan, New York City, United States, running mostly along Eighth Street, Ninth Street, Tenth Street, and Christopher Street through the West Village, Greenwich Village, and East Village...
- March 6, 1936 - 14th Street Crosstown Line14th Street Crosstown Line (surface)The 14th Street Crosstown Line is a public transit line in Manhattan, New York City, United States, running mostly along 14th Street from Chelsea to the Lower East Side. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the M14 bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority...
- April 20, 1936 - 23rd Street Crosstown Line - April 8, 1936
- 34th Street Crosstown Line - April 1, 1936
- 86th Street Crosstown Line - June 8, 1936
- 116th Street Crosstown Line - April 1, 1936
Due to a stockholders' lawsuit, the company had to operate a single trolley trip on each line until early June 1936 to retain the franchises. The 86th Street Crosstown Line was the last New York Railways line because Green Bus Lines
Green Bus Lines
Green Bus Lines was a bus company in New York City, United States, managed most recently by Jerome Cooper , operating local service in Queens and express service to Manhattan until January 9, 2006, when the MTA Bus Company took over its routes.The company was incorporated on April 3, 1925 to...
was operating buses along 86th Street. The New York and Harlem Railroad trolleys (Fourth and Madison Avenues; 86th Street Crosstown was not replaced with buses) were replaced by Madison Avenue Coach Company buses, and the Eighth and Ninth Avenues Railway trolleys by Eighth Avenue Coach Company buses, both companies owned by Fifth Avenue Coach.