Green Lines 96 Posted October 8, 2011 Share #1 Posted October 8, 2011 There were RTS buses before the well known RTS-04 in NYC. They were the RTS-03's. They used to have slant backs and unopenable windows There are not very many images on the web of them in service but they were used in NYC by Various companies (mainly the PBL's). Roster of GMC RTS-03's in NYC MTA Demo #200 Returned GBL Demo #1001 Returned QTC #1 STC #2 JBI #301-310 (All later given to GBL with an added -1) cTc #630-639 (630-636 later given to GBL with an added -1) GBL #1001-1015 QSC #177-204 (177-192 ex-Liberty Lines Transit, 193-204 ex-GBTA) I remember seeing GBL's RTS-03's 1000 series in service until early 2000. They were already retrofitted with square back/sliding windows since way before I was born. They were also the oldest buses I ever rode on. 1012 is still in good shape and sits in the Varsity yard by Spring Creek depot. Many were gone by 2006 and some gone even earlier. Share good or bad times that you've experienced with the RTS-03's 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill from Maspeth Posted October 8, 2011 Share #2 Posted October 8, 2011 I thought they were the RTS-01. Silly me. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novabus 5000 Posted October 8, 2011 Share #3 Posted October 8, 2011 No as I was not bored yet, however I did go and check out 1012 the other day, one of the few units remaining. It is in pretty good shape exterior wise, no clue about the interior. One the other side of the lot is Command 351 which looks really bad since last time I saw it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The TransitMan Posted October 8, 2011 Share #4 Posted October 8, 2011 The ones I remember a lot were the Green Lines, Jamaica and Queens Surface. Green Lines and Jamaica (BEFORE they went to Green Lines) had the slope back. For some reason, I was afraid to ride those buses because they looked weird. As for the Queens Surface, those buses looked good with the A/C unit added on them. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted October 8, 2011 Author Share #5 Posted October 8, 2011 No as I was not bored yet, however I did go and check out 1012 the other day, one of the few units remaining. It is in pretty good shape exterior wise, no clue about the interior. One the other side of the lot is Command 351 which looks really bad since last time I saw it. Command 351 has been there since 1999. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted October 8, 2011 Author Share #6 Posted October 8, 2011 (edited) The ones I remember a lot were the Green Lines, Jamaica and Queens Surface. Green Lines and Jamaica (BEFORE they went to Green Lines) had the slope back. For some reason, I was afraid to ride those buses because they looked weird. As for the Queens Surface, those buses looked good with the A/C unit added on them. Speaking of the QSC RTS-03's here is a picture of #200 with ad wrap in 1996 Green Lines RTS-03 in original condition (slant-back, old paint scheme, all unopenable windows) A few Green Lines RTS-03's at Varsity in 2001 Green Lines 1012 at GBL JFK Depot in 2004 Jamaica Buses RTS-03 Triboro Coach RTS-03 Edited October 8, 2011 by Green Lines 96 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #7 Posted October 11, 2011 The ones I remember a lot were the Green Lines, Jamaica and Queens Surface. Green Lines and Jamaica (BEFORE they went to Green Lines) had the slope back. For some reason, I was afraid to ride those buses because they looked weird. As for the Queens Surface, those buses looked good with the A/C unit added on them. I remember when I was 2-3 yrs old and I used to think the Retrofit A/C vent on the GBL 1000 series RTS's looked weird. I didn't like to look at them or ride them at the time. They appeaed frequently on the Q8 around 1998-1999. I also saw them frequently around other GBL areas, especially during the night or early morning. I don't remember seeing them much at noon instead I saw Orions, TMC''s or GMC RTS-04's. I also saw the MCI's very few times in the noon as well. I think that was because the GMC RTS-03's or MCI's didn't have Wheelchair lifts. After 2000 I wondered where they were as I didn't see them. I did see 1012 in 2002 driving around X-Bay. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #8 Posted October 11, 2011 The ones I remember a lot were the Green Lines, Jamaica and Queens Surface. Green Lines and Jamaica (BEFORE they went to Green Lines) had the slope back. For some reason, I was afraid to ride those buses because they looked weird. As for the Queens Surface, those buses looked good with the A/C unit added on them. I remember when I was 2-3 yrs old and I used to think the Retrofit A/C vent on the GBL 1000 series RTS's looked weird. I didn't like to look at them or ride them at the time. They appeaed frequently on the Q8 around 1998-1999. I also saw them frequently around other GBL areas, especially during the night or early morning. I don't remember seeing them much at noon instead I saw Orions, TMC''s or GMC RTS-04's. I also saw the MCI's very few times in the noon as well. I think that was because the GMC RTS-03's or MCI's didn't have Wheelchair lifts. After 2000 I wondered where they were as I didn't see them. I did see 1012 in 2002 driving around X-Bay. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtattrain Posted October 11, 2011 Share #9 Posted October 11, 2011 Command 351 has been there since 1999. I think that RTS is an RTS-04. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtattrain Posted October 11, 2011 Share #10 Posted October 11, 2011 Command 351 has been there since 1999. I think that RTS is an RTS-04. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #11 Posted October 11, 2011 I think that RTS is an RTS-04. Yes, it is actually a 1984 model bought from Command instead of DOT. The others were 352-356. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #12 Posted October 11, 2011 I think that RTS is an RTS-04. Yes, it is actually a 1984 model bought from Command instead of DOT. The others were 352-356. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #13 Posted October 11, 2011 The ones I remember a lot were the Green Lines, Jamaica and Queens Surface. Green Lines and Jamaica (BEFORE they went to Green Lines) had the slope back. For some reason, I was afraid to ride those buses because they looked weird. As for the Queens Surface, those buses looked good with the A/C unit added on them. Did you ever see the A/C unit on Green Lines 1002? I heard it was different from the other Green Lines 1000 series A/C unit. If so, What did it look like? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #14 Posted October 11, 2011 The ones I remember a lot were the Green Lines, Jamaica and Queens Surface. Green Lines and Jamaica (BEFORE they went to Green Lines) had the slope back. For some reason, I was afraid to ride those buses because they looked weird. As for the Queens Surface, those buses looked good with the A/C unit added on them. Did you ever see the A/C unit on Green Lines 1002? I heard it was different from the other Green Lines 1000 series A/C unit. If so, What did it look like? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted October 16, 2011 Author Share #15 Posted October 16, 2011 Today on Wayback Machine I saw a picture of a whole bunch of cTc RTS-03's with slant backs at their garage. The picture seemed to be taken when the RTS-03's first got to cTc in 1979. I also saw a picture taken in 1998 of a few QSC ex-Bee Line RTS-03's lined up all unpainted. The retrofits looked really weird as they looked like the slant was still intact but with an add on A/C tacked on. The picture shown in an earlier post is of QSC 200 ex-GBTA which has a retrofit A/C similar to GBL. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted October 16, 2011 Author Share #16 Posted October 16, 2011 4 ex-Bee Lines/Liberty Lines Transit QSC RTS-03's 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted October 25, 2011 Author Share #17 Posted October 25, 2011 4 ex-Bee Lines/Liberty Lines Transit QSC RTS-03's Here is the picture again. Here is a picture I have a question about Does anyone know about this RTS to the left of GBL 604-1? I think it's 1002 but did 630-1 to 636-1 or 301-1 to 310-1 have GBL's final scheme and what did the GBL orion V's replace in 1997? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted November 1, 2011 Author Share #18 Posted November 1, 2011 NYCT Demo #200 GBL Demo #1001 both pictures from bustalk.info 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted November 1, 2011 Author Share #19 Posted November 1, 2011 (edited) Does anyone have the pictures of Green Lines 1012 and 1014 from the original bustalk.net galleries. I remember there were 2 pictures of 1012 which one showed the driver side and the other showed the back. There was 1 picture of the front of 1014 and the paint scheme was the final scheme but with 2 stripes on the front above the Green Lines text instead of 1 stripe. 1014 was written in a white box like Command's numbers. Also, does anyone have the Green Lines RTS-03 pictures from the old site Transitworld.org. There were also a few QSC ex-GBTA GMC RTS-03 pictures. I would like to have these pictures as on the Wayback Machine the sites are either not archived or they were from geocities after it was taken down. Edited November 2, 2011 by Green Lines 96 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted November 8, 2011 Author Share #20 Posted November 8, 2011 (edited) The very first RTS-03's actually bought for a NYC Company Queens Transit 1 Steinway Transit 2 There were 2 other RTS-03's with this order MTA 200 and GBL 1001(1000) but they were demonstrators. These were all 1978 GMC RTS-03 T8H-603's. Jamaica Bus 301-310, Triboro 630-639, and Green Lines 1001-1015 were all 1979 GMC RTS-03 T8H-203. These were all 102 inch compared to 96 inch as those 1978 models listed above. QSC's GBTA amd Bee Line RTS-03's were 1979 GMC RTS-03 T8H-603 96 inch buses. Edited November 9, 2011 by Green Lines 96 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted November 9, 2011 Author Share #21 Posted November 9, 2011 (edited) Interior of Green Lines 302-1/Jamaica Buses 302 at East Island Auto Parts in 2004 Back of it It seemed like only GBL gave modern RTS Back Bumpers to 1001-1015, 302-1 has the original back bumper and probably the others from Jamaica Bus and Triboro do. Speaking of Triboro, does anyone have a picture of GBL 630-1 either before or after the Black Stripe paint scheme. 630-1 was used untill around 2001 at GBL for part transfer between Arverne and JFK Depot. Edited November 9, 2011 by Green Lines 96 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted October 26, 2012 Author Share #22 Posted October 26, 2012 Someone on youtube had the image of GL 1014 I was talking about. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtsbusman1997 Posted January 24, 2013 Share #23 Posted January 24, 2013 Command 351 has been there since 1999. Any idea why? Is it even there still? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Far Rock Depot Posted January 26, 2013 Share #24 Posted January 26, 2013 Did you ever see the A/C unit on Green Lines 1002? I heard it was different from the other Green Lines 1000 series A/C unit. If so, What did it look like? I rode every single -03 Green Lines had back when i moved to Queens in 1990! Ah, memories.... 1002 had a "smaller'' A/C added similar to what Westchester county had on theirs. A pic is hard to find but I can say the A/C unit were not a s wide as the width of the bus. They were a few inches short on either side. You can see that the original design was a slope and the A/C was added on, Pics of this are very hard to find... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lines 96 Posted September 5, 2014 Author Share #25 Posted September 5, 2014 (edited) Did 1002 ever get the 2 stripe Green Lines paint scheme or was it always with the original 1 thin stripe? Also, did the borrowed RTS-03 from Jamaica Buses and Triboro get the 2 stripes? I would like to make a paper model of them. Edited September 5, 2014 by Green Lines 96 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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