150 Years of Transit: Milwaukee County Transit System

[CURRENTZ_09]

The Milwaukee County Transit System is celebrating 150 years of transit service within the greater Milwaukee area. As a result, they have recently issued in the April issue of Buslines passenger newsletters that on May 7th, 2010 Route 15 (Oakland-Kinnickinnic) will offer free rides as a portion of that route was the first to exist within Milwaukee. Also, 90 new clean diesil buses are to arrive later this summer with a new clor scheme being introduced the same day as the free rides on Route 15 (Oakland-Kinnickinnic). How do you feel about this excitement about this annversary that the milwaukee county transit system is celebrating?

[samana09]

It's very exciting, especially since I can recall every model of transit vehicle they operated since the

early 1950's, and rode almost all of them.

For those who don't know already, you can visit the following websites for lots of great photos:

www.thetransportco.com

www.trolleybuses.net (better known as Tom's Trolley Bus Pix, and click on Milwaukee).

Another interesting point regarding the first streetcar route being along part of the present-day

route 15 ---- it was also the last place streetcars pulled in from the last

revenue service. The last streetcar line was #10-Wells St, but they all

pulled in to Kinnickinnic Station via the Water St and S 1st St portion

of route 15.

Thanks,

Samana09

[Busjack]

For those who don't know already, you can visit the following websites for lots of great photos:

www.thetransportco.com

That seemed to jog my memory that when I visited Milwaukee in about the mid 70s, they were still running The Transport Co. old looks, at a time that most of the transit operations around Chicago were at least pretty much all New Look.

Bill V (to which the above site refers) indicates that MCTS took over about 1975. Is that about correct, and did Transport Co. mostly run old looks? Their Motor Coach page shows a couple of New Looks about 1974, but were they prevalent?

[samana09]

That seemed to jog my memory that when I visited Milwaukee in about the mid 70s, they were still running The Transport Co. old looks, at a time that most of the transit operations around Chicago were at least pretty much all New Look.

Bill V (to which the above site refers) indicates that MCTS took over about 1975. Is that about correct, and did Transport Co. mostly run old looks? Their Motor Coach page shows a couple of New Looks about 1974, but were they prevalent?

In answer to the above:

In the 1974-75 era, GM new looks were not only prevalent, they were normally the only buses running

on weekends. The system had 381 GM New Looks at that time. The only other bus model operated then was the GM 5105, in the series 1320 - 1483, (164 buses) but at least 40 of those were in dead storage.

This meant GM new looks were about 75% of the active fleet, and 5105's about 25%.

On regular routes, the 5105's were normally run only in weekday rush hours. On "special" routes,

such as the U-Bus and Downtown Shuttle, 5105's operated the full weekday schedule. One other exception

was that 6 of the 5105's were painted in a multi-color advertisement for WTMJ Channel 4 News, these 6

were circulated on all routes seven days a week as a promotion.

It's also worth noting that #1483 mentioned above, was the LAST GM 5105 ever built.

Milwaukee County took over all transit operations at 3:00 AM on July 1, 1975.

The very first bus to operate under County ownership was a southbound #35-35th Street,

which pulled out of Fond Du Lac Station and short-turned at Lincoln Ave.

As for CTA during that time frame, as far as I know the last Flxible propane OLD-looks operated in February 1974, giving CTA a 100% new look bus fleet from that time on.

Hope this helps,

Thanks,

Samana09

[Archon]

It's also worth noting that #1483 mentioned above, was the LAST GM 5105 ever built.

I believe that 1483 is still around in private ownership

[samana09]

To all,

I'm trying to find out more about the former route 83-S. 27th St, which ran from Oklahoma to College

from 1951 to 1954.

Has anyone ever seen a schedule, or have information from relatives who lived back then?

Was it a full-time route with weekend service? Or just a rush hour operation?

What garage was it from? (It was about equal distance from either National or KK).

I would guess the usual equipment must have been pre-war gas buses, most likely

Twin 30R's or 30G's, or Ford Transits.

I know the route was started because the opening of Southgate in 1951 caused a need

for service south of Oklahoma, and they didn't want to disrupt the existing 51-Oklahoma-Layton

which ran from 27th & National to Superior & Oklahoma.

It ended in late 1954, when the 27 became one unified route from Atkinson to College.

Any information would be highly appreciated.

Thanks,

Samana09

[busfan2]

To all,

I'm trying to find out more about the former route 83-S. 27th St, which ran from Oklahoma to College

from 1951 to 1954.

Has anyone ever seen a schedule, or have information from relatives who lived back then?

Was it a full-time route with weekend service? Or just a rush hour operation?

What garage was it from? (It was about equal distance from either National or KK).

I would guess the usual equipment must have been pre-war gas buses, most likely

Twin 30R's or 30G's, or Ford Transits.

I know the route was started because the opening of Southgate in 1951 caused a need

for service south of Oklahoma, and they didn't want to disrupt the existing 51-Oklahoma-Layton

which ran from 27th & National to Superior & Oklahoma.

It ended in late 1954, when the 27 became one unified route from Atkinson to College.

Any information would be highly appreciated.

Thanks,

Samana09

Check out this website: http://milwtransit.org/WP/ . It is a small museum that is dedicated to Milwaukee Transit history. They might have the answer you are looking for.