From the late '40s comes this shot of the No. 29 Bloomfield streetcar stopping at Orange Street on its way downtown. These old-style cars clattered up Orange to the 14th Street car barn for repairs and parking, and were replaced in 1952.
Tung-Sol was an old hand at electron tubes and such. Starting in 1907 they developed the first successful electric headlamp for cars, they followed that in 1913 with the two filament high and low beam headlight in a single bulb. They also developed the flashing turn signal, and made that little thing that goes click, click under the dashboard for almost every American car until the 1970's, yes, we all grew up listening to Tung-Sol. In the 1920's they entered the electronics field and applied their basic company policy "make the best that can be made."
My Father was shop steward at Tung Sol during WWII. After the war he got a job driving the trolley cars on the street until they took them off the streets. Then he drove City Subway till he retired.
My mom worked in Tung Sol before she was married and until 1951 ish. She lived on the corner of Second Street and Sussex Avenue. She put filements in light bulbs. Haven't thought of that in years.
My mom lived right in the corner apartment with my great aunt and uncle and grandmother. My Great Aunt and Uncle were Agnes and Ken Lake. My mom was Agnes Wilson and she had two sisters, Dororthy and Anna. I would bet if they were around they would recognize your name because they seemed to know EVERYONE :) Later they moved to about the middle of the block (# 80) a six family house, which is the first place I remember (Born in 1951.) When I was about 7 we moved to 78 First Street, across from the car dealer and later Good Deal Supermarket. My parents lived there until about 1980. We have tons of family pictures going back to my parents and aunts high school days all posed in front of Boys Vo. My great uncle rented a garage to the left of the grocery store where he did his woodworking, and painting.
Bob, that car is indeed heading south, having come down Bloomfield Avenue to the City Subway, and having just crossed Orange Street. Note that the rear pantograph is engaged, indicating the direction whence it has come, and likewise Newark Academy field behind it.
IT MUST BE AN EARLY MORNING RUSH HOUR PHOTO TO BE PRINTED
IN THE NEWARK EVENING NEWS. THE SHADOWS FALL TO THE LEFT
WHICH (IF ORANGE STREET IS BEHIND THE CAR) EAST IS TO THE
RIGHT. RIGHT?
PAT? DOES LITTLE BOBBY DAVIS STILL GET LOST IN HIS DRIVEWAY?
For brother John, a minor technical point. In the latter days of the PCC cars usage, they did have a pantograph up on the roof and the trolley pole was no longer used. If you look at the pictures of the NJ Transit PCC's that went to San Francisco, the pantographs have now been removed. The early trolley cars had one or two trolley poles, depending on whether they were single or double ended. Also, those early cars had a little wheel at the end of the pole that ran along the overhead wire. When the PCC cars came in, their trolley poles had a carbon slider at the contact end, much like the earlier all-service electric buses had. Thanks and keep up the great work John, it is thoroughly enjoyed.
I seem to remember looking out the window of Sr. Rita Gertrude's second-grade classroom and watching the sparks on the wire as a trolley car screeched by and came to a stop (At least I think it was stopping.). Was there a stop in front of the Tivoli? Doris, can you refresh my memory?
The trolley did run down Orange Street. We would get on at Sixth St and Orange. My Mother used to take my sister and I to the museum frequently. The highlight was to see
the Borden's cow sticking out of the wall.
