DC Transit Silver Spring Area 1973 (part 2 of 2 parts)

[DCT S9Z4Z6]

*Y2* (Northern) SILVER SPRING to KENSINGTON
7 days a week
SS Terminal
Fenton St
Colesville Rd
16th Street
Georgia Ave
Seminary Rd
Capital View Ave
Metropolitan Ave
Plyers Mill Rd

NOTE #1
Once traffic started building up at the layover point, the layover point was moved 1 block south to Warner Ave (Mid Block). There is still a bus bench at this location.

NOTE #2
On Sundays & Holidays, if you did a Y2 to KENSINGTON, you did a Y4 on the return. If you did a Y4 to KENSINGTON, you did a Y2 on the return.

NOTE #3
When the road builders took out the medians on Georgia Ave, in Montgomery Hills & made NO LEFT TURNS in rush hours at Seminary Rd, the Y2 was re-routed outbound via 2nd avenue. Inbound trips still went via Seminary Rd & Georgia Ave.



*Y4* (Northern) SILVER SPRING to KENSINGTON
7 days a week
SS terminal
Fenton Street
Wayne Ave
Georgia Ave
Dexter Ave
Haywood Dr
Eccleston St
Brunswick Ave
Plyers Mill Rd
Connecticut Av
Howard Ave
Armory Ave
Knowles Ave

Layover point was just shy of traffic light at Connectcuit Ave & Knowles Ave

NOTE #1
Once traffic started building up at the layover point, the layover point was moved 1 block south to Warner Ave (Mid Block). There is still a bus bench at this location.

NOTE #2
On Sundays & Holidays, if you did a Y4 to KENSINGTON, you did a Y2 on the return. If you did a Y2 to KENSINGTON, you did a Y4 on the return.


*Y6* (Northern) SILVER SPRING to WHEATON/GLENMONT (actually Aspen Hill)
7 Days a week
SS Terminal
Fenton St
Wayne Ave
Georgia Ave
Weller Road
Connecticut Ave

Layover point was on Connectcuit Ave, between Aspen Hill Rd & Georgia Ave.
On return, continue to Georgia Ave
Aspen Hill Rd
Connecticut Ave (and reverse to Silver Spring)


*Y8* (Northern) SILVER SPRING to MONTGOMERY COLLEGE/ROCKVILLE
(Y8 Buses had a different layover point on Sundays vs Monday-Saturdays)
7 Days a week
SS terminal
Fenton St
Wayne Ave
Georgia Ave
University Blvd
Viers Mill Rd
Parklawn Drive
Aspen Hill Rd
East Jefferson St
North Washington St
Hungerford Dr
Manakee St

NOTE
On Sundays, the buses would be signed ROCKVILLE as the rest of the week, HOWEVER, the terminal was the same as the T2 stop, which at the time, was in front of the OLD RAMADA HOTEL at N. Washington St & Beall Ave. (By todays CROWN gas station)

Also on Sundays, this Y8 ran at 1 bus, per every 70 minutes.


*Z1* (Northern) SILVER SPRING to OLNEY (Via NewHampshire Ave)
6 Days a week
SS Terminal
Fenton St
Wayne Ave
Georgia Ave
Colesville Rd
Lockwood Drive
New Hampshire Ave
MD Route 108

Layover terminal was once behind the former location of The Olney Drug Store.
(this location was bulldozed in the mid-late 70's to expand the intersection of
Georgia Ave & MD Route 108)


*Z2* (Northern) SILVER SPRING to WHEATON PLAZA
7 days a week
SS Terminal
Fenton St
Wayne Ave
Georgia Ave
Forest Glen Rd
Dallas Ave
Dennis Ave
Tenbrook Drive
Gable St
University Blvd
Arcola Ave
Georgia Ave
University Blvd
Entrance to WHEATON PLAZA by Mcdonalds & follow around to layover point
(Current Macy's location)

NOTE #1
Reverse directions back to SILVER SPRING, untill the road builders made the intersection of University Blvd & Georgia Ave, a NO LEFT TURN. Once they did that, the Z2 made a LEFT at Grandview to Blueridge to Georgia & back on route.

NOTE #2
The Z2 was the ONLY bus that left the Silver Spring DC Transit Center, that served WHEATON PLAZA directly. The Q8, Y6, Y8 & Z3 detours into WHEATON PLAZA, didnt happen until the mid 70's, about the same time as the birth of the C2 & Q2 routes. (I'll cover these routes & others in another chapter)

*Z3* (Northern) SILVER SPRING to OLNEY (Via Georgia Ave)
6 days a week
SS Terminal
Fenton St
Wayne Ave
Georgia Ave
Loop thru Leziure World (Seziure World)
Georgia Ave

Layover terminal was once behind the former location of The Olney Drug Store.
(this location was bulldozed in the mid-late 70's to expand the intersection of
Georgia Ave & MD Route 108. When they renamed the Z3 into the Y8, they moved the terminal to the grounds of the Montgomery General Hospital. Not all buses had the Mont Gen Hosp signs, so some operators still signed the buses OLNEY )

*Z4* (Northern) SILVER SPRING to NORTHWOOD
7 days
SS terminal
Fenton St
Wayne Ave
Georgia Ave
Colesville Rd
University Blvd
Dennis Ave
Lockridge Dr
Lombardy Rd

LAYOVER was on Lockridge Dr between Caviler Dr & Dennis Ave
If Eastwood Drive was to be extended where Eastwood & Lockridge meet was the layover point)

NOTE
When the SEARS Catalog store moved from Downtown Silver Spring (Colesville Rd between Wayne & 2nd Ave & Ramsy Ave) to the White Oak Shopping Center, the Z4 was re-routed to serve it.

*Z4* SILVER SPRING to WHITE OAK
SS terminal
Fenton Street
Wayne Ave
Georgia Ave
Colesville Rd
Lockwood Drive
LEFT 2nd entrance into shopping center
Layover point was next to the door of the furniture department, shared by the
K6 & C4 buses (soon to be posted)


*Z6* (Northern) SILVER SPRING to FOUR CORNERS
(Signed FRANKLIN via DALE?? or FOUR CORNERS??)
7 Days a week
SS terminal
Fenton St
Bonifant Rd
Darthmoth Ave
Dale Drive
Colesville Rd
Franklin Ave
University Blvd
LAYOVER was on University Blvd at Sutherland Dr (Behind the Highs Store)
Sutherland didnt always go thru to University Blvd.

Return to Silver Spring for the Z4 & Z6 NORTHWOOD was:
Dennis Ave
University Blvd
Lorain Ave
Timberwood Dr
Colesville Rd to downtown SILVER SPRING (Z4)

Route Z6:
Same As above, then
Westbound on University Blvd to the old fire house (Now a PaPa Johns Pizza)
U turn to Eastbound University Blvd
Franklin Ave
Colesville Rd
Dale Drive
Dartmoth Ave
Wayne Ave to DC transit terminal


NOTE
When the SEARS Catalog store moved from Downtown Silver Spring (Colesville Rd between Wayne & 2nd Ave & Ramsy Ave) to the White Oak Shopping Center, the Z4 was re-routed to serve White Oak. The Z6 was extended to serve Lockridge & Lombardy & also re-signed as Z6 NORTHWOOD


*Z8* (Northern) SILVER SPRING to MERWOOD??
(I think after Z6 changed to NORTHWOOD, the Z8 became Franklin via Dale)
7days a week
SS Terminal
Fenton Street
Wayne Ave
Georgia Ave
Sligo Ave
Piney Branch Rd
University Blvd
Franklin Ave
LAYOVER POINT was at Franklin Ave & Merwood Dr, next to Eastern Jr High.
(the concrete cut-out is still there.)

[WMAveteran]

 
Good information, thanks.  Please note the following:
1) the DC Transit Silver Spring terminal was located at the old National Guard Armory that was located at Fenton and Wayne Avenues.
2) There was a rush hour express (I don't remember the route number) that ran from the community at Franklin Avenue and University Boulevard to Federal Triangle using University Boulevard, Piney Branch Road and 13th Street NW.  The outbound destination sign was FRANKLIN AVENUE but it never ran to or through the Silver Spring terminal.  It had standing loads at all times and it was very quick because 13th Street NW at the time was a reversible one way street during rush hours.  Once the bus got on 13th Street it made all the lights and never stopped until Piney Branch Road and Georgia Avenue.
3) During rush hours DC Transit ran dedicated express runs between Silver Spring and the NRC in Germantown using fishbowl suburbans (see attached picture).  The destination sign was ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION.

[DCT S9Z4Z6]

I was gonna mention the Q1 & Q3 Routes in my Next Post

The Q1 & Q3 I don't remember which was which, but 1 bus started
FEDERAL TRIANGLE (13 & PENN) and 1 bus at SILVER SPRING

1 was signed ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
The other was signed BEAREAU of STANDARDS

Both buses had 1 trip NORTH in the AM
Both buses had 1 trip SOUTH in the PM

Both buses were operated from NORTHERN

They had staggered departure times, from Federal Triangle & Silver Spring, but would meet & wait for each other at the MONTGOMERY VILLAGE CLUBHOUSE, where each bus would exchange passengers, and go on their respective ways.

In the evening, the Q1 & Q3 would leave ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION & BEAREAU of STANDARDS, meet at the MONTGOMERY VILLAGE CLUBHOUSE, exchange passengers & continue to SILVER SPRING & FEDERAL TRIANGLE.

Also, the DC Transit bus terminal was 1 block away from the associates entrance of
The Hecht Company, on Ellsworth Drive. Straight down from the Z shelter. The Alighting area, and the Y terminal stand, was across the street from Billy Boy Carryout.

Yes. .  the OLD Silver Spring Armory (Not to be confused w/ the newer version of the Silver Spring Armory up at Randolph Rd & US 29. .  excuse Cherry Hill Rd & 29) was in the little triangle of Pershing Drive (alighting area, Q & Y Shelter, and Z shelter) Fenton Street (J3 & J6 Shelter, and J4 later on J2 bus stops) (as well as a seperate stop for the L8), and Wayne Ave (70 series shelter & also S2-S4 Shelter). There was also a bus stop at the end of Wayne, before the turn around (pershing drive) that was a stop for an AM express bus.

Dont forget there was also another DC Transit Terminal for Silver Spring.

The terminal for the streetcars & some buses was on Eastern Avenue, about
300'  to 500' west of the intersection of Georgia Ave. 

Buses & Streetcars were signed: GA & ALASKA

On the sign roll, from NORTHERN, it was:
16 & SHEPHARD
16 & SHERIDAN
GA & ALASKA
CARTER BARRON
SILVER SPRING
FEDERAL TRIANGLE
WHITE OAK
CHILLUM
NOT IN SERVICE
WHITE BLANK
PETWORTH