BusTalk

[Mr. Linsky]

In our GM Old Look oddity department, we see fleet #44 - a 1948 Model TDH 4507 and one of four likenesses numbered between 41 and 44 delivered to Consolidated Bus Line, Inc. of Clifton, New Jersey in December of that year.

Of note are the oddly separated stainless steel wings under the windshield and the fact that they were of a shortened length normally used on only buses ordered with directional signals at either end (which, in this case appear as after market under the headlights).

#44 is seen sometime in 1951 boarding passengers in downtown Passaic on the #2 line to Allwood and Bloomfield.

Consolidated Bus Line and its affiliates both Clifton Passaic Crosstown Bus Company and Passaic-Athenia Bus Company operated city and suburban services in the New Jersey city's of Passaic, Clifton, Lyndhurst, Rutherford and Bloomfield and were part of the Coast Cities System.

Photo courtesy of 4509bus and is up for bid on eBay as item # 370616708318.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

[Mr. Linsky]

In what might be considered the oddest of GM Old Look oddities, we see coach # 140 - an early GM Model TDH (or M) 4509 operating for Trans-Bridge Tours of Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Obviously, the intent here was to make # 140 look more like a cross between a 'New Look' suburban and a PD 4104 what with panoramic windows and the touches of 'Silversides' covering both the original standee glasses and lower body.

The job wouldn't have looked too bad except for what appears to be a home made sedan door!

Trans-Bridge, which has been family operated since its inception in 1941, is a major player in northeast charter services and boasts 72 well equipped coaches most of which being of MCI manufacture.

Photo courtesy of Windsor74 and is up for bid on eBay as item # 380445253189.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York

[timecruncher]

Those appear to be windows from a Flxible of the late fifties/early sixties. The late Clippers and the early new look Flx models had windows that were similar to GM, but the corners were a bit more abrupt. They were also considerably lighter (and flimsier) than the heavy GM windows.

What a beast. Never saw anything like that down here in the secluded midwest!

Not an oddity, and I've posted these photos before - the Louisville - New Albany service and the New Albany bus service was owned by the prominent Kelso family in New Albany. The service held up fairly well into the late sixties, with Home Transit buses meeting the Daisy Line buses to and from Louisville at the 'Daisy Depot' on Vincennes Street at Main Street, adjacent to the K&IT Railroad bridge (which Daisy Line buses used to cross the Ohio River). In later years the fleet was almost entirely TDH 3612. The Home Transit units were 2- door transits, while the Daisy Line units were 1 - door transits. I believe all were new to Home Transit/Daisy Line in 1950. Daisy was also known as the Louisville & New Albany Railway, since their streetcars used to use the K&IT bridge on dual-guage tracks before buses. The K&I bridge also hosted Southern, B&O and Monon trains. It still stands and is heavily used by NS.





I can almost hear those anemic 4-71 Detroits loading up and pulling out of the depot lot on the Spring Street route (shown) or on the State & Vincennes bus, or the Daisy route to downtown Louisville...

timecruncher

[RailBus63]

Never get tired of looking at those photos, Cliff!

I always liked the 3612's - I like any shorty transit bus that is a cut-down version of a bigger coach. I like that the 3612's, 3714's and other shorter buses that still had the paired windows just like their bigger cousins.

Jim

[frankie]

[frankie]

While I'm at it, I thought I show these other fantasy old looks - my idea of what an updated version would look like had the new looks not have been introduced until a few years later.

Frankie

[HwyHaulier]

Frankie -

The fantasy TDH-2710x is downright cute! Can one buy these anywhere? It likely would do better on fuel than an Escalade!
Take the kids to school in that!

The two "big 'uns"? Honestly! PSNJ likely would have gone for it. Maybe the flashy fluted side panels, too?

.........................Vern...................

[frankie]

[Mr. Linsky]

I gotta get me one of them mechanical 3209's - probably fit right in my garage!

It's really cute though - I love the heavy duties in baby models.

Great photo and great schematics.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

[traildriver]

[frankie]

[JimmiB]

Now that really is cool Frankie !!!

[Mr. Linsky]

frankie,

What about Mr. 'L' driving Green Line # 334?

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

[frankie]

[Mr. Linsky]

The attached GM Old Look Oddity is fleet # 5101 - a 1959 Diesel Division Model TDH 5105 and was originally purchased that year in full transit configuration as one of eighty-seven likenesses in the 5,000 series by the Ottawa Transit Commission (OTC) of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Modified at some point in it's lifetime for sightseeing assignments and in a special lively paint scheme displaying the flag of OTC's successor the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Transit Commission or 'OC Transpo', # 5101 was redubbed 'The Sunshine Bus' and spent much of its time in tour duty in Canada's Capital.

Of note was the elimination of the original standee glasses and the insertion of full height glass panes in place of the paired window sets as well as full glass panels in the upper part of the door.

While the new windows are in aluminum frames it is unclear as to whether or how they would have opened although they probably did as there is no visible sign of any air conditioning equipment (at least on the curb side or in the rear).

Photo courtesy of 4509bus and is up for bid on eBay as item # 350575638153.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York