BusTalk

[traildriver]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

traildriver:

Thanks for this info; always interesting learn "insider information"!

Regarding the photo of the ADIRONDACK "Buffalo", I would guess that these buses lasted until at least the early 1980's?

In the book "SANTA FE PASSENGER TRAINS IN CALIFORNIA", there is a photo from 1975 of the Los Angeles Union Station; a "Buffalo" is waiting at the station, and is lettered "AMERICAN PACIFIC", but also sports the then-current AMTRAK logo (obviously, a train-connection bus)........

"NYO"

["TRAIN CONNECTION BUS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Just came across this interesting page; note the later-model Van Hool(also, note mention of GREYHOUND)......

https://www.trainsandtravel.com/2017/12/08/also-essential-amtrak-buses/

["FORT MADISON"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Good photos (rail and bus) here.........

https://wegadgets.net/2021/05/02/amtrak-thruway-bus-inside/

["THRUWAY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

See also...........

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amtrak_Thruway

[traildriver]

I was recently on an American Queen Voyages cruise on the Mississippi. They have contracted with Easton Coach Company to provide the 'hop on, hop off buses that accompany the river boats.
Easton Coach purchased these custom designed Van Hool TX-45 luxury tour coaches for this service. They feature a European style rear door, for quick boarding, as well as glass panels in the roof, along with lower backed recliner's to improve sightseeing capability. Unlike the European version's with the rear doors, the restroom is located in the rear, North American style, rather than in the stepwell of the rear door.

[traildriver]

To add to the above...in practice, they do not use the rear door, as the TX floor is even higher than the CX floor, and it is a very steep stairway, that is difficult for the typical elderly passengers they carry to negotiate. So they not only lose at least two seats, but also a luggage bay. At the end of each cruise, they need those luggage bays for transporting passengers to and from the boat to their hotels or airport.

I doubt they will order future buses with that feature, so these will be rarities...

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

traildriver:

THANK YOU for providing this interesting info; I had never heard of this company before.

Here are a couple of links..........

https://eastoncoach.com/motorcoach/

https://eastoncoach.com

From what you have described, these buses sound MOST impressive (I keep on hoping that NJT will, at some point, purchase some VAN HOOLS, but, realistically, I know that is but a pipe dream, as NJT has been devoted to MCI since they ordered their first "Jersey Cruisers" way back in the 1980's)................

"NYO"

['EASTON COACH"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

traildriver:

I am sure you will find these interesting..........

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Queen

https://www.aqvoyages.com/about-us/

["STEAMBOAT A-COMIN'!"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Besides, Van Hool, EASTON also roster highway coaches of several other manufacturers........

https://eastoncoach.com/our-fleet/luxury-charter-bus-fleet/

"NYO"

[traildriver]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

traildriver:

Like yourself, I've long been an MCI devotee, but, simply wish to see a little "variety" in the NJT fleet.

For some odd reason, the newest MCIs (at least those I've seen in my area) lack NJT logos on their dashes; the front of the bus looks quite bland and "unfinished".

My favorite NJT MCI's were the original "Jersey Cruisers" of the 1980's, those that had the upswept flair over their destination signs (this always reminded me of the distinctive "pompadour" that a number of the ACF-BRILL C-44 suburbans sported, way mack in my much, much younger days.

Personally, I believe that the MCI has indeed more than proven itself in daily service, over the past several decades.

Look at how many suburban companies have rostered them, over the years, especially in the New York/New Jersey area!

Those I recall (besides NJT)

DE CAMP

LAKELAND

RED & TAN

SUBURBAN

SHORTLINE

Of course, I remember those used by the now-defunct DOMENICO in tour service.

Today, the MCI dominates countless fleets across the nation, just as GM did, for so many years, several decades ago.........

"NYO"

["165 NEW YORK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

(keyboard issues here be patient with Your's Truly)-----thought for the day:

It's a good thing GREYHOUND had MCI; when GM departed the bus-manufacturing business, there were not all that many choices as to choosing another builder; perhaps they could looked to a certain Canadian builder for future coach orders--------"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

GREYHOUND and TRAILWAYS both once operated buses that carried both passengers and cargo in later years----I think it was GREYHOUND that first offered this type of passenger/cargo bus but cannot be sure-when did such operations end?----------"NYO"

[traildriver]