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GREYHOUND bus longevity
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 17, 2020 10:55 pm    Post subject: GREYHOUND bus longevity Reply with quote

All:

Am curious as to how GREYHOUND determined the economical service lives of its buses.

I know that GREYHOUND was still operating older buses, such as the 4103's and SILVERSIDES into the 1960's.

I would imagine that, as the buses aged, parts availability also became an issue, regarding the service life of a certain bus type.

Appreciate any input.......

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 17, 2020 11:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Further:

When did GREYHOUND (approximately) retire the following models:

SILVERSIDES

4103's

4104's

"Buffalos"

Flxibles

Also, I have not been able to (to date) find out when GREYHOUND retired the last of their early 1930's front-engine buses.

I know that, during War, every available vehicle was put out on the road, which would have postponed the sell-off/scrapping of such older buses.

PSNJ and DE CAMP, into the early postwar era, still rostered some front-engined buses.........

"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Mon Aug 17, 2020 11:14 pm; edited 3 times in total
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 17, 2020 11:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SCEICRUISERS.......

I know that the SCENICRUISERS (those still on the roster) were over 20 years old by the time the last operated for GREYHOUND.

It would seem (at least to Your's Truly) that, especially with GREYHOUND purchasing only new MCI buses, GM parts were getting more difficult to obtain, to keep the remaining GMC's operating........

"NYO"
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traildriver




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PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2020 6:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's a good question...
I'm thinking maybe around 15 years, give or take. Scenicruiser's lasted a bit longer, mainly because until the MC-7 came along, there really wasn't anything to replace them, and even that bus didn't really 'fill its shoes'.
When I left Greyhound in 1973, our oldest buses besides the few 'combo' Scenicruiser's still active, were handful of 4106's. The oldest of those couldn't be older than 1961. There were some older buses handed down to San Francisco commuter service.
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traildriver




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PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2020 8:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Recently, Greyhound has cut down so much, that its fleet may be younger in average than any other times in its modern history. I believe they are getting rid of all their MCI 102-DL-3's, and G models's. That will leave some D-4505's and their Prevost x-3's, which are all less than 15 years old, IIRC....
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2020 9:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver wrote:
Recently, Greyhound has cut down so much, that its fleet may be younger in average than any other times in its modern history. I believe they are getting rid of all their MCI 102-DL-3's, and G models's. That will leave some D-4505's and their Prevost x-3's, which are all less than 15 years old, IIRC....


traildriver:

If GREYHOUND is retiring buses THAT "recent", then things must, indeed, be going QUITE sour. Sad

It would have been atkin to retiring the SCENICRUIERS about 1969! Shocked

Indeed, it seems that, given these circumstances, the used-bus market is going to be seeing a good number of ex-Hounds making an appearance.

All further signs that the iconic, once-sprawling "The Hound" is poised for extinction. Sad

Appreciate the info, as always.......

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2020 9:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is also making wonder the status of regional "long haul" fleets (such as MARTZ)

Recall everything shutting down when the pandemic was wreaking havoc on all levels; fleets were idled, and, when service first resumed, it was more or less a "skeleton" operation.

Looking towards post-pandemic intercity travel (the airlines and AMTRAK were both slammed hard) you also think about the buses, GREYHOUND and otherwise.......

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2020 9:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver wrote:
That's a good question...
I'm thinking maybe around 15 years, give or take. Scenicruiser's lasted a bit longer, mainly because until the MC-7 came along, there really wasn't anything to replace them, and even that bus didn't really 'fill its shoes'.
When I left Greyhound in 1973, our oldest buses besides the few 'combo' Scenicruiser's still active, were handful of 4106's. The oldest of those couldn't be older than 1961. There were some older buses handed down to San Francisco commuter service.


traildriver:

Appreciate this info....thanks! Wink

When they old "STRAYHOUND" site was still up, I remember a photo (which I wish I had saved) with the majestic Golden Gate Bridge in the background, depicting GREYHOUND's commuter operations (1960's-era); I was quite surprised, to say the least, to see that on of the buses was a SILVERSIDES (by that time, quite long in the tooth!)

Back in the early NJT days, I well recall riding "hand-me-down" (so to speak) a few 4104's, 06's, and "Buffalos"; these lasted until the new buses began arriving, especially MCI's.

I can remember ACADEMY still using some "Buffalos", circa-1994.....

"NYO"
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traildriver




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PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2020 9:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When Greyhound sent me on TDY to San Francisco in December of 1971, the storage lot still had a few Silverside's parked, along with 4103's. They still had some Old Look transit buses running to Marin County (TDM4801's?).
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2020 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver wrote:
When Greyhound sent me on TDY to San Francisco in December of 1971, the storage lot still had a few Silverside's parked, along with 4103's. They still had some Old Look transit buses running to Marin County (TDM4801's?).


traildriver:

Just imagine how many miles those old veterans had traveled, over the course of many years! Shocked

Growing up in the 60's, the only time I encountered SILVERSIDES was when would I see them running on "out-of-my-area" charters.

Last SILVERSIDES I ever saw were the two (seemingly well-kept) parked in back of a service station of Route #4, near Ridgefield (heading towards the GWB), some 30-odd years back.

4103's I also recall operating for charter outfits, when I was a kid.

It will be interesting to see how many years NJT gets out of their new MCI's; ditto for the NEW FLYER artics, which are replacing the old NEOPLANS, which are roughly 15 years old.

I know LAKELAND, not long ago, bought some new commuter coaches as well......

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 19, 2020 12:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ahhhh, such optimism in 2009.......(!!) Rolling Eyes

https://www.greyhound.com/en/discover-greyhound/our-bus-fleet
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traildriver




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PostPosted: Wed Aug 19, 2020 6:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I was in grade school in Queens, we began taking 'field trips' to Manhattan museum's and other attractions in third grade, which was 1955-56.
Our 'regular' chartercompany, was a small one...Singerman Bus Corp., which had a few old Greyhound GM's...
My first trip was on an old Silverside's. A year or two later, we got to ride on the owner, Walter's, pride and joy, a new Flxible VistaLiner. He drove that one himself. I recall the wonderful Torsilastic ride, and the air conditioning.
And, we were surprised to hear him talk to us on the P.A.

The oldest bus I have ridden on was on a seventh grade trip to Washington, in 1961. I forgot the name of the company we used for that, but the first Silversides that showed up did not have proper insurance paper's. Our teacher rejected the coach. About an hour and a half later, a replacement showed up...it was an ancient former Greyhound Yellow Supercoach built in the late 1930's!
Cool
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 19, 2020 7:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriiver:

GREAT memories......wish you had some pictures of those trips! Wink

Oldest buses in my area that Mom and I rode when I was growing up were numerous; the old WASHINGTON STREET line in Hoboken was still running mid-late 1930's relics (various makes!); the last REALLY old buses I can remember were a few late 1930's TWINS, operated by the old BERGEN AVENUE line in Jersey City, about 1970 (the buses were REALLY antiques, by that time!) Shocked

I remember the class trip we took (sixth grade) to the old Hayden Planeterium and the UN, over the Christmas holidays (1968); our bus was a square-window Old Look (clearly second- or third-hand).....of course, Your's Truly was QUITE pleased! Wink

The driver was surprised when I asked him how old the bus was; he told me it dated back to 1946! Shocked

I was in a pretty good mood, that day...... Wink

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 19, 2020 7:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver:

Though you've seen this photo before, awhile back, I felt I should post it again here...... Wink

https://www.newdavesrailpix.com/tars/htm/tarst020.htm

(courtesy: davesrailpix)
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traildriver




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PostPosted: Wed Aug 19, 2020 10:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 wrote:
traildriver:

Though you've seen this photo before, awhile back, I felt I should post it again here...... Wink

https://www.newdavesrailpix.com/tars/htm/tarst020.htm

(courtesy: davesrailpix)


Whoops! That's no Brill...its actually a Yellow Supercoach, just like the one we rode to DC on.... Smile

https://www.google.com/search?q=greyhound+supercoach&sxsrf=ALeKk01zFQoAP6BHrAZsHl9By9b7qqs_bA:1597880871009&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=xWp9pRM2FJu-YM%252CX08dmTuDlbnt7M%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kSfY8RyBwic3YHCCeLhmHy7w8qv7g&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjRx9aNuqjrAhXOTjABHfJlCyYQ9QEwAXoECAoQFA&biw=1920&bih=937#imgrc=gUozHLfVKg8ujM
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