BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

All:

Any of us old enough to remember that fateful day in late 1963 will always remember it as one of the darkest days in our history (though being in my early days of grade school, I can remember that tragic day a though it were only last week)

In doing some research, I came across the following website:

https://whcacannonball.blogspot.com/p/jfk-presidential-motorcade-1963.html

There are many historical vehicle photos on this page, as well as diagrams showing their positions in the motorcade.

Of particular interest:

Note the one photo (12th down from top of page), showing motorcycle officers at the head of the motorcade, where you will see several Fishbowls also in the motorcade (this is a photo I had never seen before)

There are also a few photos of a TRAILWAYS Eagle, carrying a large placard "WHITE HOUSE PRESS".

Also, there is another interesting photo showing a TRAILWAYS Hi-Level coach (FLXIBLE)

That a TRAILWAYS Eagle was also in the motorcade that fateful day is ironic, as my older brother, on his way back from his honeymoon in Miami, brought me back a toy (battery operated) SILVER EAGLE, which I display (with much pride) with its original box; it still works, after nearly 60 years!)

It is, indeed, ironic to think that such humble, workaday vehicles as BUSES were also part of the President's motorcade, on that long-ago, fateful day in 1963.....

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Additional historical note:

The driver of the first "White House Press Bus" in the JFK Motorcade in Dallas was Mr. Joe Savage, then a driver for CONTINENTAL TRAILWAYS.

Sadly, Mr. Savage passed away in 2009.....

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Also of interest:

http://jfkassassinationfiles.wordpress.com/2019/09/05/press-people-in-motorcade-buses-and-cars/

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Here is a very rare photo, showing JFK and Jackie waving to passengers on a passing Dallas city bus (11/63)

Note the passengers at the open bus windows........in a frightening "what if" scenario, a demented assassin could have easily fired the fatal shots through an open bus window.

Note, also, the boxy a/c unit on the bus roof.......

https://i.imgur.com/ujXVBhW.jpg

[traildriver]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

traildriver:

Thanks for the correction; for some reason I referred to that bus by the wrong model, why I don't know.

A point worth pondering:

I wonder why the White House was using CONTINENTAL TRAILWAYS instead of GREYHOUND?

Back in 1992, there was a Hallmark movie, "Love Field", which was about a young woman traveling to DC on a SCENICRUISER, to view the JFK funeral procession

The bus, enroute to DC, just narrowly avoids a serious accident, when a drunk driver (behind the wheel of a 1960 Chevy) swerves over the line and nearly hits the bus head-on, on a dark highway.

Interestingly, JFK was the last President to be in office when streetcars still were in service in the Capital (the few remaining lines were replaced by buses in January, 1962)

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here are a few (Greyhound) scenes from "Love Field" (1992)....

https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_208276-GMC-PD-4501.html

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While on the subject of GREYHOUND in Texas, way back in the day, you'll find some interesting views of old Texas stations* on this page.......

https://www.roadarch.com/bus/tx2.html

*A few of these stations once also served TRAILWAYS and TNM&O buses......

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Ironically, CONTINENTAL TRAILWAYS issued a new TT ("5 Star Service"). effective 11/23/63.

The TT cover shows a dapper CONTINENTAL driver and pert hostess greeting their well-dressed passengers, boarding one of the distinctive, late 50's Kassbohrer EAGLES.

Even more ironic, when you read the little blurb inside the TT "Everybody has more fun-Charter a Trailways bus-the more the merrier!" and then remember the CONTINENTAL Eagles that were used as White House press buses, on that tragic day in Dallas, back in 1963......

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Mention must also be made of the Dallas Transit Company (DTC) bus that Lee Harvey Oswald boarded after JFK was shot.

This bus (#433) was a WHITE Model 1150 DW (only 210 buses of this model were built)

See also:

https://www.grandsubversion.com/jfkAssassination/dls2pg.htm

(click on "Great Escape" link)

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Also of interest:

http://www.history.com/news/lee-harvey-oswald-plan-chaos-or-conspiracy *

*Note where Oswald boarded the Dallas city bus, and, also, when he got in a taxi at the GREYHOUND station........

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Rare photo of the bus transfer used by Oswald............

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/bus-transfer-lee-harvey-oswald-used-to-leave-scene-of-crime-news-photo/576878040

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Note Trailways EAGLE photo (From Trailways Bus Driver Group)......

https://www.jfkassassinationnovel.com/mexico-city

[traildriver]

[traildriver]

At the time, The Greyhound Corporation was headquartered in Chicago, and the regional Southwestern Greyhound Lines was based in Fort Worth.