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'SEMKE BUS LINES #6 FOUND'

 
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Mr. Linsky
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Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 5:54 pm    Post subject: 'SEMKE BUS LINES #6 FOUND' Reply with quote

Posing for promotional photos in a back lot of the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania we see one of their many beautifully restored and maintained vintage coaches in the form of a 1934 Yellow Model 'U' carrying a U-Y-772 chassis with serial # 012.

While the bus appears as fleet #1 in Blue Bird Coach Lines of Northern New York livery it was originally purchased new in 1934 by Semke Bus Lines of downstate Hempstead, New York as their #6.

Semke, established in 1918, served the Village of Hempstead (L.I.) and its environs for over a half century until it was absorbed by Hempstead Bus Corporation in 1970.

The company was a 'mom and pop' operation in the truest sense of the word and, in fact, Mr. and Mrs. Semke, then newly married, actually traveled to Pontiac, Michigan to pick up their brand new bus with a stop on their way home to see the 1933/34 Chicago Century of Progress Exposition as part of their extended honeymoon.

It’s also interesting to note that in later years the genuine leather seats of #6 were removed and found their way to the restoration of a 1932 ACF coach belonging to Bee Line of Long Island (photo also attached).

The 21 passenger 96 inch wide Yellow Model ‘U’ was moderately priced for low volume ‘city’ operation and featured a wheelbase of 185 inches, a 331 cubic inch GMC Truck engine and Hydraulic brakes all around.

500 Model U’s in a variety of chassis and power plants and mostly with Yellow built bodies were produced between 1930 and 1935.

#6 photo courtesy of the AACA Museum

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


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frankie



Age: 77
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
Posts: 745
Location: St. Peters, Mo.

PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Speaking of Semke, I recently acquired this ticket for my collection. Can anyone tell me when and how these were used? Looks like these were used in lieu of tokens. Thank you.

Frankie



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