BusTalk

[Mr. Linsky]

Pictured at a D.C. Transit yard somewhere in the nation's capital is fleet # 5431 - a 1952 White Model 1150 DW and one of 147 numbered in the 54 and 5500's delivered to the Capital Transit Company (predecessor to D.C. Transit) in increments between 1952 and 1953.

The 50 passenger, 102 inch wide Cummins Diesel powered 1150 series held the distinction of being both the largest transit bus ever built by White and the last bus of any kind ever built by White (the final one off the assembly line being part of Capital's order and delivered on October 29th. 1953 ending over a half century of bus building for the company).

White's demise in the business came about because of their insistence on underfloor amidships engine placement and, while operators realized that, for whatever reason, underfloor engines were more efficient, they opted for the greater accessibility of the rear installations of both Mack and GM.

Of note on # 5431 and its siblings was White's first (and only) use of a fresh air intake over the destination sign to deliver outside air directly to ceiling dampers (something on the style of but not as elaborate as GM's ThermoMatic system).

210 1150's were built between 1951 and 1953 with fifty-three to Cleveland and six special 96inch wide jobs to Fifth Avenue in New York.

Photo thanks to NorCal Bus Fans Gallery.

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