BusTalk

[Mr. Linsky]

Pictured below in an ad campaign pose is fleet number 4265 - a 1954 GM PD 4501- serial # 126 (better known as a Scenicruiser) operating for Eastern Greyhound Lines of New York with a previous history as fleet number P 5470 with Pennsylvania Greyhound.

The photo, which was taken at the then new 'World Port' terminal of Pan American World Airways at New York International Airport (now JFK), was staged as part of a campaign to link the two companies as travel partners.

The new complex with its strikingly stark appearance and unusual saucer shaped roof was designed to accommodate a next generation of large jet powered aircraft such as the Boeing 707 shown parked in the background of the image.

The erection of the Pan Am World Port was among the first permanent structures at the airport and signaled the beginning of an expansion program that continues to this day!

Interestingly, in its first decade of service, all that stood at the then named Idlewild Airport were a few hangars, one temporary terminal, a super highway connecting it to the Belt Parkway and an eleven story unfinished control tower standing remotely in the marshes (see photo below).

Quite a contrast to what we know today as the busiest airport in the world!

Photos borrowed for educational purposes only.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY

[HwyHaulier]

Mr. "L" -

Great to see these two photos! Have a date? Wikipedia, in its Boeing 707 entry tells us: "...Pan Am was the first airline to operate the 707;
the aircraft's first commercial flight was from New York to Paris on October 26, 1958 with a fuel stop in Gander, Newfoundland..."

And, so, on to some Greyhound Lines trivia. Extra points awarded for the PD-4501 in apparent, original delivery paint and lettering. In some
work tracing the GL "Letters", and the various corporate entities, Pennsylvania GL to Eastern Div - Greyhound in 1955. (Source: Jackson)...

This indicates an early step in the setup of the three regional areas on the GL system. Otherwise, it suggests the coach should have
changed from a "P" prefix, to "E", or possibly "C". The proposition about this possible move of an asset yields something of a paradox...

................Vern.............

[Mr. Linsky]

Vern,

Astute observations as usual!

This photo may well have been taken early on because it was only the earliest Pam Am 707's that carried the 'Boeing' signature on the fuselage just forward of the tail.

The picture was definitely staged not only because the stairway that the supposed passengers were descending from originated from a sealed door but no commercial passenger bus would have been permitted access to the 'business' end of the operation!

Notice also that it was still a time when over the road carriers were required to display a full sized license plate for each state that they operated in or even passed through (today, small decals below the driver's window do the same job).

Due to illness in my family in December of 1959, I found it necessary to rush back to New York from a short vacation in Los Angeles via one of the first TWA 707's - quite an experience!

I think the scariest part was the almost vertical takeoff that we weren't used to.

Regards.

Mr. 'L'

[HwyHaulier]

Mr. 'L' -

PANAM Trivia Note: N724PA was its Clipper Mercury, Boeing 17602. Detailed PANAM list: http://www.netguest.com.br/panam/707eng.htm

Licensing seen on GREYHOUND coach? Tells us it was a 48 State "system runner" legal on practically all possible city pairs. On the cargo side,
a legal coast to coast truck usually displayed a dozen separate license plates. (Seen in period photos of known "48 State" equipment.)

There were workarounds for regionally assigned units. It is, however, rather an arcane discussion. Hardly related to a bright day at JFK Field! <G>

................Vern............

[roymanning2000]

Greyhound began using the four digit fleet numbering system, dropping the letter prefix, around 1959-1960. This was the period when everything was merged into the four division set-up.

Roy

[timecruncher]

Re "business end" of said commercial jet:

"Hey, bussie!"

It was commonplace during the seventies and eighties for chartered Queen City Metro buses to be escorted out on the tarmac at Greater Cincinnati International Airport to pick up visiting professional or collegiate athletic teams. Most teams traveled on B-727 aircraft chartered from one of the 'flag' carriers, usually Delta (Cincinnati used to be a big Delta hub).

We were escorted by Airport Police, who were a branch of the State Highway Patrol in those innocent days before the spread of international terrorism and establishment of the TSA. They would usually have us pull up next to the aircraft so that people walking off of the portable gangways could walk about the length of the wingspan and board the bus easily.

I'll add here that some baseball teams, especially the Padres and Dodgers, tended to be more obnoxious towards the bus driver than others. Nothing like trying to drive a city bus down the expressway with spitballs and obscenities being thrown and shouted across the bus the entire way! Even schoolkids weren't as childish as these "million dollar babies," to quote the late Marge Schott.

I recall one evening San Diego's players were so rude to one of our drivers that he pulled over on the side of I-75, dropped the damper (emergency stop), set the handbrake and started walking towards a nearby exit ramp. As the story goes, it took two coaches, a few players, lots of apologies and a cash bribe to get him back on the bus -- after discreetly resetting the damper.

timecruncher

[Mr. Linsky]

Vern,

I'm certain that there were special situations where buses were escorted onto Tarmacs but very infrequently at New York International.

New York airports including La Guardia have always had 'General Aviation' terminals to handle charter flights such as those used by sports teams and dignitaries.

I'll tell you that even in the late fifties and early sixties when I did the NYI runs in summer relief at Green Line all openings from the public roadways to the taxiways and runways were well guarded by Port Authority Police.

That was at the time that Israel's El Al aircraft parked way out away from the terminals and passengers were shuttled back and forth only by PONYA equipment.

Of course, with what's going on today I don't think you could get a toothpick out onto a runway at any U.S. airport!

Regards.

Mr. 'L'

[Cdntruckphotog]

It is terribly sad that today; the PanAM logo is a reporting mark on a Maine Central boxcar.

(photo courtesy of Charles Danko taken somewhere in New Jersey)
A generation ago, PanAM didn't have landing rights at YYZ (Toronto) so they merely pioneered ROAD FEEDER SERVICE and ran trucks 3 times per week to JFK to connect with the South American flights.
So, speaking of 707's; what era does that place Gordon Lightfoot's song
"In the Early Morning Rain"?
I would guess Canada's Centennial Year.


Rob Archer.