BusTalk

Dieseljim

When I rode on Grand Island Transit while they operated line service, both between Buffalo and Niagara Falls and Buffalo and Wellsville, I noticed some oddities on buses I rode on. I rode on all four SDM4501s, the 5302 and the 5303A as well as 4104s 106 and108. As for the 4104s, I noticed that the driver's side had a pantograph type wiper of the same type Greyhound uses, while the passenger side windshield retained its arching type wiper arm as delivered to Central (NY) Greyhound. Both 106 and 108 had the pantograph wiper on the driver's side (108's was later changed back) and thought this was rather odd. In the book on GM highwy coaches, I noticed the Bangor and Aroostook did the same thing with 4104 No.520. Anyone know of other lines using mismatched wipers on their 4104s? Now for the kicker, Grand Island Transit SDM4502 no.72, when I last rode it had two completely different type pantograph wipers, one off of a 4106 on the driver's side and the other of the type the bus was delivered with. Anyone have any other oddities like these? If so, I would like to see them.

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 1:29 am Post subject:

D.J.,

Apparently, the standard wipers that originally came with the 4104's did not make a good tight contact with the glass and it was recommended (probably by GM) that at least the driver's side be upgraded to the stronger pantograph arm.

Interestingly, the last order of 5106's purchased by New York City in 1957 came equipped with pantograph wipers (see below).

I guess it was a learning experience for GM.

Photo borrowed for educational purposes only.

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

Dieseljim · Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 4:38 am Post subject: Oddities on GIT buses

In that same book, Greyhound did just that with most of their 4104s, only both wipers were replaced with the Pantograph arms, while some Greyhound 4104s remained unchanged with conventional arms on both sides. The book also depicts one Silversides with a pantograph arm on the driver's side and the conversion to pantograph arms getting under way on the Scenicruisers, some of which ran with that odd mismatched combination for a time. Just when I thought I had seen everything, lol.