BusTalk

Free-transfer · Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 10:09 pm Post subject:

I wonder who got to sit in the driver seat? LOL

frankie · Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 10:49 pm Post subject:

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 12:15 am Post subject:

frankie,

I thought that it was a truck parked in front of the bus!

The tractor trailer bit makes even less sense!

JimmiB,

You're sure right about that overhang - one thing's for certain - it would never have made it on the streets of Manhattan!

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 12:53 am Post subject:

frankie,

I've brightened your ACF TT so that we can better discern the fifth wheel set-up.

However, in doing so, what appear to be six antennas extending from the passenger windows as are seen in your darker picture have disappeared.

I'm wondering what they were for?

All I can say about the bus is that any passengers wishing to exit via the front door better watch that first step!

BTW; the particular Ford COE series 'C' tractor pulling the bus was a classic in its own rite being the most popular with a production span from 1957 to 1983 in all versions - an industry record.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

frankie · Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 11:49 am Post subject:

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 3:51 pm Post subject:

frankie,

I just came upon the answer to where our 'Cuban New Look Stretch Coach' and its ilk came from.

About 150 5300's were purchased from the Montreal Transit Corporation (AKA STCUM) in the nineties for about $2500 a piece (pictured below is one of them).

It's easy to see that these were GMDD's with water filled bumpers and the wider rear passenger doors found on most Canadian New Looks.

From this photo, we can also see what our 'Stretch Coach' once looked like especially on the curb side.

Out of the 150 or so that the Cuban IBOA's bought, it's easy to see how they could have had plenty of parts for marriages!

The lower photo shows one just dumped in the street when it couldn't run any more! (never even got a decent burial!).

Photos by Elton McFall.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

gmnewlook · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 8:24 am Post subject:

First one is a 1977 T6H5307N originally to the CTCUM (mow STM) in Montreal and the second one is from CTCRO (today's STO) in Gatineau.

CTCUM= Commission de transport de la Communauté Urbaine de Montréal (Montreal Urban Community Transit Commission)
CTCRO= Commission de transport de la Communauté Régionale de l'Outaouais.

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2013 2:07 am Post subject:

You've undoubtedly heard the expression 'Split Shift' but have you ever heard 'Split Bus'? (other than when referring to electrical equipment).

Seen date unknown at a San Francisco Muni facility is fleet # 3816/3057 (depending on which end of the bus you're looking at!).

Apparently, Muni #3057 - a 1969 Model T8H-5305 - seemed to have misplaced almost half of its forward section and, as it happened, NYCTA #3816 - a 1963 Model TDH-5303 - lost the better half of its rear section and 'presto' 'a marriage made in heaven' (a coast to coast romance!).

It appears by the photo that Muni was in a real rush to get 3816/3057 into service and merely gave the front clip a quick spray of white which somehow blended into the roof and left the New York fleet # intact.

I'm sure that the bus was eventually properly repainted to Muni livery.

This is about as good as it gets in the GM New Look Oddity Department!

Photo courtesy of NorCal Bus Fans.

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

frankie · Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2013 10:24 am Post subject:

Mr. Linsky · Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2013 3:16 pm Post subject:

frankie,

Another of your great finds - I don't know how you do it! - thanks so much for sharing everything you come up with!!!

Now I see why our 'hybrid' wound up with a 'GMC' instead of its original 'GM' badge under the windshield.

BTW; a member of another site has informed me that both NYC front clips were used by Muni.

BTW again; I'm just wondering how the builder's plate eventually read after the wedding?

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

frankie · Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2013 3:53 pm Post subject:

MaBSTOA 15 · Age: 70 Joined: 27 Feb 2013 Posts: 1058

MUNI 3057 was involved in a nasty collision with a gravel truck. That is the reason why it was spliced with NYCTA 3816.

(for a view of the curb side of this bus go to page 118 -
Welcome Aboard the GM New Look Bus by John McKane and Gerald Squier).

In the second photo, the "scrapped" bus in the background is #3816.

BTW, both slides were on EBay sold by seller: 90mac and they were numbers 380673738432 (scrapped buses) and 380673728074 (MUNI 3816/3057)

ripta42 · Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 7:38 am Post subject:

MaBSTOA 15 · Age: 70 Joined: 27 Feb 2013 Posts: 1058

The "scrapped" shell in the foreground appears to be NYCTA #3630.

Also note that the tow hooks were moved above the bumper in 3057 while 3816 has them below the bumper the standard location with NYCTA/MaBSTOA.

frankie · Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 7:34 pm Post subject:

I thought I'd approach this thread a little different by posting the photo first along with the accreditation. This and the following photos courtesy of Jim Husing for education purpose. The is the story of County Transit (Santa Clara) 4633 (and her sisters) as told by Jim himself since no one can explain it better than he.

In the late 1970's the Santa Clara County Transit District had a problem. They were awash in tax payer money, but were short on buses due to expanded service routes. Since new buses from any manufacturer were on back log, officials sent a team of personnel to New Jersey to check out some TDH5302's that TNJ had in storage. When they got to NJ they found a bunch of these 5302's sitting in a field under water up to the windows. The buses had been sitting in a field covered with snow and when the snow melted, water!! Inspite of this the decision was made to lease these buses from NIMCO from December 1978 to October 1979. It was then decided to purchase them. In the first batch came 56 buses numbered 4600-4655 all 1960 and 1961 TDH5302's.

Pictured are 4633 after it was rehabbed with an update front end and head lights and new style front door with all single glass. It was called a JJ Speciall because the person that did the rehab was nicknamed JJ. It was intended to rehab all of the 5302's like 4633, but for some reason that never happened. 4635 shown next to 4633 is how the rest of the 5302's looked with the dip stripe. The front paint scheme of 4633 was patterned after the RTS 1000's that were a cancelled order from AC Transit. This paint break scheme was later painted on the remaining new looks in the fleet. 4633 is ex-TNJ P359 and 4635 is ex-TNJ P319. I remember when these buses arrived. They were all at North Yard in Mountain View and they were in sad shape. It took a year to get some of them in shape to be able to be in service. But once in service, they were work horses and allowed the remaining GM old looks to be retired by early 1980.

The last photo is for comparison purposes only. This is CTSC TDH-4517 #4701 renumbered 6528.

Frankie