BusTalk

[JimmiB]

Here's a link to a photo of a 1953 TDH4512 that I drove for many miles with the County of Lebanon Transit authority in PA. This was originally a Harrisburg Railways bus, then sold to Lebanon Bus Co. and finally to COLT. I was instrumental in saving this coach. When I found out about the board of directors wanting to sell it for scrap. I talked to some board members and convinced them to try to donate it to a museum. The Hershey museum wasn't interested since it had been previously restored and the seat covering and the floor were not original. Hershey made some calls and Cincinnati said they would take it.
Mr. L should find it interesting that the Ohio company that they painted it for is called "The Green Line".

http://www.flickr.com/photos/apta_2050/5504048756/in/photostream/


That was my baby for a long time. I'm very happy that it was saved.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Now THAT'S a BUS!!!!!!!!!!!!

NYO

[Mr. Linsky]

JimmiB,

I'm posting a picture of your 'baby' because I think it deserves a prominent front row seat here at BusTalk.

Thanks so much for sharing this genuine piece of our history with us.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

[JimmiB]

Thanks Mr. L.
Somewhere I have a photo taken by a bus fan of this bus when I was driving it. If I come across it I'll post it.
Side note: When this was rebuilt by Capital Area Transit in Harrisburg, they charged for a newly rebuilt engine. Our head mechanic called me into the shop and showed me the engine in it. He said he worked on this for several years when it belonged to Lebanon Bus Co. He pointed out a weld on the block that he had done. He said there was nothing wrong with that engine and all the restoration it got was a steam cleaning and a coat of paint. Chances are that this coach still has the original engine in it.

[timecruncher]

The Green Line was, in fact, a Kentucky operation. If you could read the fine print, it reads "The Cincinnati, Newport and Covington Transportation Company" in the fine print under the logo.

This bus, along with TDH3612 #209, a Green Line original, are both restored to what is actually the Dixie Traction Company color scheme. This bus belongs to the Cincinnati Transit Historical Association, made up mostly of Metro and TANK current and former employees and a few transit aficionados in the area (including the timecruncher, who is one of the founders of the group).

CN&C is predicessor to TANK, Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky, and operated transit service between Boone, Kenton and Campbell County and downtown Cincinnati. It is the original ATE property, and is where -- for better or for worse -- ATE's founders came to the transit industry.

ATE is now, of course, part of First Group.

timecruncher

[JimmiB]

My thanks to your group for doing a beautiful job on her. I'm grateful that she was saved from the torch.

[timecruncher]

A few pix of the TANK historic fleet.

Here is the 3612. This one is an original CN&C coach, delivered new along with 9 sisters in 1950 to replace the last of the streetcars. The 4-71 proved too weak for the hilly northern Kentucky routes, so in the late sixties the shop dropped in an overhauled 6-71 from a retired 4509. She goes pretty good now!



A little close-up detail of the lettering job. This was hand-lettered, folks.



Here's an interior view when I wasn't driving, a view many bus drivers had seen many times through this windshield - the south approach to the Roebling Suspension Bridge into Cincinnati! (note the ribbons adorning the rear of the bulkhead - she's won a few competitions at antique vehicle shows, natch.



And no, you're not seeing double, and this is 2007, not 1957! That is your beloved ex-Harrisburg Railways 4512, owned by CTHA, and the pride of TANK. Nary a Gillig in sight...



timecruncher