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Scenicruiser Tootsietoy mystery solved!

 
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frankie



Age: 77
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
Posts: 745
Location: St. Peters, Mo.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 11:24 am    Post subject: Scenicruiser Tootsietoy mystery solved! Reply with quote

I collect toy buses. I now have over 2000 different ones in my collection. I like detail. I like models that are true to scale with lots of working features. I like suspension, opening doors, engine compartments and steering. The more features, the larger the scale, the more money you will spend.

I also like toy buses. Buses made with the kid in mind. As with most toy buses, scale is not a big issue. Detail can be close to reality or it can be very imaginary. Sometimes you can make out the make and type of bus. Sometimes you don't. Most time they are generic in nature. Toy buses come in all sizes, shapes and materials. They have great play value.

Tootsietoy buses have long been one of my favorites brands to collect. Tootsietoys are just that: toys! Throughout most of their history, the designers of Tootsietoys have manage to make vehicles generic in nature yet identifiable to a certain make and model. Usually they are marked underneath. Tootsietoys buses are identifiable, but are not true to scale and very toy like in appearance. However.....

The Scenicruiser may very well be the exception. It is well proportioned and very detailed, but still toylike in nature. And that's the way it was intended to be. I love the Tootsietoy Scenicruiser. However for years I've always been mystified by the drumhead at the rear. Now how could Tootsietoy put out a wonderful diecast replica of one of American's beloved bus and spoil it's authenticity by adding a drumhead? I've been scratching my head for a long time. Surely of all the thousands of photos I've seen of the actual bus, never have I've seen one that sported a rear drumhead.

Photo courtesy of chrispcollectibles for educational purposes only.



I just received in the mail a great book just put out entitled Greyhound Scenicruiser (Flagship of the Fleet) authored by Tom McNally and Fred Rayman. If you're a Greyhound fan, this book is loaded with unseen photos of the Scenicruiser from the earliest day of development to today's survivors. An interesting excerpt from the book reads in part that in 1956, Authur Genet the new president of Greyhound removed Great Lakes Greyhound Lines G-7262 from revenue service and for a three month public relations journey became the corporate transport limo. The coach was reassigned fleet number GC-13. This particular Scenicruiser had a drumhead sign installed on the rear of the coach. On one occasion, the bus was taken to Tootsietoy headquarters in Chicago for inspection where the toy company used it to model their toy version. Of all the Scenicruisers, it was this particular one that was used. For me the mystery is solved! I can honestly say that the Tootsietoy version is 100% accurate. What a great toy! What a great model!

Below is the photo of GC-13 - drumhead and all. And as Paul Harvey would say: "......and now you know the rest of the story."

Frankie

Photo taken from the book for educational purposes only.

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traildriver




Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 2452
Location: South Florida

PostPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for sharing that photo and info with us.
Mr. Genet's tenure at Greyhound was very brief...I believe the board replaced him well short of his contract, due to very poor performance. He was formerly with the C&O Railway, and missed having a private railroad business car....hence pulling a money making Scenicruiser from revenue service for this ridiculous use. Soon as he was gone, they converted it back into line service.
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RailBus63
Moderator



Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 1063

PostPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 7:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used to have one of the original Matchbox Scenicruiser toys when I was a kid - probably wore the wheels out playing with it!

Jim D.
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traildriver




Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 2452
Location: South Florida

PostPosted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 9:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver wrote:
Thanks for sharing that photo and info with us.
Mr. Genet's tenure at Greyhound was very brief...I believe the board replaced him well short of his contract, due to very poor performance. He was formerly with the C&O Railway, and missed having a private railroad business car....hence pulling a money making Scenicruiser from revenue service for this ridiculous use. Soon as he was gone, they converted it back into line service.


I just finished reading that book referred to, and apparently I was not entirely correct---after Mr. Genet's departure, the bus was leased to Anheiser-Busch for a period to promote their products, before finally being returned to regular line service....
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Old Look 4007



Age: 75
Joined: 01 May 2011
Posts: 19
Location: Stamford, CT

PostPosted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 9:17 pm    Post subject: I Love This Book! Reply with quote

I just reeceived my copy of the Scenicruiser book from Amazon the other day.
It brought back a flood of memories.
It was the summer of 1956 and my parents and aunt took my little brother and I to St Pete FL from NYC on one of the new Scenicruisers!
As a small child I called all double deck buses 'double doubles'
It seemeed I waited for ever to finally leave CT to NYC to catch the bus.
The trip turned out to be very exciting for a little kid like me.
The Tootsietoy Scenicruiser and Arcade Silversides I got on the trip are long gone and I am 65 now.
Seeing a picture of the Tootsietoy bus again and reading the book were indeed a treat.
Thanks for the memories!
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Old Look 4007



Age: 75
Joined: 01 May 2011
Posts: 19
Location: Stamford, CT

PostPosted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 10:36 am    Post subject: Scenicruiser Reply with quote

This is for Frankie.....

I sent you a PM (Private Message) regarding the Scenicuiser to thank you for your kindness.

Fondly,
Jeff (Old Look 4007)
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