BusTalk

[Mr. Linsky]

There has been little discussion on this board about GM's HydraMatic line introduced as a light weight contender in 1949 to appropriately take full advantage of Ford's dissolving of a partnership with its long time coach sales agent Transit Buses, Inc. that led to diminished sales.

While the HydraMatic line did share some body components with their larger heavy duty 'monocoque' (chassisless) cousins, they were built on steel underpinnings with aluminum alloy body panels much like the integral configurations of their 1930's ancestors.

Seen recently on parade at the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine is fleet #401 - a 1958 31 passenger Model TGH-3102 and a single unit originally ordered by the Portland-Yarmouth Bus Line of Portland, Maine.

The TGH 3102, which superseded the 3101, was introduced in 1953 a with power derived from a 270 cubic inch Chevrolet Truck engine mounted in the rear and coupled to an advanced Dual Range HydraMatic Transmission much like those found in Cadillacs and Oldsmobiles of the era.

As can be seen in the lower image, interiors on these buses were almost 'school bus' stark especially without the unavailable ThermoMatic systems we are used to seeing but stainless steel accoutrements were abundant along with comfortable cushioned seating.

The diminutive 3102's were very popular among smaller operators as well as in special applications including bookmobiles and even mobile pawn shops and 1605 were built between 1953 and 1963.

A brief pedigree on #401 thanks to ripta42;

#401 was originally sold to the Portland-Yarmouth Bus Line and, according to Charlie Sullivan and Bob Hussey on the NEBusNews group, the line (and its equipment) was taken over by Portland Coach (a subsidiary of Queens/Nassau Transit and Steinway Omnibus).

The bus remained there until 1966, when Greater Portland Transit District was formed. Its operator, Union Street Railway, transferred it to New Bedford, MA where it ran for a short time. It was then sold to Gateway Bus Lines of Wareham, Mass where it was renumbered 28.

The owner of Gateway died in 1975 and it sat in a garage until the 1990s, when it was purchased by John Wolfe of Greenland, NH. Wolfe sold the bus earlier this year to its present owner Tom Santarelli, - curator of the bus collection at Seashore.

Photos borrowed from BusChat and are used for educational purposes only.

Special thanks go to HartBus for steering me to the images.

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

[JimmiB]

I see that my old employer, Lebanon Coach Co. had six TGH 3102s. All purchased new.

Fleet nos. 200-201 purchased in 1954
Fleet nos. 202-203 purchased in 1955
Fleet nos. 204-205 purchased in 1957

[JimmiB]

While searching my picture files I discovered that while the previously mentioned numbers 200-205 were purchased new, they must have purchased at least one used 3102.

The lower photo shows fleet number 202 followed by two sisters in the bus stop on the southwest corner of 8th and Cumberland Sts. in Lebanon PA. This was the transfer point before a transfer station was built at 7th and Willow in the 90's.
The top photo shows a fleet number 206, also a 3102 on 8th Street crossing Cumberland.