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CTA's Propane Twin Coaches

 
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2018 10:18 pm    Post subject: CTA's Propane Twin Coaches Reply with quote

All:

About 1950, the CTA ordered 500 propane powered TWIN COACHES (Model #520-S2P)

Can anyone tell me more on these CTA buses?

I seem to recall that they ran until at least the early 1970's ( I have also seen a picture of a CTA TWIN that sported a New Look-style front)

Do any survive today?

How efficient were the propane models over diesel?

Appreciate any info......thanks in advance...... Wink

"NYO"
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MaBSTOA 15



Age: 70
Joined: 27 Feb 2013
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 08, 2018 8:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can't answer your question regarding how good or bad propane buses are since I have no experience with them, however I can answer your question in regards to the Flxible-Twin Coach bus with a "new look" front end.

The attached photo shows 8499 before and after. The original front end was replaced with the new front as an experiment by Flxible to test the appearance of their "New Look" buses. CTA went unto try different engines with this bus on experimental basis.

This bus is preserved as evidence by the second photo.

I remember reading something, I think it was in Motor Coach Age, that after the original front was removed it was found around one of the CTA's yards for quite a number of years thereafter.



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CTA 8499 (2).jpg
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CTA 8499 (2).jpg


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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 08, 2018 11:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MaBSTOA 15:

Thanks for sharing these pictures; glad to know that the bus which was fitted with a "New Look" style front has been preserved! Very Happy

I always thought that the "as built" TWINS were handsome looking buses, but that New Look front really jazzed them up!

Years ago, when I rode NJT's Flex New Looks (also those of ACADEMY) the windshields always reminded me of larger versions of those used on the postwar TWINS.

It was obvious that the CTA was pretty enamored with the postwar TWINS; aside from those TWINS I have seen pictures of operating in Brooklyn, it was clear that the BoT and the NYCTA more than preffered GM products, as well as MACKS.

Thanks again.....

"NYO"
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John Roth



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PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2018 3:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pretty cool stuff.
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2018 5:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

John Roth wrote:
Pretty cool stuff.


John:

Agreed 100%, my friend!

Back in the day, we (transit enthusiasts) were truly spoiled rotten, by the variety of equipment that then was in daily use.

Back in the early/mid-60's, when I was just a lad, I can remember some of the oldest Old Looks then in the area, not to mention WHITES, MACKS, BRILLS, and some "oddball" REOs and prewar TWINS, which indeed added quite a bit of "spice" to the mix! Wink

Sadly, no company in my area ever operated postwar TWINS; they were really sharp-looking buses, and I would have loved to have been able to include them in my bus memories of another era.......

"NYO"
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traildriver




Joined: 26 Mar 2011
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Location: South Florida

PostPosted: Fri Apr 13, 2018 11:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I lived in Omaha, in 1971-1973, the Omaha Transit Company entire fleet consisted of these Twin's, IIRC... The only GMC New Look's that came into town, were those from cross-river Council Bluffs' City Transit....
I thought they were pretty nice looking...certainly as nice as GM Old Looks, but when the Flxible New Look came out, I thought they were not nearly as nice as the GM New Looks.

As far as the propane...I did not care at all for their odor...much preferred the 'aroma' of diesel exhaust.....
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 15, 2018 3:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver wrote:
When I lived in Omaha, in 1971-1973, the Omaha Transit Company entire fleet consisted of these Twin's, IIRC... The only GMC New Look's that came into town, were those from cross-river Council Bluffs' City Transit....
I thought they were pretty nice looking...certainly as nice as GM Old Looks, but when the Flxible New Look came out, I thought they were not nearly as nice as the GM New Looks.

As far as the propane...I did not care at all for their odor...much preferred the 'aroma' of diesel exhaust.....


traildriver:

Ahhh, to go back to the days when DIESEL buses actually SMELLED (and SOUNDED) like DIESELS! Wink

As I had said earlier, the postwar TWINS never ran in my area of North Jersey, so I never got to see one, let alone ride one.

SOMERSET, did, however, roster eight Model FS-40 "FAGEOLINERS", delivered in 1952; these buses were built for suburban service to Newark and New York.

They had a front door only; they also had standee windows.

These coaches had the same bodies as the postwar TWINS.

I have no idea when they were retired; I have no recollection of ever seeing one when I was much, much younger; perhaps they were retired when SOMERSET took delivery of its first New Look GMC's.

On a sidenote, SOMERSET also operated ACF-BRILL C-44's, and had the distinction of being the first US company to take delivery of the PREVOST Champion in the later 60's.........

"NYO"
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traildriver




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PostPosted: Sun Apr 15, 2018 7:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes...I remember when I first saw Somerset's Champion's in the Port....
IIRC, they came to market at about the same time is the MC-7....sometime in 1968. I rode Somersets Route 15 to Clark and back, just to get a ride in one.
For several year's, Somerset acted as the US dealer for new Prevost's...


As for the suburban 'Fageoliner....it must be similar to the ones built for American Buslines around the mid-century mark....I believe they only had a few of them....here's a photo on found on the web...

http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/t/twin_coach/oo1947_Twin_Coach_bus4.jpg
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 15, 2018 8:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver wrote:
Yes...I remember when I first saw Somerset's Champion's in the Port....
IIRC, they came to market at about the same time is the MC-7....sometime in 1968. I rode Somersets Route 15 to Clark and back, just to get a ride in one.
For several year's, Somerset acted as the US dealer for new Prevost's...


As for the suburban 'Fageoliner....it must be similar to the ones built for American Buslines around the mid-century mark....I believe they only had a few of them....here's a photo on found on the web...

http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/t/twin_coach/oo1947_Twin_Coach_bus4.jpg


traildriver:

There is a photo of SOMERSET's "Fageoliner" in William A. Luke's "FAGEOL & TWIN COACH BUSES" ( page 78 )

There is also a picture of the first CHAMPION being delivered to SOMERSET in Mr. Luke's book on PREVOST.

Hard to believe that five decades have passed since the first CHAMPIONS entered service in New Jersey......... Rolling Eyes

"NYO"
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 15, 2018 8:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In this 1982 photo, we see one of SOMERSET's Champions along a more-sedate Fishbowl, awaiting their next runs.

Timeless classics, both.............

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1522

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)
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