BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

traildriver/all:

One of the rarest tinplate GREYHOUND buses in my collection is one that replicates the GX-2; this large toy is so well detailed, it almost qualifies as a scale model!

I purchased it off eBay several years ago, and, to date, I have yet to see another one for sale.

Though TRAILWAYS buses were popular tin toys back in the day, GREYHOUND, without a doubt, overwhelmingly was the most duplicated of the two.

The variety of vintage toy GREYHOUND buses (tin, diecast, plastic, etc.) is virtually limitless!

I also have a small tin wind-up GREYHOUND bus (oddly in yellow and grey!) that clearly was inspired by the MCI Couriers; the high curved rear windows are a dead giveaway!

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Some info on the GX-2......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GX-2

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

More on the GX-2:

This unique bus was later sold and purchased by the "BLUE RIDGE QUARTET" as a tour bus.

The bus was even featured on an album cover "PASSIN' THRU".

Sadly, this one-of-a-kind bus was later scrapped; what a STUNNING museum bus this would have made today, had it been saved......oh, well, at least there are pictures (and toys!)........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Just came across this interesting page......

http://www.theoldmotor.com/?p=142146

(courtesy: theoldmotor)

[traildriver]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's another interesting (and extensive!) page I came across earlier........

http://bluehoundsandredhounds.info/barscen.html

(courtesy: bluehoundsandredhounds)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Among the very last of the GM buses purchased by GREYHOUND in the later 60's were the distinctive "Buffalos"; I have always felt that there was at least some SCENICRUISER-inspired design in these now-classic buses!

The one pictured here was owned by PSNJ/TNJ.

Here again, we see a bus type that once quite commonplace, and now has vanished down the Echoing Corridors of History.

To this day, I call these buses "Baby Scenicruisers" and/or "Scenicruiser Jr.s".......

*EXTRA BONUS: Note the GREYHOUND MC-6 on the far left, just barely squeezing into the picture!

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1497

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The rugged, hulking MC-6....."THE RODNEY DANGERFIELD OF THE GREYHOUND FLEET"; here is a classic highway coach that all but the most astute, die-hard 'Hound enthusiasts have seem to forgotten.

Indeed, a "Big Bruiser That Was Ahead Of Its Time".........it was, in fact, at the time it first entered service, the largest (non-articulated) and the most powerful highway coach in operation in the country.

Toy replicas of this classic bus are not too common these days; the plastic ones are a tad easier to find than the tinplate versions, which are quite realistic and detailed. I have examples of both in my collection today.

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/bus-stop-classics/bus-stop-classics-mci-6-supercrusier-a-big-bruiser-ahead-of-its-time/

(courtesy: curbsideclassics)

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Speaking of "Bison".......

The earliest of the model (PD-4107) was introduced in 1966, and its basic styling was used on all remaining intercity buses built by GM.

The later PD-4903 was the first 40-foot GM coach available to non-GREYHOUND operators (GREYHOUND, of course, had their own exclusive 40-footer, the SCENICRUISER)

The next version, the PD-4905, generated only 331 sales.

Then the P8M-4905A was introduced, with an optional fully-retractable third axle; 2,027 were sold during the seven years of production.

GM discontinued production of intercity buses in 1980, having produced only an average of 230 buses annually since 1975.

GREYHOUND began buying their buses from their subsidiary, Motor Coach Industries, in the mid-1960's, thus saying "farewell" to GM..

The MCI's were quite similar is style and design to the rugged and handsome PREVOST coaches of that era.....

"NYO"

(data courtesy: "THE BUS WORLD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BUSES (Ed Stauss)

Personal note: Back in the early/mid 80's, I can remember commuting into the PABT (early NJT era) on "Bison" many times; I think these coaches were ex-ORANGE & BLACK and INTER CITY.

MANHATTAN LINES, I believe, also had them; also DE CAMP.

I always enjoyed riding "Bison"; in fact, I always pretended I was aboard a SCENICRUISER......

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Just thought I'd include these early 80's "cameos".....ahhhh, the great variety that still abounded, back in the day......

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3506

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3409

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3412

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?3429

http://bus.nycsubway.org/perl/show?1715

(courtesy: bus.nycsubway.org)

[traildriver]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

traildriver:

I noticed that caption error myself; of course, we both know the "true story"here........

Just between us, however, I don't think the "Scenicruiser's Proud Papas" would have relished the idea of their sleek, modernistic vehicle being used as a passenger/cargo carrier, at some point in the future...........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Combo cars.....

Beginning in 1967, GREYHOUND converted nearly 100 SCEICRUISERS into passenger/cargo carriers; even before this, GREYHOUND had carried newspapers as well as packages, in the days before UPS and Fed-Ex.

Verying numbers of seats were removed from the upper levels of the buses; with some buses, all the upper level seats were removed, and the area converted to carry cargo.

Also worth mentioning, in the mid-70's, about 100 SCENICRUISERS had another row of seats added to the upper level, increasing their capacity from 43 to 47; these crowded buses were put into service as commuter shuttles.

These coaches ran schedules for TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, San Francisco Airport, as well as the San Diego area, also these buses served some East Coast commuter hubs.

All SCENICRUISERS were either OOS or sold by 1978; with the retirement of these iconic buses, the grandest era in highway coach travel had ended.......

"NYO"

(info source: "GREYHOUND SCENICRUISER" (McNally/Rayman)