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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 26430 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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One more "quick one".........
What was the "density" of GREYHOUND/TRAILWAYS service between Chicago and New Orleans, and Chicago and Atlanta, circa-1960, vs today?
I'm guessing there was more service, way back then.
Thanks again!
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 26430 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 11:14 pm Post subject: |
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traildriver:
Been recalling some fun DOMENICO trips "down south", back in the day.......
During my long-ago DOMENICO trips to Gatlinburg, Myrtle Beach, and, also, New Orleans, along the way, I encountered quite a few interesting people who, clearly, would be labeled "hicks", "hillbillies", or "rednecks" by more than a few citified "Yankees".
In all honesty, all I can say is that not only were these folks friendly as all heck, they were also quite interesting in themselves!* (America's Favorite Down-Home Country Girl, Miss Dolly Parton herself, once said of her "hillybilly"/"mountain folk" heritage": "Shoot! I'd rather be Rocky Road than Vanilla!")
In Gatlinburg (it rained almost the whole week, but we still had a ball) a local tour guide boarded our bus for a "tour 'bout the area, which y'all should find interestin'!" (his exact words!)
It cracked me up that he was the spitting image of my mother's brother Karl, but, when he talked, I swore to God I was listening to an old "Huckleberry Hound" cartoon!
His name was "Lee" and could not have entertained us more if he had put on a floor show; I got the other folks on the bus to chip in for a little collection for our most congenial, "down-home" guide.
Needless to say, Lee was quite surprised and happy with out little collection, and he gave everyone on the bus a good laugh with his parting shot:
"Y'all are my favorite kind of Yankees!"
I still have to smile recalling that rainy day aboard a DOMENICO bus, nearly 30 years ago.......
"NYO"
Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Thu Apr 30, 2020 1:43 am; edited 3 times in total |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 26430 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 11:24 pm Post subject: |
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On my 1992 DOMENICO tour to "Noo Alwlins", we stopped somewhere outside of Atlanta (about an hour-and-a-half), at this roadside flea market, literally, out in the middle of nowhere.
Not only were the prices of the items for sale ridiculously cheap, but, to listen to the folks, you'd have thought you were somewhere in Dogpatch, USA!
Again, friendly folks to a "T"; I not only picked up a few old toy buses (BIG surprise!) I also picked up some Civil War items, as well as some homemade pickles and preserves to bring home to share with Mom (LOVE that "good ol' down-home grub!")
In Gatlingburg, my buddy and I went to this old "honky tonk" diner, that looked as though it came right out of old-time country song; in fact, the Loretta Lynn-ish waitress' name was "Jolene", and was "down home" personified!
They had some great old country tunes playing there; of course, several tunes were by a certain "Miss Dolly" and the late, great, Kenny Rogers.
GREAT "down home" food, BTW (we ate there every night, during our stay!)
When you'd pass by a hundred or so of these "honky tonks", complete with big rigs, battered pickups, and a tour bus or two in their parking lots, you KNEW you could not be ANYWHERE else but the good ol' US of A!
Sure glad I've got those memories to look back on, so many years later.......
"NYO" |
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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2521 Location: South Florida
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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NYO--
Sorry, I have no knowledge of the disposition of Domenico equipment. I do remember that they were one of the very first carrier's to purchase used Scenicruiser's from the Greyhound fleet, when Greyhound disposed of them. They used them on the Staten Island to PABT expresses via NJ, after installing an extra row of seats in them. They started that route, as TA expresses all went via Brooklyn...I don't believe TA buses even had license plates that would allow them to leave the state, at that time.
When Peter Pan expanded routes south of NYC, they acquired or leased the former Domenico Bayonne garage until they built their new one in Secaucus on County Avenue next to Body-Rite (now Academy). |
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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2521 Location: South Florida
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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NYO--
Greyhound and Trailways both had several routes between New York and New Orleans in the '50's and '60's. You could go via Cincinnati, or Knoxville, or Atlanta, or Augusta, and several variations of those. And most routes had multiple daily trips on them...some thru the whole way, other's requiring a change or two.
I don't have my "archives", timetables and Russell's Guide's down here in Florida to consult--they are back in my Queens apartment.
Service to New Orleans had increased during that period, especially when Trailways won the rights to operate along the Gulf Coast between Mobile and New Orleans. The decline started with the sale of Greyhound, and its acquisition of Continental Trailways in the late '80's, and went downhill from there. It really dropped low after Hurricane Katrina, and in the last decade has steadily, like all routes, shrunk to almost nothing.
Both Greyhound and Trailways had their own terminals in the sixties. In the '70's, Greyhound moved into Amtraks New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal. I don't know if either or both the former terminal's still stand.
If I had their addresses, I could search Google Earth, and see....
Both Greyhound and Trailways had routes from Chicago to New Orleans. Their peak was some time in the seventies when the Interstate Highway was completed the whole way, although they didn't use the same local routes...
This is all just from memory, but I hope it helps answer your questions... |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 26430 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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traildriver:
MANY THANKS for the time you took to post just about all the information I was after; THANK YOU!!
I also send a hearty "thanks" your way for informing me that DOMENICO once operated Scenicruisers; I had NO knowledge of this, beforehand (all I know is that I never saw one, either up close, or in a photo)
SCENICRUISERS, indeed, lead quite interesting lives, after retirement from GREYHOUND, from what I have read.
Transports for music groups, church groups (QUITE a few SCENICRUISRS went on to lead a "religious life", later in their lives!), youth groups, charter companies, automobile haulers........indeed, the legendary "SCENICRUISER" did NOT go out with a whimper!
"MICHAUD" (Salem, Mass.) purchased the first SCENICRUISER sold by GREYHOUND, in late 1968.
In Dolly Parton's hilarious (and quite touching) autobiography, "DOLLY", GREYHOUND is mentioned several times.
Her first (non-school transport) bus trip took place about 1964, when she and her grandmother boarded the bus at Sevierville for Lake Charles (they ended up getting temporarily stranded at Birmingham, when they got off to stretch their legs and use the ladies' room)
Later in 1964, when Dolly decided to "go out on her own", she rode "The Hound" to Nashville.
The first time she traveled on an intercity bus, she remarked that the bus was like "a great friendly animal, transporting me to a new and exciting place, like Jonah and the Whale"(!!)
In rural communities, back then, where there were no passenger trains, "the Hound", "Big Red", and other now long-forgotten companies must have, indeed, been valuable lifelines to the outside world, something that is difficult to fully appreciate today.......
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 26430 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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Speaking of country music and "over-the-road" carriers......
In my collection, I have several 1:87 scale EAGLE buses, done up as "tour buses" for different country singers, made by "ROAD CHAMPS", back in 1990.
I have buses for Travis Tritt, Hank Williams Jr., Marty Stuart ("Hillbillies On Tour"), and Clint Black.
I also have a large EAGLE coin bank, decorated for "BRANSON: COUNTRY MUSIC SHOW CAPITAL".
In real life, the eye-popping interiors of such vehicles are FAR above elaborate and dazzling, to say the least!
Two classic country tunes, at least to me, call to mind being back in the 60's/70's, and riding along a highway (heading south) aboard either a SCENICRUISER or an EAGLE.
One of these songs is Glen Campbell's "Gentle On My Mind", the other is Dolly Parton's "Jolene" (both songs are great favorites of mine)
Another classic "Dolly" tune, "Bargain Store", for some reason, always makes me think of being in an old second-hand store (that used to be a five-and-ten), picking up old toy buses and Civil War items, on a cloudy day, in some small Southern town (well, that's how what passes for my mind works!)
Just thought about this.......look at how many classic "country" songs were were about trains, or featured them........highway buses, indeed, deserved a bit o' the spotlight, here and there, as well.........
"NYO" |
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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2521 Location: South Florida
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 26430 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 10:56 pm Post subject: |
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traildriver:
Appreciate the links, but, as I am (still!) on dial-up, I cannot watch videos at present.
However, I do appreciate your posting the links!
One has to wonder, when thinking back on the country music legends of many years back, how many either once traveled by bus when they were just getting started, or, if they really hit "the big time", purchased a tour bus of their own.
I recall reading that the great Hank Williams Sr. rode buses in his early days of performing.
When Dolly Parton was still in her teens, and cutting "little" records in Knoxville during the summer vacations, she would stay with an aunt and uncle in Knoxville, and take a city bus from their house to the recording studio each day.
Like the legendary SCENICRUISERS and EAGLES, a number of the country music greats are no longer with us, including two of my long-time favorites, Glenn Campbell and Kenny Rogers.
This makes me remember the last night "on the road" of my 1992 DOMENICO trip, returning from New Orleans.
For the life of me, I cannot recall where we were (it seemed it was in the middle of nowhere) or even what state we were in!
The local buses "to town" had stopped running for the day, so my buddy and I wre "stuck", with nowhere to go.
I turned on the television in our room, which only got two channels, I found that one station had no picture, but had the audio for "Sesame Street" in Spanish!
The other channel (which came in fine) showed nothing but "Hee-Haw" reruns; loving country music and entertainment as I did, I had no problem with this station's programming!
However, after supper in the restaurant next door to the small hotel, I DID discover an old supermarket that had been converted into a 24-hour second-hand record shop; my friend and I had a great time there, each picking up a number of LP's as well as other assorted collectibles (I spied a little, about HO scale, TRAILWAYS Flxible Clipper, that was quite old......I plunked down my $5 pretty dang fast for this little gem!)
I remember, the next day, as we neared the NJ border late in the day, seeing a nice-looking (ex-TRAILWAYS) Eagle in a used car/truck lot, with a big "FOR SALE" sign in the windshield.
Dang, if I only had hit the BIG lottery a week or so earlier......
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 26430 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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Back in the 1980's, country star Hoyt Axton, toured in a refurbished SCENICRUISER, which he affectionatly dubbed "Rosie".......
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 26430 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 11:27 pm Post subject: |
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....I don't know HOW the heck I missed THIS picture!!!!!
In "GREYHOUND SCENICRUISER" (McNally/Rayman) on page 110, there is, lo and behold, a photo of a DOMENICO Scenicruiser!!!
HOW I missed this picture, after having the book on my shelves for the past several years is BEYOND me!!!
The bus was #400, and was photographed alongside a Fishbowl at DOMENICO's Bayonne garage, back in 1971 (too bad this was not a COLOR photo!!)
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 26430 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Fri May 01, 2020 12:58 am Post subject: |
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Speaking of customized celebrity "tour buses" and the like.....
PREVOST, many years back, realized the value of flexibility in coach manufacturing; as a result, modifications could be made to the bodies of PREVOST coaches to fit almost any customer need.
The PREVOST "Le Mirage" was first introduced for conversions in 1978.
MARATHON COACH of Coburn, Oregon, was/is is one of the largest coach conversion companies in the world, if not the largest.
MARATHON specialized in using PREVOST body shells.........
"NYO" |
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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2521 Location: South Florida
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Posted: Fri May 01, 2020 6:17 am Post subject: |
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Going back to the early years of private coaches for entertainer's, the Flxible Clipper's were favored. And then for a long time, the Eagles's were the coach "of choice", until Eagle went under. Now, as you've stated, the Prevost is king.
Prevost makes special body shells just for the conversion industry. They are the 'VIP' versions's of both the X-3 and the H-45. Both have raised roof's, higher than the bus version's do.
You really need to upgrade to high speed internet...you really are missing out on a lot of great stuff being limited to 'dial-up'...... |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 26430 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Fri May 01, 2020 1:22 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="traildriver"]Going back to the early years of private coaches for entertainer's, the Flxible Clipper's were favored. And then for a long time, the Eagles's were the coach "of choice", until Eagle went under. Now, as you've stated, the Prevost is king.
Prevost makes special body shells just for the conversion industry. They are the 'VIP' versions's of both the X-3 and the H-45. Both have raised roof's, higher than the bus version's do.
You really need to upgrade to high speed internet...you really are missing out on a lot of great stuff being limited to 'dial-up'......[/quote
traildriver:
"Custom" buses for stars; you are right...I have seen old photos showing Clippers in such a capacity.
I have two photos I snapped at a rest stop somewhere in Florida (DOMENICO trip, 1978) of a MACK transit (I think it was a C-47) that was being used by a group called the "ROCK OF AGES" trio; this was the first time I had ever seen a transit bus so converted.
It was very well kept, and looked as though it had recently been painted....VERY nice-looking bus!
As I had mentioned earlier, a number of SCENICRUISERS went on to serve many church groups and choir groups.
"KOOL & THE GANG", as well as James Brown, also used SCENICRUISERS at one time.
When my folks and I visited Canada (1966 and 1973) I remember seeing many PREVOSTS (natch!); on the 1966 visit, I remember seeing a number of Clippers and Visicoaches.
In 1973, I snapped a photo of a CLIPPER that was being used in airport service, in front of our hotel in Ottawa (always LOVED those classic Flexies!)
In that photo, I was lucky enough to get an Old Look as well!
"NYO"
Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Fri May 01, 2020 1:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 26430 Location: NEW JOISEY
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