BusTalk

HwyHaulier · Joined: 16 Dec 2007 Posts: 932 Location: Harford County, MD

Stan -

Antietam Transit? Shoot! That was one of the Maryland locals from ages back!

The "small" Old Looks remain fascinating. At the more recent height of the SUV Craze, there were (still are, AFAIK) new vehicles
apparently just about as large!

In the encyclopedic "Manufacturers" topic here, surely you noted discussion that GMC T&C had to have been running two different build lines. The larger coaches,
with the transverse mount motor(Dwight Austin design), done at Pontiac. The smaller coaches, noted by straight in, longitudinal motor mount, from another site.

The 3102 in all gray? Ah, slap US NAVY decals on it, salute it, and it will scream authentic! <G> Occasionally seen, BTW, in old movies, news clips, and Uncle Ned's
photo album of what he did during the war...

"5105s Rule!" Geez! City transit would be so much easier if they were still out there and running! (By now, they would be "Historic" and not subject to mandated,
more modern trappings!)

.................Vern................

roymanning2000 · Age: 77 Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 198

Vern,

You said, "The larger coaches, with the transverse mount motor(Dwight Austin design), done at Pontiac. The smaller coaches, noted by straight in, longitudinal motor mount, from another site. "

The 3102's were built at Pontiac, just on a different line. In the later years (3501/3502), I believe that was the same line where the intercity coaches were produced.

Roy

Dieseljim · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 7:03 am Post subject: 3102 No.18

That 3102 that Chet Hirsch of Perry,NY had was a single door coach. That at a time when the Perry Central School District was phasing out district owned buses in favor of the contract carrier business that Mr. Hirsch had been in for some time, in addition to selling new Dodge cars. At the time I rode No.18, the only District owned buses left were No.2, a Brockway, No.3, a 1953 International with Carpenter body, and No.4 and 1955-56 Ford. All others were owned by Chet Hirsch, and most of them were Dodges. Since the 3102 was the oddball of the fleet, that bus was sold off so Chet could standardize his schoolie fleet on Dodge models. I cannot help but wonder whatever became of Old No. 18.

HwyHaulier · Joined: 16 Dec 2007 Posts: 932 Location: Harford County, MD

pitpup · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:46 am Post subject:

Hey Vern,

The galleries here have helped me beyond belief. If you liked the Antietam shot, hop over here for more! It's a Flickr account by David Wilson that is guaranteed to knock your socks off. You PC gurus have probably already found this, but in case some of you have missed it, it's 227 pics from 1969 era that are just excellent! Here ya go:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwilson1949/sets/72157616566330646/

While your site uncovered three shots of the ellusive 3209, there are many shots of 3102s and 2708 at David's album...

Here's a teaser before you wander off: http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwilson1949/3509441890/sizes/m/in/set-72157616566330646/

ripta42 · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:44 pm Post subject:

Wow! If you know Mr. Wilson, pass the word on that our galleries are open to any who want to contribute photos to it... Smile

roymanning2000 · Age: 77 Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 198

Vern,

Just to clarify. I wasn't talking about the little highway GM's being built on the same line as the 3102's, etc. By the time the 3101 and 3102 came out, the little GM highway buses were a thing of the past.

A former neighbor of mine worked for GM for many years. Part of that time was on the assembly line at Truck & Coach in Pontiac. He told me
the 4106's were produced in the spring and summer. Then the line was changed over and the small transits, the later 3102's and then the 3501, were built in the fall and early winter.

The delivery lists for the 3102 and the 3501 at the OMOT site bear this out. The 3102's, for example, are shown as being delivered from September through November, 1960. Then, deliveries start again in October and November, 1961. In 1962, they begin in September and run though November, and so on.

Roy

HwyHaulier · Joined: 16 Dec 2007 Posts: 932 Location: Harford County, MD

Roy -

Many Thanks! Clearly, I never had it figured on how GMC - T&C worked the tricks, so as to produce the much different basic designs.

Might a two different lines, at different places, been in play earlier? There were some periods of truly huge production numbers going
thru the plant. Very large GL and TWYS at many times.

Besides that, any number of large transit line orders. GMC had a real winner, a market great, in the various TD*-51** types. So many
operators figured, given the right specs on the orders, the coaches could do 'most anything...

PSNJ used a large series of them, and quite often, on its road, Charter work.

....................Vern................

roymanning2000 · Age: 77 Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 198

Stan, ripta42 and others,

Indeed, David Wilson's Flickr albums are great. Included are great old buses belonging to companies that I've never seen portrayed in photographs anywhere else. I highly recommend anyone interested in that era spending some time there.

Roy

ripta42 · Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:45 pm Post subject:

Interesting story that a few of us have experienced more recently:

Star City Bus Lines, Morgantown, WV

"I nearly got arrested! It was late in the day. No one was around when I reached the garage. I went in to look around. The owners arrived while I was there. They didn't take kindly to a "flat-lander" with a Volkswagen with daisies on it poking around their property. They detained me for a few minutes then let me go."

pitpup · Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 10:21 am Post subject:

APOLOGIES ARE IN ORDER! After posting all those pics of my TGH-3101 in progress, I disappeared on all y'all. This thread has not been touched in over two years. Here's why:

My sister-in-law came in from Wisconsin during the summer of '09 and my lovely wife threw out the 'mystery box' containing the GMC work in progress along with some small tools and another little project I was working on. To say I was sick to my stomach is an understatement!!!!

Moving forward... CMW finally came out with their TDH-3610. I purchased one when they first came out and put it on my desk to size this puppy up. And guess what I found. It was too long.

While I was enamored with the 3101/3102, I also had a hankering for a 2708. Scroll back through the posts and you will see the what I'm talking about. I was thinking of doing my 2708 with a single door but have decided to make it a transit bus. Only 300 +/- were made, but you know me, I gotta have one, with one door or two.

As Rod Stewart used to say... "The first cut is the deepest". I will keep you up to date as I get this pup rolling.

RailBus63 · Moderator Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 1063

A Boston MTA bus? (sniff) Crying or Very sad

Just kidding. Good luck with the modeling.

Jim D.

Mr. Linsky

pitpup · Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 2:06 pm Post subject:

Mr. Linsky, I saw that beautiful reference sheet here at the site and it was VERY helpful. Thank you!!

Jim, I live outside of Philly. I coulda used a green one, haha. But I have a thing for "The Transport Company" and this was close. Anyway, I had a little extra time so I squared off the halves and 'walked it in'. The fun part will be making the openings for the front wheels then chopping up the chassis. Somebody pass me a Dremel !!!!!!!

This is how my little TGH-2708 looks this afternoon...