BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Tin toy "Hounds"(1950s/1960s)......

Excluding the many imaginative "fantasy" versions, it seems as though quite a few of these now highly-collectible tin toy "Hounds" were indeed inspired by real-life counterparts, including:

SCENICRUISERS (you'd be surprised how many only have TWO axles!)

4104s

4106s

Fishbowls

IC-44 (often "stylized', many interesting variations)

MC-5

MC-7 (becoming more difficult to find)

"Buffalo" (VERY rare piece indeed!)

And this is not even counting the postwar toy "Hounds" represented in die cast and plastic!)

Trust me, the variations are almost endless!

Happy collecting!

"NYO"

["EXPRESS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Further.........

Other variations include friction buses, battery buses, mechanical buses (MANY size variations!)

There are some with opening doors, adjustable destination signs, illuminated headlights, honking horns, etc.

A LOT OF fun to collect....trust this old fellow on that! (I only have about 150 in my collection, as I type these words!)

"NYO"

["SCENICRUISER SERVICE"]

['GREYHOUND LINES"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

A rare and most interesting piece, indeed.........

One particularly interesting tin friction "Hound" I have dates to the early 1960s, best described as a "stylized, updated, IC-41" (this basic body "shell" came in many variations over the years, available in many different styles)

A uniformed, determined-looking driver is, of course, at the wheel; the passengers are all dressed in their stylish "traveling-by-bus" clothes.

What makes this bus so interesting is that one gentleman passenger is depicted SMOKING A PIPE!!

Yo date, I've yet to come across ANY vintage tin GREYHOUND (or TRAILWAYS) bus that features the depiction of a SMOKING passenger!

This one is a RARE "hound", indeed.......

"NYO"

["IT'S SUCH A COMFORT TO TAKE THE BUS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

On the "flip" side.......

I also have several tin "SCENICRUISERS" which sport "CONTINENTAL TRAILWAYS" colors.

One of these is simply lettered "GOLDEN EAGLE", sporting a red, white, and black color scheme.

Another VERY rare, large-sized friction tin bus I have (IMHO, it resembles a "GARWOOD") sports the familiar "running dog" on its flanks, BUT, is lettered TRAILWAYS!!!!

Dating from the mid-late 1950s, it pre-dated GREYHOUND's takeover of TRAILWAYS by several decades!

The duplicate I have is lettered solely for "GREYHOUND".

"NEW YORK" on the front destination signs.

Both of these 1950s toy buses are now quite rare, and are seldom seen offered for sale.............

"NYO"

["NEW YORK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

SMALLEST toy "hound" I have is a "slush cast" SCENICRUISER, barely 2" in length, dating from the early 1960s.

LARGEST toy "hound" in my collection is a battery-operated toy based on the 4104......over TWO FEET in length!

This big bus also dates to the early 1960s........

"NYO"

["EXPRESS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Images from a long-ago era........

Many tin toy GREYHOUND (and TRAILWAYS) buses from the 1950s and 1960s feature lithographed drivers and passengers inside.

EVERY driver is in FULL uniform (complete with CAP!), and ALL male passengers wear a JACKET and TIE, while the ladies all wear DRESSES....and ALL are QUITE well-groomed, so VERY evocative of long-distance bus (and train) travel, so many years ago.

How drastically times have changed.......

"NYO"

["GREYHOUND LINES"]