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'A NEW ARRIVAL AT KENNEBUNKPORT'

 
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Mr. Linsky
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:50 pm    Post subject: 'A NEW ARRIVAL AT KENNEBUNKPORT' Reply with quote

No, it's not another George Bush!

Rather, it's a new arrival at the Seashore Trolley Museum in the guise of fleet number 125 (upper image)- a 1982 GMDD T6H-5307N and one of one hundred (100 to 199) purchased originally by Edmonton Transit System of Edmonton, Alberta Canada for conversion to Trolley Bus operation.

There's a story about ETS # 125 (pictured above) and 99 others of its
ilk;

In the early 80's, Edmonton Transit was trying to find a bus to
replace the 35 year old Brill and Flyer trolley coaches which were
long past their life expectancies.

Because of their satisfactory prior relationship with General Motors, ETS
ordered 100 GMDD T6H-5307N's with the only differences being that they
were delivered sans engines and parts of both the drive trains and
electrical systems.

The buses then were shipped to the Brown Boveri Electric Company (now known as BBC) of
northern New York for the installation of trolley equipment and the
coaches were then given BBC serial numbers from BE001 to BE100,

The fuel tanks and left side cowlings where exhaust pipes for Diesel
engines would normally be housed were cannibalized for use as spare
parts for the other conventional T6H5307N's

Note the rather odd rear doors which, by regulation, were fabricated
of wood as were certain interior passenger railings to prevent
accidental electrocution.

Number 125 will be a very interesting and unique addition to the
Kennebunkport collection.

Number 124 of the same series (lower image) is shown still operational in Edmonton.

Many thanks to Richard Silagi and Laddie Vitek of NorCal Bus Fans for the great photos.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY


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timecruncher



Age: 73
Joined: 23 Dec 2008
Posts: 456
Location: Louisville, Kentucky

PostPosted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have to wonder if the one(s) that ended up in Dayton, OH still exist. The CTHA used it on an excursion a number of years ago... It was oh so sweet to ride in, but goofy with the front-door aftermarket wheelchair lift!





timecruncher
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Mr. Linsky
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 10:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

T.C.,

The records show that only number 109 and number 110 were sold to Dayton in 1994 and, while I don't know for sure, it wouldn't surprise me that they are still in some service albeit limited.

You couldn't have asked for a trolley coach with better underpinnings!

You might say that they were the best of both worlds!

BTW; it appears as though the rear door in the upper frame seems to open peculiarly with a fold in the center (or is it an optical illusion?).

Incidentally, in that same photo you can see that they gained the space for the double stream rear door by using a 4500 width passenger window just to the rear of the opening.

Mr. 'L'
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roymanning2000



Age: 75
Joined: 01 Aug 2007
Posts: 198

PostPosted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The two Edmonton buses that were sold to Dayton have not seen service here in several years. Number 110 was pressed into service back in 2001-2002 when the Skoda fleet was sidelined with structural problems. That's the last time I saw either of these trolley coaches in service.

I've been told that when the Motor Bus Society visited Dayton in 2007, one of these buses (110, I think) was housed inside and designated for preservation along with two or three other trolleys. Given the transit authority's financial constraints of recent years, I doubt anything has been done to them, restoration-wise.

Roy
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Hart Bus



Age: 73
Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 1150

PostPosted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mr. Linsky wrote:
T.C.,

BTW; it appears as though the rear door in the upper frame seems to open peculiarly with a fold in the center (or is it an optical illusion?).

Mr. 'L'


WCA:

I think your eyes are not fooling you. Look at the first picture where 125 is being loaded onto a flat bed. I've never seen closed rear doors like that. Therefore the picture of 110 makes sense. Why it was ordered like that might have something to do with the structual integrity of that part of the bus since the mounting and added weight of the trolley poles is right over the doors on the roof.

ECA
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Mr. Linsky
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 1:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ECA,

You've hit the nail partially on the head and, while I can't give you a reason for the particular door configuration, I can tell you that in order to support the roof unit all aluminum elements important to its stability were changed to steel.

Additionally, very heavy rubber insulation was used to protect against electrical leakage.

I wrote an interesting piece in Bus Nostalgia on the experimental conversion of a New Jersey Public Service TDH 4509 numbered D900 (pictured below) which gives greater detail to the alteration methods.

Regards.

WCA

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