Sunday, May 31, 2009

Well, the last day of the month. Yesterday and today were thankfully without rain but the ground unfortunately is saturated.

Now they are saying we are to have scattered showers Friday and Saturday. Let's hope they are wrong--you know they often are!

Pastor Dan has his "kitchen" set up so hopefully you will bring your appetite when you come to the Spring Fling next Friday and Saturday! (Oh, and bring some $$$ too!). See you on Friday or Saturday!

Saturday, May 30, 2009

I've been trying to watch the weather forecasts for next week. Right now it looks like it will be in the high 70s/low 80s. Wednesday and Thursday are predicted to be scattered thunderstorms--only 30% chance -- so that is okay. However, last Thursday evening (May 28) we had a deluge in this part of the Susquehanna Valley -- so unless we get some good drying days--the grassy areas are going to be soggy.

Friday it says 40% chance of showers and 78 degrees for a high and Saturday is to be partly cloudy and 78 degrees for a high. Both of those sound okay to me. If you remember, last year was a SCORCHER! It was so hot you could not stand to walk out by the buses--you just roasted. So here's hoping we get a break in the weather this year. Are you prepared for any type of weather??? Thankfully the tables are all inside--but it is nice to be able to congregate outside and admire the buses. So here's hoping!

Friday, May 29, 2009

We are getting closer every day--a week from today is our SPRING FLING! We are pleased to present this two days this year (Friday and Saturday, June 5 and 6th). As I have said before, there is a nominal entrance fee this year (just $2.00). As in past years, parking is available at the Museum (161 Museum Drive, Hershey, PA) with shuttle bus to the Memorial Annex. There will be buses on display in the parking lot of the Museum as well as surround the Memorial Annex. Just so everyone knows, due to limited space, there is NO PARKING available at the Memorial Annex. Vendors are allowed one vehicle each. We have so many buses to park outside that we just don't have the room. Please also remember, that the house in front of the property is privately owned and we DO NOT own the parking outside the fence--so do NOT PARK THERE!

We are hoping for a few nice days before the Fling (it rained Tuesday and some Wednesday--forecast for rain through Friday this week) so that we can get the Pierce Arrow out from its storage at the Museum and cleaned and polished so that it can be on display.

As in other years, we will have food available at the Memorial Annex so you can spend the entire day (not having to worry about going somewhere for lunch)--and enjoy the display of buses and the displays inside the Annex as well as all the vendor tables. See you on then!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Work is progressing to get the Memorial Annex ready for the Spring Fling. Tuesday, Tom Mozer and Oliver Ogden worked on some of the buses (Harran and Red-White-Blue) to get them started--old gas had to be drained and new gas put into them with a stabilizer so we don't have to repeat this again. Oliver has been working on getting things filed in the "shed"--the little white building with the flower boxes. He has been able to acquire a few more file cabinets and it is all cleaned up and straightened out for the Spring Fling.

Yesterday, Tom Mozer power washed the floor of the building--especially trying to focus on the spots that appeared to have oil seepage last year. Dan cut the grass with the ride-on mower. We have 10 new tables this year and they were unloaded into the building.

Next Tuesday (June 2), for our Board Meeting, we will be at the Memorial Annex--hopefully earlier in the afternoon to start to set up for the Fling.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Foremost on my mind today is the SPRING FLING! This time next week we will be busy setting up tables and finishing the preparation indoors for the nation's largest BUS FLEA MARKET! We are very proud to be able to present this to not only our Museum Members but also to the public at large.

We are expecting another record turnout--as we have been having emails and messages from people from all over the country telling us they will be attending -- many as a first-time visitor. Those of you who were with us last year will remember that scorching heat we had--so be prepared. That weekend last year was actually the hottest weekend of the summer! And, actually, it was not even summer yet. I don't know yet what the forecast is--but certainly hope it will not be a repeat of last year.

Put on your walking shoes--there is lots to see both inside and outside and bring your appetites as Pastor Dan Lehman will be cooking up a storm with his "partner in crime", Board Member Don Barlup--both are GREAT with the barbecue -- so be ready to eat up!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

One of the buses we saw on the NJ Turnpike on Saturday when we went to/from New York was the BOLTBUS! The Boltbus network in the northeast radiates from New York City from street stops near NY Penn Station and in Chiniatown, although there are different departure points for different lines. Service is currently available from New York City to Washington Dc at the Mtro Center station, the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, Cherry Hill, NJ (a highway stop on Route 38) and Boston's South Station.

BoltBus is a bus line operating in the NE US. It is a 50/50 venture between Greyhound Lines and Peter Pan Bus Lines providing service between NY City and other cities in the NE, utilizing the existing operating authority of Greyhound Lines (although it is run as a distinct business).

Here's what they offer their riders:

WiFi: free unlimited wireless internet access available to all riders on the bus.
Plug-ins: most of the seat rows have a standard power outlet for laptop, phone, iPod charging, etc.
Legroom: a row of seats has been removed from the bus which means 3 extra inches of legroom.
Loyalty Program: make 4 round trips (8 one ways) on BoltBus and receive a free one-way ticket.
Wheelchair access: Majority of fleet is wheel chair lift equipped per ADA.
Reserved Seating: a confirmation number guarantees you a seat on the bus as long as you arrive five minutes before departure.
Standbys and walkups: walkup requests are processed five minutes before departure and are sold only if space is available.
Boarding Process: passengers are assigned a group (A, B or C) and will board as their group is called.

Sounds like a great innovative idea to me!

Monday, Memorial Day, May 25, 2009

Yes, today is Memorial Day and we honor those lost in military service to our country. Yesterday morning in church we sang "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" written in 1860 by Julia Ward Howe Julia Ward Howe, after a visit to a Union Army camp during the CivilWar. It was published in February, 1862, in The Atlantic Monthly.

The second verse, to me, says it all:

"I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps,
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps:
His day is marching on."

For some reason, that one always brings me to tears--remembering those who sacrificed their lives to give us freedom.

Let's all remember those who have fallen for the freedom we have in this beautiful country of ours. I hope you get to visit the cemetery today to remember those lost in the service to our country or get to watch a parade in your home town.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Just laying back and taking it easy today after our marathon trip to Long Island yesterday. Lots of traffic to say the least--lots of coaches on the road.....Hampton Jitney, Peter Pan, Coach USA, just to mention a few. Saw a lot of coaches on the NJ Turnpike heading south.

Remember - just two short weeks to our SPRING FLING. The building is emptied and ready to have tables set up. The buses are parked outside all around the Memorial Annex. We will be setting up tables on Wednesday of Fling week--so if you can help--give Dan a holler at: Icarrythelight4god@msn.com.

And don't forget to thank our SPONSORS: American Bus Association, ABC Companies, APTA (American Public Transportation Association), SETRA Coach; UMA (United Motorcoach Association); Lancer Insurance; Prevost; Michaud Buses for Sale; MCI (Motor Coach Industries); Vernon and Maz, Inc., Conestoga Tours (of Lancaster, PA) and Wolf Bus Lines Inc. (of York Springs, PA)

Saturday, May 23, 2009

We're in New York today tending to my Mother's estate....so going to leave you with some words of wisdom:

- Be gentle with the Earth.

- Think twice before deciding not to charge for your work. People often don't value what they don't pay for.

- When there is a hill to climb, don't think that waiting will make it smaller.

- Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

- When declaring your rights, don't forget your responsibilities.

Friday, May 22, 2009

I was able to get a few more pictures of our Board Members from Bob Beard--he kindly emailed them to me.....so thought since today is 2 weeks until our SPRING FLING, that I would introduce you to ED WOLF - he is our Treasurer. He is owner of E&B Transportation in York Springs, PA. He will be running our Silent Auctions at the Fling so PLEASE, when you see him, ask him about the silent auctions if you haven't discovered them yet!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

"You've Got a Payment"--wow, those are great words! Especially when they are the subject of a PayPal email to the Museum of Bus Transportation!

Those words can signify two things:

1. We made a sale through our webpage GIFT SHOP

or

2. Someone has made a donation to the Museum!

Either way, we are excited to get that email.

PayPal is an easy way to make a payment to us online. Just go to PayPal and select SEND MONEY and type in our email address: thebusmuseum@yahoo.com. Put in the amount of your donation and then we will then be notified that there is a payment waiting for us.

And then we will say a BIG THANK YOU!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

We are almost there -- less than 3 weeks until the 2009 SPRING FLING. We are very excited this year to be able to host the Spring Fling for two days (June 5 AND June 6). At last count we had 30 tables spoken for (and since I'm not in charge of the tables--there may be more I don't know about).

This year we are pleased to have in addition to the Museum's artifacts a display on School Buses by one of our members. Please be sure to stop by and look at all the information that is there. We will, of course, have a Members Table, and two tables with items from the Gift Shop. On Friday, June 5, the Gift Shop table will also host Ken Springirth, author of numerous Arcadia Publishing books, to sign any books you purchase. Ken's books on trolleys and buses have been our most popular Arcadia books in the gift shop. His titles include: Greater Erie Trolleys, Johnstown Trolleys and Incline, Pittsburgh Streamlined Trolleys and Suburban Philadelphia Trolleys. And don't be fooled by the titles--many of them include photographs of buses (with credits to the Museum of Bus Transportation). Ken will not be with us on Saturday because he will be signing another book (East Broad Top Railroad) at an event at the East Broad Top Railroad.

We will also have a display table and possibly two buses from the New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center. We are happy to have them participate in our Spring Fling--in years past they have driven a bus from NJ -- even on the hottest day of the year last year--a bus with no a/c! So this year they will also have a display table with pictures and information on their organization.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Bus Trivia: Thought you might be interested in some trivia we have dug up.....as I have written about before, there is a new book being published (October 1, 2009 release date) by Iconografix Publishing entitled "Fifth Avenue Coach Company 1885-1960". We have been proofreading the copy and I thought I would share some of the trivia we have dug up:

In the early days of Fifth Avenue Coach Company, when they were hiring drivers, they preferred men who had never driven cars of any kind since driving a motorcoach under conditions faced in New York City, with responsibility for passengers, was a totally different thing from driving an automobile.

During World War II, many drivers and conductors were women, because the men were off to war.

An afternoon rain might cost Fifth Avenue $1,000 in fares, a morning rain, $2,500--because of the open top, no one would sit up there and get wet! The ride up Fifth Avenue atop a double-decker bus was often a Sunday afternoon outing!

Thursday was the heaviest bus-riding day in New York as it was maids' day out and many stores were open until 9 pm!

Monday, May 18, 2009

Another Board Member to introduce you to is Bob Smith, seated on the left side of the picture along with Tom Collins. Bob is retired from Johnson Bus Co. and is one of our Vice Presidents.

Bob has been responsible for the timelines that line the walls of the Museum behind the buses. He has researched and had printed these huge depictions. There is so much bus history there that Iconografx has decided it is worthy of putting into print and next Spring there will be a book published with the information in our timelines. Thank you, Bob!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

The May 2009 issue of the National Bus Trader has a great article starting on page 23 entitled "Bus Museums - Preserving Our Industry Heritage." Written by Larry Plachno.

It is a great article that not only features our Museum but several others: New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center (they will have an information table at our Spring Fling so you can find out all about them), Chicagoland Historical Bus Museum, Greyhound Bus Museum and the Pacific Bus Museum. Of the five museums talked bout, only our museum and the Greyhound Bus Museum have permanent homes and have buses on display for the general public to see.

Although we are not the ONLY bus musueum--we are certainly grateful that we have a permanent home and can display our buses 7 days a week. AND, take great pride in our entire fleet when we are able to display them for the upcoming SPRING FLING. See you in 3 weeks!

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Well, by now I'm sure you know what I will be writing about today! First on my mind is the fact that our SPRING FLING is only 3 weeks away! Actually less than three weeks since we are fortunate to be able to offer this two days this year -- Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6.

This is your weekly reminder--did you make your reservations at a nearby hotel so you can enjoy both days? Do you have the list of items you want to look for at the flea market?

We are very excited about this year's Spring Fling. Folk artist, Harold Sauter, while he will not have a table this year, will be a guest at the Museum's Gift Shop table with a few new buses. His work can be seen (and purchased) in the gift shop. He creates larger wooden models of all types of buses--you won't want to miss them and introduce yourself to him when you are there.

Also, on Friday, Ken Springirth, author of numerous Arcadia Publishing books, will be on hand again to sign any books you purchase. Ken's books on trolleys and buses have been our most popular Arcadia books in the gift shop. His titles include: Greater Erie Trolleys, Johnstown Trolleys and Incline, Pittsburgh Streamlined Trolleys and Suburban Philadelphia Trolleys. And don't be fooled by the titles--many of them include photographs of buses (with credits to the Museum of Bus Transportation). Ken will not be with us on Saturday because he will be signing another book (East Broad Top Railroad) at an event at the East Broad Top Railroad.

See you at the Spring Fling!

Friday, May 15, 2009

Pictured here, hard at work, is Tom Mozer, who I introduced you to a few days ago. Tom is very active with the Fleet Committee and we depend on him for many other aspects of running a Museum as well. Tom lives relatively close to the Museum so he gets called upon a lot when a bus needs to be moved!

Also pictured in this blog is Pastor Dan Lehman--chairman of the Fleet Committee--and another one of our dedicated Board Members. Many of you probably don't recognize Pastor Dan in this picture because he is "out of character"--that's right--he is our very own Santa Claus. He and his lovely wife, Dolores, become Mr. and Mrs. Claus every November and December.....they can be found greeting visitors to the Allenberry Resort Inn and Playhouse. Dan spends a lot of his time at the Annex because he is in charge of making sure the vehicles are up and running--which is no easy task with a fleet of antique vehicles. Dan and his wife Dolores are also very dedicated to Carry the Light Ministries and each Christmas collect non-perishable foods and deliver them to needy families! Way to go Dan and Dolores. (Actually, they have a food bank open year-round and help many, many families throughout the year).

I thought I had taken individual pictures of more of the Board Members but when I downloaded my pictures--I had not--so will do that at a future meeting and introduce you to the rest of them. I think it is nice to put a face to a name!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

As a continuation to my blog on Meet the Board Members--today I'm sharing a picture I took May 5th at the Board meeting. It shows Holly Bedsole, Executive Director the AACA Museum talking to our own Don Barlup. Don owns his own business and is very active with both the Bus Museum and the AACA Automobile Museum. For many years, Don was the liaison between the AACA Museum Board and our Board--when his tenure was up, we appointed him as a regular member of our Board.

Holly is passionate about promoting and preserving the history and future of automobiles which is perfect for her new role as Executive Director of the AACA Museum. Holly was selected for this position by the AACA Board of Directors following a nationwide search. Holly is always welcome at our Board Meetings and keeps us updated on their happenings.

The person on the left front of the picture of Oliver Ogden, busy at work!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Today is another workday at the Annex---all in preparation for the upcoming SPRING FLING. Today they are starting on trash control and ground prep--weed control and grass cutting. With all the rain in the Susquehanna Valley in the last two weeks--everything green has taken over! Dan Lehman, Tom Mozer, Tom Collins and Oliver Ogden will be at the Annex this morning.

Last Friday, Tom Mozer, Ken McNellis, Oliver Ogden, and Bob Devine worked at the Annex. They got the RV covers that had been taken off the week before out of the buses and laid them out to dry (since it was a nice dry day). They then packed them away for the season. Oliver worked in the shed working with files and on then worked the museum floor.

Bob and Ken installed a destination sign and painted some interior on the AMTRAN. Looks good! Jeff Holland was over for a while and helped also. His father was in a bad accident and Jeff is trying to stay close to home to help him. The accelerator still sticks on the Amtran and you must be careful after air pressure builds up. With Ken's help, Tom moved it to the corner of the stone on the right side of the Checker.

We put chairs around the pit as a safety precaution.

The Harran- Oliver borrowed the gas pump from the car museum and Tom pumped the old gas out of the Harran. Tom put about 30 gallons back in the Harran to get it running. The electric fuel pump didn't work until thesecond 15 gallons went in the tank. Tom put Sta Bil in the one tank and would recommend more for the second tank. Tom also sprayed Carb Cleaner in the carb. The Harran seems to run alright now and does hold an idle. Next time Tom is at the annex he'll clean the carb with lacquer thinner.

So you can see a lot of work was accomplished.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Again, I want to thank the many sponsors we have for our Spring Fling this year.....this is all due to the great work that Board Member Bob Beard has done for us by writing many, many letters and contacting many people by phone and email. Thanks BOB!

American Bus Association, ABC Companies, APTA (American Public Transportation Association), SETRA Coach; UMA (United Motorcoach Association); Lancer Insurance; Prevost; Michaud Buses for Sale, MCI (Motor Coach Industries), and Vernon and Maz, Inc. (If you don't see your Company's name here and believe it should be, contact us through our web site.)

It isn't easy nor is it free to setup a flea market and since we are only charging a minimal $2 entrance fee, we really could not put on the Spring Fling without our sponsors. And I would be amiss if I didn't also thank Wolf Bus Lines of York Springs and Conestoga Tours of Lancaster who provide the transportation bus between the Museum and the Memorial Annex. We also want to thank Wolf Bus Lines for sponsoring our T-Shirt this year! It is going to be beaut!

Monday, May 11, 2009

I wanted to continue my discussion about the Board of Directors. I'm not sure if you all know us and what we do or not--so here goes - not in any particular order (well, yes, there was a particular order--the order I took the pics!):

The first picture is Tom Collins, our President, who works for Capital Area Transit in Harrisburg. He is retired from SEPTA in Philadephia. He is standing next to Oliver Ogden. They are both at the Annex prior to the meeting on Tuesday. Oliver is retired--has had an interest in buses all his life (in fact his mother noted in his baby book that "bus" was his first word). Although he only worked for Hempstead Bus as a young man and persued other avenues later on in life--he has ALWAYS loved buses. He recently authored a book "Fifth Avenue Coach Company" which I wrote about in an earlier blog....it will be published by Iconografx in October of this year.

The second picture shows John Dockendorf, Secretary of the Board, seated at the table and Tom Mozer, standing behind him. Also note Tom Collins standing to the left with his head down. John, an employee of Penn DOT, collects toy buses and has written a book on Greyhound Postcards (which I wrote about in a previous blog--GREYHOUND in POSTCARDS - Buses, Depots and Post Houses, Collection of John Dockendorf). Tom Mozer, Assistant Fleet Manager, retired from NJ Transit (Safety and Training Supervisor), is a newlywed and works hard with the Fleet committee--he is always there when buses need to be moved for the Museum.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the great Mother's out there. What a GREAT day to take Mom for a ride and TREAT her to a day at the Museum--she can wander through the cars, buses and motorcycles and reminisce about her childhood! And best of all, admission to the AACA Museum (http://www.aacamuseum.org/) which includes The Museum of Bus Transportation AND the Antique Motorcycle Club of America for all Mothers on Mother's Day is FREE! So, Mom can enjoy the vehicles and you get to save some money! Tell Mom: Happy Mother's Day from us too! ENJOY.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Let me introduce you to the Board of Directors. I had the opportunity at Tuesday's Board Meeting to take some pictures and I thought you might be interested in seeing who your Board Members are.....watch future blogs for more details and more pictures.

I know you probably think I accidentally uploaded two of the same picture--but look closely--they are different.

On the top picture: Back row, l to r, Ed Wolf, Don Barlup, Dino Mandros, Oliver Ogden, Sharon Ogden; Front row, l to r, Bob Smith, Tom Collins, Dan Lehman, John Dockendorf.

On the bottom picture: Back row, l to r, Ed Wolf, Don Barlup, Dino Mandros, Oliver Ogden, Tom Mozer; front row, l to r, Bob Smith, Tom Collins, Dan Lehman, John Dockendorf.

Somehow, everyone looks happier in the first picture! More about the Board and their duties in a future blog. For further information on the Board, go to: http://www.busmuseum.org/Board.html.

For those of you who follow this blog regularly, you will remember that in the last week we had a problem with our website and the renewal of our domain name--I had to promise these people my first born, send them two 6-page faxes to prove that we actually existed, AND after spending about 8 hours on the problem, finally got it resolved. I said to them--just look at our webpage--you will see we really do exist. I even had to send them a copy of a photo id for myself! The problem seemed to be when we initially reserved the domain name, we were not yet located in Hershey---but DUH! businesses move all the time! My goodness it sure seemed over-complicated.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Four weeks from today! Yes, just 4 short weeks from today is the Museum's Annual Spring Fling. We are very excited about it this year because we will have our doors open for 2 days. We are hoping that the weather will cooperate with us this year and not be scorchingly hot--we already had those hot days the end of April--so perhaps we will get lucky and just have plain old June weather!

Tuesday night before the Board Meeting I had the opportunity to take a few pictures down at the Annex while they were unloading the SEPTA bus (newly painted). One of the buses you will get the opportunity to finally see is the 1972 GM TGH 5308-A Jamaica Bus pictured here.

Hopefully you have all made your reservations if you are staying overnight and planning on attending this GREAT event.

So far this year, sponsorships have been received from (alphabetically): the ABA, ABC, APTA, Lancer Insurance, MCI, Michaud Bus Sales, Prevost Car, Setra, and Vernon & Maz, Inc..
(If you don't see your Company's name here and believe it should be, contact us through our web site.)

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Trailways Trivia: The Trailways Transportation System is a group of 80 independent bus companies that have entered into a franchising agreement. The company was founded February 5, 1936, by Burlington Transportation Co., Santa Fe Trails Transportation Co., Missouri-Pacific Stages, Safeway Lines Inc. and Frank Martz Coach Co. Memphis, TN, is the home of the first Greyhound and Continental Trailways bus lines.

Today the various Trailways members are spread across North America. They provide charter bus rental service, bus tours and scheduled route services, with some members providing regular route service to areas not served by any other bus company on an interlining basis with Greyhound Lines, each other, and independent companies. Members generally also offer motorcoach charters and tours in competitive markets.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

We had our May Board Meeting last night and most of the meeting was focused on the upcoming Spring Fling--right now (and we still have a month to go)--there are 28 tables sold from 21 vendors. We are very excited about this. They are in the preliminary planning stages as to where the buses will be positioned around the Annex. We will be having a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle on Saturday.

The next Board Meeting is Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at the Memorial Annex. We will be working down at the Annex that whole week in preparation for the Spring Fling. If you can spare some time--please contact Dan Lehman at icarrythelight4god@msn.com.

Just before the Board Meeting several of us met at the Memorial Annex because the Volvo was returning from its paint job and was unloaded at the Annex. See the picture as it was on the tow truck.

I am continuing to work on the problem with the website--I had to promise my first born child to the people who hold the domain name, in hopes of getting the switch to my name approved for being the contact person for the domain name--right now we have a 15 day reprieve...so here's hoping it all works.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Here's some Greyhound trivia: Founded in 1914, Greyhound Lines, Inc. is the largest provider of intercity bus transportation, serving more than 2,300 destinations with 13,000 daily departures across North America.

It has become an American icon, providing safe, enjoyable and affordable travel to nearly 25 million passengers each year. The Greyhound running dog is one of the most-recognized brands in the world. In 1914, Carl Eric Wickman, a miner, was trying to sell the Hupmobile, a 7-passenger auto, to citizens of the Mesabi Iron Ore Range in Minnesota. A failure as a salesman, Wickman used the Hupmobile to open a bus line, carrying passengers between the towns of Hibbing and Alice, a 2-mi. journey. The bus was so popular that Wickman bought more autos and added 3 extra seats to each one. The long, sleek appearance of the "expanded" buses plus their gray color caused someone to remark that they looked "just like greyhounds streaking by." From then on, Wickman used the slogan, "Ride the Greyhounds."

PLEASE NOTE: Our website is currently "down" because the domain name needs to be renewed and unfortunately, is still in the name of the people who originally created it--so be patient--hope to have it back up and running in a day or two.

Tonight is a Board Meeting--most of the business will be the Spring Fling--will try to report on it tomorrow or Thursday morning.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Our 1934 Yellow Coach Model U in Blue Bird colors was donated to the Museum by Louis Magnano. It was originally owned by Semke Bus Lines of Hempstead, LI, NY, and was their Bus No. 6. Mr. Semke said of Bus No. 6, a 1934 Model U Yellow Coach, "I am pretty sure of the date of manufacture because my Mom and Dad went out to the factory to drive it home when it was first purchased. I think it might have been their honeymoon trip. I know they visited the 1934 Chicago World's Fair on that trip."

In later years, the bus was used as a snow plow because Nassau County required that the buses maintain the streets for snow removal. Mr. Semke added "when you saw the bus sitting in our garage in Hempstead equipped with a large snow plow--back then, the Public Service Commission (of Nassau County) required franchise operators to maintain their own routes." Mr. Semke also said "back when I was young, I used to look forward to heavy snow falls because it meant that I could take old No. 6 and drive it!"

The original seats in that bus went to Bee Line Bus Company, Rockville Centre, NY, for a restored 1932 ACF. Mr. Semke said, "I know they were brown leather with a relatively high back and a bucketed effect." The bus also originally had side curtains above the side windows. The original color was a green body with a yellow belt line and a silver roof. The Chassis was a Model U-Y-772 S/N 012, Year 1934, with a U-O-666 body, S/N 065.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

As a follow-up to yesterday's blog--I've dug up some more information about our bus. First, here is a picture of the original driver and hostess on our bus: 5-Star Hostess Marsha Plexico and Operator Al Plexico.

Of course, food service on board a bus was the main attraction. The menu included chilled fruit juices (tomato, orange and grapefruit), hot consomme, assorted sandwiches, donuts, cookies and various beverages (coffee, hot chocolate, iced or hot tea, milk and soft drinks). The additional 5-Star service charge between Los Angeles and San Francisco, a nine hour and fifteen minute run in 1956, was only $2.00 and included all you cared to eat!

Our particular bus was the last Golden Eagle set up as a 5-Star car. The bus originally ran in the New York City-St. Louis-Los Angeles service but since that schedule's end, it was used as a charter car out of Panhandle's Amarillo home base.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

We are privileged to have a very special bus in our collection--one that gets a lot of attention on the floor--that is the 1971 B&C GOLDEN EAGLE 05 5410 Continental Panhandle Lines 42303. As you can see from the map above--it went from NY to LA through Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, OK City, Amarillo, Albuquerque, Flagstaff and then onto LA (see the other stops and connections in between). The Five-Star ticket for this ride included: Hostess aboard; reserved seat; snacks and beverages. The brochure stated the hostess "will bring you snacks, magazines or pillows; help you adjust your seat and give you the time, temperature and show you points of interest...just above the cars at scenery level...all the way." Sounds pretty luxurious, doesn't it?

The brochure also notes "plush, plump, adjustable seats keep you comfortable throughout any trip...the Golden Eagle is climate controlled for any season with plenty of fresh, clean air. You'll find a completely equipped rest room aboard that features a well-lighted make-up mirror to help you arrive as crisp, clean and comfortable as you were when you stepped aboard." Too bad they discontinued these

Friday, May 1, 2009

I can hardly believe it is the first of May already. Where does the time go? I'm sure by now you know I'll be reminding you about the Museum of Bus Transportation's upcoming SPRING FLING--it is a mere 5 weeks away! 5 weeks--YIKES--did I say 5 weeks! There is still lots to do and exciting things are happening.

New this year, we will be having a SILENT AUCTION--so you won't want to miss out on that. We just approved the layout and design for a NEW T-SHIRT which will be introduced at the Spring Fling.

Remember, our small entrance fee of $2 will help to make this Spring Fling a success. We are proud and thrilled to have as many sponsors as we do this year--as I mentioned last week, they are: APTA (American Public Transportation Association), SETRA Coach; UMA (United Motorcoach Association); Lancer Insurance; Prevost; Michaud Buses for Sale, MCI (Motor Coach Industries). UPDATE: American Bus Association, ABC Companies and Vernon and Maz are also sponsors (as of May 5, 2009).