The Los Angeles Times today had an article about how our local Metro auctions off old motorcoaches. Most were from the early 80's but it mentioned that there were two buses from the 1930's on the list and that a "trolley museum" was in the bidding but had to drop out when the price exceeded their agent's maximum. I was trying to figure which museum would want an old bus--Seashore comes to mind, but the buses they do have are mostly (maybe all) East Coast. I don't think Orange Empire would be bidding on a bus, and Western (Rio Vista Jct.) is not a likely suspect. Anybody know who's adding buses to their collection? Although I love trains in general and trolley cars in particular, I also like old buses (and airplanes and trucks etc. etc.)

I do not know who was bidding. But IRM has a fairly extensive bus collection, maybe 10 operating trolley coaches so far and maybe a like number of internal combustion busses, two dating back to the late 30'3 I think. One of the trolley coaches also dates to that era and is the oldest operating trolley coach in the world, so I am told. They are run during our 'open to the public' season on the first Saturday of every month on street running totalling maybe a half mile route. No extra charge for that ride.

Bob Kutella

For those interested in bus preservatin, the Museum of Bus Transportation is located in the lower level of the Antique Automoble Club of America's basement on Route 39 in Hershey Pa.

Close to all the attractions, it is also is close to the NS mainline, crossed over by Derry Street-where one can safely & legally watch NS operate over the former Reading mainline.

It wasn't the Western Railway Museum.

We actually do own two old coaches from the Key System, but they are on long-term loan to the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District. One of them is operable, and occasionally is displayed as a historic bus.

We have no plans or desire to acquire more buses.

Old Pueblo Trolley in Tucson, Arizona has a significant bus collection which is overseen by the Bus Division. Most of the coaches date from 1925 to 1969, though there are a few newer units. Only one of the coaches has been restored. That is Warren-Bisbee Lines No. 8 which is an early 1930s vintage Yellow Coach. It is transported to community events but rarely ventures out due to insurance issues. We have several other coaches that will eventually be restored, including a 1920s vintage Twin coach with it's worm gear drives.

Our collection policy is rather restrictive. We will only acquire transit coaches and the coach, if possible, must have a documented history of having operated for a transit agency in the State of Arizona. Coaches that are not originally from Arizona will only be acquired if they are of a specific model similar to one that operated in the State and no original Arizona coach can be located.

Acquisition is generally done either by private purchase or donation. Our latest acquisition, Sun Tran coach No. 89xx was a donation. OPT submitted a request for donation of a number of items to the City of Tucson Department of Transportation. The donation of all items was approved and delivery taken of every item except No. 89xx as there was no vacant space available in our Bus Yard at that time. Our original understanding with our friends at Sun Tran was that No. 89xx would be stored for us at their maintenance depot and made available for delivery on request. Only at that time will we know which coach No. 89xx actually is. It will be in running order and fully intact-in fact we suspect that it may actually have been pressed back into service in the interim.

The reasons that we have such a good relationship with the other transportation agencies in Tucson are many. We have employees of Tucson Unified School District, University of Arizona Transportation Services, Veteran's Administration Transportation Services and Sun Tran who volunteer their time with our Street Railway Division. City of Tucson and Old Pueblo Trolley both require that Street Railway motormen have current Commercial Driver's Licenses with Passenger Bus and Air Brake endorsements. Under our insurance agreement with City of Tucson Risk Management, new volunteers who wish to obtain a CDL through OPT will have the behind the wheel training and testing provided by Sun Tran at no cost to us. Thus we maintain a good relationship with the Risk Management Division of Sun Tran.

The Baltimore Streetcar Museum has several buses in its official collection, though to my memory only one or two are actually retained in the streetcar barn on Falls Road. I'll let Dave Crow or someone else chime in with the details, but the collection includes one semi-restored Pullman-Standard trackless trolley bus, plus relics/the body from another two or three Brill trackless trolleys (the TT version of "chicken coops", I presume).

Complete roster:
http://www.btco.net/Relics/surveqpt.htm
Note that many of the buses on that list are speculative possible future restorations at best, mostly privately owned and sitting amidst typical "bus graveyards" known to lurk in several places in the region. A couple are well-restored but privately owned by BSM members.

Guys,

There is an organization here in California called the Pacific Bus Museum. They and their members own a fleet of buses and they are seeking a place to display and restore them.

They may be the folks that are involved with the original question on the thread.

I did not know if they have a web site but then that is what google is for!

Ted Miles