Scenicruisin'..?

"Technically" -- all these were "articulated" buses. All these are late 1930's to late 1940's. Couple of Daimler German models here. Second to last is Australian .. and in the mode of the plywood bus design -- apparently no mirrors needed "down unda mate. Cheers." :)

This design is sprinkled all through this thread -- even modern versions with Class 8 tractors pulling RV-like trailers.

But somewhere between then (1940 or so) and today, the preferred "bus" design became a single motorized chassis, even with "articulated" designs. Passenger comfort, safety, regulations on length, etc.? -- something drove the vehicles below OUT of commercial passenger service (at least in North America).

Then the "passenger trailer" became towed "RV's" that of course are still around today (e.g., hitch-towed Airstreams, and the various fifth wheel setups) .. still many also were and still are single motorized chassis designs (e.g., Winnebago) that buses did.

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This one I can understand.

The other one? :realcrazy:

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if that's the steering wheel we see through the Aussie's windshield, it makes more sense to me (and that "stick" -- I forget the name) on the bumper helping driver know where the front end is) .. though the steering mechanism eludes me in this bus's case IF that's the driver seat.

Plus he's got no mirrors (unless some of the left side shadows -- passenger loading side since they are RHD down there -- are mirrors). None on right side.
 
Great buses... If I may toss out a guess with zero research... the plywood driver is sitting on the pin and possibly turns with the truck beneath him. The Aussie driver would have a weird leg extended seated position more like a passenger car... steering for these would have all been kinda weird. Hydraulics would be simplest... but unlike anything else on the road.

The truck with trailer design would make even Ralph Kramden a little happier as a driver, but I believe were outlawed by safety regs... it would have been a whole lot cheaper for the bus industry to stick with that format if allowed.
 
This bus was run by Peninsula Bus in Australia. A fellow named Roy Weber made this bus in 1946.

Only built two, called the Landliner, it was outlawed within five years as "unsafe" -- as described below it seems.

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source: Your Favourite Aussie Bus

EXCERPT

Another fantastically crazy Aussie bus is the Landliner. Two ford V8s one in the back and one in the front, and it was basically a trailer with a hydraulically steered and controlled prime mover under the front of it ! Awesome!

But apparently quite dangerous too due to the steering being a lot vague and the engines not being exactly synced up , causing the rear axles to sheer off from time to time. Only a couple made in the 40's then they were outlawed. Look them up!
LATE NEWS:

The curbside of the Landliner ... look where the mirror is.

I am having trouble with the engineering "logic" of these (this one and the plywood Sante Fe Trailways bus) particular articulated bus designs.

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This one just came up messin' around with Aussie Bus .. doesn't really belong here (Ok You Truckers) except if somebody made an RV out of one.

I have NEVER seen a beer truck like this .. may be a "love it' or "hate it" kinda design. I "like it" cuz its different :)

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FOUND IT .. A 1931 White Cab Over. Guess it still belongs to Labatts (dunno where these photos were taken)

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where did all the streamlined beer trucks go? | Hemmings Daily
 
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Another Australian specimen .. now at the Truck and Bus Museum in Sydney, AU.
Interesting history.

The 1943 White is not the original prime mover -- the 1947-built trailer's history is well documented. These designs stayed in service in Australia until 1984 they say.

The vintage color photo is early 1970's, in New South Wales, is the trailer (apparently an RV by theen) pulled by a Leyland Comet.

Source: ATDB • View topic - Semi -trailer bus now at Truck and Bus Museum Tempe

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1943 M3A1 WHITE SCOUT CAR & 1947 SEMI TRAILER BUS

This vehicle is one of 123 semi-trailer type buses built and operated in Australia between 1939 and 1984.

Semi-trailer buses were a superb alternative, high capacity people mover, which became popular during the second world war when double deck chassis could not be obtained from Britain.

While semi-trailers trucks went on to become highly developed for freight transport, it was the walk-through "bendy" articulated bus that subsequently became the passenger carrying alternative.

When the outfit was discovered derelict at Murrurundi, N.S.W. in 1980, by a member, only the prime mover was salvageable. The member then located a semi trailer bus body equipped with 53 seats and coupled it to the prime mover in 1984.

The Semi-Trailer bus body is of timber frame construction and was built by Parramatta Bus Co., Northmead, N.S.W. in December 1947. The complete semi-trailer bus was used on the firm's services from Parramatta to 'The Hills' district. When withdrawn in 1977, it was the last semi-trailer bus in service in N.S.W.

Engine:
JXD Hercules, six cylinder side valve petrol. bore 4", stroke 4.250", 320 C.I.D. 110 B.H.P. @ 2800 R.P.M.

Transmission:
Four speed constant mesh gearbox with a two speed transfer case and permanent four wheel drive. The differential is crown wheel and pinion on front and rear axles.

Brakes:
Vacuum assisted hydraulic foot brake and a transmission park brake.
 
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Its settled now ... I gotta have the Red Bull PD-4501 :)

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My "posse" - we're all gettin' up there - may not wanna tour the country with me when the time comes.
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Seriously, Red Bull promotes the heck outta their bus .. good pics of it at various places around the country.

source: Red Bull Scenicruiser - Photos | Facebook

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Ok .. I am gettin' off these "articulated", "semi-trailer", "bendy" buses. I gotta go in deeper off-line.

These things were used ALL over the world -- and now they're "extinct". All over the world in favor of the single motorized chassis designs.

There's an "economic" puzzle in there -- at least for me -- somewhere. It's buggin' me :)

1940's - Nairn Transportation on their Damascus-Baghdad Route
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The second one above was a Nairn "Pullman" put to use (i.e., commandeered) in WWII by the British Royal Air Force.

Source: Nairn Transport Company - Wikipedia

Royal Air Force in the Middle East, 1944-1945. The Marmon-Herrington THD-315-6 with articulated omnibus trailer, used by the RAF for the 1,300-mile duty transport run between Habbaniyah, Iraq, and Damascus, Syria.

In 1932, two "Desert Pullman" bus conversions of the THD-315-6, originally an oilfield pipe carrier, were bought by the Nairn Transport Co. to run between Baghdad and Damascus.

One of the vehicles was taken over by the RAF in 1943 and is seen here at Habbaniyah, compared in size with a Hillman Minx staff saloon car.

Known as the "Monster Bus" in RAF service it carried 44 passengers and
their luggage, was fully air-conditioned and was equipped with a kitchen, lavatory and iced-water on tap.
1972 - Baghdad
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1940's - US Air Force (location unknown)
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1947 - Japan (made by Hino)
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Holy crap. Now you're digging really deep. lol

the internet man .. once there, there forever. :)

This kinda bus .. all the rage, everywhere, then gone. everywhere (except down unda -- lasted till 1984, some into the 1970's in a few places is Asia, and still today in South Africa).

could be as simple as the single chassis designs were (1) more economical inherently or by regulation (no passengers can ride in the trailer), and/or (2) the truck/trailer designs were "unsafe" or somehow less economical to large scale commercial carriers, or (3) they just went outta style?

but ..everywhere in less that a decade? its like the Rock that hit the Yucatan and killed all the dinosaurs. everywhere. except in australia where they turned into "budgies":).

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anyway, seems like the tractor/trailer models are coming back? California got it figured out?

2006 - OCTA (Orange Country Transportation Authority)
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In the late 80s early 90's, OCTD/OCTA, had some tractor trailer based buses called the SuperBus, which had a White cab over, pulling a coach like low floored trailor. These SuperBuses, ran on the OCTAs Orange County to Downtown Los Angeles route.

I know that Palm Spring based, Sun Transit used them fo a time also, and I believe Disney World also bought so of these SuperBuses.
2014 - Sunline Transit Agency, Thousand Oaks, CA
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I would guess that one advantage for the transit company is that in the case of an accident, or mechanical failure on the power unit, the passenger unit would not be out of service due to the ability to just use a spare tractor or even rent one from Penske. At replacement time, only the coach or power unit could be replaced as well.
 
I'm shocked at these late model Semi-busses.
It was my understanding that it is prohibited by Federal law to carry passengers in a Semi-trailer. And the passenger trailer certainly qualifies as a Semi.


The perceived danger of a passenger-laden semi-trailer dislodging from its tractor while under way has led to many jurisdictions in the United States, Canada and Australia prohibiting passengers being carried in towed trailers
http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Trailer_bus
 
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I'm shocked at these late model Semi-busses.
It was my understanding that it is prohibited by Federal law to carry passengers in a Semi-trailer. And the passenger trailer certainly qualifies as a Semi.


The link has a state by state list of where it is and isn't permissible to have a passenger in a trailer. There are 21 states that allow it, including California.

State Road Laws | RV Trip Wizard™ | RV Trip Wizard Inc.
 
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