MOTOR BUSES EXTRAORDINARY

Evening Star, Issue 20032, 24 November 1928, Page 12

MOTOR BUSES EXTRAORDINARY

TRANSCONTINENTAL SERVICE HEW " PULLMAN BUSES ” , “Hero she comes! ” The shout rose shrilly above Hie roar of New York’s street traffic as the first transcontinental bus, the stage from Los Angeles, on its maiden trip, hove into view of its terminal in the shadow olvtho Capitol Theatre. “Here sho comes!” echoed the waiting crowd, with the enthusiasm of a whaling crew proclaiming: “Thar she blows!” And the long, rakish liner of the overland trail, navigating carefully through shoals and eddies of trucks and taxi cabs, veered to starboard and warped into her dock. The crowd cheered. Attendants lined up. Officials looked at their watches, and decided that the 3,500-milo bus was on time to tho dot, more or less. Smiling passengers from Los Angeles and way stations alighted with their handbags into tho embraces of waiting iTiends, and told them, in response to eager questions, how they had enjoyed their iiive-and-a-half-day lyns ride—five days, fourteen hours, to be precise. And the regular Pacine-Atlantie bus service was established.^ Thus, comments the St. Joseph (Missouri) ‘ News Press,’ “ a promise made by the bus companies is realised sooner than tho public expected.” Continuing, this journal says: “ There is a definite schedule, with buses waiting in a long string all the way across tho continent, like horses of a royal post in olden days. The time for the complete trip is one day longer than the average train time. The trains may be preferred by most travellers for so long a journey, not only because they are faster, but because they are more comfortable. Lut competition may soon change this. “ Tlio railroads have the advantage of struighter and safer roadways. They arc handicapped, however, by lack of flexibility and by the excessive dead weight they carry. It is economically absurd, as Itonry Lord has pointed out, for a railroad train to carry leu tons of steel or moro to every ton of passengers. A motor bus can carry almost its own weight in passengers. F.ach will learn from the other. Future land transportation will ho a merging of the two forms, 'preserving the chief merits of each.”

Among the twelve passengers, lour ol whom travelled all the way Bom the Pacific Coast, was AV, K. Travis, ol San Francisco, president ol the system, who boarded tho motor coach at Pittsburgh. Airs C. A. Jondro. ol Los Angeles, a passenger, said she bad found the bus comfortable and “chummy, with portable radio, and perfect service all the way.” From Los Angeles to Denver (lanew bus passes over the Santa Fe I rail; from Denver to St. Louis on the United States Highway; from St.. Louis to Pittsburgh, on the Old National Trail; and from Pittsburgh to New York over the Lincoln Highway. AA ith broad, open windows, passengers on the bus were able to take in the beauties ol the countryside with “ better air and better views.” The. distance Ironi Los Angeles to New York on the bus route is 3,43-3 miles. Air Travis, in explaining tho new system, said his company had been operating buses from Los Angeles to Philadelphia for about a month. The extension to New York completes tho schedule from coast to coast. In addition to the established routes, the company is planning an extension to Boston and Washington/ From now on, three'transcontinental buses will leave the New York terminal every tla.i. Three will arrive in New York daily from California. Passengers are a-lowed to stop over on tho trips at their convenience, and resume their journeys the following day. Chairs in the couches may bo used,in either a sitting or reclining position, and each scat has an individual light • overhead for reading. Each passenger is allowed GOlb of luggage. The buses accommodate twenty-six passengers each. At the same time we learn ol equally interesting developments in bus travel on the Pacific coast. ‘.‘ Pullman buses ” are the latest innovation,, where one may sleep in a berth during an overnight trip. American bus builders and operators, it seenls are not behind their British brothers. In California a Pullman bus has been produced which, exhibited at motor shows, has excited much comment—tho Pickwick “ Nitecoach.” Its owners expect to have it in operation between A\ estern points immediately. -Transcontinental service is expected to follow. Tho Portland ‘ Oregonian,’ taking a first look at the “ Nitceoaeh,” decides that it “looks like nothing else awheel or adoat.” “At first glance it appears .like a gloaming bluc-niid-grcy submarine on

streamlined and is equipped with portholes, like a man-of-war’s, as well as windows. There is no hood, as on an ordinary stage, the portion of the body containing the driver's compartment being built directly over the motor. “ Ventilation and beating are given much attention. There are portholes all around the car, which give perfect i entilation, aided by electric fans. In cold weather, fresh fan-circulated warm air is foreed through the car. “The ’ Is itoconeh ’ is dilforout in eonstrnetion from any previous type of motor-stage. The ear has no chassis, a - the v ord is generally understood, the frame and body being built as a enit. The heavy frame of f-beani steel is seen on the outside of the ear. extending dear around as a graceful band or belt line. “The proportions of the now ear are imposing, but do not exceed those of the ordinary large motor-stage. Thu 1 Xiteeoaeh ’ measures dlft Cm long. 10ft din high, and Bft wide. The weight is about 14,0001 b, actually loss iban that of some oars which Pickwick is now operating satisfactorily on the highways. This light weight is duo to the use of duralumin in the construction of nearly every part of the body. “ fit view of the costly materials used, the immense number of entirely nev. and intricate parts produced, the cost, h(),00(ldob is considered by experts to lie very low. Cost of subseuncnl cars will bo about 22,0U0d0l each.” GENEROUS SLEEPING SPACE. The 1 Christian Science Monitor ’ also turns to the sea. for a comparison ior the “ isitccouch,” telling us that: “This remarkable car resembles at first glance an overturned yacht ■with a glass bottom and steel hull. f i be lug surprise is in the discovery that Lins coach, nut appreciably larger than other motor buses, has sleeping room for twenty-six adults, with comfortable seating space for clay travel as well. “The entrance is an a relied doorway near the front of the car. opening mimediately on a compact kitchen, v.iich is part of the, regular equipment.. A high-roofed centre aisle runs the length of the car, on either side of which arc ranged the compartments. Where so many passengers can find sleeping and seating accommodations is cleared up when the car is examined. By an ingenious arrangement, the upper and lower compartments are made to interlock, increasing the height of the car to only a few indies above the ordinary single-deck stage. The centre aisle is located half-way between the floors of upper and lower decks, so that it is but a short step down or up t) either level “In each compartment there is a built-in thermos jng of icc-water, and gleaming nickel wash basin with run,;inrT water. Two sliding drawers, measuring 14in by 17in, ore for clothing and personal oil outs. There is a space where a suit case may be stored, making it completely accessible at all times. It°is almost impossible, until one has pneumatic tyres, lor it is gracefully

•seen the ear, to imagine where ail this space in each compartment can be. “A porter making up I lie berths in a compartment deftly swings up tho back of each .seat, which is hinged at the top, until, tho lower ends join, thus forming a. single; bed Tlin wide. This makes the upper berth. Tho lower portion of each seat is in two section, which arc arranged along the floor to form a continuous cushion. With tho addition of mattress, sheets, blankets, and pillow, this also becomes a comfortable bed. In the kitchen in the front of tho car tiie steward prepares hot lunches on order at any time of the day. They are served on large trays to passengers in their compartments. “The 1 Nitecoach ’ carries a crew of three—driver, steward, and porter—assuring prompt service for all needs of passengers. “ A new feature is tho manner in which the motor can bo removed for repair or replacement. A few bolts are loosened, oil, gas. and electric lines are disconnected, and the complete power plant is slid forward and out of tho frame. Tills, feature will eliminate delays due to motor trouble, for the motor can be lakcn out and a new one potted in place anywhere along too loutc.'’ _,,_4