PD-4501 Scenicruiser

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The GMC PD-4501 Scenicruiser, manufactured exclusively for Greyhound Lines, is a distinguished coach used during 1950s to 1970s. It was first rolled out in July 1954, and in total, 1001 of these buses were made between 1954 to 1956. About 200 survived, as Greyhound replaced them with MCI buses. In 2007, some of these remain in private owner service as motorhomes. The PD-4501 Scenicruiser, the most distinctive parlor bus design of the modern era, was the result of five years of effort based on a design by Raymond Loewy. Originally conceived as a 35-foot bus, Greyhound used a tandem-axle, 40 foot prototype called the GX-2 to successfully lobby for the lifting of restrictions against operation of 40-foot buses.

Power was provided by two Detroit Diesel 4-71 engines driving through a fluid coupling. This installation proved to be less than successful and the 979 buses remaining were rebuilt with DDA 8V-71 engines and 4-speed manual Spicer transmissions during 1961 and 1962 by the Marmon-Herrington Corporation.

[edit] Features

The high-level design concept of Scenicruiser may have been inspired by the passenger-carrying railroads of the United States and Canada and their popular dome cars. Originally, the design prototype for the Scenicruiser was a double decker, with access from the first level; and the driver would look to the road from the second level. However, it was soon decided that it would be a split-level instead, with a lower level containing the driving console and 10 seats behind it, and the upper level containing 33 seats. This arrangement also allowed a baggage compartment underneath the second level, while providing 360-degree view for the upper level. A lavatory was located on the rear of the first level. The Scenicruiser was equipped with air-ride suspension and was air conditioned.

When a person looked at a Scenicruiser, the rear didn't seem much higher than a normal bus, but the front roof seemed lower. It looked like the driver could hit his head if the seat were raised too high.

The popularity of the Scenicruiser with the public and bus operators inspired GM's Buffalo bus models, which had a larger "second level". The "Buffalo" was a slang term for a generation of GMC intercity buses developed in the 1960s. Unlike the Scenicruiser, these models were available for sale to all operators, and in fact, Greyhound only purchased a few of them. The Scenicruiser also inspired a Cummins-powered look alike bus built by the Beck Corporation, which was very similar in appearance and delivered to Queen City Trailways, which received the only twelve of these buses ever built. Most eventually wound up in Cuba for a time and later returned to the United States. None of the Beck version of the Scenicruiser is believed to survive. GM "buffaloes" bought by Greyhound were model PD4107, delivered to Greyhound in 1966-67. Greyhound bought a total of 350 of these buses in two orders.

[edit] Specifications

Length: 40 feet
Width: 96 inches
Height: 134 inches
Wheelbase: 261 inches
Turn radius: 45 feet
Powerplant:
- 1954: 2x Detroit Diesel 4-71 engine
- 1961 rebuilt: 1x Detroit Diesel 8V-71 engine
Transmission: Manual, 4-speed
Fuel Tank: 180 gal.
Seats: 10 on lower level, 33 on upper level. Total 43 seats
Luggage: 344 cu. ft.
Aisle width: 14 inches
Front door width: 26 inches