General Motors PD-4501 Scenicruiser

From CPTDB Wiki
(Redirected from General Motors PD-4501)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
General Motors PD-4501 Scenicruiser
General Motors PD-4501 Scenicruiser.jpg
Years of manufacture 1954 to 1956
Length 40 feet
Width 96 inches
Power/Fuel Diesel
General Motors PD-4501 Scenicruiser-a.jpg

The General Motors PD-4501 Scenicruiser was a 43 passenger Parlor series coach built from 1954 to 1956 in the United States. All 1000 were built exclusively for Greyhound. Power was provided by two Detroit Diesel 4-71 engines driving through a fluid coupling. This configuration proved to be unsuccessful and the 979 remaining buses were rebuilt with Detroit Diesel 8V71 engines and 4-speed manual Spicer transmissions during 1961 and 1962 by the Marmon-Herrington Corporation.

The PD-4501 Scenicruiser was the result of five years of effort based on a design by Raymond Loewy. Originally conceived of 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.

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.

Specifications

Engine:

Transmission:

  • Spicer 8531 3-Speed Manual (originally) [1]
  • Spicer 8245B 4-Speed Manual (After repowering) [2]

Wheelbase:

  • 261"

Operators

United States Flag of the United States.png

Preserved Coaches

Year Thumbnail Serial Original Owner Fleet Number Current Owner
1954 001 Pennsylvania Greyhound Lines P5446 Greyhound (as fleet number 1954)
1954 054 Capitol Greyhound Lines B9231 Private owner
1954 104 Pennsylvania Greyhound Lines P5463 Private owner
1954 112 Southwestern Greyhound Lines S115 Private owner
1955 304 New England Greyhound Lines E5500 Private owner
1955 516 Overland Greyhound Lines O1755 Private owner
1955 731 Southwestern Greyhound Lines S175 Red Bull
1955 733 Southwestern Greyhound Lines S177 Private owner
1956 739 Pacific Greyhound Lines K2302 Minnesota Transportation Museum
1956 759 Pacific Greyhound Lines K2322 Sean Keating
1956 771 Overland Greyhound Lines O1773 Private owner
1956 822 Florida Greyhound Lines F742 Private owner
1956 883 Eastern Greyhound Lines E1175 Atop the Bobby Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee
? 932 Eastern Greyhound Lines E5626 ABC Companies, Florida

References