Greyhound seats and fleet questions

[railiner]

Swadian, I guess that you never had the 'pleasure' to dine at a Post House restaurant or cafeteria....

Today's 'GFM' operations in major terminal's is like a throwback to that era. The only customer's they attract are those long-haul bus passenger's that are too timid to venture out of the terminal in a strange city, in search of a decent place to eat.

As I've previously told the story, John Teets changed all that, when he was brought from Greyhound Corporation's Prophet Company subsidiary (industrial catering), and he replaced a few of them with fast food franchises, like Hardee's and Burger King. The result was very successful, and they extended the program to all of the former Post Houses. Now for the first time, customer's 'off-the-street', or from nearby office buildings actually came into the terminal's for lunch. Teet's became a star, and eventually became corporate CEO, succeeding Gerald Trautman.

I believe the best Post Houses were the ones out on the highway's, away from the city terminal's, including my all-time favorite Breezewood, Pa....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/103688802@N02/15013431874/in/album-72157647622207805/lightbox/

Now there was one really good restaurant that the Post House chain operated....it was not run as a typical Post House, but rather an entirely separate operation....

It was called "Top of the Towers", and was located atop the then new Gateway Towers office complex near The Point in Pittsburgh's 'Golden Triangle', offering spectacular views and truly fine dining....they just tried it to see if they might get into that line of business, but it was a 'one-off' unique operation that never expanded. Today, that location is a l condominium that the office building was converted into....http://www.amazon.com/Towers-Restaurant-Gateway-Pittsburgh-postcard/dp/B00LNH85NS

http://gatewaytowerspittsburgh.com/

 

[railiner]

Another of my favorite highway rest stop's was not part of the Post House chain, but was modeled exactly like them....http://www.angelfire.com/al4/buscatal/photo/841.jpg

This one was located at "State Road", Delaware (New Castle), a few miles south of Wilmington. It was a very busy northeast corridor rest stop at the junction of several bus routes. Greyhound used one side, and Trailways the other. Carolina Trailways even had a small extra board based there, along with a dispatcher and a small garage facility. On New York to Norfolk pool trips down the Delmarva peninsula, Safeway and Carolina drivers changed there.

 

[Chaz]

You brought back memories when talking about Breezewood & The State Road bus plazas. I vaguely. recall that 1 reason the State Rd biz hung on long after frequent rest stops were thought necessary: I was told Clementes (the State Road people) had an agreement stipulating how many buses would stop there. In the 70's some runs went out of their way to stop there. Trailways' dispatch center may have been a reason too. The place was badly in need of a refresh & the cafeteria food line could have used the Harvey House touch!

Some Stuckey's were used as rest stops and I thought Greyhound or t or 1 of their related companies bought them. I found no reference to that but like Greyhound Stuckey's was bought out (by the Pet Milk Co) and run into the ground for Wall Street until a member of the Stuckey's family bought it back. I used to look forward to a Stuckey's rest stop to gawk at things like their Pecan Roll that this norrthern boy had never seen before,
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/66-stuckeys.html

www.Stuckeys.com

 

[mightyjoe1201]

You guys mentioned that the post house stop in Cambridge, oh was where the pilot travel center is now. That sucks because that pilot is not very good and not very big. I always hated that place when I drove truck. Greyhound should never have gotten rid of the place. That's a place if you are ever traveling I would tell you to avoid.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Indeed, I have never eaten at a Post House. They were gone before I was born. Same goes for the Scenicruisers. What kind of food did the Post Houses serve? I've found vintage menus online, but a lot of the scans are really small and I'm interested in the quality, quantity, and taste of the food.

Are there any Eagles still in service? I'd love to ride one. Really wish some bus manufacturers today would use Torsilastic suspensions. A modern Scenicruiser with Torsilastic would blow away the competition.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Post House: Food was of School Cafeteria/Greasy Spoon Quality but prices were cheap and it was better than most of the fast food joints you see along the highways now!

Scenic Cruiser: a nice ride for a Bus and if you got a seat up top, pretty good views!

 

[Chaz]

A long blog post remembering the huge State Rd De. Greyhound/Trailway rest stop (Clementes)

https://erictb.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/forgotten-milepost-clementes-travel-center/

"“WHERE THE NATION MEETS AND EATS“.

Forgotten Milepost: Clemente’s Travel Center

A forum thread has comments

http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/topic/29651-forgotten-transportation-hub-clemente-travel-center/

[SIZE=16.25px]A big part of their biz of course was charters.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16.25px]Thanks to Railliner at AU I had a great morning surfing for Clementes (& Stuckey's--see below)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16.25px]A Canadian remembers his high school class's 50 day (!) charter around the U.S. in 1973 (posted in 2010)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16.25px]"[/SIZE]

How Travel Has Changed Since1973 (When I First Started Traveling)

http://saulcarliner.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-travel-has-changed-since1973-when-i.html

...McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Dunkin Donuts have replaced Stuckeys as the roadside stop. For those who aren’t familiar with it, Stuckey’s is a chain of roadside convenience stores with gas stations and limited counter service. Their advertised specialty was pralines, but I liked their sesame chips. When I took that first road trip in 1973, it seemed like we could find a Stuckey’s at every exit. I hardly every see them; I ran across one on the Florida panhandle a couple of years ago.

Starbucks, Nathans, and Roy Rogers have replaced Howard Johnsons as the rest stop restaurant. On the east coast, Howard Johnson’s was the leading family restaurant, and the restaurant at nearly every rest stop on every state turnpike. They had clean wash rooms, acceptable food, and great salt water taffy. By the mid-1980s, Roy Rogers replaced many of the Howard Johnson’s at rest stops. More recently, Starbucks and a resurgent Nathan’s have taken up shop at these rest stops.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Now, there's a bit of a contradiction. I remember school cafeteria food being worse than fast food today. I know McDonald's gets a bad name, but it isn't that bad.

You know, the other good thing about reviving the Scenicruiser is that it won't get ruined by NJT and other commuter agencies. Just make sure it isn't powered by a fuel-guzzling Cummins. Definitely no American Seating or flushing toilet, either. Basically, make it the exact opposite of the D4505.

 

[railiner]

You brought back memories when talking about Breezewood & The State Road bus plazas. I vaguely. recall that 1 reason the State Rd biz hung on long after frequent rest stops were thought necessary: I was told Clementes (the State Road people) had an agreement stipulating how many buses would stop there. In the 70's some runs went out of their way to stop there. Trailways' dispatch center may have been a reason too. The place was badly in need of a refresh & the cafeteria food line could have used the Harvey House touch!

Some Stuckey's were used as rest stops and I thought Greyhound or t or 1 of their related companies bought them. I found no reference to that but like Greyhound Stuckey's was bought out (by the Pet Milk Co) and run into the ground for Wall Street until a member of the Stuckey's family bought it back. I used to look forward to a Stuckey's rest stop to gawk at things like their Pecan Roll that this norrthern boy had never seen before,

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/66-stuckeys.html

www.Stuckeys.com

I remember the Stuckey's chain on family motortrips to Florida in the early '60's.... Along with the Holiday Inn 'greatsign', a welcome sight.

Greyhound Corporation owned a sort of competitor of Stuckey's called 'Horne's'....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horne%27s_(restaurant)

 

[railiner]

Post House: Food was of School Cafeteria/Greasy Spoon Quality but prices were cheap and it was better than most of the fast food joints you see along the highways now!

Now, there's a bit of a contradiction. I remember school cafeteria food being worse than fast food today. I know McDonald's gets a bad name, but it isn't that bad.

Post House food was similar to school cafeteria type food and menu. Not as tasty as most fast foods, but probably healthier and more nutritious.

*

I picked up a collectible Post House plate at the recent Spring Fling at the Museum of Bus Transportation. A very nice example, backstamped with the Syracuse China logo..

similar to this....http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Syracuse-China-9-dinner-plate-Greyhound-Post-House-c-1958-/171849482435?nma=true&si=s4uT8KiSQM1lJy8v1jr7lmojj%252Fk%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

At least they used real china and stainless rather than paper and plastic....

 

[railiner]

A long blog post remembering the huge State Rd De. Greyhound/Trailway rest stop (Clementes)

https://erictb.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/forgotten-milepost-clementes-travel-center/

"“WHERE THE NATION MEETS AND EATS“.

Forgotten Milepost: Clemente’s Travel Center

A forum thread has comments

http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/topic/29651-forgotten-transportation-hub-clemente-travel-center/

[SIZE=16.25px]A big part of their biz of course was charters.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16.25px]Thanks to Railliner at AU I had a great morning surfing for Clementes (& Stuckey's--see below)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16.25px]A Canadian remembers his high school class's 50 day (!) charter around the U.S. in 1973 (posted in 2010)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16.25px]"[/SIZE]

How Travel Has Changed Since1973 (When I First Started Traveling)

http://saulcarliner.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-travel-has-changed-since1973-when-i.html

...McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Dunkin Donuts have replaced Stuckeys as the roadside stop. For those who aren’t familiar with it, Stuckey’s is a chain of roadside convenience stores with gas stations and limited counter service. Their advertised specialty was pralines, but I liked their sesame chips. When I took that first road trip in 1973, it seemed like we could find a Stuckey’s at every exit. I hardly every see them; I ran across one on the Florida panhandle a couple of years ago.

Starbucks, Nathans, and Roy Rogers have replaced Howard Johnsons as the rest stop restaurant. On the east coast, Howard Johnson’s was the leading family restaurant, and the restaurant at nearly every rest stop on every state turnpike. They had clean wash rooms, acceptable food, and great salt water taffy. By the mid-1980s, Roy Rogers replaced many of the Howard Johnson’s at rest stops. More recently, Starbucks and a resurgent Nathan’s have taken up shop at these rest stops.

I enjoyed reading that first linked blog. Thanks for posting it!

In the forum of your second link....."traildriver", is yours truly....

 

[mightyjoe1201]

Nice plate. Gotta be a collector's item by now. Which table did you find it at? There was so much stuff there that it was hard to decide what to get.

 

[railiner]

Nice plate. Gotta be a collector's item by now. Which table did you find it at? There was so much stuff there that it was hard to decide what to get.

Don't remember exactly which table....I also picked up some bus builder plates from Mack and ACF-Brill to add to my collection....

As you can see from my ebay link, you can also find those there...

The plate is a really heavy 'hotel grade' plate built to endure commercial service....

 

[mightyjoe1201]

That's cool. Only thing I got was a bus bank from Auto-Bus. It has special meaning to me since my grandfather drove for them and his was buried with him.

Maybe next year we'll get to run into each other if we both go.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Have any of you ever tried a MRE? I've been really curious about them ever since my uncle let me try a PLA (Chinese Army) compressed biscuit that he got from one of his old Army buddies. It tasted like a highly-compressed piece of bread. It wasn't particularly bad and I think I could use some of those when taking Greyhound.

I also asked on GTE and one guy says the Post House food was quite good.

Were there many Post Houses in the West? Most of them that I can find information about is in the East.

 

[railiner]

You can send 100 people into a restaurant, give them the same meal, and get almost as many different opinion's on how good (or bad) it was....in other words, food is a very subjective category. Some people have 'MRE' taste, and other's 'champagne and caviar'....and everything in between...

As far as I know, every Company operated terminal restaurant was at some point in time operated by the Post House chain. We had one in our Omaha Terminal during the years ('71-'73) that I worked there. And Post House operated the restaurant, bar, and gift shop at the Denver Bus Center, which was otherwise dominated by Continental Trailways. Highway rest stops could be either Post House or some other place...not sure how many of them were in the West...

I wish someone would research and write a definitive type history on bus terminal's and stops....there is very little published on that. Lot's more coverage and apparently interest on the buses themselves....

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I forgot when the Reno terminal was exactly built, but it was in the 1970s. I can't find the post on GTE now. There's a crew dorm upstairs that's still in use. No food services.

I'm not very picky when it comes to food, as long as it tastes good, is safe to eat, and isn't overpriced for the portions.

 

[mightyjoe1201]

I just read something on the greyhound group on Facebook. Its about greyhound post houses. I'm not sure but I get the impression from their post that greyhound might b trying to bring them back.

 

[Caesar La Rock]

I found this old video of a 1981 TMC MC-9 heading for New Orleans. Despite the 6v92s being sluggish and the A/C units at times being inadequate, these buses did well for many years. Glad I was able to ride them, along with their younger cousins the 102A3s and MC-12s.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I don't like MC-9s. They're boring to me. Sure, they go the job done, but they were nothing special. They're like the M4 Shermans of buses.

Greyhound ain't gonna bring back the Post Houses. That was probably a joke. If Greyhound buses smell like urine and have sagging, sliding seats, I highly doubt brining back the Post Houses anytime soon.

Joe, in case you haven't seen, here's GTE, a Greyhound discussion board: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/greyhoundthroughexpress/info.

 

[mightyjoe1201]

Thanks. I kept trying to find it but for some reason I couldn't. I'll have yo check it out.

I wasn't sure about what I saw on fb. I came across it by chance.

I used to like the mc9s. They were always my favorite buses to ride. Thought they were better then the prevosts I'd ridden growing up

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I'm not saying the MC-9 is a bad bus, I'm just saying it's quite bland, lackluster, and unimpressive. Think about the M4 Sherman. Yeah, it got the job done, but it wasn't a great tank and certainly wasn't the best tank of its day. The claim to fame of the MC-9 was its high production figures and domination of bus production in the 1980s. Well, right now the J4500 is bestseller, and it's not that great of a bus.

Now, if you asked me to choose between a MC-9 and a D4505, I'd certainly choose the MC-9. And it also kicks the behind of any Van Hools.

 

[mightyjoe1201]

Hadn't looked at it that way. Growing up I never road a greyhound, only the charter and tours co buses. There were a few prevost la mirages and a few eagles, but mainly mc9 and later mci models. I can Sat to this day I've never ridden a vanhool. To tell you the truth, the mc8 and mc7 had a better ride then the mc9 to me.

After seeing what you've said about the D4505 I'm not sure I want to ride one. Lol.

What about the old gmc coaches? I've been on a few and thought they were ok. One co here had a former greyhound gmc. Sorry I don't remember the model tho. I do remember hearing drivers call it a buffalo

 

[railiner]

I liked the MC-9's. They were an improvement over the MC-8, which was an improvement over the MC-7......a lot less computer's and other techno-wizardry to go wrong....

Greyhound's last GM Coach were the PD-4107's, a 35 footer GL bought in 1966 and 1967....after that it was strictly MCI....MC-5's, 6's, 7's, etc.

The PD-4107 was aka a 'Buffalo' coach, and to some, a 'Batmobile'....In 1968, GM brought out a stretched version 40 footer, the PD-4903. By then GL stopped buying GM's.

Swadian knows what my all-time favorite "driver's" coach was, the earlier GMC PD-4106....and my all time favorite "passenger's" coach, the GMC PD-4501 Scenicruiser...

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I too prefer the MC-7 and MC-8 over the MC-9, but I'm not sure why. I'd love to ride a MC-6, which was the first 102-inch-wide Greyhound.

Definitely don't want to ride a D4505 that has a flushing toilet. Those clog up every time someone throws toilet paper into it. With a straight-dump toilet it must be better. Also, I think the vinyl seats used by Greyhound hold in the foul odors. Greyhound's D4505s just really suck.

A Buffalo is a later GMC coach series, built 1966-1980. Not as good as the earlier ones AFAIK. Eagles are supposed to have the best ride, second-to-none.