Ref
Description
Limited edition of
238.12
1953/55
GM TDH-5105 (Detroit Department of Street Railways 1201-1330 series).
In
1951 DSR's General Manager Leo J.Nowicky commissioned GM Truck & Coach
Co. to determine how many their 40 foot diesels would be needed to convert
the city's streetcars routes together with most small buses acquired in
Fred Nolan's era. GM concluded that about 400 buses could replace all
the two-man streetcars and about 650 small buses. Early in 1953 DSR placed
it first order for air-suspension TDH-5105 buses. In October 1953 first
25 buses arrived and in January 1954 there were already one hundred, numbered
1201-1300. They arrived in regular DSR red and cream colors and had split
window sashes. These buses replaced Jefferson line streetcars and also
enabled the DSR to retire its last Fords. In August-September 1955 thirty
more buses arrived, numbered 1301-1330, they replaced streetcars on Michigan
line. This group of buses had a regular window sashes.
Scale 1:48
Available 2007
Available through SPTC, U.S.A./Canada
Dealers
Photo: T.C. VanDegrift
25
238.12a
1956/57
GM TDH-5105 (Detroit Department of Street Railways 1331-1555 series).
In
1956 DSR acquired 150 TDH-5105 buses, numbered 1331-1480 and 75 more (1481-1555)
were delivered in 1957. The completed the streetcar conversion program
and also replaced the trolley coaches in Detroit in 1961. With these buses
the DSR changed its trim color from red to green and also revised the
paint scheme. 1331-1555 series buses had regular window sashes. The DSR
began to sell its 5105s in 1969 to other operators and last were withdrawn
from service in 1974.
Scale 1:48
Available 2007
Available through SPTC, U.S.A./Canada
Dealers
Photo: Motor Bus Society