Buses (trucks) KENWORTH Vancouver B.C. U.S.A

The Kenworth company

Kenworth Bi level bus

Kenworth Bi level bus

took its name from H.W. Kent and E.K. Worthington who had been directors of its predecessor company, the Gersix Manufacturing Co. Their early days were helped by the failure of the only other truck makers in Seattle, H.R.L. and Vulcan, from whom Kenworth bought parts. Early Kenworths came in three sizes, 1 Y2-, 2%- and 4-tons, all powered by 4-cylinder Buda engines. The first year’s production was 78 trucks of which only two were the 4-tonners. By 1925 there were five models, from one to five tons, and in 1926 annual production reached 99 trucks. At this time and for many years afterwards Kenworth production was sufficiently small for a wide variety of customer’s requests to be incorporated, so it is misleading to speak of a standard range; almost any type of vehicle would be built if asked for. In 1927 a new 78 hp 6-cylinder engine was used, and Kenworth began to cater more noticeably for the West Coast market, with 7-speed transmissions, stronger axles and sometimes supplementary springs at the front. In 1929 Kenworth set up a branch factory at Vancouver, B.C.

1929 Kenworth bus © William McCullough Collection

He identifies the bus on the left as a 1931 Heiser scratch build, and the one on the left as a 1935 Kenworth with a Heiser body

In 1932 Kenworth became the first American truck maker to offer a diesel engine as a factory option; this was a 4-cylinder 100 hp Cummins HA4. Other developments of the early 1930s included torsion-bar suspension and vacuum boosters for the hydraulic brakes. New types of vehicle included 6-wheelers, either with trailing 3rd axle or tandem drive, and fire engines. Buses had been made from the late 1920s, and were a small but interesting part of Kenworth’s business until the late 1950s. They were mostly intercity coaches, some with ‘one and a half deck’ bodies, and either conventional or forward control. Some in the late 1930s had underfloor pancake engines, while an interesting hybrid built in 1951 for Northern Pacific Railroad was the ‘Bruck’, a combination bus and truck for 17 passengers at the front and a taller cargo van, 18 ft long over the tandem axle at the rear. It was powered by a 136 hp Hall-Scott engine.

1933 Kenworth trucks © William McCullough Collection

In 1935 Kenworth began to build their own cabs and sheet metal, a result of which was an attractive chrome grille which is still recognizable in the appearance of today’s Kenworths. Although special requests could still be made, such as chain-drive trucks in order to get an axle capacity for a larger load, there was a standard range of Kenworths in the late 1930s from 2- to 10-ton trucks in the price range $1245 to $11646. Basic power plants were Hercules, Buda and Herschell-Spillman gasoline, and Cummins diesels, all 6-cylinder engines. The first four­-wheel-drive truck was made in 1937, and cab-overs appeared in the same year. Other special models were low­-bed trucks, milk delivery trucks and sleeper boxes in the rear of the cabs. In 1941 Cummins built the world’s first aluminum diesel for installation in a Kenworth at the request of the company.

1935 kenworth Bus

During World War II Kenworth made some 1900 MIA wrecker trucks similar to those of Ward LaFrance, and also pilot models of an 8-ton 6×6 truck. Using the experience gained in war-time metallurgy, Kenworth engineers developed in 1944 an extruded aluminum truck frame, and extended the use of aluminum to cabs, hoods and transmission housings. In 1945 Kenworth was bought by Pacific Car & Foundry who relocated it in the former Fisher body plant in Seattle where it has operated ever since. Later a Kenworth plant was established in Kansas City which specialized in extra-heavy duty models.

1935 Kenworth-bus

Production of civilian trucks never entirely ceased during the war, though it was down to only 87 units in 1943. In the late 1940s it climbed to some 600 per year, and passed the 1000 mark in 1952. Conventionals and cab-overs were made, together with fire engines and a dwindling number of buses. The radiator on the conventionals had become vertical in 1940 in place of the sloping grille used since 1935, and this vertical design has been steadily developed up to the present without any radical change. In 1947 Kenworth developed desert trucks for oilfield work in the Middle East, culminating in the Model 953 of 1958 which had a Cummins NTC350 engine, tire sizes of up to 29.50, and cost over $100,000. These trucks are so large that a low sports car can be driven under them, and they have been used for transporting full-sized locomotives across the desert. In 1950 a Boeing turbine was installed in a Kenworth and although it did not go into production it was the first gas turbine in scheduled freight service. Another special project was the

1935 Kenworth-bus

Kenworth Unknown

T-10 Heavy Equipment Transporter for the US Army, a double-ended unit with tractors in front and rear of a 250mm gun, with a total weight of 85 tons.

1937 Kenworth bus

In 1953 Kenworth introduced an original cab-beside­-engine design for line-haul work in the mountains where the drivers wanted maximum visibility. Some were 6x4s with the sleeper box behind the engine and entrance to the cab. This was really a single-seater, though a small canvas seat behind the driver could carry a passenger. The cbe style was too unconventional to last for long. Another Kenworth original developed in conjunction with Pacific Intermountain Express, in 1956 was a 4-axle ‘Dromedary’ with twin steering axles and a short cargo van between the cab and the 5th wheel coupling for the semi-trailer. Peterbilt also built ‘Dromedaries’ for P.I.E.

1937 Kenworth Touring Bus

From the late 1940s onwards, tractor-trailer units be­gan to gain increasing importance in Kenworth produc­tion compared with straight trucks, and today make up the bulk of trucks built. The familiar flat-faced full-width cab-overs (K Series) have been made since 1950 with little change, this cab being shared today with Peterbilt. For the past 20 years or so all Kenworths have used diesel en­gines, the basic units being Cummins, with Caterpillar or Detroit Diesels as regular options. In 1971 came the PD series, later renamed the Hustler; this was a straight cab-­forward design mainly intended for the urban delivery trade, and used the same cab as Peterbilt’s 200 series. In 1973 a new model was the Brute, a 6X4 conventional in­tended for the construction industry. Current models in­clude the Brute and Hustler, W-series conventional line-­haul tractors and K-series cab-over line-haul tractors. GVWs range from 50,000 to 89,000 lbs. for the construc­tion models, and GTW s with semi-trailers for the Wand K series from 76,800 to 130,000 lbs. Production has grown dramatically in the past 15 years, from under 2000 in the early 1960s to 10,000 to 11,000 in the mid-1970s. In addi­tion to the Kansas City plant, Kenworth has factories at Mexicali, Baja California and Bayswater, Victoria in Aus­tralia where some special models for the local market are made including ones with tandem front steering axles. Kenworth has gained an unusual record in being the fast­est recorded truck in the world, with speeds of 132-154 mph for a tractor, and 92.083 mph for a tractor and semi-­trailer. Both records were set in 1975.

1937 Kenworth Touring Bus

1937 Kenworth Touring Bus

1937 Kenworth Touring Bus

1937 Kenworth Touring Bus

1937 Kenworth Touring Bus

1938 Kenworth Buses © William McCullough Collection

Kenworth bus photo

1946 Kenworth Beaver Aerocoach Southern Bus

1950 Kenworth – International Red Diamond Bus Rural Sur © Gonzalo Catalán T.

1952 KENWORTH – PACIFIC SCHOOL

1953 Kenworth bus

1955 Kenworth T126 Pacific School Coach

1955 Kenworth T-216 Pacific School Coach Wahkiakum SD

1958 Kenworth bus Buddy Holly Tour of Stars

1958 Kenworth bus Buddy Holly Tour of Stars

Kenworth » CargoCoach Bruck © Greg Pascut

Kenworth » CargoCoach Bruck © trucksplanet

That’s all the Kenworth Buses I could find.

Buses GILLIG Hayward Californië USA

September 26, 2013 By HOT Leave a Comment (Edit)

Gillig Corporation

History

Gillig headquarters in Hayward

In 1890, Jacob Gillig opened a carriage and wagon shop in San Francisco, California, and was joined by his son Leo in 1896. The original shop was destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, but reopened as the Leo Gillig Automobile Works manufacturing automobile, hearse, truck, and bus bodies.

In 1920, Leo’s brother Chester Gillig joined the company and introduced and patented the “California Top” roof construction style consisting of a hard-top roof and sliding windows. The company’s name was changed at this time as well to Gillig Bros. In the late 1920s, Gillig starting producing pleasure boats and heavy trucks, and produced their first school bus in 1932. In 1937, Gillig introduced their first transit-style (flat front) school bus, and in 1938 the company moved to Hayward, CA. In 1957, Gillig purchased Pacific Bus division of Kenworth Truck Company, and by that time the company was devoted almost entirely to the production of school buses. In 1959, Gillig pioneered the diesel-powered rear-engined transit style school bus with the release of the C-series Transit Coach, and within five years the C-Series accounted for three-quarters of all of Gillig sales figures. In 1967, Gillig produced the highest-capacity school bus ever produced, the 855-D, which had a passenger capacity of 97 pupils.

In 1969, Herrick-Pacific Steel purchased the company and changed the name to the Gillig Corporation. During the time they built school buses, Gillig earned a reputation for being one of the “safest” buses ever built due to the near total absence of recalls. The only recall for a Gillig-built school bus was in 1979 for rear-end axle separation issues.

In 1977, Gillig decided to branch out into the manufacture of transit buses and teamed up with Neoplan to build a series of European-styled transit buses that had the option of propane fueled engines. However, the partnership with Neoplan lasted only until 1979, and in 1980 Gillig introduced the Phantom, a heavy-duty transit bus based slightly upon their previous round-body school bus platform. A State of California tax-free subsidy helped early sales, and sales were later buoyed by low bidding on contracts and specializing in serving smaller transit agencies. This strategy has proven to be successful, as the Phantom became one of the longest-lasting transit models in existence. Production of the Transit Coach School Bus ceased in 1982, but a school bus variation of the Phantom was offered beginning in 1986, but production stopped in 1993 when Gillig exited the school bus market altogether.

The Spirit, a late-1980s attempt at a medium-duty bus, did not sell well and was discontinued after a few years. In 1997, Gillig entered the low-floor bus market with the Advantage (originally called “H2000LF”, and is currently called the “Low Floor”). Like the Phantom, the Low Floor was first purchased largely by rental car companies for use at their airport facilities, but transit sales increased as the model matured.

Currently, Gillig produces around 1,200 to 1,300 buses a year.

On August 1, 2008, Gillig became a Henry Crown company under CC Industries, Inc. CC Industries will operate Gillig in the same location with the current management team.

Also, the Phantom model has been discontinued from manufacturing after 28 years from Gillig.

Alternative fuels

In 1992, Gillig began producing an LNG fueled version of the Phantom in an attempt to produce a low-emissions transit bus, but this was later discontinued. The only LNG Phantoms in existence currently operate shuttle service at Los Angeles International Airport and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

In 1996, Gillig introduced a diesel-electric hybrid powered Phantom, which they produced until 2006. The Low Floor bus is now offered in a hybrid powered version as the company continues to focus its efforts on “clean diesel” technology.

In September 2011, Gillig introduced an alternative fuel BRT model with a CNG propulsion, which is their first CNG-powered bus produced and first production natural gas buses since 1998. Long Beach Transit used purchased a pilot bus in 2011 and placed an order for 63 more in 2012, bringing the total to 64 buses.

Although Gillig has never built an electric trolley bus (ETB), in 2001-2002 the company supplied 100 body/chassis shells to Seattle‘s King County Metro Transit for the latter to equip as trolley buses. More than just shells, these Phantom buses were shipped by Gillig complete in almost every way (including interior fittings such as seats) except lacking any propulsion equipment and other ETB-only features such as trolley poles. The Seattle transit agency, Metro, removed the propulsion packages from its old fleet of 1979-built AM General trolley coaches (G.E. traction motor, Randtronics chopper control, and electronic card cage), which the Gillig vehicles were purchased to replace, and shipped them to Alstom (in New York) for refurbishment. After receiving the refurbished propulsion equipment back from Alstom, Metro installed it in the new Gillig Phantom bodies, along with Vossloh-Kiepe pneumatically operated fiberglass trolley poles.

Products

Walnut Creek Gillig Trolley

 

Current Gillig Product Lines
Model Name	Low Floor	Low Floor Hybrid Electric Vehicle	BRT	Trolley Replica
Photo(s)
Length (ft)	29 35 40		31 37 41	30 35 40
Year Introduced	1996	2004	2004
Notes	Older buses have a flat front windshield and a somewhat larger headsign area (top picture), while newer models feature a larger windshield. Frameless side windows are also an option (bottom picture).		Also available with hybrid drivetrain (top picture). Frameless windows are a popular option with this model.	Low Floor variant produced in collaboration with Cable Car Classics of Healdsburg, CA.

Discontinued Product Lines (Transit Buses)
Model Name	Phantom	Gillig-Neoplan	Spirit
Photo(s)
Length (ft)	30 35 40	30 35	28
Years Produced	1980-2009	1977-1979	mid-late 1980s
Notes	Offered in 102″ or 96″ widths. A hybrid version was also offered from 2001 to 2006.	A rear-engined transit bus built as a joint venture with Neoplan, a German bus manufacturer. Available with either diesel or propane engines.	A 28-foot (8.5 m) medium-duty bus offered as lower-cost alternative to the 30-foot-long (9.1 m) Phantom.

Discontinued Product Lines (School Buses)
Model Name	Transit Coach School Bus
Photo
Length (ft)	28-40
Years Produced	1940-1982
Notes	A long-running lineup of transit-style school buses offered by Gillig prior to the production of the Phantom. Available in mid-engine and rear-engine models with single or tandem rear axles. Phantom School Bus 37 40 1986-1993 96″ wide version of the Phantom redesigned to school bus specifications as a successor to the Transit Coach.

Coreys Gillig 1962 Chevy School Bus

1929 Gillig bus

1952 Gillig bus

1955 Gillig Short Bus On Ford B500 Chassis

1957 Gillig Transit Coach School Bus

1962 Gillig-Pacific-bus

1966 Model 743D

1966 Model C-180D (retired)

1971 Model C-190D-12 (retired)

1972 Gillig Transit Coach

1973 Model 318D-12

1977 Gillig 25

1979 Gillig Model VTF555D school bus

1979 Gillig Phantom School Bus Grand Pacific Charter

1979 Model 636D-12

1984 Walnut Creek Gillig Trolley

1988 gillig-bus

1990 gillig-bus

1992 gillig-bus

1995 EMTA Bayliner 3 Gillig

1996 Gillig Ride On 5368 at Glenmont

1997 mst gillig712 route © Michael Strauch

1998 gillig-bus

1999 Gillig Phantom Unitrans

2001 Gillig Phantom(Downtown Honolulu)

2001 Star Metro Gillig BRT 29

2002 Gillig Phantom School Bus LAUSD

2004 Gillig Low Floor advantage

2004 gillig-bus

2006 Gillig Foothill Transit F1124

2007 gillig-bus

2007 MVTA Gillig Bus

2008 CDTA Saratoga Gillig

2008 Gillig Dart Advantage hybrid 111

2008 Gillig Phantom 9100-9120

2008 GILLIG VelociRFTA121311

2009 A pair of Gillig BRT buses by Sean 9118

2010 Gillig Lynx Bus © formerwmdriver

2011 Sound Transit Gillig Advantage

Gillig Bros Plate CC-182-015-950

gillig-bus

gillig-bus © ramayauctions

Filed Under: AM GENERAL, BUSES, CROWN, Cummins, Detroit Diesel, Gillig, Kenworth,NEOPLAN, Schoolbuses, Trolleybuses