SCENICRUISING

SCENICRUISING

 

Never before has such a comprehensive history of the iconic Greyhound Scenicruiser been written. The author's extensive research from well over 100 resources provides an overview of its story from the pages of the stockholders reports, then dives into the details and fascinating story of the post-war double-decker prototype, the "Highway Traveler" or GX-1, followed by the first "Scenicruiser" or GX-2 and finally, the flagship of the fleet, General Motor's PD-4501, the Greyhound Scenicruiser.

 

But wait, there’s more! The deck-and-a-half style was almost 30 years old when the Scenicruiser appeared in 1954. Many competitors around the world built copies before and after 1954. Did Raymond Loewy really design the Scenicruiser? The early Scenics had significant mechanical issues, but it wasn’t the engines. Greyhound could have ordered twice as many Scenicruisers as they did. The ‘new’ electric clutch actuator was ‘fixed’ twice during production and wasn’t abandoned until after 900 coaches were built. Was the "2-speed clutch" an accurate description and was it used in GX-2? And yes, the original Scenicruiser could run on only one of its two engines!

 

In addition to the history of this one-of-a-kind intercity bus, the story continues to this day as dozens of Scenicruiser fans spend their time and money to preserve and restore these American icons. You, too, can engage and find valuable information on how to begin.

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Many big names in both the bus and Scenicruiser worlds contributed information: Charles Wotring, Orville Caesar Smith, Doc Rushing,

Fred Rayman, Larry Plachno, Dave Phillips, Gene Nicolelli, Bill Luke, 

Ron Medaglia, Sue Anderson Nicklin, Tom McNally, John Kyros, Jim Husing, Stan Holter, Roy Hall, David Hagerman, Fred Dunikoski, Don Coffin, Sam Anderson and others too numerous to mention.

 

There are 500 pages with close to 600 photos and documents, many not seen for over sixty years. 

 

 

SCENICRUISING by the Numbers

107,000 words                  443 footnotes

635 index entries              172 bibliography entries

600 photos/drawings        57 appendix entries

495 pages                        3.17 pounds

 

          3 available types of bindings/covers