The Pacific Bus Museum has recently acquired a bus from the Greyhound Lines Historic Bus Collection.
The acquisition came after the new owners of Greyhound Lines decided to sell off the company’s Historic Bus Collection that included:
- 1914 Hupmobile
- 1937 Yellow Coach, model 743
- 1947 GM, PD 4151
- 1948 Brill, IC-41
- 1954 GM, PD 4501 Scenicruiser
- 1968 MCI, MC-7
- 1985 MCI, MC-9
“The liquidation of the collection presented a rare opportunity for the bus museum to acquire an exceptional bus to add to our collection,” said Ron Medaglia, of the Pacific Bus Museum in Fremont, California.
The museum has acquired the 1947 General Motors model PD 4151 Silverside. It is fully restored and operable.
Part of local history
“The museum is excited about this acquisition for several reasons,” Medaglia said. “The rare opportunity to acquire this fully restored and operable coach that symbolized Greyhound in the post-World War II era was one we could not pass up.
“In researching the history of this particular bus, we found that it shares a historical connection to the San Francisco Bay area, where the bus museum is located. Greyhound operated it not only throughout California but in the San Francisco Bay area up until the later part of 1971.”
Restored by Greyhound in the early 1980s, this bus was delivered new to Pacific Greyhound Lines in San Francisco and was operated throughout Pacific’s territory, then on Western Greyhound Lines’ regional routes, and finally on suburban routes in the San Francisco Bay area until the end of 1971.
“The encouragement and support we received when we solicited donations from our membership and other interested individuals made this acquisition possible,” Medaglia added.
The Silverside arrived at the museum on March 8. Plans call for making it the focus for visitors to the museum throughout the year. It will be prominently displayed at the museum’s open house on Aug. 19.
Additionally, the museum plans to display the Silverside at the Heritage Weekend in San Francisco on Sept. 24 and at the California Bus Association Convention and Trade Show in Reno, Nevada, on Nov. 5-7.
Museum schedule
The museum, at 37974 Shinn St., is open on the first and third Saturdays of each month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors can take an hour-long tour of the collection with a museum docent.
The museum asks for a donation of $5 per person. It welcomes groups of 10 or more for private tours on dates other than the first Saturday of the month.
The Pacific Bus Museum is also a “rolling” museum that welcomes invitations to events in Northern California where its buses can be displayed. The museum’s operational coaches are driven by licensed volunteer members to events where the public can view them. The volunteers provide information about the museum and its buses. The museum’s vintage buses are also available for film/video work.
The museum is managed by an organization of Northern California bus enthusiasts who are dedicated to honoring the history of this form of transportation. More than 15 restored and operational coaches are at the Fremont location. The museum’s non-operational buses are stored in Williams, California.
