HO Scale GMC Fishbowl (New Look) Buses FINALLY Arrive!

Visited Willis Hobbies in Mineola earlier this evening principally to investigate their book/magazine rack and check out the HO scale New York & Atlantic GP's that came out recently from Walthers.

I glanced at the counter and I thought I was seeing an apparition: the looong awaited HO scale fishbowls from Busch models! Beautiful detailing (for plastic). They caught the stainless steel fluting quite well along with the overall dimensions. Sadly the interior is set up for commuter coach configuration even though the models being offered are the transit/city version with the back door. Only have two real complaints. The first is that the a/c unit in the rear has a sizable gap between it and the rear window. The second is that the buses are only avialable in two paint schemes: NYCTA green, and IIRC, San Diego red. There is a 'generic' destination sign reading 'Downtown Loop'. Otherwise, for $25 bucks for a completed Fishbowl model, I can't complain (picked up two of 'em!)

I hope to see a few on my layout soon...



-otto-

Well, they look great to me! What era are they correct for?I imagine they look too modern for anything pre 1955-60-ish. Also, when did MTA/ABTA get them and what color were they (orange or yellow?)

Not being a bus 'nut' I'm going to try and best answer this as much as I can, being a 'steelwheeled nut'.

The model I bought in the green scheme I believe is supposed to represent a NYCTA fishbowl covering a period of mid 60's to early 70's. Why a particular year cannot be pinned down is the fact that when the fishbowls (GMC model 5301) were first produced in 1959 they did not have air conditioning, yet the GMC 5303 which came out around 1966 featured the A/C unit as depicted in the Busch model. However, the 5303 units also came with those 'wings' on the sides (illuminated advertising signs).

Another oddity: the rear door of the bus has two glass panes in the lower (chrome half) of the door. IIRC, due to vandalism -- and for practical cost-saving reasons --NYCTA either rebuilt the door in their own shops, or ordered some later 5301 models w/o the glass in the bottom half of the doors. Well, the Busch model sports the rear door with the glass in the lower section, which is NOT prototypical particularly when used in conjunction with the A/C configuration. So in a sense the Busch model is an amalgm of two different periods for NYCTA's Division of Buses. However, if you are modeling a different municipality, then the configuration may be prototypical for your layout and its period.

In any event, they are nicely detailed and generously priced for an imported precision model. HO modelers really can't complain about the Busch Fishbowls.

Well it's about freakin' time........

Now we need Busch to do them in N. Then we need Busch to do the GMC 'Buffalo Bus' in both HO and N.....I know, I'm dreaming

Well, I'm hobbyshop bound this weekend!

One other potential problem (which I heard about on a different board) is that the standee windows are decals, making it difficult to repaint the bus. This I can verify, as I did see the actual model at Willis Hobbies myself last week, and the windows are indeed decals
While a nice model, I have no real need of it - Modern Era Gilligs, Neoplans, and Bluebirds for me...

i wish they would make a


Peter Pan

Trailways

&

Greyhound 2000 or later editions model buses....

I don't have the patience (sp) 4 kitbashing i just want 2 put the model on the set & go on about my business.....

These Busses apaer to be from the late 50's early 60's take a look at these web sites and see for your self here are some pages for varyed Bus Museums around the U.S. and Canada:

New York City Subway Bus History
http://www.nycsubway.org/bus/bus/busfest.html

Edmonton Bus Company web site
http://www.barp.ca/bus/ets/ets1960tdh53 ... h5301.html

Public Safety Bus Transportaion Mesuem
http://www.pacbus.org/roster/pbm916.html

Oh man, now I'm glad I read this part of the forum, otherwise I wouldn't have found out about these busses. I model 75-85 and SF Muni used these for many years, a welcome addition indeed, now lets hope they do Muni otherwise I'll have to paint my own.

Frank

Just got back from my hobbyshop with my own fishbowl bus. I must say I'm impressed with the overall detail of this model. Yes, the standee windows are decals and the rear a/c unit doesn't sit exactly flush to the rear window as on the prototype but these are really minor points.

It's so nice to see these in HO-scale....as we've beat to death here on various threads before...let's hope Busch (and others) get on the late-50's to late-70's American vehicle bandwagon.

Now...if they'd only do these in N so I could put a few on my layout......

What about those of us who model mid/late 40's to mid 50's-ie: Steam/Diesel Transition Era? What's available for us?
To put it annother way, what's the next earlier make/model and who produces/produced it in HO? I found one such example a few years back, but I can't remember the manufacturer's name or if thier still making them.
Cosmo

Cosmo,

There was a model company that produced both the GMC Old-Look transit bus in RTR plastic and the Flxible Clipper intercity coach in a simple kit. They were both in HO-scale and both were models of buses that ran from the 40's through the 60's, though some are in still in both revenue service and as converted motor homes. Unfortunately I don't recall the name of the model company and I may be mistaken but I believe they are now out of business. I have both models and they are nice representations of their respective prototypes. You may still be able to find them in your hobbyshop or on eBay.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful...then again someone else here might have more information than I do.....

The name of the company was American Precision Models. They show up from time to time on e-Bay. Also there is the "cracker box" from Jordan that just came out. If you can find them Pirate Models also makes some busses from the 40's and 50's.

The nice thing about these models is that they're good for anyone who's modeling a layout depicting a North American scene that covers a period of 40/45 years ago. These buses are even still in use some municipalities. Up till earlier this year they were being used by the New York Bus Co. in excursion service.

In the Just for the Record Dept: I made an error in my earlier post about these buses. The model produced by Bush is the mid-60's Fishbowl (TDH 5302/03) and not the TDH 5301. How can you tell the difference? This model has the 'tear drop' design marker lights on the body ends. The earlier 5301 had square-shaped lights w/chrome trim.

And although a previous poster mentioned that the model has the standee windows as decals (as a negative remark), might I remind him that the more expensive O-scale Corgi Fishbowls also also had them as decals, so I wouldn't give that as a 'bad mark' against the Busch model at all.

I will definatly have one or more on my layout. the fishbowl will definatly complete a sceen or more