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Busch ( German manufacturer) is producing the GMC T6H series transit bus! [:D][:)][^]They were affectionately nicknamed fishbowls because of the “bubble shaped” front windshield.
If you’re over 35, you likely saw or rode these buses The GMC fishbowl bus was the most commonly seen transit bus in the United States and Canada from about 1960 to 1975 and many were still in U.S service in the late 1980s. Canada still had them in the 90s! It’s good that they’re not extinct. A number of private citizens own these coaches in Bus Clubs or convert them into RVs.
For those not familiar You have seen the “fisbowl bus” if you saw the films; Speed, Star Trek IV, 48 hours, Forrest Gump, and Jurassic Park II
Yes, its a nice model. I can´t understand why no american producer has made already a model of it.
Loved them.
Drove them.
sad that they drive the last nails in the coffins of so many Trolley systems.
Doug, in Utah
I posted this last week on a different message board, as I too was happy the GMC fishbowl (there was a Flxible fishbowl too) would soon be available in HO plastic model form (Pirate has made this model in cast metal for at least 15 years, along with a few other useful ones [i.e. GMC RTS, which replaced many of these Fishbowls]
I have since been warned that the picture of of an earlier model (TDH5301 or TDH 5302) because the chromed Belt Rail strip is full wide, and also that the pictured model on Busch’s site may be actually a 1:50 Corgi model.
In other words we still have to wait to see what the actual model looks like.
Just as an interesting sidenote to this conversation. The city of Calgary, in western Canada still uses these buses today as part of the public transit system. They are certainly more comfy and luxurious than the newer cramped like a sardine in a can style they are being replaced with.
[:D]Thanks. I hope the Busch model resembles the picture above! I already own an O scale Corgi in the NY scheme. It does look similar to the picture. Maxx, if you can send us pictures or a website address of the Canadian Fishbowls.
[;)][:)]Chutton01, You’re correct. The GMC Fishbowl’s popular competitive rival was the “Flxible New Look” series. The body was strikingly similar to the Fishbowl’s, but there are noticeable spotting features:
The angled passenger windows were slightly smaller, there was no small curved window by the entrance door, and the six piece windsheild had sharp, straight, angles instead of the GMC’s gentle curve. The average person on the street, however, couldn’t tell these buses apart.
I can’t help thinking that if the fishbowl and New Look had been designed today, GMC and Flxible would have been pulling an “MTH” and suing each other![:P][X-)][:-,]
Flxible New Looks were used in the Eddie Murphy movies “Trading Places” and The Nutty Professor.
Pirate Models has not made the H.O fishbowl since the 90s. I remember that it last sold for $65 back then (OUCH!) From what I read, the kit was a challenge (pain) to put together and had no interior (seats, etc). Pirate Models, supposedly, still offers the N scale version.
This new H.O coach from Busch is slated to be RTR and reasonably priced. I hope it has an interior.
I’m planning on getting five. How fast I purchase them depends on price. Are any of you planning to buy one or more?
Are any of you planning to buy one or more?<<<
If the price is under $30.00 (possible, but could be tough with the Euro rising against the Dollar), and the model looks pretty good (or better), then I will buy one, mainly for it’s coolness factor, as. I really can’t use it, as I model the Philly Metro area c 2003 or so, and almost all Septa buses are Neoplans, NABI (North American Bus Industry), or New Flyer, all of which are somewhat boxy squared off buses that, unfortunately, don’t really have much character (well, the windows on the New Flyers DL series do give it a bit of character).
Hmm, besides the companies I mentioned (Neoplan, NABI, New Flyer), there is also Blue Bird, Gillig, Freightliner (chassis), Ford (chassis)… It’s a bit depressing comparing the number of North American bus manufacturers to the number of rail transit manufacturers…
MAY 2004 UPDATE
Got an e-mail from Walthers. Still not in stock yet but will be soon. Check out the other paint schemes. Go to:
www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/189-44501
www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/189-44500
www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/189-44502
They look sharp! [:D][8D][;)][:)]
After YEARS of waiting, I’m looking forward to having several of these coaches on the streets of my 1960s, HO town (future layout). [:p][;)][8D][8)]
For those of you with U.S towns or cities on your layouts, the Fishbowl bus would fit in from the 1960-1985 time period. The prototype 40ft Fishbowls came with the Detroit 8V71 series diesel while the 35ft. “Suburban” Fishbowls had 6V71 diesels.
Many fishbowls survive today in the hands of private owners. Some are in restored condition while many are RV conversions. There are a number of Prototype Bus Clubs in the America. Hollywood producers contact them when they’re about to produce movies and buses from “back in the day” are needed.
I ordered one about a month ago with a German mail-order hobby shop and it is still on back order because Busch hasn’t delivered yet. If it is as good as it looks in the pictures I’ll be ordering another 2-3. The price that I’ll be paying is 17.00 Euro plus handling/postage so I expect it to be about 20.00 euros which at the current rate should be about $ 24.00
the flexible cannot stand up to the gmc I drove one for 36 yrs in nyc the fishbowl was the best bus then .
I’m with you Fuzzypa!
I used to work on 1970s GMC and Flxible buses. They were built to last. A poster on this topic says that they’re still being used in a Canadian city, now that’s a testament to “built to last”!
Just had a thought. I wonder how I could “light one up”. The prototypes had incredibly bright “blue-white” flourescent lights and at nighttime you could see one from nearly a mile. My thinking is that the white LED lights that have a “blue” hue, would work if they coudl be battery powered. Guess I’ll cross that bridge once I get the first bus.
Nice looking bus, could I use that on a lay-out representing 1959-1960 ?
Hey Lupo,
Go for it! It would fit in.
These coaches were designed in the late 50s. It stands to reason that since GM had an aggressive marketing department, “demo” buses were being tried out by various public transit companies in different cities. By the late 60s, these buses were virutally “all over” the U.S and Canada.
There are two preserved “Fishbowls” at the Illinois Railway Museum, www.irm.org. One is a Flxible from Chicago, the other is a GMC from Milwaukee.
I have alot of experience with these buses in Baltimore Md. As long you kept up the cleaning and the oil changes these buses will run.
Alot of the componets were borrowed from trucking to make these buses one of the best for it’s day. You did learn to sit about 2 seats back from the front axle to minimize the awful swing and sway that they always did when pulling from the curb. You drivers know what I am talking about.
I never did have the chance to drive one of these but I imagine it mustve been a “House” compared to what the smaller buses can do today. =)
Just wanted to give an Update: [4:-)][tup]
These buses will be available from Walthers in January 2005! My LHS has already placed his order. Price is in the $20+ range. Not bad considering that it comes with an interior.
As stated above, I’m excited as I rode these as a kid and worked on them as an adult. I hope that those of you modeling from the early 60s thru the early 90s consider getting these coaches. [;)]
Nothing personal, but it used to “bug me” quite a bit when I would see modelers with well detailed American urban layouts and the transit buses used were models of Europeon units! [:0] Understandable as other than the old GMC, that’s all that’s been available.
HighIron, I remember the sway! I used to enjoy it when riding as a kid. It seemed like those things were about to flip over on their sides! [:p]
Cheers!
Several Canadian cities had some of their GM ‘New look’ buses rebuilt in the early 1990s, and there are still some in service today. There are also a lot of retired buses for sale, some of which are still operational.
Looks like it’s going to be a very Happy New Years!!! Growing up outside of NYC as a kid in the 60’s and 70’s, the fishbowl buses (and the taxis) were what I remember most (after the train ride into town!). Isn’t it funny that it took a European company to make an icon of the American scene into an HO model.
Well I don’t care who makes it. If it ends up looking like the picture I’m gonna get a bunch!
What’s this about the Illinois Transportation Museum harboring GMC buses? you’d better watch out for Calgary Transit as they will be down for parts, as we here still have a rather large fleet of them still in daily use. I just assumed most North American cities still had plenty of them running. It’s nice to know I live in a city that has museum quality antique buses as part of our Transit system. Now if there was only a few steam engines chuffing around…
Tatans,
Do you know what year fishbowls Calgary’s running?
I may be mistaken, but I believe that 1976 was the last year of the Fishbowl. GMC was pushing their new RTS model. (I used to work on them too–changing out broken windshields were a nightmare!)
Sleek with fiberglass panels and also tough, IMHO the RTS was noisier and just didn’t have the elegant styling of the fishbowls. Looked more like an RV!