PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
Page 20
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
A 64-SEATER ALL-WEATHER DOUBLE-DECKER..
A Detachable Top-deck Covering Included in the Design of the Latest Type of Bus to be Put into Service on the Streets of New York.
A LTHOUGH in this country the .authorities--at least those in London---:havc not yet seen their way clear to grant licences for the use'of coveredin double-deck buses, considerable progress is 'being made in America" !with vehicles of this type, Mid in many -Of the big cities of the United States such vehieleS'are in regidar. use.
The Fifth Avenue Coach Co. of New York, 'have long: been associated with developments of thisdescription, and the company have just introduced a new type of vehicle, the outstanding feature of which is the removable top with which it is fitted. It is essentially an all-weather vehicle, and it is designed to 'seat 64 passengers. This new bus conforms in many respects to the design of the first of the 2-L series built by the New York Transportation Co., to seat 60, and differs chiefly in rega4 to certain botly details.
The removable hop of this bus consists of a rigid framework, at each end of Ivhich is a small canopy surrounded by glass lights. Connecting these t-W-o portions is a series of longitudinal members, in which the loose roll cover constructed of light waterproof material is housed. This light covering is carried to the sides of the vehicle on a series of tranSverse hoopsticks, being attached to thp side runners by a special type of' 'fastening.
When this cover is unrolled to the sides and the side windows are raised, a perfectly weatherproof compartment is provided. The curtains slightly overlap Ore glass panels, so that rain, snow or sleet, is effeetually eveluded. The nce of the curtains does not darken the interior of the upper deck to any appreciable extent, since sufficient light still enters from the front, the rear,. and the glass panels at the sides.
The complete top of this double;decker is-made to be readily removable, for which purpose it is bolted to the rail of the. upper deck at a number of suit
able-points. The upper deck is of most capacious proportions and accommodates 58 passengers in transverse seats; which all fade in the forward direction.
The lower deck seats 26 persons, the seats with the exeeution of those over the wheel arches) also being of the transverse pattern; those carried over the wheel arches ars disposed back to back.
It will be noted :from one of our:illus. trations that the upper deck-is carried Over the driver's canopy, and this feature, apart from providing additional , passenger space on , the upper deck,. gives greater protection to the .driver's cab and increases the stability of the vehicle. With this form of oduStructiorr it would.be necessary for rain to strike' the front of the vehicle at an angle of
less than 45 degrees to interfere with the driver's vision.
We are indebted to our contemporary, Automotive industries, from which the illustrations have been culled, for the brief particulars of this new vehicle.