The Pacific Bus Museum’s Vintage Bus Operation
Background and History
Founded in 1991 as a California tax-exempt non-profit corporation, the Pacific Bus Museum is dedicated to preserving the history of bus transportation. Based in northern California with a collection of approximately 20 buses ranging from 1931 to 1977 the museum’s operational coaches are stored in the San Francisco bay area in Fremont, CA. One of the organization’s goals has been to become an operating museum.
In 2004 the PBM became part of a group being formed to promote the historic Niles district of Fremont. The Pacific Locomotive Association, Inc., operators of the Niles Canyon Railway, was completing an extension of their tracks into Niles the area as part of an expansion of their operations in Niles Canyon and the people in Niles were eagerly awaiting the railway’s arrival. In 2005 the group adopted the name “Golden Spike”.
1958, General Motors TDH 4512 delivered new in 1958 to the then Sacramento (CA) Transit Authority as fleet number 128
The city of Fremont approved the Golden Spike plan in 2005, which provided funding for the restoration and operation of the vintage bus and for volunteers to assist with people visiting Niles and boarding the trains and the bus. Chosen for the shuttle was the PBM’s 1958, General Motors TDH 4512. Originally delivered new in 1958 to the then Sacramento (CA) Transit Authority as fleet number 128.
This is a photo of Unitrans sister bus #4508 (Photo by Scott Page)
This GM TDH4512 was sold in the early 1980s to the Associated Students of University of California in Davis, CA where the bus was used for a number of years to shuttle students around the university campus. When the PBM acquired the bus in 1997 it was physically and mechanically sound.
During this time PBM Business member American Stage Tours of Concord, CA became interested in partnering with the PBM as plans to operate the vintage bus began to take shape. With funding for the bus approved an agreement was worked out between the museum and American Stage Tours for the operation of the vintage bus.
The bus was leased to American Stage Tours and would be
operated as part of their fleet. Operation of the train shuttle and any charters utilizing the vintage bus would be handled through AST. Restoration of the vintage TDH 4512 was completed in January 2006. The bus was painted in a distinctive “art deco” look inspired by designs seen on city buses in the 1930s and 40s including San Francisco’s Market Street Railway buses of that era.To complete the look the name Niles Coach Lines was applied to the bus.
The Vintage Bus Operation
Train shuttle operations began on February 19, 2006. Initially operating on the 1st and 3rd Sundays during the spring and fall and weekly during the summer the bus quickly became an instant hit with the train passengers and people in the Niles community. Many people not having ridden a bus like this before were given a chance to experience what bus travel was like from a by-gone era.
Based on the success during the first year funding was provided for a second year of operation for the vintage bus train shuttle with more dates of operation in 2007. This year also marked the beginning of an additional shuttle for the Niles Canyon Railway’s Holiday Train of Lights. This shuttle operated for three weekends in December. AST’s regular maintenance of the TDH 4512 enabled the bus to be operated without problems throughout 2007.
Niles Coach Lines #517
Because of the continued success of the vintage bus operation the PBM received funding in 2008 to restore a second GM “old look” bus for the Niles train shuttle. Chosen as the second bus was the PBM’s 1957, GM TDH 4801, originally San Diego Transit 517. Restoration of this second bus was completed in time for an expanded Holiday Train of Lights shuttle requiring two vintage buses to accommodate a substantially larger number of passengers riding the trains than in the previous year.
Niles Coach Lines #517 and driver Matt Kaufman. Photo by Ron Hook 12-26-2010
With two restored buses available for the Vintage bus operation in 2009 the PBM was able to alternate the use of each bus for the Sunday train shuttles. The availability of the additional bus also benefited the museum when a second bus was needed to transport train passengers, especially for the Holiday Train of Lights shuttle.
An expansion of vintage bus operation began on Sunday, April 18, 2010 when a second route began operating between the Fremont Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station and Niles. This second route required the use of the second vintage museum bus and operated on the 1st and 3rd Sundays each month through October 2010. Due to lack of patronage the Niles-BART route was discontinued in May 2011.
Judicious use of funding allowed the Niles Vintage bus operation to continue running beyond the end of 2012. The operation finally ended on August 31, 2013 when funds finally ran out. The bus was taken off the road at the end of 2013 and is currently stored. During the seven plus years of operation the bus became part of the total experience of visiting the Niles area along with the historic Niles Canyon Railway trains. The Pacific Bus Museum was pleased to be a part of this effort.
Happy Holiday’s 2024
This is a fun collection of holiday photos that were shared in our Pacific Bus Museum’s Membership Newsletter, The Paddle, over the years. 2023 – #2346 at the Niles Parade of Lights Facebook 2021 1994 – San Francisco Municipal Railway’s Christmas Trolley Bus #559 1980s – San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni) Flxible 111CC-C3 1980 – […]
Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit), Dayton RTA, Flxible, Flyer, Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (LAMTA), Marmon-Herrington, Miami Valley RTA, Niles Coach Lines, Pacific Greyhound Lines, Peerless Stages, Sacramento Transit Authority (Sacramento TA), Uncategorized, Yellow Coach builder
PBM History
In 2017 PBM Member, Ron Medaglia, wrote this article on the history of the Pacific Bus Museum, entitled “The Pacific Bus Museum From Hobby to Formal Museum”, for the National Bus Trader magazine.
American Stage Tours, General Motors, GM Truck & Coach Division, Niles Canyon Railway, Niles Coach Lines, Royal Coach Tours, Scenic Hyway Tours, Twin Coach, UC Davis Transit System, Union Pacific Railroad, Unitrans UC Davis, West Coast Motor Coach Museum
