DETROIT TRANSIT HISTORY.info: Bus Photos 1960's

D.S.R. EQUIPMENT PHOTOS — 1960's

The transit vehicles displayed in this 1960's Photo Gallery were purchased by the city-owned D.S.R.
between 1960-1969. Numerous fleets of GM "New-Look" coaches were the primary vehicles
purchased during this time. However, a small number of other makes also made their appearances
as well—although one fleet of non-GM coaches didn't hang around too long.

GM "NEW-LOOK" COACHES – MODEL TDH-5301 (First Generation)

GM "NEW-LOOK" COACHES – MODEL TDH-5303 (Second Generation)

ATTENTION: The "DetroitTransitHistory.info" web-site is in need of additional photos of the
DSR "New-Look" model TDH-5303. These would include b-&-w and/or color photos of any of the
following series transit coaches manufactured by General Motors Truck & Coach:
* The #2400 and #2500 series — both delivered in 1966

Of course photos of any additional DSR/DDOT new-look models (a.k.a. "fishbowls" and "silver-sides")
are also welcome. Any interior photos of DSR/DDOT new-looks are needed as well. If you would like
to share your photos on this web-site please contact the site-administrator at:
detbusfan@detroittansithistory.info
(proper credit will be given to the photo donator, unless requested otherwise)

FOR MORE 1960'S DSR EQUIPMENT PHOTOS (PAGE 2) CLICK-ON "NEXT" (Below)

BACK TO THE
1950's

The 1960s for the Detroit DSR was
definitely the decade of the GMC
"New-Look" coach, as 941 of these
newly designed GM diesels were
placed into service between 1960 and
1968. These coaches sported their
green with cream and silver-sided color
scheme design throughout the
remaining DSR years. The last of these
GM new-look coaches survived well
into the D-DOT years.

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All Jim Husing Collection photos are posted with the permission of Mr. James Husing. Any distribution of photos for sale purposes is prohibited.

HISTORY FOOTNOTE: By June of 1959, the first phase of the Woodward Avenue (Highway US-10)
State Trunkline project had been completed with the addition of a tree-lined boulevard between Fort
and Congress streets—-along-side the new National Bank of Detroit (now Chase Tower) Building. The
second phase involved the widening of Woodward between Congress and Jefferson by the removal of the
buildings along the west side of Woodward in 1959. Woodward was widen to 190 feet, with a center
median added to provide a boulevard entry into the Civic Center area. The remainder of the boulevard
had to await the completion of the Gas Company Building at Jefferson and was completed in 1962.
[photo courtesy of the Carl D. Dutch collection: 1960 DSR Annual Report photo]

This demo coach photo shows the front interior area of a typical GM New-Look coach. One
very noticeable feature was the large six-piece curved glass windshield that resulted in added
visibility for the driver. Compared to 9.3 square feet of windshield area on the Old Look model,
the New Look windshield was nearly three times larger at 25.5 square feet of glass area. During
the first year of production, pantograph style windshield wipers were used. On the TDH-5301
model (DSR coaches #1601-2040), three chrome decorative strips were used on the front dash
area, but were later eliminated by GM on subsequent models (coaches #2041–f.).
[photo source: GM Truck & Coach promotional advertisement]

During the summer of 1959, the DSR placed its first order for the new streamlined General
Motors diesel transit coach — GM's first redesigned transit bus since 1940. Delivery on the first
fifty of these coaches (#1601-1650) began on Jan. 22, 1960 — each costing $25,417 apiece.
Coach #1632 (seen in above photo posing at the DSR Highland Park Terminal) sports the DSR
"New-Look" paint scheme of green and cream with fluted, anodized silver aluminum below the
belt-line. These New-Looks would also usher in the new slanted (forward-moving) "DSR" logo.
[site-owner's collection photo, courtesy of the Schramm photo collection]

Coach #1699 is representative of that second order (#1651-1775) which were delivered between
June and July of 1960. An additional 125 TDH-5301s (#1776-1900) were delivered between
October and November of 1960. With 300 New-Looks now part of the fleet, the DSR was able
to retire its post-war fleet of White and Mack coaches purchased during the late forties. Upon
the arrival of 80 more 5301s (#1901-1980) in September and November of 1961, the DSR was
able to replace the Twin Coach electric trolley-coaches on the Crosstown line. The last sixty
TDH-5301s (#1981-2040) delivered in November of 1962, coincided with the elimination of the
St. Louis Car Company built electric trackless trolley-coaches on the Grand River line.
[GM Truck & Coach promotional photo courtesy of S. Sycko]

DSR coach #1896 was one of 125 TDH-5301s delivered in the fall of 1960, and representative of
the third "New-Look"coach order for that year. Even though push-type rear doors were made
standard on GM New-Looks, the DSR continued to opt for the optional four-piece "jackknife"
folding rear door (visible in photo) until 1968. In this 1968 photo, the original rear-end styling
is visible as coach #1896 is eastbound at a downtown DSR bus stop on Fort Street at Shelby.

(Click-on photo to view larger image)

On Feb 2, 1960, the DSR introduced the 50 new ultra-modern buses to Detroiters by parading
them down Woodward Ave, as seen in the above photo which looks north along Woodward near
Larned. Promoted by General Motors as its "New-Look" design coach, three-hundred (300) of
these coaches–Model TDH-5301–would be purchased by the DSR during that first year alone.
Also note the "uncompleted" center median along Woodward Avenue at the time of photo.

Coach #1647 is representative of the first fifty GM "New Looks" delivered in January 1960, and
is seen here working the Michigan line some 14 years later. Enthusiasm by DSR management
for these new GM coaches was quite high in 1960. Upon the delivery of the first fifty, another
125 were ordered immediately. In this 1974 photo, coach #1647 is traveling east along Monroe
east of Library Street, with the Crowley-Milner Dept. Store buildings visible in the background.

In November of 1966, twenty TDH-5303s (#2501-2520) were delivered to the DSR and used as
replacements for twenty Flxible coaches purchased by the DSR in 1965 (see next page). These
coaches were identical to the #2400-series 5303s delivered in September of 1966. In the above
photo, coach #2510 is south on Woodward at Michigan in May of 1978 working the Fenkell line.
[Melvin Bernero photo collection, courtesy of Melvin Bernero]

HISTORY FOOTNOTE: By June of 1959, the first phase of the Woodward Avenue (Highway US-10) State
Trunkline project had been completed with the addition of a tree-lined boulevard between Fort and Congress
streets — along-side the new National Bank of Detroit Building (now Chase Tower). The second phase
involved the widening of Woodward between Congress and Jefferson by the removal of the buildings along
the west side of Woodward in 1959. Woodward was widen to 190 feet, with a center median added to provide
a boulevard entry into the Civic Center area. The remainder of the boulevard had to await the completion of
the Michigan Consolidated Gas Building at Jefferson and was completed in 1962.

HISTORY FOOTNOTE: The Crowley's flagship store visible in the background was comprised of two
buildings that occupied two downtown blocks along Monroe Street. The eight-story West Building on the left
(built in 1906) housed the main store and corporate offices, while an 11-story East Building annex on the right
(built in 1920) housed the warehouses, an additional store featuring housewares, and more offices. The
elaborate arched bridge-overpass (built in 1925) connected the two buildings across Library Street. After
Crowley's closed its flagship store on July 2, 1977, the two buildings were later demolished.

THE 1920's
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THE 1930's
1 2 3

THE 1950's
1 2 3

THE 1960's
1 2 3

THE 1970's
1 2 3

THE 1980's
1 2 3

THE 1990's
1 2 3

THE 2010's
1 2

THE 2000's
1 2

Also included in that first GM "New-Look" order were ten coaches (#1601-1610) that came
equipped with rear-mounted air-conditioning units, costing an additional $4,193 apiece. These
air-conditioned coaches were the first in the history of the DSR, and were largely used on Gray
Line and express runs. The above photo, taken in 1960, shows coach #1602 laying-over along
the north side of Cadillac Square at the corner of Monroe Street while working the Russell line.
Partially visible in the immediate foreground is the old Family Theater, which once inhabited
that corner until destroyed by fire in 1973, when it was known as the Follies Theater.
[photo source: online – unknown (unidentified) photo collection]

By the early sixties, GM New-Look coaches had replaced the GM old-looks on the Woodward
line—the DSR's premier route. DSR coach #1918 was one of 80 TDH-5301s delivered in the fall
of 1961, and representative of the forth "New-Look" coach order for the DSR. In this July 1963
photo, coach #1918 is leaving the Fairgrounds Loop and about to head southbound on the
Woodward line en route to downtown Detroit. Also note the Vita-Boy Potato Chip ad (a former
Detroit-based company) that often rented ad space on the front of DSR buses during that time.
[Jim Husing Collection photo, courtesy of James Husing — see disclaimer below]

Many of the DSR's TDH-5301s and 5303s would survive well into the DDOT years, and former
DSR coach #2076 was no exception. In this March 1978 photo, coach #2076 is westbound on
Jefferson Avenue passing the City-County Building on the E. Jefferson line. At the time of this
photo this coach had seen nearly fifteen years of service and now sported the DDOT logo. The
last of the #2000-series TDH-5303s were retired in 1983, nearly 20 years after their delivery.
[Melvin Bernero photo collection, courtesy of Melvin Bernero]

Another 80 "second generation" TDH-5303s (#2101-2180) were ordered in 1964, and began
arriving that September. These 40-foot 102-inch "air-suspension" coaches—like the previous
fleets—were equipped with the same standard New-Look features, including improved driver
visibility, large "picture" passenger windows, longitudinal mid-ceiling fluorescent lighting, and
two-piece "slide-glide" type front doors. All DSR New-Looks were powered with a six-cylinder
6V-71 Detroit Diesel engine and a GM/Allison V-drive hydraulic (automatic) transmission.
NOTE: In the second year production, single-arm wipers replaced the pantograph style wipers.
[S. Sycko photo, courtesy of the Stan Sycko photo collection]

In a controversial 105 coach order in 1965, the DSR, for the first time since 1950, split an order
and purchased coaches from another manufacturer—the Flxible Corp. Eighty-five (85) coaches
from that order (#2201-2285), including #2237 in the above photo, went to General Motors.
These #2200-series GMs were delivered beginning in September of 1965 and tested along-side
the Flxible fleet (see next page). This fleet of 5303s also allowed the DSR to retire the last of its
post-war gasoline powered Twin Coach buses, which were purchased back in 1946 and 1947.
[photo courtesy of Tom's Trolley Bus Pix —Detroit DSR-DOT stuff]

(VIDEO TAPE IMAGE)

With the #2100-series GMs, the DSR would continue with its retirement of its post-war gasoline
powered Twin coaches, and gradually begin retiring the first of the smaller-size GM "old-look"
diesels that were delivered in 1945 and 1947. The last ten coaches of this order (#2171-2180)
came equipped with fiber seats, which used a perimeter bench-type seating arrangement.
The "CHARTERED" sign being displayed on coach #2137's roll-sign curtain is reminiscent of
the once lucrative Chartered Service Operation once provided by the DSR.
[photo courtesy of the Krambles-Peterson archive collection: G. Mac Sebree photo]

In this 1969 photo, coach #2203 (one of 85 TDH-5303s purchased in 1965) is eastbound along
E. Jefferson at Woodward Ave in downtown Detroit. Working the Jefferson line, coach #2203
is en route to the Wayburn Loop, one block east of Alter Road — just east of the city limits.
[photo courtesy of the Krambles-Peterson archive collection: G. Mac Sebree photo]

On February 2, 1966, the DSR would begin receiving the first of twenty (20) "air-conditioned"
TDH-5303s (#2301-2320) — increasing the DSR total A/C bus fleet to thirty. The #2300-series
coaches were the only DSR New-Looks that came equipped with GM's new optional "Super-V"
(three-speed) transmission — launched during the mid 1960s for both heavy local service and
high-speed freeway express operation. In this 1969 photo, series coach #2301 is dressed for
Gray Line service and parked along Franklin Street near Randolph — where the RenCen now sits.
[photo courtesy of the Krambles-Peterson archive collection: G. Mac Sebree photo]

The first fifty DSR New-Looks came with
these cocoa brown foam rubber seats
from National Seating.

Although not the best quality, the video-still image (right) shows an interior rear view of a DSR
TDH-5301 (coach #1964). The shades of green color decor and the National Seating passenger
seats (with the two-tone brown padded seating and back rests) were standard on DSR New-
Looks purchased through 1966. Although the nominal seating capacity on the 5301s and 5303s
accommodated 53 passengers, all of the DSR New-Looks beginning with the 1961 deliveries
(coaches #1901–f.) utilized a seating configuration that only accommodated 50 passengers.

Coach #2302 is parked downtown along Witherell Street at Madison in Grand Circus Park.
Because the #2300-series came equipped with air-conditioning and a three-speed transmission,
they were initially assigned to express routes, including the Grand River, Imperial, Jefferson
and Gratiot Express, in addition to Gray Line Sightseeing service. At a cost of $31,817 apiece,
the #2300-series TDH-5303s were the first fleet of DSR buses to be purchased using federal
grant money from HUD, courtesy of the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964.
[Jim Husing Collection photo, courtesy of James Husing — see disclaimer below]

In this April 3, 1974 photo, coach #2304 can be seen laying-over on the north side of Cadillac
Square, mid-way between Bates and Monroe streets. Before the days of computer-generated
vinyl bus wrap, full-bus advertisements had to be painted on the coach. The #2300-series were
one of the first DSR coaches to sport full-bus ads, as seen in this "Tessier Oldsmobile" adv.
[photo courtesy of the Krambles-Peterson archive collection: George Krambles photo]

(Click-on photo to view larger image)

Beginning September 15, 1966, 100 TDH-5303s (#2401-2500) were delivered to the DSR at a
cost of $28,500 apiece. Purchased through part of a $10 million federal grant from HUD, these
were the first fleet of DSR coaches to come equipped with 2-way radios and the first to display
both route numbers and route names on their destination roll-sign curtains. In this April 3, 1974
photo, coach #2479 can be seen laying-over at the old DSR Cadillac Square loading station.
Visible in the background is the Cadillac Tower Building (opened in 1927 as the Barlum Tower),
and the abutting former Gregory, Mayer & Thom building (left) (now demolished).
[photo courtesy of the Krambles-Peterson archive collection: George Krambles photo]

(Click-on photo to view larger image)

THE 1940's
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(Click-on photo to view larger image)

In 1963, GM announced that it had made over 40 improvements to its transit coach, resulting in
the next generation of "New-Looks"—the Model TDH-5303. To most, the only visual changes
were the use of the bullet shaped clearance lights that replaced the art deco squared lights on the
previous model, but a number of engineering improvements were also made. In Detroit, the GM
take-over of the system also continued with this new model, as fifty TDH-5303s (#2041-2090)
were delivered in October of 1963. These fleets of 5303s allowed the DSR to begin retiring its
post-war gasoline powered Twin coaches purchased during the late forties. In this 1969 photo,
coach #2061 can be seen at the Wayburn Loop at the eastern end of the E. Jefferson line.
[photo courtesy of the Krambles-Peterson archive collection: G. Mac Sebree photo]

(Click-on photo to view larger image)