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| PRE-SEMTA SUBURBAN BUSES - Pg. 1 |
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CLICK-ON "SUBURBAN BUSES-Pg. 2" TO VIEW METROPOLITAN TRANSIT COACH PHOTOS
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| LAKE SHORE COACH LINES, INC. (1932–1971) |
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| The transit vehicles displayed on these Suburban Photo Pages were purchased by the privately-owned bus companies that serviced Detroit's suburbs before being acquired by the Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority (SEMTA) between 1971-1975. |
| Please click-on link to return to the "SUBURBAN TRANSIT" Main Page. |
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| Lake Shore Coach Lines was a privately-owned suburban Detroit bus company that serviced Harper Woods, St. Clair Shores, and the five Grosse Pointe communities with routes into downtown Detroit. The formation of this bus company goes back to the Detroit Motorbus Company (DMB), which operated bus routes in both the city of Detroit and its surrounding suburbs between 1920 and 1931. After Detroit Motorbus' license to operate in Detroit was revoked, effective Jan. 1, 1932, the company's two eastern suburban routes and 20 buses were acquired by ex-DMB management people who formed Lake Shore Coach Lines, with PUC (Public Utilities Commission) approval effective March 24, 1932. However, by 1934 the company's original management had been forced out and by 1939 the company was reported to be under the ownership of reputed Mafia Dons (a mob boss or crime lord in charge of an organized crime enterprise). During Lake Shore Coach Lines' nearly 40 years of operation, the company operated out of the former DMB "Terminal Garage" located at 11840 Edlie Street at Terminal (south of E. Jefferson) on Detroit's east side. LSCL's three routes—Jefferson Beach, Kercheval, and Charlevoix (launched in 1933)—basically remained unchanged over the years. An Eastland Shuttle route via Vernier Road was launched in 1957 that connected with the Charlevoix and Kercheval lines at Mack Ave. and Vernier to the new Eastland Shopping Center. |
| Coach #424 (Model TDH-4517) was one of the first six GM 'New-Look' coaches (#419-424) delivered to Lake Shore Coach Lines in January of 1960. Coach #424 is seen here in this 1969 photo while eastbound on E. Jefferson just east of Woodward in downtown Detroit. This coach was still on the roster when Lake Shore Coach Lines was taken-over by SEMTA on Sept. 1, 1971. [photo courtesy of the Krambles-Peterson archive collection: G. Mac Sebree photo] |
| This Jan. 28, 1960 photo shows the rear interior view of one of LSCL's first GM 'New-Look' coaches. The TDH-4517 model seated 45 passengers and was 35 feet long and 96 inches wide. Unlike the Detroit DSR 'New-Looks' delivered around that same time, the Lake Shore fleet arrived with the "push-type" rear door feature — made standard on the GM 'New-Look' buses. [photo source: online – unknown (unidentified) photo collection] |
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| After the Detroit riots of 1967, the surrounding suburban bus companies began experiencing a dramatic decline in ridership into downtown Detroit. Now operating at a loss, Lake Shore Coach Lines announced in May 1971 that it was discontinuing operations at the end of July. To keep the service operating, the recently formed SEMTA was able to persuade the six primary communities that were serviced by LSCL to provide the required local share money needed in order for SEMTA to qualify for a federal grant to purchase the company. Effective September 1, 1971, SEMTA took-over operation of the Lake Shore routes, which formed SEMTA's new Lake Shore Division. At the time of purchase, Lake Shore Coach Lines, Inc. operated 44 coaches along four routes. Today, these routes are serviced by the SMART #600-series routes. |
| For Comments & Suggestions Please Contact Site Owner at: admin@detroittransithistory.info |
© 2013 (PAGE MODIFIED ON 07-28-13, 01-31-15, 04-20-15)
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Information for the above was gathered from various newspaper articles supplied by Stan Sycko; numerous bus enthusiasts websites; and
from Motor Coach Age Magazine articles on the history of Detroit's suburban lines co-authored by Jack E. Schramm and Robert L. Cambell,
including the Oct-Dec 2002 edition titled "Detroit's Suburban Buses" and the Oct-Dec 2003 edition "SEMTA and SMART."
from Motor Coach Age Magazine articles on the history of Detroit's suburban lines co-authored by Jack E. Schramm and Robert L. Cambell,
including the Oct-Dec 2002 edition titled "Detroit's Suburban Buses" and the Oct-Dec 2003 edition "SEMTA and SMART."
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| After inheriting 20 of the DMB's Fifth Avenue Coach Co. 'Type J' buses in 1932, LSCL purchased 17 Yellow Coach buses between 1934-36, and 28 front and rear engine Fort Transits between 1937-40. Lakes Shore began ordering GM 'Old-Looks' in 1946; with ten Model TD-3609 diesels (#301-310). The second fleet of 12 Model TDH-3610 30-footers (#311-322) were delivered in 1948 and featured in this 1948 GM Truck & Coach promotional brochure photo. One additional 30-foot 'paired-window' GM Old-Look Model TDH-3612 (#323) was purchased in 1949. |
| In 1953, LSCL would begin purchasing the larger-size 35-foot (45-pass) GM Old-Look diesels. Six Model TDH-4509s (#401-406) were delivered in early 1953, followed by six TDH-4512s (#407-412) — now equipped with "air-suspension" — in 1954. These would be the first fleet of LSCL buses still on the roster when SEMTA purchased the company in 1971. In this 1961 photo, a LSCL 35-foot TDH-4512 is southbound along Woodward Ave at Michigan while sporting the new Lake Shore cream and orange-red color scheme first introduced during the late 1950s. [photo courtesy of the Scott Richards photo collection – used with permission] |
| In 1955, Lake Shore would purchase nine of the "king-size" 40-foot TDH-5105 diesel coaches. The first eight (#501-508) were delivered in August 1955, while coach #509 was delivered in December. However, the first eight 5105s (#501-508) were traded in for eight GM TDH-5301 "New-Looks" delivered in 1960, and resold to St. Louis Public Service, where coach #508 is pictured above. Coach #509 would remain on at Lake Shore as the lone TDH-5105 and was still on the roster when Lake Shore Coach Lines was taken-over by SEMTA in 1971. [photo source unknown — image used for educational purposes] |
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| Gasoline-Powered GM Old-Looks (Not Pictured) Just as with the DSR and other local Detroit suburban bus companies, the locally manufactured GM buses would begin to dominate the Lake Shore coach fleet after WW-II. However, while most local agencies were leaning toward GM diesel buses, Lake Shore Coach Lines would again purchase gasoline buses. Between 1950-51, LSCL purchased 17 of the smaller 28-foot gasoline- powered TGH-3101s (#324-340). Prior to the late 1950s, LSCL buses sported a paint scheme of cream and green (above and below the belt line) with a dark-green belt stripe and lower skirt. |
| Coach #413 (Model TDH-4512) was one of six coaches (#413–418) delivered in May 1959, one month before "Old Look" production was discontinued at GM Truck & Coach. By 1959, a total of 67 GM 'Old-Look' coaches (including 17 gasoline powered) were purchased by LSCL. Coach #413 is southbound along Woodward Ave just south of State Street in this August 1961 photo. [photo courtesy of the Scott Richards photo collection – used with permission] |
GM "OLD-LOOK" COACHES
GM "NEW-LOOK" COACHES
| Again we see coach #413 in this August 1969 photo while eastbound along E. Jefferson at the Dequindre Cut railroad overpass while working the Jefferson Beach line. The caption written across the top of LSCL 'Old-Looks' read, "Ride on Air... DETROIT∙GROSSE POINTE∙ST. CLAIR SHORES ...Save Money." Coach still on roster when purchased by SEMTA in 1971. [photo courtesy of the Krambles-Peterson archive collection: G. Mac Sebree photo] |
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| In this photo, it appears that LSCL coach operators are posing in front of the company's first fleet of GM 'New-Look' diesel coaches at GM Truck & Coach in Pontiac, MI. The six new TDH-4517s (#419-424) were delivered to Lake Shore Coach Lines in January 1960. LSCL was the second suburban Detroit bus company to receive the newly redesigned GM coach. [photo courtesy of the Samuel Braxton Jr. Bus Photo Collection] |
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| Lake Shore would also purchase nine of the larger 40-foot Model TDH-5301s to replace the eight 'Old-Looks' (#501-508) that were sold to St. Louis Public Service in 1959. The nine buses were delivered in January and June 1960, and numbered #501-508 (same as 5105s) and #510. In this 1961 photo, coach #507 is south along Woodward at Clifford working Jefferson Beach. [photo courtesy of the Scott Richards photo collection – used with permission] |
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| Lake Shore Coach Lines coach #520 was one of only four 30-ft "integral" body design GM buses (Model TDH-3501) delivered to LSCL in August 1964. In this 1969 photo, coach #520 is parked north along Witherell St. just south of Elizabeth, across the street from the old YMCA Building, just north of Grand Circus Park. All of the Toro-Flow buses were off the roster before 1971. The rear of the Central United Methodist Church six-story parish house building can be seen in the background, while the adjacent (darker gray) building is today the home of Cheli's Chili Bar. Today, this area sits across the street from Comerica Park, the home of the Detroit Tigers. [photo courtesy of the Krambles-Peterson archive collection: G. Mac Sebree photo] |
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| Lake Shore would purchase additional fleets of the larger-size 40-foot x 102-inch New-Looks — all were second generation Model TDH-5303s. Six were purchased in 1963 (#511-516); one in 1964 (#517); three in 1965 (#518-520); and the last six (#521-526) in 1967. LSCL would order a total of 31 GM 'New-Look' coaches between 1959–1967. One of the #500-series TDH-5303s is seen here south along Woodward Ave at Adams while working the Charlevoix line. [photo courtesy of the Scott Richards photo collection – used with permission] |
| All three Lake Shore routes utilized Jefferson Ave into downtown Detroit, then via Woodward; looping via Elizabeth, Witherell, and Columbia to Grand Circus Park. Coach #519 was one of three 5303s (#518-520) delivered in October 1965, and is pictured here south along Woodward at Grand River. Most of the New-Looks were still on the roster when SEMTA took over in 1971. [photo courtesy of the Scott Richards photo collection – used with permission] |
GM 30-FT "TORO-FLOW" COACHES
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| GM LIGHT DUTY "TORO-FLOW" DIESELS Initially, the 'New-Look' design (launched in 1959) was only available in two sizes (40' and 35'), and as a result, a separate light-duty coach was the only GM model available for operators who required smaller buses. These small 30- and 27-foot models began production back in 1949 and resembled the larger "monocoque" constructed GM 'Old-Looks' only in appearance. They were powered by a gasoline Chevrolet truck engine coupled to a HydraMatic transmission, and hence were labeled "HydraMatic" buses. A diesel model version (TDH-3501) was launched in 1964. These 35-passenger buses were powered by a GM mid-size 478-cubic-inch Toro-Flow V-6 diesel truck engine, and became known as "Toro-Flow" buses. These light-duty buses remained in production until 1968, when replaced by the 30-foot version (33-passenger) GMC 'New-Look' Model TDH-3301, launched in 1969. |
| Here again is former Lake Shore coach #519 (see two photos above), but now owned by SEMTA (Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority) and sporting the original, but "short-lived," SEMTA colors. This paint scheme was first used on 20 new GMC Model T8H-5307As delivered in early 1972, and purchased through SEMTA for the suburban Great Lakes Transit and Metro Transit companies. The two colors were representative of the two bus companies. In this circa 1972 photo, coach #519 is northbound on Woodward Ave between John R and Witherell. [photo courtesy of the Scott Richards photo collection – used with permission] |
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| SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY PURCHASE |
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