Tomytec GM Bus

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Hm... world bus collection. That means more than one type. God help me if they come out with an RTS.

[bbussey]

Here's the roster for the TDH-4512.

http://www.omot.org/roster/GMOldLookList/tdh4512.html

[thomasjmdavis]

The "H" of "TDH 4512" refers to hydraulic transmission.  Are there notable external differences between a TDH, TDM, TD etc, or between the 4512 and its predecessor the 4507? 

Unfortunately, to date, no one has produced a bus in the 1950s accurate CTA green and cream. Well, in a sense, WoT has, but theirs is a Mack C-49 (CTA bought some in 1955 or 56), as a stand in for a C-50, which was manufactured several years earlier and painted for Chicago Motor Coach, which merged with CTA in 1952.  Not sure if CTA adopted the green and cream with the merger, or if both lines were already using it at the time.  But in any case, the "old look" buses generally wore the lighter green and cream scheme well into the 1960s.

The only CTA decals I have found are much too modern.  Anyone know of a source for decals appropriate for 1955 or thereabouts?

[bbussey]

The "H" of "TDH 4512" refers to hydraulic transmission.  Are there notable external differences between a TDH, TDM, TD etc, or between the 4512 and its predecessor the 4507? 

The 4507 and 4512 are similar.  Same length I believe, same front and rear faces.  The window contour is slightly different, but a 4512 could pass for a 4507 in N.

[Roger Holmes]

Where did you find even modern CTA decals?

[thomasjmdavis]

Hi Roger,

They were at least at one time available from Island Modelworks by way of Great Decals
http://islandmodelworks.com/N_Chicago.html

[Roger Holmes]

Thanks, I hadn't heard of that site before.  I just ordered both sets of decals:  CTA and Metra.

[bbussey]

Head's up — Walthers just got these in and have them in stock, so watch for them to surface at MBK, BLW and other outlets in the near future.

http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?item=&words=restrict&split=30&category=&scale=N&instock=&keywords=gmc&manu=738

[Mark5]

thanks for the heads up - I was wondering what became of these just the other day ...

[sirenwerks]

Buses are great but how about a decent PCC?

[up1950s]

Just ordered an orange and a green . These fronts look nice and familiar.

[bbussey]

I checked with MBK to see if they would be carrying the product line, and was told the items are in transit from Walthers.  So they should appear on the website within the next week or so.

[bbussey]

MBK has restocked on all three buses and the power chassis.

[tehachapifan]

They also have the LA version of the CMW bus on clearance for a HUGE discount. Despite the comparisons presented here, I couldn't pass it up!

[bman]

Question for those who have purchased one.  How easily would it come apart to paint?  I'm thinking of getting one and would like to painted like the one we had when I worked at Kent State's Campus Bus Service while I was a student there in the 80's.