Warren-Bisbee Bus Line #8
WARREN and BISBEE, ARIZONA
24 passenger, 1938 Yellow Coach Model 1204, Serial 234
Five bus drivers pose in front of bus 7 or 8 c. 1940.
During the 1930’s transit bus manufacturers began to experiment with the location of the engine. First they tried engine-forward buses with the body built over the engine, rather than the conventional hood out front. This provided more inside room, but was too hot and noisy for the driver to endure all day long, especially during summer months. Because of this, later models had their engines moved to the rear where they have stayed ever since. In June 1936, Yellow Coach introduced the Model 733, a 21-passenger, front-engine bus. Although they continued to sell 733’s, two years later, in July 1938, they introduced the 24-passenger rear-engine Model 1204. It had essentially the same body as the 733 with the entrance door moved forward and the front axle moved back.
What we know today as the City of Bisbee, was originally a number of separate, small towns. The two largest, Warren and Bisbee, were about 6 miles apart. For 20 years starting in 1908 the Warren-Bisbee Railway served the area. On June 1, 1928, the company name was changed to the Warren-Bisbee Bus Line when four, 21-passenger, Studebaker buses and two, 38-passenger Twin Coaches were substituted for the streetcars.
Bus #8 winds its way through Bisbee’s twisting streets in 1950.
The Studebakers were replaced by two 24-passenger model 1204 Yellow Coaches (#7-8) in 1938. They served through World War II. Their aluminum bodies made them light-weight, thus fuel efficient, while their standard Chevrolet truck engines made them very reliable. They stood up well throughout the stress of dramatically increased ridership during the war. After the war, Warren-Bisbee Bus Line purchased two identical Yellow Coaches used from Tucson Rapid Transit Company. They painted them the same as #7 & 8 and numbered them 5 & 6, reusing numbers originally used on the Studebakers. In 1951 they were replaced by General Motors diesel buses.
One of the Twin Coaches and Yellow Coach #7 was purchased by Orrin and Edna Soles of Warren. They placed them on property they owned on Double Adobe Road, had a well drilled and power brought in and started to convert the buses to a rural retreat.
Photo of badly vandalized buses when first “discovered” by Richard Francaviglia, author of the Bisbee streetcar history.
Unfortunately, vandals began to damage the buses and they soon gave up the project, leaving the buses to further vandalism and decay from the weather. In July of 1995 OPT representatives contacted the Soles who agreed to donate both buses. On the return from a trip to Bisbee to determine what would need to be done to move them, OPT volunteers discovered the body of Warren-Bisbee Bus Line #8 in St. David. Its body was in good shape compared to #7. However, #7 still had many of the running parts and even some interior parts missing from #8. Thus a decision was quickly reached to restore #8 using parts from #7.
Bus #8 as discovered in St. David.
Inquiry at the nearest house led to the owners, Jack and Flora McRae, who agreed to donate the bus. They had purchased it for use as a roadside food concession stand and later used it for storage. Once paperwork had been completed, all three buses were moved to Tucson. In 1996, Old Pueblo Trolley applied for and was awarded a State of Arizona Heritage Fund grant to restore bus #8 and the Bisbee Twin Coach. The grant, in the amount of $17,172 is administered by the State Historic Preservation Office of the State Parks Department. It requires matching by donations and volunteer hours. OPT welcomes your participation in either way.