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GM New Look (Fishbowl) Bus
Encyclopedia
The GM
New Look bus, also commonly known by the nickname "Fishbowl" (for its six-piece rounded windshield), is a transit bus introduced in 1959 by General Motors
and produced until 1987. More than 44,000 New Look buses were built. Its high production figures and long service career made it an iconic North American transit bus. The design is listed as by Roland E. Gegoux and William P. Strong.
). Separated by general type, the production figures comprised 510 29-foot city buses (all U.S.-built); 9,355 35-foot city buses (7,804 U.S.-built, 1,551 Canadian); 31,348 40-foot city buses (22,034 U.S., 9,314 Canadian) and 3,271 suburban coaches (of which only 206 were built in Canada). The total production of New Looks was 41,213 transit coaches and 3,271 suburban coaches.
Other than demonstrators, the very first fishbowls delivered were TDH-5301s built in 1959 for O. Roy Chalk
's D.C. Transit System, which operated in Washington, D.C.
, and the suburbs of Maryland and Virginia.
Several different models were introduced over the following years, and modifications made to the design. See the section below, headed "Description".
Production of the New Look in the U.S. ceased in 1977, when it was replaced by the RTS
transit bus. Production continued after this, however, at General Motors Diesel Division
in Canada, due to the RTS design being rejected by Canadian transit agencies, with the name plate changing from "GM" to "GMC". Few were produced after 1983 due to the GMDD's introduction of the Classic in that year. The last New Looks were ordered by Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines (now Big Blue Bus
) of Santa Monica, California
in 1986. The completion of that order brought a final end to New Look production in April 1987. A few transit systems are still operating them to this day (including the Toronto Transit Commission
, Calgary Transit
, Saskatoon Transit
and CyRide
), over 50 years after introduction and over 25 years after mass production ended. The last American-built New Look GM buses were ordered by the city of Wausau, Wisconsin, which placed an order for twelve 35-foot transit buses, model T6H-4523N, the last of which was delivered in March 1977.
The GM Buffalo bus
, a group of intercity bus models built between 1966 and 1980, shared many mechanical and body parts with the fishbowl models, and were discontinued by the Pontiac, Michigan
plant shortly after the RTS replaced fishbowl model production there.
GM later sold the rights to produce both Classic and RTS models to other manufacturers, and exited the heavy-duty transit and intercity markets for full-sized buses, although production of some medium-duty and light-duty chassis products sold in these markets continued.
Scenicruiser
, the air-sprung New Look did not have a traditional ladder frame. Instead it used an airplane-like stressed-skin construction
in which an aluminum riveted skin supported the weight of the bus. The wooden floor kept the bus' shape. The engine cradle was hung off the back of the roof. As a result, the GM New Look weighed significantly less than competitors' city buses.
Virtually all New Look buses were powered by Detroit Diesel
71-series two-cycle Diesel engine
s. The original engine was the 6V71 (V6). GM buses used a unique "Angle-drive" configuration with a transverse mounted engine. The transmission angled off at a 45-or-so degree angle to connect to the rear axle. The engines were canted backwards for maintenance access; in fact, the only parts not accessible from outside the bus were the right-hand exhaust manifold
and the starter
. The entire engine
-transmission
-radiator
assembly was mounted on a cradle that could be quickly removed and replaced, allowing the bus to return to service with minimal delay when the powertrain required major maintenance. Originally, all New Looks were powered by the 6V-71. GM resisted V8 power but eventually gave in to pressure from customers.
(The exception to the above was the 29-foot TDH-3301, which was powered by the GMC DH-478 Toroflow
four-stroke V6, and had a more conventional T-drive transmission.)
Original transmission choices were a four-speed non-synchronized manual transmission
with solenoid reverse and the Allison Automatic
VH hydraulic transmission. The latter was essentially a one-speed automatic transmission
which drove the wheels through a torque converter
. At sufficient speed a clutch bypassed the torque converter and the engine drove the rear wheels directly. A later option was the VS-2, similar to the VH but with a two-speed planetary gearset with three modes: Hydraulic, direct (1:1), and direct-overdrive. The very last batch of American-built New Looks and most Canadian-built New Looks from 1977 through 1987 use the Allison V730
transmission, a traditional three-speed automatic with a lockup torque converter. These four transmissions were the only V-drive transmissions made.
New Looks were available in both Transit and Suburban versions. Transits were traditional city buses with two doors; Suburbans had forward-facing seats (four-abreast), underfloor luggage bays, and had only one door. The center aisle of the Suburbans was lower than the floor beneath the seats, to accommodate the luggage bays. There were also "Suburban-style" transits which had forward-facing seats on slightly raised platforms that gave the appearance of a dropped center aisle. GM refused to install lavatories on its buses; at least one transit authority Sacramento Transit Authority in Sacramento, California
added its own.
The New Look was built in 29', 35', and 40' lengths and 96" and 102" widths. 35' and 40' buses had different-length side windows, so the profiles of both buses looked very similar.
from 40-foot New Look bus shells for the Edmonton Transit System
. Some of these coaches remained in use for 27 years, until the trolley bus system was shut down in 2009.
A 60 feet (18.3 m) articulated
version was designed and built in 1982 for a Government of Ontario demonstration project, but used a Classic front end on the New Look body, and for that reason this model is sometimes not described as being a New Look and is not included in New Look production figures. Series production took place in 1982–1983, and a total of only 53 were built. With a newer front (to allow a wider entrance) and older body, these buses, which were model TA60-102N (for Transit Articulated 102 inches wide No air conditioning), were a transitional model. Unlike most other articulated buses with an engine in the front section and a powered middle axle, the TA60-102N utilised a "pusher" design that used a conventional New Look drive train and a specially-designed articulated joint that limited the angle between the two section to 7° at normal speeds (while traveling straight forward) and to less than 2° at highway speeds.
Manufacturing location was indicated by the serial number. No prefix was used for Pontiac, Michigan, C (Canada) indicated London, Ontario, and M (Montreal) Saint-Eustache, Quebec
. All buses with 17-digit VIN
s were built in Saint-Eustache.
s.
GMC (General Motors division)
GMC is a manufacturer of trucks, vans, military vehicles, and SUVs marketed in North America and the Middle East by General Motors Company. In January 2007, GMC was GM's second-largest-selling North American vehicle division after Chevrolet, ahead of Pontiac....
New Look bus, also commonly known by the nickname "Fishbowl" (for its six-piece rounded windshield), is a transit bus introduced in 1959 by General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
and produced until 1987. More than 44,000 New Look buses were built. Its high production figures and long service career made it an iconic North American transit bus. The design is listed as by Roland E. Gegoux and William P. Strong.
Production overview
44,484 New Look buses were built over the production lifespan, of which 33,413 were built in the U.S. and 11,071 were built in Canada (GM Diesel DivisionGeneral Motors Diesel Division
General Motors Diesel Division was a unit of General Motors and was a manufacturer of locomotives, transit buses and military products.The locomotive unit was acquired by private investors, the transit bus divisions were purchased by TMC in the U.S. and MCI in Canada, and the GM Defense unit was...
). Separated by general type, the production figures comprised 510 29-foot city buses (all U.S.-built); 9,355 35-foot city buses (7,804 U.S.-built, 1,551 Canadian); 31,348 40-foot city buses (22,034 U.S., 9,314 Canadian) and 3,271 suburban coaches (of which only 206 were built in Canada). The total production of New Looks was 41,213 transit coaches and 3,271 suburban coaches.
Other than demonstrators, the very first fishbowls delivered were TDH-5301s built in 1959 for O. Roy Chalk
O. Roy Chalk
Oscar Roy Chalk was a New York entrepreneur who owned real estate, airlines, bus companies, newspapers and a rail line that hauled bananas in Central America...
's D.C. Transit System, which operated in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and the suburbs of Maryland and Virginia.
Several different models were introduced over the following years, and modifications made to the design. See the section below, headed "Description".
Production of the New Look in the U.S. ceased in 1977, when it was replaced by the RTS
Rapid Transit Series
The Rapid Transit Series bus is a long-running series of transit buses originally manufactured by General Motors and is currently produced by Millennium Transit Services as the RTS Legend. Millennium had produced the buses from 2006 until it shut down production in 2009, only to be bought back...
transit bus. Production continued after this, however, at General Motors Diesel Division
General Motors Diesel Division
General Motors Diesel Division was a unit of General Motors and was a manufacturer of locomotives, transit buses and military products.The locomotive unit was acquired by private investors, the transit bus divisions were purchased by TMC in the U.S. and MCI in Canada, and the GM Defense unit was...
in Canada, due to the RTS design being rejected by Canadian transit agencies, with the name plate changing from "GM" to "GMC". Few were produced after 1983 due to the GMDD's introduction of the Classic in that year. The last New Looks were ordered by Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines (now Big Blue Bus
Big Blue Bus
Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines, more commonly known as the Big Blue Bus, is a municipal bus operator in the Westside region of Los Angeles, providing both local and bus rapid transit service in Santa Monica and adjacent neighborhoods of Los Angeles...
) of Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
in 1986. The completion of that order brought a final end to New Look production in April 1987. A few transit systems are still operating them to this day (including the Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
, Calgary Transit
Calgary Transit
Calgary Transit is the public transit service which is owned and operated by the city of Calgary, Alberta. In 2008, an estimated 95.3 million passengers boarded approximately 960 Calgary Transit vehicles , which thus provided 2.31 million hours of service .-History:What would eventually become...
, Saskatoon Transit
Saskatoon Transit
Saskatoon Transit is the public transport arm of the City of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. It operates a fleet of diesel buses. A total of 23 bus routes serve every area of the city, carrying approximately 11 million passengers in 2008...
and CyRide
Cyride
CyRide is a partnership between Iowa State University and Ames, Iowa. CyRide provides public transportation to the community throughout the city of Ames...
), over 50 years after introduction and over 25 years after mass production ended. The last American-built New Look GM buses were ordered by the city of Wausau, Wisconsin, which placed an order for twelve 35-foot transit buses, model T6H-4523N, the last of which was delivered in March 1977.
The GM Buffalo bus
GM Buffalo bus
GM Buffalo bus is the slang term for several models of intercity motorcoaches built by the GM Truck and Coach Division of the General Motors Corporation at Pontiac, Michigan between 1966 and 1980...
, a group of intercity bus models built between 1966 and 1980, shared many mechanical and body parts with the fishbowl models, and were discontinued by the Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
plant shortly after the RTS replaced fishbowl model production there.
GM later sold the rights to produce both Classic and RTS models to other manufacturers, and exited the heavy-duty transit and intercity markets for full-sized buses, although production of some medium-duty and light-duty chassis products sold in these markets continued.
Description
Like GM's over-the-road buses, including the GreyhoundGreyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
Scenicruiser
PD-4501 Scenicruiser
The GMC PD-4501 Scenicruiser, manufactured exclusively for Greyhound Lines, was a three-axle monocoque two-level coach used by Greyhound from 1954 to the 1970s...
, the air-sprung New Look did not have a traditional ladder frame. Instead it used an airplane-like stressed-skin construction
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...
in which an aluminum riveted skin supported the weight of the bus. The wooden floor kept the bus' shape. The engine cradle was hung off the back of the roof. As a result, the GM New Look weighed significantly less than competitors' city buses.
Virtually all New Look buses were powered by Detroit Diesel
Detroit Diesel
As a corporation, Daimler Trucks North America has decided to rename the company "DETROIT".Detroit Diesel Corporation is an American-based diesel engine producer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, USA...
71-series two-cycle Diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
s. The original engine was the 6V71 (V6). GM buses used a unique "Angle-drive" configuration with a transverse mounted engine. The transmission angled off at a 45-or-so degree angle to connect to the rear axle. The engines were canted backwards for maintenance access; in fact, the only parts not accessible from outside the bus were the right-hand exhaust manifold
Exhaust manifold
In automotive engineering, an exhaust manifold collects the exhaust gases from multiple cylinders into one pipe. The word manifold comes from the Old English word manigfeald and refers to the folding together of multiple inputs and outputs.In contrast, an inlet manifold is the part of an engine...
and the starter
Automobile self starter
A starter motor is an electric motor for rotating an internal-combustion engine so as to initiate the engine's operation under its own power.- History :...
. The entire engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
-transmission
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
-radiator
Radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
assembly was mounted on a cradle that could be quickly removed and replaced, allowing the bus to return to service with minimal delay when the powertrain required major maintenance. Originally, all New Looks were powered by the 6V-71. GM resisted V8 power but eventually gave in to pressure from customers.
(The exception to the above was the 29-foot TDH-3301, which was powered by the GMC DH-478 Toroflow
GMC V6 engine
GMC Truck produced a unique 60° V6 engine from 1960 through 1978. The engine was available in 305, 351, 401 and 478-cubic-inch versions. In late production there was also a version with enlarged crankshaft journals. GMC also made a 60° V8 with twin balance shafts using the same general layout as...
four-stroke V6, and had a more conventional T-drive transmission.)
Original transmission choices were a four-speed non-synchronized manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
with solenoid reverse and the Allison Automatic
Allison Transmission
Allison Transmission is an American manufacturer of commercial duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Allison products are specified by over 250 of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers and are used in many market sectors including bus, refuse, fire, construction,...
VH hydraulic transmission. The latter was essentially a one-speed automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
which drove the wheels through a torque converter
Torque converter
In modern usage, a torque converter is generally a type of hydrodynamic fluid coupling that is used to transfer rotating power from a prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine or electric motor, to a rotating driven load...
. At sufficient speed a clutch bypassed the torque converter and the engine drove the rear wheels directly. A later option was the VS-2, similar to the VH but with a two-speed planetary gearset with three modes: Hydraulic, direct (1:1), and direct-overdrive. The very last batch of American-built New Looks and most Canadian-built New Looks from 1977 through 1987 use the Allison V730
Allison V730
The Allison V730 transmission is a three-speed automatic transmission used in several makes of transit bus including the RTS, Canadian-produced GM New Looks, and Grumman Flxibles...
transmission, a traditional three-speed automatic with a lockup torque converter. These four transmissions were the only V-drive transmissions made.
New Looks were available in both Transit and Suburban versions. Transits were traditional city buses with two doors; Suburbans had forward-facing seats (four-abreast), underfloor luggage bays, and had only one door. The center aisle of the Suburbans was lower than the floor beneath the seats, to accommodate the luggage bays. There were also "Suburban-style" transits which had forward-facing seats on slightly raised platforms that gave the appearance of a dropped center aisle. GM refused to install lavatories on its buses; at least one transit authority Sacramento Transit Authority in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
added its own.
The New Look was built in 29', 35', and 40' lengths and 96" and 102" widths. 35' and 40' buses had different-length side windows, so the profiles of both buses looked very similar.
Variants based on the New Look
In 1981–82, Brown Boveri & Company (BBC) constructed 100 model HR150G trolley busesTrolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
from 40-foot New Look bus shells for the Edmonton Transit System
Edmonton Transit System
The Edmonton Transit System, also called ETS, is the public transit service owned and operated by the city of Edmonton, Alberta. It operates Edmonton's bus and light rail systems.-Service:...
. Some of these coaches remained in use for 27 years, until the trolley bus system was shut down in 2009.
A 60 feet (18.3 m) articulated
Articulated bus
An articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
version was designed and built in 1982 for a Government of Ontario demonstration project, but used a Classic front end on the New Look body, and for that reason this model is sometimes not described as being a New Look and is not included in New Look production figures. Series production took place in 1982–1983, and a total of only 53 were built. With a newer front (to allow a wider entrance) and older body, these buses, which were model TA60-102N (for Transit Articulated 102 inches wide No air conditioning), were a transitional model. Unlike most other articulated buses with an engine in the front section and a powered middle axle, the TA60-102N utilised a "pusher" design that used a conventional New Look drive train and a specially-designed articulated joint that limited the angle between the two section to 7° at normal speeds (while traveling straight forward) and to less than 2° at highway speeds.
Model naming
The model naming for the GM New Look bus is shown below. Examples of model names are TDH-5301, T8H-5305N, T6H-5307N, S6H-4504A, and T6H-4521N. (Note that not all possible combinations were constructed.) The front end of the bus remained essentially the same through the production of the New Look.| Type | Engine Internal combustion engine The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine... | Transmission Transmission (mechanics) A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a... | Nominal seating capacity | Series | Air conditioning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T = transit bus Transit bus A transit bus , also known as a commuter bus, city bus, or public bus, is a bus used for short-distance public transport purposes... S = suburban bus |
1st & 2nd generation D = diesel G = gasoline 3rd & 4th generation 6 = Detroit Diesel 6V71 6 = Detroit Diesel 6V92TA1 8 = Detroit Diesel 8V712 |
H = hydraulic (automatic) transmission M = manual transmission |
- | 33 = 29 feet (8.8 m)3 45 = 35 feet (10.7 m) 53 = 40 feet (12.2 m) |
|
A = Air conditioning N = No air conditioning |
NOTES:
|
||||||
| First generation (1959–1962) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Description:
|
|||||
| Type | Models | |Example (TDH-5301 shown) |
|||
| Transit |
|
||||
| Suburban |
|
||||
| Second generation (1963–1967) | |||||
| Description:
|
|||||
| Type | Models | |Example (TDH-4519 shown) |
|||
| Transit |
|
||||
| Suburban |
|
||||
| Third generation (1968–1971) | |||||
| Description:
|
|||||
| Type | Models | |Example (S8M-5303A shown) |
|||
| Transit |
|
||||
| Suburban |
|
||||
| Fourth generation (1972-1977 USA and Canada, 1972-1987 Canada) | |||||
| Description:
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York) The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S... in 1972-73, as a variant of the 5307. |
|||||
| Type | Models | |Example (T6H-5307N shown) |
|||
| Transit |
|
||||
| Suburban |
|
||||
NOTES:
|
|||||
Manufacturing location was indicated by the serial number. No prefix was used for Pontiac, Michigan, C (Canada) indicated London, Ontario, and M (Montreal) Saint-Eustache, Quebec
Saint-Eustache, Quebec
Saint-Eustache is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in western Quebec, Canada, west of Montreal on the north shore of the Rivière des Mille-Îles....
. All buses with 17-digit VIN
Vehicle identification number
A Vehicle Identification Number, commonly abbreviated to VIN, is a unique serial number used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles. VINs were first used in 1954...
s were built in Saint-Eustache.
Production figures by model
Production totals are through August 1980, when serial numbers changed to 17-digit Vehicle Identification NumberVehicle identification number
A Vehicle Identification Number, commonly abbreviated to VIN, is a unique serial number used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles. VINs were first used in 1954...
s.
Transit
|
Suburban
|
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See also
- Flxible New Look busFlxible New Look busThe Flxible New Look bus is a transit bus introduced in 1960 by The Flxible Company, and produced from 1960 until 1978, when the New Look was replaced by the "870" Advanced Design Bus. Over its 17-year production run 13,121 Flxible New Look buses were manufactured.-Design:The Flxible New Look bus...
- its main competitor - Rapid Transit SeriesRapid Transit SeriesThe Rapid Transit Series bus is a long-running series of transit buses originally manufactured by General Motors and is currently produced by Millennium Transit Services as the RTS Legend. Millennium had produced the buses from 2006 until it shut down production in 2009, only to be bought back...
- one of two successor models - Classic (transit bus) - the other successor model
External links
- Information and specifications for GMC buses, Coach Information Network.
- Yahoo GMC New-Look Bus Group
- GM production lists of New Look buses, with serial numbers and original purchasers
- DieselBusParts.com a great resource for bus repair, restoration and free manuals.