Dandy Dave Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 (edited) I have this vintage photo of an electric tour bus. Does anyone recognize the make? See Washington D.C. Phone- Main 1075. Main Office and Starting Point- Howard House 6th & Penn Ave. N.W. I have had this photo for over 40 years. Edited February 27, 2022 by Dandy Dave (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 27, 2022 Author Share Posted February 27, 2022 (edited) Here is link to a photo of the Howard House. There is another early gas powered bus in front of it. https://www.loc.gov/resource/npcc.30001/?fbclid=IwAR3EofCphgt_9EE6XVPGXcsncSnoNl7ky-U2ed6J2_igQFnSIEanLzCfid4 Edited February 27, 2022 by Dandy Dave (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John E. Guitar Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 (edited) https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/93521 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seeing_New_York Edited February 28, 2022 by Andrew46Coupe (see edit history) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John E. Guitar Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 (edited) The New York photo is very detailed but the bus doesn't seem to have any manufacturer's marks. https://www.loc.gov/resource/det.4a11803/ Edited February 28, 2022 by Andrew46Coupe (see edit history) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagefinds Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 There was one that era pretty sure it was WALTER,may have been WALKER. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 (edited) Nice photo Dave, 40 years is a long time, I've been trying to sell this one for only 3 years now. March 5, 1909 President Taft was just elected. Edited February 28, 2022 by 1937hd45 (see edit history) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 28, 2022 Author Share Posted February 28, 2022 Thanks. Never expected the great responds from all of you. Dandy Dave! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 28, 2022 Author Share Posted February 28, 2022 (edited) Thanks for the links folks. With some reading I found that these were made by the Commercial Truck Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They were in business from 1907 until 1928. Patents were owned by the Imperial Electric Motor Company, a German Concern. The American Rights were controlled by Electro-Coach Corporation of New York. Seems it kept the Lawyers busy. Mystery solved. Dandy Dave! Edited February 28, 2022 by Dandy Dave (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 CT for sure , but even General Motors built electric commercial vehicles for a time. I suspect there were quite a number of makers , but not well documented today. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 I had this advertisement card of similar vintage and bus design. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted March 1, 2022 Author Share Posted March 1, 2022 One Commercial Truck Company truck still exists. Hemmings Find of the Day: 1912 Commercial Truck Company Model A 10... | Hemmings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted March 1, 2022 Author Share Posted March 1, 2022 (edited) And Another. Edited March 1, 2022 by Dandy Dave (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagefinds Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 What would top speed be,around 8 mph? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted March 2, 2022 Author Share Posted March 2, 2022 (edited) 21 hours ago, sagefinds said: What would top speed be, around 8 mph? Sounds about right. Not sure you would want to go much faster in the city with a lot of horse traffic. Some of the electric cars in 1907 Claimed the break neck speed of 14 MPH. Edited March 2, 2022 by Dandy Dave (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted March 2, 2022 Author Share Posted March 2, 2022 (edited) On 2/28/2022 at 11:48 AM, 1912Staver said: CT for sure , but even General Motors built electric commercial vehicles for a time. I suspect there were quite a number of makers , but not well documented today. This would make a good study for a book on Electric Trucks, A to Z, built before 1930. Not sure there is anything on the subject of the manufactures and models themselves. Edited March 2, 2022 by Dandy Dave (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ariejan NL Posted March 5, 2022 Share Posted March 5, 2022 These 'rubberneck' buses were probably made by the Electric Vehicle Company in Hartford, Connecticut. They are Columbia sight-seeing buses Mark LIII (or 53). Similar but slightly different buses were built by the General Vehicle Company of Long Island (with 6 benches). The buses built by the Commercial Truck Company were very different having their benches in a flat plane, not ascending. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted March 5, 2022 Author Share Posted March 5, 2022 3 hours ago, Ariejan NL said: These 'rubberneck' buses were probably made by the Electric Vehicle Company in Hartford, Connecticut. They are Columbia sight-seeing buses Mark LIII (or 53). Similar but slightly different buses were built by the General Vehicle Company of Long Island (with 6 benches). The buses built by the Commercial Truck Company were very different having their benches in a flat plane, not ascending. Thanks for the information. Dandy Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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