Buses

"Seeing Washington. No. 2. Starting point, Home Life Bldg., Cor. 15th & G. Sts., N.W., opposite U.S. Treasury."

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo of trains, planes, ships, and buses (people photographed traveling inside one of these modes of transport—preferably shot from the inside) . A souvenir real photo postcard of tourists at the Cliff House restaurant, San Francisco, Calif. They're riding in "Pacific No. 14," one of the Pacific Sightseeing Company's tour buses. Mouse over the image above for a close-up view of the passengers . For similar photos, see the Cliff House Project's Transportation Web page (scroll down to the Tour Buses section).

For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard.

For additional photos and information regarding the Greyhound "trailer coaches" that were used in 1933 and 1934 at the Chicago World's Fair (its offical name was "A Century of Progress International Exposition"), see Lord K's Garage #125: The Greyhounds of Progress , an article posted on Dieselpunks. Handwritten on the back of the photo: One of the Fair Buses 10¢ one way around the grounds. 25¢ round trip with all the stops you desire. This means anytime and anywhere. You can't see much by riding.

"Greyhound Lines. Property Of: Name: Miss Rosie E. Shank. Street: Route 2. City: Williamsport. State: Maryland. This is not a baggage claim check."

A 1971 Bus & Car Co. Golden Eagle 05 bus on display at the Museum of Bus Transportation , Hershey, Pa.

"New Port Authority Bus Terminal, 41st Street & Eighth Avenue, Longacre 4-8484, one block from Times Square." Printed on the back of this postard: "Largest in the world, the $24,000,000 Port Authority Bus Terminal to open December 15, 1950, was built by the Port of New York Authority, the self-supporting joint agency of the states of New Jersey and New York, to relieve street traffic congestion in Manhattan and to provide a comfortable central station for 130,000 bus commuters and many thousand long distance bus travelers who daily enter and leave New York. The Port of New York Authority, 111 Eighth Avenue. N.Y. 11, N.Y." Message and name--both printed rather than handwritten--on back: "I thought you would be interested in receiving the above facts about the Port Authority Bus Terminal. With best wishes, cordially, Howard S. Cullman." See also Steve Shook's image of this postcard on Flickr, which has a linen finish that's missing on my copy: New Port Authority Bus Terminal, 1950 - Linen Postcard .

As you can see from this real photo postcard, I'm afraid that I'm feeling a bit woozy. Can anyone give me a ride home from the pub? Printed on the back: "Rotary 'Grotesque' Series. Printed in Britain."

A waiting photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. This snapshot shows a crowd of people standing along both sides of a wide tree-lined street. Across the street is a bus, and there are various buildings in the distance, but there's nothing that identifies the location. In the foreground, a man is looking down the street to the left, and next to him a woman is glancing back toward the photographer--perhaps she's a friend or family member. Visible on the lamppost near the woman is what I think the photographer was trying to capture--a poster of Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower with the caption, "Welcome, Ike. Buy extra E bonds" (mouse over the image to see an enlargement ). After a couple of Google searches, I located a front-page article in the Daily Republican , Monongahela, Pennsylvania, June 18, 1945, that mentioned the poster: "If Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower has any loose money lying around, he'll know what to do with it after today. On practically every lamppost along his homecoming parade route is a big poster bearing his photograph and the words: 'Welcome Ike. Buy extra E bonds.'" In 1945, General Eisenhower, who was later to become the thirty-fourth U.S. President (1953-1961), returned home to the United States following the end of World War II in Europe, which occurred on May 8 (hostilities didn't end in the Pacific, of course, until later that year). He continued to promote the sale of E bonds , which were U.S. Savings Bonds used to finance the war effort. So it's possible that the people in this photo are waiting to see General Eisenhower in a homecoming parade on June 18, 1945, in Monongahela, or maybe the parade actually took place in nearby Pittsburgh. Or perhaps this photo was taken at another in a series of homecoming parades for General Eisenhower. In any case, it's interesting to catch a glimpse of the people who were there in this little window to the past.

For more information, see the uncropped version of this photo:

A photo of public transportation (at the airport, or bus or train depot) for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. For this real photo postcard, mouse over the image above to see details showing close-ups of Uncle Tom , the Bald Eagle Lookout , and the Greyhound bus . Caption: "Uncle Tom's Cabin, 7 Miles West of State College, Pa., Route 322." Signs on the building: "Bald Eagle Lookout, see 75 miles, free tower." "See Bald Eagle, 1000 ft. below." "Free tower." "Coca Cola." "Uncle Tom's Cabin." "PeRo the ice cream, delicious." Bus: License plate 03219. Destination was Chicago. "Pennsylvania Greyhound Lines." "4188. New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Detroit." "PRR" (keystone logo of the Pennsylvania Railroad). "Pennsylvania Greyhound Transit Co. Pa. P.S.C Certificate 19425." "Pennsylvania Greyhound Transit Company, carriers & operators."

Is that Tom (or whatever the proprietor's name actually is) standing there in the middle? And I wonder if the man at right is placing one of these postcards in the mailbox. In addition to this close-up of Uncle Tom, see below for the entire postcard and details showing the Bald Eagle Lookout tower and the Greyhound bus . Caption: "Uncle Tom's Cabin, 7 Miles West of State College, Pa., Route 322."

The two women on top of the Bald Eagle Lookout tower are posing for the photographer instead of viewing the mountains and valleys that are visible in the other direction. See below for the entire real photo postcard along with details showing close-ups of Uncle Tom and the Greyhound bus . Signs on the building: "Bald Eagle Lookout, see 75 miles, free tower." "See Bald Eagle, 1000 ft. below." "Free tower." "Coca Cola." "Uncle Tom's Cabin." "PeRo the ice cream, delicious."

The bus driver is posing for the photographer while the customer in the background purchases snacks or souvenirs at the counter. See below for the entire card and details showing Uncle Tom and the Bald Eagle Lookout . Bus: License plate 03219. Destination was Chicago. "Pennsylvania Greyhound Lines." "4188. New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Detroit." "PRR" (keystone logo of the Pennsylvania Railroad). "Pennsylvania Greyhound Transit Co. Pa. P.S.C Certificate 19425." "Pennsylvania Greyhound Transit Company, carriers & operators."

Charles Wright MIller (1837-1921) "revolutionized passenger and baggage transportation" in Buffalo, New York, in the nineteenth century, according to Susan J. Eck in her article, Charlie Miller's Livery Business , which she posted on her Western New York History blog. "A traveler could purchase a ticket and in a single transaction arrange to be picked up at home or a hotel, transported to the respective train station, and have baggage processed through to the traveler's final destination," Eck explained. "No other company in the U.S. had observed the need for such coordination of travel arrangements, and it was immediately successful." This pass allowed "M. O. Adams and Family" to travel during the year 1892 using the services of Miller's horse-drawn omnibuses and baggage delivery. The design of the pass reflects the Victorian-era Gaslight Style that used layering to produce a three-dimensional effect. The shadowing under the letters, for instance, gives them a raised appearance, and the superimposition of the curved lines of text -- "C. W. Miller's" over "Omnibus" over "Baggage Express" -- also provides a feeling of depth. A hanging baggage tag behind the text along with a cloud-like background adds to the multi-layered effect. See also the other side of the pass . C. W. Miller's Omnibus and Baggage Express, Buffalo, N.Y. Pass M.O. Adams and Family In Omnibus until Dec. 31st No. 2622. 1892. C. W. Miller. Proprietor Printed on the other side: Not Transferable. Good in Omnibus only between Hotel and Depot and transfer of Baggage in City.

The back of a Victorian-era pass for omnibus travel and baggage delivery. See also the front of the pass . Not Transferable. Good in Omnibus only between Hotel and Depot and transfer of Baggage in City.