HERSHEY, PA—The AACA Museum’s Bus Collection Committee has been faced with a difficult situation. The museum’s historic fleet has reached 60 buses, and less than half of them are in inside storage.
Based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, the museum parks buses not currently on exhibit at a nearby facility. The George Sage Annex has limited floor space, so many are parked outdoors. The situation is complicated because the annex is on a floodplain. In 2011, a historic flood seriously damaged several buses.
Even coaches stored outdoors incur insurance, security, and maintenance costs. As a result, museum leadership decided on a plan of “Deaccession” to gradually and rationally reduce the number of buses in our collection to a level that we can afford to preserve properly.
“Deaccession” is a formal, legal process that museums adhere to when curating their collections, with specific protocols.
Many of the buses have personal stories or unique historical significance, and those criteria are being used to prioritize which are chosen for the program. Substantial effort is being made to find a good home for every coach that doesn’t fit current needs.
“Unfortunately, we’re the victims of success… during the past five years, our historic collection rose from roughly 30 coaches to 60. We’re out of safe storage space, and preserving coaches is costly,” according to one member of the Bus Committee.
“In an ideal world, we’d rescue and restore every antique coach. Sadly, we can’t save every puppy in the pound’. Resources are limited, so the Bus Committee decided to reduce the number of buses to a level where they can afford to take care of them.”
Over the years, the museum received criticism from some for not acquiring certain buses and from others for having too many (including one individual who made both criticisms).
The Deaccession auction is an effort to find good homes for the excess coaches, with the resulting revenue used to support preservation efforts on the remaining buses.
The Bus Committee welcomes members’ suggestions and questions. The display at Spring Fling demonstrated that a substantial percentage of the fleet runs (including one bus nearing its 100th birthday).
Sadly, some do not… a few are the remaining victims of the 2011 flood, and others are static displays due to limited resources. All have historic (and often emotional) value, hence the effort to find homes.
A long-term campaign to replace the Annex and find better storage is in the planning stage. In the meantime, rationalizing the fleet and allocating resources wisely best serves the goal of preserving bus history.
Members with suggestions or questions… can contact Jim Michaud at jim@busappraiser.com and ask if one of the buses on the list has meaning to you… please make an offer. Several bids have already been received.
Below is the first group that is being Deaccessioned.
1924 FAGEOL MODEL (FLEET NUMBER 216)
This extremely rare antique bus was run by Peninsular Bus out of CA. It runs and drives well. This is a standard-shift bus with a gas “Hercules” motor. This bus has been restored to its original state at one time. The bus needs a good cleaning, but it is in very good overall condition.
FaceBook LINK:
Active Date: 7/23/24 / Bid Mature Date: 8/20/24
1945 FORD MODEL 59-B (FLEET NUMBER 221)
This bus was run by Peninsular Bus out of CA. Runs and drives well. This is a 3-speed standard-shift bus with a Ford 6-cyl. 239ci gas motor. This bus has been restored to its original state at one time. The bus needs a good cleaning, but it is in very good overall condition.
FaceBook LINK: https://www.facebook.com/share/n2tJyyMBdmmzboPz/
Active Date: 7/23/24 / Bid Mature Date: 8/20/24
1947 GM PDA-3703 “LITTLE SPIKE” (FLEET NUMBER 157)
The one that started it all! “Little Spike” is one of the most photographed antique buses on the planet! It currently does not run and needs significant repairs, both mechanical & cosmetic. It has a 4-71 Detroit Diesel with a 4-speed standard transmission. It was restored several years ago but was involved in a flood and needs a full restoration, including floor work. PLEASE NOTE: Some photos are from before the
flood happened.
Active Date: 7/23/24 / Bid Mature Date: 8/20/24
1948 FITZJOHN MODEL DVR (FLEET NUMBER PIGEON)
Extremely rare bus! This vehicle is currently in the stages of restoration. It has no interior, no windows, a six-cylinder gasoline engine, and a 4-speed standard transmission but does not run or drive.
Active Date: 7/23/24 / Bid Mature Date: 8/20/24
1975 GMC MODEL T6H-4523-A “FISHBOWL” (FLEET NUMBER 711)
It’s a complete unit but needs work. The interior is rough. The exterior and undercarriage have some rust. Not sure if it runs. All original. The engine is a Detroit Diesel 6V-71 with an Allison V-731 automatic transmission.
Active Date: 7/23/24 / Bid Mature Date: 8/20/24
2009 PROTERRA LOW FLOOR (FLEET NUMBER )
This was THE first all-electric bus (prototype) built by Proterra. The body & interior are in decent shape. There are no batteries in this vehicle. **DOES NOT RUN**
Active Date: 7/23/24 / Bid Mature Date: 8/20/24
