I’ve ridden Trailways buses before, but I never knew the history of the design and manufacture of the coaches. You can read about it in Wikipedia. In summary, over a period of 40 years, the Continental Trailways bus company requisitioned about 8000 Eagle coaches of some 30 different models.
The story of the various Eagle coach manufacturing companies has probably been the topic of many business case-history reviews, and in the hands of a good screenwriter could no doubt be made into a block-buster movie.

No less than six different companies manufactured the coaches, sometimes overlapping.

  • 1956, Kässbohrer, Germany
  • 1959, La Brugeoise, Belgium
  • 1962, Bus & Car, Belgium
  • 1977, Eagle International Inc, Brownsville, Texas
  • 1987, Eagle Bus Manufacturing, Brownsville, Texas
  • 2005, Silver Eagle Bus Manufacturing, Gallatin Tennessee

Model 10S

My brother’s bus is the Model 10S, for Suburban, which is a variation of the popular Model 10. There were 2217 Model 10 coaches made between 1980 until 1987 in the Brownsville, Texas plant. In 1982, a separate factory was opened nearby in Harlingen, Texas to manufacture the Model 10S. These surburban models had only a single rear axle, and a total of only 84 were made.

Fun Facts

  • Engine: Detroit Diesel model 6V-92
  • Transmission: Allison 4-speed automatic transmission.
  • Carrier 7-1/2 ton Air Conditioner
  • Luggage compartment: 330 cubic feet
  • Fuel tank: 154 gallons
  • Turning radius: 45 feet
  • Height: 11 ft 3 in
  • Weight: 28,500 lbs

Bamaland

bus-inside-view Inside view of the bus

This particular bus was an extra coach which had been modified for the country rock group Bamaland. When and if I find more information about them, I’ll post it. All I could find was this music video above, and all social media links for the band have been deleted.

As a result of the customization done for the band, the normal passenger seating has been replaced by luxurious recliners and sofas. Everyone except Greg will be riding in style. His seat has the original 1983 cushion:

bus-driver-seat Driver’s seat might be a tad uncomfortable