Several years ago LHRy pledged to fund the restoration of a Trackless Transit Company model TDH-3207 bus built in 1948 fo TT by GM Truck and Coach. Trackless Transit was an independent NJ operator established in 1922. The company included five rights on IBOA local routes (Independent, former jitney operators, routes 22,25,31,144). The TT scope of service was Belleville, Bloomfield, Orange, Linden. (Routes 98, 96, 94 in that order) with a small garage at 907 South Orange Avenue, near Grove St., Irvington for the transit routes and the charter coaches (Reliable Coach) were garaged at 274 First St. Hackensack.
TT had a dispute with NJ Transit over subsidy arrangements and abruptly ended all service. NJT then picked up the service. Ed Napiwocki, who rode TT buses from childhood to high school, and developed a fondness for the operation, acquired No. 60 in 1978, from Sandy Weiss, the last owner of TT. In 2003 Ed donated No. 60 to the Friends of the NJ Transportation Heritage Center collection.
TT No. 60 is one of the most historic buses in the NJ collection. It is the only first generation "squary window" bus and the last year of that design; it has the only Detroit Diesel 4-71 engine; the only bus equipped with a Spicer transmission; and the only example of a 28' old or new look bus in the collection. When LHRy agreed to provide funding, No. 60 was moved to Luke Bonagura's company, US Coach and Equipment in Vineland, NJ.
Luke of USC&E began the mechanical restoration, first focusing on the long-out-of-production vintage/rare Spicer two-speed transmission which needed a new complex carbon gasket to operate. After more than a year of searching old primary suppliers and secondary transmission shops Luke finally located a shop which had the necessary gasket as well as a spare Spicer transmission of the proper model. In mid-December 2020, Bonagura reported that the rebuild of the Spicer transmission had been a success and that he had No. 60 up on jacks and that it properly shifted from 1st to 2nd. Next, USC&E will rebuild the DD 4-71 engine and then work on the brake system. When all the mechanical work is completed, No. 60 will go to East Coast Bus Repair for body work and repainting into original as-delivered TT colors.
Note: the Spicer Company has NJ roots and is now known as Dana/Spicer.