EIGHTY YEARS AGO THE FIRST INTEGRAL BUS RAN
In fact it was 81 years ago that Frank H. Fageol, then one of the owners of the Fageol Motor Co, and among others builder of the Fageol Safety Coach, developed the Twin Coach fully integral coach, seating 38 passenger. Some first vehicles were produced in 1927, but full-scale production started in 1928, when the Twin Coach Model 40 came on the bus market.
His creator foresaw the need for a large capacity transit bus that could compete with the streetcar, which led to the development of the Twin Coach Company as the first manufacturer of integral forward control buses. Engines capable of powering such a large vehicle were too heavy causing it to exceed allowed weight limits. This problem was solved by using two small engines in place of one larger unit - hence the name Twin Coach. The bus had to be as light as possible, therefore the body and chassis were built as a girder-like unit, with two main beams from front to rear serving as stiffening members, a concept still in use today. Body and roof panels were made of Plymetl, a metal-faced plywood material which reduced weight while adding impact resistance not obtained with thin steel or aluminium. Since the bus had two engines, it required two transmissions and drive shafts, each of which drove its own axle worm. The transmissions were linked so they shifted simultaneously; during a change of direction one engine was under power while the other idled. The axle for the Twin Coach was specially developed by Timken, engines were acquired from the Hercules Engine Co. This innovative new bus was very successful with a total of 1172 being built before production ceased in 1934.
In Europe the integral forward-control concept was integrated into the Büssing HAWA Trambus, which was launched in 1929.
