UNCATEGORIZED GILLIGS
This section of GilligCoaches.NET features the various Gillig photographs that could not be appropriately catalogued elsewhere on the site. All new images here will be posted at the top of the page
MULTNOMAH COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT - OREGON STATE
The photographs of this Gillig were taken around 1974 and made their way to my e-mail inbox. This was a factory-ordered coach, ordered by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Department, which features no entry door in the usual location. Instead, it has dual side exits at floor level which were used in addition to a catwalk to transport jail inmates without them being at street level. It is presumably either a 318D-series or an early 636D series. It features a large cooling vent in the rear engine bay door, in addition to a siren / P/A speaker at the front of the bus. After receiving these photos more than two months ago, I was able to recently track down their original photographer, whom I contacted. Special thanks go to Harry Gershen for allowing me to use these photos.
UNIDENTIFIED GILLIG IN CALIFORNIA
This Gillig was photographed at a farm in Tracy, California, by longtime GilligCoaches.NET contributor Tom Shafer. Not a whole lot of detail is known about the bus, except that it has been sitting in the weeds for over a decade.
SCHOOL WAYS GILLIG FLEET - CALIFORNIA STATE
These Gilligs were operated by a company called School Ways, a company founded by Dennis and Eva Kay. It began operation presumably in the mid 1970s and was closed in June 1984, according to Wade Derr, who sent in these photos (information about the exact date provided by Todd Pemberton). After the closure, the Kays took a breather from operating buses, and then started another company called Camellia Charter. Dennis was diagnosed with cancer in the mid 1980s, and the Kays sold Camellia Charter. As a result, all of these buses have been retired, and the whereabouts of these buses are unknown. I have placed these here because they were owned by one company, and it was best to fit them in one page rather than splitting them up.
Here's the technical details on all of the School Ways Gillig fleet. Every Gillig was equipped from the factory with chrome-simulated aluminum alloy tire rims, and later the bumpers on them were chrome plated to match.
Bus Number 9 - 1975 855DT-16 equipped with a Fuller Roadranger RT-910 10-speed
Bus Number 10 - 1976 636D-13 equipped with a Fuller Roadranger RT-610 backward-shift 10-speed.
Bus Number 11 - 1977 855DT-16 equipped with emergency exits on both sides and an Allison Automatic transmission.
Bus Number 12 - 1976 636D-13 equipped with an Allison Automatic
Bus Number 21 - 1976 (or 1979) 636D-13 equipped with an Allison Automatic.
Here are the photos of the fleet. I've also included a photo sent in by Wade Derr of a 1932 Gillig pictured at a school bus roadeo.
(UPDATE Posted November 10, 2008)
Information as to where these buses went following their service with School Ways has been recently shared by fellow Gillig and Crown enthusiast Todd Pemberton of California.
#9 - - Sold initially to Ceres Unified School District and renumbered to #22, then to Buckeye Union School District (both in Ceres, CA) with the same number. It is now, at last report, being used as a rafting bus in Coloma, California
#10 - - Sold to Amador County Unified School District, Jackson, CA. Current whereabouts unknown
#11 - - Sold to Kings Canyon Unified School District, Reedly, CA.
#12 - - Sold to Sonora Union High School District (renumbered to #23), Sonora, CA. Later converted to a reverse-shifting Fuller RT610 10-speed transmission
#21 - - Folsom Cordova Unified School District (renumbered to #22), Folsom, CA.
VARIOUS GILLIG PHOTOGRAPHS CONTRIBUTED BY KATRINA FALK NELSON
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These Gilligs were originally posted School Bus Fleet's forum, and a special thanks go to her for letting me use them here.
KLAMATH FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT BUS NO. 39 - OREGON STATE
This bus is known as "The Flamingo Key" by its current owner. Formerly from Klamath Falls School District in Klamath Falls, Oregon, this bus was retired several years ago and purchased by Celia Goin for restoration and conversion over to an RV. The bus features a Detroit Diesel engine and an Allison six-speed automatic transmission. These pictures are provided by Greg Thomas, former webmaster of a website called School Bus Conversions which is no longer on the internet.
DOWNEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BUS NO. 51 - CALIFORNIA STATE
No further information is available about this Gillig, other than the fact that the side window design (split windows) places its manufacture date anywhere between 1980 and 1982. (Photos by Gina Godat, supplied by Trina Falk)
LEMAY MUSEUM GILLIG FLEET - WASHINGTON STATE
These Gilligs, all of unknown origin, are located in Spanaway and are owned by LeMay Transportation Company. The appear to have been sitting here for quite an extended period of time, and it is unknown whether or not if they run. They appear to all be either C-Series or 636D-series Gilligs because the vast majority of the eight or so at this location have the high-intake air scoop in the back of the bus. More information is being acquired about these, and the Gillig Coach Historical Society is looking to purchase some or all of them in the near future. Photos by the late Zach Willhoite, and added on November 21, 2006
MISCELLANEOUS GILLIG SALES BROCHURE IMAGES
Here's several images from various Gillig Sales informational brochures. These are mainly from a 1978 sales brochure and a brochure from a 1948 Gillig. (From brochures provided by Tom Shafer, Trina Falk, and eBay)
MISCELLANEOUS GILLIG IMAGES FROM TOM SHAFER
NEWSPAPER PHOTOGRAPH FROM "THE OLYMPIAN" NEWSPAPER - OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON
This is a 1979-1982-style Gillig bus photographed on a Washington highway with a "Click-it-or-Ticket" sign in the foreground. Was sourced from website of the newspaper a few years ago. Added on November 20, 2006. (I think this photo was taken on Highway 101 near the Evergreen Parkway overpass, near Olympia, Washington)
TAHOE-TRUCKEE SCHOOLS - CALIFORNIA
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These photographs originally appeared in May and December of 2004 over at School Bus Central, a website operated by Richard Solano of New York. The photos were taken on a trip to the west coast in 2003, and the buses are owned by Tahoe Truckee Unified School District in Truckee, California. These photos were added on November 20, 2006.
(UPDATE Posted November 10, 2008) Bus no.'s 36 and 27 were inexcusably destroyed by California's policy regarding state-funded school bus replacement program. Information about the ill-fated demise of these two Gilligs were provided by Richard Solano on a summer visit to California this year, and photographed in their post-demise condition. Also, bus # 34, the one that was for sale, was kept by the district and is, at last report, being restored and kept as a museum piece.
ATTENTION GILLIG SCHOOL BUS FANS: THESE PHOTOS ARE GRAPHIC IN NATURE
In the summer of 2008, Richard Solano returned to the area on vacation and while there, paid a visit to Tahoe Truckee Schools. His visit heralded these photos. I strongly oppose this, and this egregious activity being supported by California is illegal and detrimental to transportation history. A front-end loader was utilized to demolish these buses.
