About Fun Fleet Bus #5237

Now this bus has an interesting history. While parked at a bus stop next to a building that was being demolished, the operator of a wrecking ball miscalculated his swing and hit #5237 at the rear of the bus, damaging the entire rear section. It was put on the scrap list. 

The superintendent went on vacation and Ted decided to use this bus, along with a Flexible that was wrecked, to be repaired as training buses. He knew the superintendent would be gone for 30 days. So, he took the rear of 5303 #5016 (which was involved in a front-end accident) and placed the rear mask on #5237. This was done before the superintendent got back from vacation.

When he returned from vacation he was surprised and told Ted to send it to the paint shop and be put back in service. It got the updated paint scheme and ran that way until I purchased it. When Ted did the work, though, he invited me out to see the newly-repaired bus. I was amazed. they did a beautiful job...but wait...and only I would notice t his. It has a 5303 type rear mask instead of a 5301. I pointed out to him that SCRTD

5000 series buses had air intakes on the inside. Immediately he said, "You're the only one who would notice that". It wasn't a big problem for operations but, since #5237 had hi seats and the air intake was on the inside, if you were sitting in the back seat you would be subject to suction of the air into the engine.

We all laughed, and the bus went into service for a few more years. another strange thing about this bus is that it had its original directional shift on the steering column the way they came from the factory. Out of over 400 fishbowls, why did this one escape installation of floor directionals?

Of all my buses, these LAMTA buses, #5237, #5246, and #5510 were my favorites.