Eagle Bus

Eagle
1971 Bus & Car Continental Trailways Golden Eagle 42303 (Frame Number 8410) on display at the Hershey Antique Automobile Museum
Overview
Manufacturer	Kässbohrer La Brugeoise Bus & Car Eagle International Inc Eagle Bus Manufacturing Silver Eagle Bus Manufacturing
Production	1955-96
Body and chassis
Doors	1
Floor type	Step entrance
Powertrain
Engine	MAN D1566 Cummins NRTO Detroit Diesel 8V-71 Detroit Diesel 6V-92 Ford Gas Turbine
Capacity	Normally 46 seats plus a lavatory in a 40 foot coach
Power output	Diesel: 250-318 SAE HP; Gas Turbine: 450 or 600 SAE HP
Transmission	ZF Spicer 4 speed manual Allison
Dimensions
Length	35, 37, 40 and 45 feet
Width	96, 98.5, 102 inches
Height	11 feet
Curb weight	+/-28000 pounds for a 40 foot, 96 inch coach
Chronology
Predecessor	Flxible Vista-Liner 100

The Eagle was a make of motor coach with a long and interesting history. During a period of over four decades, some 8,000 Eagle coaches were built in four countries on two continents. The coaches were a common sight on American highways and were strongly associated with Continental Trailways for over three decades.

In 1954, Greyhound introduced the 40 foot long, two level General Motors PD 4501 Scenicruiser. This sent its main rival, Continental Trailways, on a hunt for a unique design of its own. It first contacted Flxible of Loudonville, Ohio. Flxible agreed to produce Continental's dream coach on condition that Continental paid all design and tooling costs up front. As Continental had bought the Santa Fe Trail Transportation Company (the large bus operations of the Santa Fe Railway) in 1948 and transcontinental carrier American Buslines in 1953, they were not flush with cash at the time and started looking elsewhere. Mack, Beck and Fitzjohn either couldn't or wouldn't build this new bus (Beck and Fitzjohn were out of business by 1958 and Mack left the bus and coach business in 1960) unless the upfront costs were paid in advance.

That sent Maurice E. Moore, Continental's CEO, to Europe looking for a supplier. Eventually he made an agreement with the German manufacturer Kässbohrer for the production of a prototype, which was completed in 1956 and shipped to Houston. In the meantime Moore ordered 113 Vista-Liner 100 coaches from Flxible for delivery in 1955 and 1956. The Vista-Liner (commonly called the VL100) was an advanced two level design but it was only 35 feet long with eight fewer seats than the Scenicruiser. The difference in height between decks was about of half that of the Scenicruiser so it had much less space underneath for baggage and package express shipments. The VL100 had some design input from Continental. It was also noticeably underpowered (it had a 175 HP Cummins JT-600 diesel engine) which caused certain timetables to be adjusted on longer journeys. On the other hand, the VL100 had BF Goodrich Torsilastic suspension (independent on the front wheels) for an excellent ride and a very fresh exterior design. The suspension and certain visual design aspects of the VL100 were integrated into the design of the future Eagle coaches that Kässbohrer built as Setras.