these were modified municipal/school buses on a modified logging cable system. Built on Mt. Hood (east of Portland) in Oregon, it was the world's longest and largest tram at the time - running from Government Camp to Timberline Lodge (old WPA project). It took ten minutes to run the 3 miles, lifting 2,100 feet in elevation.
Known as Skiway Cloudliners, each coach (there were two) was assembled from a pair of Kenworth Model T-216 Pacific School Coaches. Two front halves were mated together for dual-control, since they couldn't be turned around. Each had an under-floor engine powering the rear wheels, which had the cable wrapped around them, and around the front wheels which acted as idlers - creating a self-propelled tram. They were 35 feet long and could seat 36 passengers. They had six extra inches of headroom (to accommodate skis), had reversible seats, and cost $40,000 each.
The system went into operation on February 3, 1951, and shutdown about 3 years later due to competition - the road to the lodge was improved in 1952 and the ground-bound shuttle bus to it cost 50 cents compared to the 75 cent fare for the Cloudliners. The whole system was removed in 1961.
Pre-opening news article:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1028&dat=19510112&id=aswkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7Q4GAAAAIBAJ&pg=425,854535
The newsreel below is from 1956, but was probably filmed earlier:
found on fifties50s.blogspot.fr
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