AEROCOACH

General American Aerocoach Co.

Chicago, Illinois (1940-1946)

East Chicago, Indiana (1946-1952)

This is a General American Aerocoach emblem (c1947)     aacam
Size: 102mm wide 88mm high     MM: None

General American Transportation Corporation, a builder of railroad cars, bought the bus making business of Gar Wood Industries in 1939 and set up a production line in Hegewisch, Chicago early in 1940.

The first Aerocoaches used the same welded tube framework as the Gar Wood (see Gar Wood) and were essentially a continuation of the Gar Wood Model D coach under the Aerocoach name. New, larger Aerocoaches were also made from 1940 and these continued to be produced until the early 1950's. 

However, despite efforts to introduce new models, changes in the demands of the US intercity bus industry and severe competition from General Motors left the Aerocoach behind and by 1952 it was all over.

Emblems

The first Aerocoach bus emblems in 1939 were a direct follow on from the last Gar Wood Model D coach emblems with the name "Aerocoach" vertically in the center, see examples shown below:

Gar Wood bus showing emblem (1939)   coachbuilt

Aerocoach type EFI bus with emblem (1940)  wheelsage

Close-up showing Aerocoach emblem (1940)

In the mid to late 1940's some Aerocoach models did not show an emblem but displayed an "Aerocoach" script on the front of the coach, see examples below:

This is an Aerocoach script (1945)    aacam 

Aerocoach bus with script (1947)   dpl

This is the chrome metal Aerocoach script. This Aerocoach script is rare.

This is an Aerocoach script (c1945-1950)   ebay
Size: 475mm wide

The following painted Aerocoach emblem is reported as being used in 1946 but I do not know where this emblem was displayed:

Aerocoach emblem (c1946)    ms

The following photo shows an Aerocoach bus with a General American Aerocoach emblem:

Aerocoach bus showing emblem (1947)  coachbuilt

The following Aerocoach logo appeared in Aerocoach advertisements from about 1947 but may have been introduced at an earlier time:

Aerocoach logo (c1947) 

The following simple, painted brass Aerocoach emblem and the slightly different emblem shown above at the top of this post probably date from about 1947 or 1948 but I cannot confirm this and I do not know where they were displayed. These Aerocoach emblems are scarce.

This an Aerocoach emblem (c1947)      mjs
Size: 102mm wide 88mm high       MM: None

The following photo shows an Aerocoach demo model from 1948 with a new and distinctive "GA" emblem:

Aerocoach demo model with new emblem (1948)  dpl

This General American Aerocoach emblem was further developed and appeared on Aerocoach models from 1949, see examples shown below:

Aerocoach with "GA" emblem (1949)  coachbuilt

Aerocoach intercity model 372 (1950)   coachbuilt

This the red painted metal General American Aerocoach emblem. This Aerocoach radiator emblem is rare.

This is a General American Aerocoach emblem (c1949-1952)     ms
Size: Unknown     MM: Unknown

The following Aerocoach nameplate was also used around 1949 and was most likely displayed inside the bus but I cannot confirm this:

This is an Aerocoach emblem (c1949)   ms

If you have better details or can confirm the dates of use of any Aerocoach emblems, please let me know, in order to update this post.