SunnySide ('SS'- China) 1/50 Scale Bus '1869 Commercials International Group' Destination: 'Western Castle' Chassis No SS 9853 (cream-brown)

SunnySide made three different styles of bus that I'm aware of. First is this style which appears to be modeled after a GMC type bus. Then there is the iconic bright yellow school bus made in real life by the Blue Bird Corp., and thirdly a European style bus. I don't yet have a school bus or Euro-bus but they're definitely on the list.

These 'GMC' busses (that's what I'll refer to them as until I get better info) have a couple of features that just leave me scratching my head.

-The side panels are emblazoned with: '1869 Commercials International Group' Who's that? I know SunnySide is good for their quirky names but just what the hell is this s'posed to mean anyway??? I was thinking it may be the name of the holding company or the parent company SunnySide is owned by, but a search of the web only came up with 'Commercial Group International' with nothing else but the name - no company data.

-Destination Board: 'Western Castle' Where is that? Here in the States? Couldn't they have just pointed to a place on the U.S.A. map and have that be the destination?

-The exit door opens on the wrong side of the bus! The entry door is fine, it's on what would be the curb side of the bus. However, the exit door opens onto traffic on the driver's side!!!!  DAMN! That means passengers have to disembark into the flow of traffic!! This is just too big a flaw or discrepancy to overlook. I've never been to China, but if if this is how their real busses are designed they must have a high passenger mortality rate! 

The busses themselves are about 1/50 scale, smaller than the majority of the 'SS' vehicles that I've covered here on the blog so far, but still considered a good 'nuff for 3-rail O-gauge train layouts. Both doors open via levers underneath the chassis. After having owned several of these busses (I sold off a couple many years ago), I can say the doors are very finnicky: sometimes they work okay, other times, not so much. Enjoy! Opa Fritz

Notice the exit door which opens onto oncoming traffic!

'Western Castle' - What state is that in?

There is a lever protruding from the lower left chassis for the entry door.

Another lever is located at the top, just to the right of center, for the exit door.