the encyclopedic entry of Fageol

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Fageol

Fageol Motors was founded in 1916 to manufacture motor trucks, farm tractors and automobiles in Oakland, California.

In 1921 it became the first company to build a bus from the ground up. This new bus was called the "Safety Bus". The goal was to build a bus that wasn't prone to overturning when cornering. It had a wide track, and was lower to the ground to ensure the passengers' safety and ease of entry and exit. Following shortly on the heels of the success of the Safety Bus was the larger 22-seat "Safety Coach". The factory was located in Oakland, California. Unfortunately, the company did not make it through the depression of the early 1930s. It went into receivership and the bank assumed control and re-organized under the name Fageol Truck and Coach. In 1938, Mr. Peterman bought the factory and its contents. Shortly, the first Peterbilt was produced.

The South Australian Railways operated a number of Fageol buses and trucks. In 1932 that system introduced into service the first of four railcars converted from their road buses. These vehicles initially operated on the SAR 3 foot 6 inches gauge Port Lincoln Division, however some were transferred to the South East Division branch line to Kingston prior to its conversion to broad gauge. The last railcar was condemned in 1961.

The Fageol brothers left the company in 1927 to form a bus manufacturing company called the Twin Coach Company. The company was located in Kent, Ohio.