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Wikipedia

Kenworth

Kenworth Truck Company is an American truck manufacturer. Founded in 1923 as the successor to Gersix Motor Company, Kenworth specializes in production of heavy-duty (Class 8) and medium-duty (Class 5–7) commercial vehicles. Headquartered in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland, Washington, Kenworth has been a wholly owned subsidiary of PACCAR since 1945,[2] operating alongside sister company (and marketplace rival) Peterbilt Motors.

Kenworth Truck Company
Kenworth "KW" emblem and name badge
A Kenworth W900 – a family of models lettered W after founder, Edgar Worthington, whose name is the "worth" in Kenworth[1]
Company typeDivision
IndustryManufacturing
PredecessorGersix Motor Company
Founded1923; 101 years ago (1923) in Seattle, Washington, U.S.
FoundersHarry Kent
Edgar K. Worthington
HeadquartersKirkland, Washington, U.S.
ProductsSee listing
ParentPACCAR
Websitewww.kenworth.com
An Australian Kenworth unloading cattle
A 1985 Kenworth K 124CR

Kenworth marked several firsts in truck production; the company introduced a raised-roof sleeper cab, and the first heavy-duty truck with an aerodynamically optimized body design.[3] The Kenworth W900 has been produced continuously since 1961, serving as one of the longest production runs of any truck in automotive history. The K100 was also released in 1961.

History edit

1912-1923: Gerlinger Motors edit

Kenworth traces its roots to the 1912 founding of Gerlinger Motors in Portland, Oregon; the company was a car and truck dealership owned by brothers George T. Gerlinger and Louis Gerlinger, Jr.[4] In 1914, the brothers expanded into vehicle manufacturing, marketing a truck named the Gersix.[4] Deriving its name from its inline six-cylinder engine (one of the first trucks equipped with the type[4]), the Gersix was framed in structural steel, intended for commercial use.[5]

While the first vehicle was completed largely as a side project, the heavy-duty construction of the Gersix found itself in demand by loggers in the Northwest.[4][5] In 1916, Gerlinger Motors relocated from Portland to Tacoma, Washington, leasing a building from Seattle businessman Edgar K. Worthington.[4]

In 1917, Gerlinger Motors filed for bankruptcy and was put up for sale, with E.K. Worthington acquiring the company with business partner Captain Frederick Kent.[5][6] To emphasize its connection to truck manufacturing, the company was renamed Gersix Motor Company.[5] In 1919, Captain Kent retired, with his son Harry Kent replacing him as partner in the company.[5]

In 1922, Gersix produced 53 trucks in its final year located at its factory on Fairview Avenue at Valley Street.[6] Following continued strong demand of the model line, the company found itself with $60,000 to reincorporate and relocate its headquarters.[5]

1923-1930s: Kenworth Motor Truck Company edit

In January 1923, Gersix Motor Company was reincorporated as the Kenworth Motor Truck Company, combining the names of partners Kent and Worthington.[6] Under the new name, the company relocated within Seattle to 506 Mercer Street, and later to 1263 Mercer Street.[6] In contrast to car manufacturers, Kenworth abstained from assembly lines, instead constructing vehicles in individual bays.[6] The company also introduced a practice of building vehicles to customer specification (a practice still offered by Kenworth today).[5]

In 1926, Kenworth expanded its product line, introducing its first bus. In 1927, production was increased from two vehicles a week to three; the same year, manufacturing began in Canada (to avoid import taxes).[5]

In 1929, E.K. Worthington retired, with Harry Kent becoming company president. In another change, to accommodate increased demand, Kenworth relocated to a larger factory within Seattle.[7]

The onset of the Great Depression hit the company hard; initially in good financial health, a substantial decline in new vehicles and a high rate of vehicle loan defaults forced the company to adapt.[5] In 1932, Kenworth produced its first fire truck; adapted from its commercial truck, Kenworth fire engines were among the heaviest-duty fire apparatus of the time.[5]

In 1933, diesel engines became standard equipment, replacing gasoline engines entirely;[7] at the time, diesel fuel cost 13 the price of gasoline.[5] In another design innovation, Kenworth introduced the first factory-produced sleeper cab.[5][7]

In 1935, the Motor Carrier Act was passed, introducing new size and weight regulations for the trucking industry in the United States;[5] to comply with the legislation, Kenworth underwent an extensive redesign of its truck line. To match weight regulations, the new trucks received aluminum cabs and axle hubs; four-spring suspension was introduced, with torsion bars for the rear axles.[5] In 1936, Kenworth introduced the Model 516, its first cabover (COE) truck; the tandem-axle 346 was introduced for 1937.[8][9] In 1937, Harry Kent died, with Philip Johnson becoming company president.[8]

1940s: War production and company sale edit

In 1939, Kenworth introduced its 500-series trucks, which would form the basis of its commercial truck line into the mid-1950s.[10] By the end of the 1930s, demand for trucks began to recover, with Kenworth producing 226 trucks in 1940.[8]

Following the onset of World War II, Kenworth converted to war production, supplying the Army with 4-ton 6x6 M-1 recovery vehicles.[8] In 1943, the company became a supplier for Boeing, manufacturing components for the B–17 and B– 29 bombers.[6][8] To maintain its government contracts, Kenworth commenced production of the M-1 wrecker at a temporary facility in Yakima, Washington.[8] In total, the company would supply the Army with 1,930 wreckers by the end of World War II; to accommodate the extensive increase in production, Kenworth introduced an assembly line to produce the vehicle.[8]

In 1944, company president Phil Johnson died, leaving ownership split between his wife, and the surviving wife of Harry Kent and another company director.[8] Uninterested in owning the company, all three initially planned to offer their ownership to company employees, but financing for the offer was never completed. In 1945, ownership of the company changed as Pacific Car and Foundry Company negotiated its purchase of Kenworth as a wholly owned subsidiary.[8] By the end of 1946, Kenworth relocated again, following the purchase of a former Fisher Body factory by Pacific Car and Foundry;[6] this would house all Kenworth manufacturing under a single roof.[11]

In 1948, Kenworth redesigned the cab of its COE product line, later nicknamed the "Bull-nose" 500-series.[12]

1950s: Market expansion edit

By 1950, Kenworth had grown outside the Pacific Northwest, marketing vehicles across the western half of the United States and across nearly 30 countries worldwide.[11] In 1951, the company received an order for 1,700 Model 853s from ARAMCO in the Middle East.[11][13] The Model 801 was introduced as an earth-moving dump truck, adopting one of the first cab-beside-engine configurations.[11][14]

In 1955, Kenworth began the redesign of its COE product line, launching the CSE (Cab-Surrounding-Engine); in line with the Bull-nose, the CSE shared its underpinnings with the 500-series trucks and did not have a tilting cab.[15]

In 1956, Pacific Car and Foundry revised its ownership of Kenworth, changing it from an independent subsidiary to a division.[11] The same year, the 900-series was introduced with an all-new "drop-frame" chassis,[11] with the CSE cabover replaced by the K-series COE (derived from the 900 series).[16] In 1957, Kenworth ended bus production, selling the rights to its product line (see below).

In 1958, Kenworth became a sister company to Peterbilt, as the latter company was acquired by Pacific Car and Foundry. In 1959, the company further expanded its sales base, establishing facilities in Mexico.[11]

1960s: W900 and K100 edit

For 1961 production, Kenworth underwent a substantial revision of its commercial truck line, debuting the W900 and the K900 (later renamed the K100); the W and K model prefixes are derived from company founders Worthington and Kent.[7][11] The W900 debuted the first complete redesign of the Kenworth conventional cab since 1939 with a standard tilting hood.[11] Similar in appearance to the previous K500, the K900/K100 received a taller cab and the doors of the W900.[16]

To meet increased demand for the new product lines, Kenworth opened a new assembly facility in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1964.[11] From 1964 to 1966, Kenworth nearly doubled its yearly truck sales.[17] In 1968, the company established Kenworth Australia; in place of importation and conversion, right-hand drive trucks were produced and developed in Melbourne, Australia.[17] In 1969 Kenworth hired Gary Ridgway, who worked in their paint department for the next 32 years, during which time he murdered 48 women as the "Green River Killer"[18]

1970s: Product line diversification edit

During the 1970s, the company underwent further expansion, adding an all-new facility in Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1974. The W900 and K100 underwent their most substantial revisions, becoming the W900A and K100C.[17] Kenworth added two new product lines in 1972, adding the C500 6x6 severe-service conventional and the Hustler low-cab COE (developed jointly with Peterbilt and produced in Canada[19][20]). The same year, parent company Pacific Car and Foundry adopted its current name PACCAR.

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the company, annual Kenworth sales exceeded 10,000 for the first time for 1973.[7][17]

For 1976, Kenworth launched a flagship customization series, the VIT (Very Important Trucker) with a high level of interior features; distinguished by its skylight windows, the Aerodyne sleeper cab was the first factory-produced sleeper cab with stand-up headroom (for both the W900 and K100).[7] To commemorate the American Bicentennial, the VIT series was introduced in a limited-edition series of 50 (with each truck named after a state).[17]

1980s-1990s edit

In 1982 and 1984, respectively, the W900 and K100 underwent their most substantial revisions, becoming the W900B and K100E. While visually distinguished by the adoption of rectangular headlamps, the updates were centered around upgrading fuel economy, road handling, and reliability.[17]

In 1985, the Kenworth T600 was released by the company; in contrast to the W900, the T600 was designed with a set-back front axle and a sloped hoodline. While the latter initially proved controversial, the combination improved aerodynamics, fuel efficiency, and maneuverability.[17] Intended as an expansion of the Kenworth model line, the success of the T600 would lead to the introductions of similar designs from multiple American truck manufacturers. In 1986, the T800 was introduced, adapting the sloped hoodline and set-back front axle for a heavy-duty chassis; the shorter-hood T400 was introduced in 1988 as a regional-haul tractor.[17]

In 1987, Kenworth introduced the Mid-Ranger COE, its first medium-duty truck. Shared with Peterbilt, the Brazilian-produced Mid-Ranger was derived from the MAN G90 (a wide-body version of the Volkswagen LT[21]). In 1992, the Mid-Ranger became the K300, as PACCAR shifted production to Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec.[17]

In 1993, Kenworth opened its facility in Renton, Washington, as its third United States assembly plant.[17]

In 1994, the T300 was introduced as the first Kenworth medium-duty conventional truck, adapting the T600 to a lower-GVWR Class 7 weight rating.[17] The Aerocab sleeper was introduced, integrating the Aerodyne II sleeper cab and the drivers' cab as a single unit.[17]

In 1996, Kenworth introduced the T2000 as its next-generation aerodynamic conventional.[7] While not directly replacing the T600 and W900, the T2000 was a completely new design (the first from Kenworth since 1961).[17] The first "wide-body" Kenworth conventional, the model shared its cab with Peterbilt, distinguished by its bumper-mounted headlamps. The T2000 was discontinued in 2010.

In 1998, parent company PACCAR purchased British truck manufacturer Leyland Trucks, two years after Dutch manufacturer DAF Trucks (the two had been merged as Leyland DAF from 1987 to 1993). Within PACCAR, DAF would develop COE trucks for Kenworth and Peterbilt.

2000s-present: 21st-century trucks edit

In 2000, Kenworth redesigned its medium-duty COE range, with the K300 replacing the MAN-sourced design with a DAF 45 (Leyland Roadrunner) cab. Following declining demand for Class 8 cabovers, the K100E was quietly phased out after 2002 production in North America; Kenworth Australia continuing production of the model line.

In 2006, the company released the K500, the largest COE ever produced by the company. Developed primarily for off-highway applications, the K500 combined the chassis of the heavy-duty C500 and the COE cab of the DAF XF; all examples produced from 2006 to 2020 were sold for export.[22]

In 2008, Kenworth underwent a modernization of its model line. The T600 underwent a substantial revision to its aerodynamics, becoming the T660. The medium-duty T300 was replaced by the Class 5-7 T170/T270/T370 model family. The low-cab COE made its return, based on the DAF LF. Initially marketed as the K260/K360, the model line was renamed the K270/K370 for 2013. The T660 would be discontinued in 2017.

For 2011 production, the T700 replaced the T2000, adopting a larger grille and fender-mounted headlamps.[7] For 2013 production, the T680 was introduced as the third-generation aerodynamic Kenworth conventional,[7] serving as a single replacement for the narrow-body T660 and the wide-body T700. The T700 was discontinued in 2014 while the T660 was discontinued in 2017 (32 years after the introduction of the T600). Sharing the same cab as the T680, the T880 was introduced as the first wide-body Kenworth for vocational applications,[7] alongside the W900S and the T800 model family.

In 2018, the W990 was introduced as the flagship conventional of the Kenworth model line.[23] Sharing the wide-body cab of the T680 and T880, the W990 is the longest-hood conventional ever produced by Kenworth. As of current production, the W900 remains part of the Kenworth model line (six decades after its introduction).

For 2021 production, Kenworth introduced three model lines of electric vehicles, with the K270E, K370E, and T680E powered by battery-electric powertrains.[24][25] In 2021, Kenworth launched the T680 FCEV with a 10 vehicle demonstration fleet in California.[26] The T680 FCEV is powered with a Toyota hydrogen fuel cell, has six hydrogen tanks and a driving range over 300 miles (480 km) at a full load weight of 80,000 pounds (36,000 kg).[27]

In 2022, Kenworth announced a new T680. The T680 Next-Gen was redesigned with the future in mind. The new Next-Gen model has a skinnier, but taller grill than the original T680. It has a completely all-new front bumper. Like the 579 Next-Gen (See Peterbilt), it has an all-new interior and steering wheel.

Current models edit

Current products edit

United States/Canada edit

 
Kenworth T600
 
Kenworth T600

As of current production, Kenworth offers the following vehicles in North America.

  • C500 (1972–present)
  • K270/K370 (2013–present)
  • T170/T270/T370 (2008–present)
  • T440 (2011–present)
  • T470 (2010–present)
  • T680 (2013–present)
  • T800 (1986–present)
  • T880 (2014–present)
  • W900 (1961–present)
  • W990 (2018–present)

Australia edit

 
Kenworth T650, used as a heavy vehicle tow truck

The headquarters for Kenworth Australia is located in Bayswater, Victoria where all Australian models are assembled. The first Kenworth model in Australia was the KWS925, imported fully built in 1962. Soon later, Kenworths were imported in complete knock-down kits and assembled in Preston, Victoria.[28] Australian built Kenworth models are also exported to nearby RHD markets in New Zealand, Japan, Thailand and Papua New Guinea.

The T range includes the bonneted conventional models and the C for heavy haulage, mining, off-road and road train use, and the K range covers the cab over models. As of July 2020 the only models that do not have Twin-Steer configurations are T410 SAR, T610 SAR, T900, C510, C540.

Kenworth Australia started building the new range of trucks tying in their 2008 release with the model range being the '08 Series'. This includes the following conventional (bonneted) models; in approximate order of smallest to largest: the T358/A, T408SAR, T408, T608, T658, T908 and C508. The only cab over truck built was the K108, which was very popular in the B-Double market segment owing to its shorter length.[citation needed]

Legend Series edit

The Kenworth "Legend" Series is a limited production truck based on a previous models styling with modern improvements such as safety and environmental. Originally commencing in 2015 with the Kenworth T950 Legend, inspired by the Kenworth T950 that was in production from 1992 - 2007. This model of Kenworth Legend had 75 produced and sold out in 48 hours. The T950 Legend also came with a special edition Cummins ISXe5 engine which was painted in Cummins Heritage Beige.

2017 Saw the second truck in the Kenworth Legend Series released, that being the Kenworth T900 Legend inspired by the 1991 Kenworth T900. There were 257 Kenworth T900 Legends produced, The T900 Legend came with a special edition Cummins X15 painted in black and red to commemorate the Cummins N14 that many of the original T900 came with.

In 2021 the third truck in the Kenworth Legend Series was released this being the SAR Legend, a homage to the W900 SAR that was produced from 1975 until 1987. The SAR Legend has sales orders of over 700, a final number currently has not been released. The special edition Cummins X15 in the Kenworth SAR Legend is painted in Cummins Heritage Beige, similar to the Cummins Big Cam which were in many of the original Kenworth SARs.

Previous Australian Kenworth models include:

T300 Series - T300, T350, T358, T359, T388

T400 Series - T400, T401, T401 ST, T402, T403, T404/SAR, T408/SAR, T409/SAR (T450, T480)

T600 Series - T600, T601, T604, T608, T609

T650 Series - T650, T658

T900 Series - T900 Classic, T904, T908, T900 Legend

T950 Series - T950, T950 Tradition, T950 Legend

K Series - K100, K123, K124, K125, K100E, K100G, K104, K104B, K108, K200

Current Australian Kenworth models include:

T Series - T360, T410, T410 SAR, T610, T610 SAR, T659, T909

C Series - C509, C510, C540

K Series - K220

Mexico edit

 
Kenworth Truck (Mexico)

In the early 2000s Kenworth introduced to Mexico the T604, based on the Australian T604 with a few modifications, mostly in the hood.[citation needed]

Operations edit

Kenworth currently has manufacturing plants in Chillicothe, Ohio; Renton, Washington, US; Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec, Canada; Bayswater, Victoria, Australia (Kenworth Australia); and Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.

Bus production edit

Bus production was a mainstay at Kenworth during the early years of company history; at one time, buses were its most lucrative form of business. When the company was still known as Gerlinger Motor Car Works, their first two full-chassis vehicles were school buses based on the Gersix truck chassis.

1920s edit

BU series edit

In 1926, Kenworth developed a chassis specifically for school and transit bus operators, known as the BU. The BU model sported a wheelbase of 212 inches (5,400 mm) that was expanded two more inches in 1927, and could be fitted with bodies ranging from 21 to 29 passengers. The BU model also heralded the return of the Buda six-cylinder engine, and remained the company's principal offering through 1931. The new model became so popular in the Pacific Northwest that production rose from 99 units in 1927 and 127 units in 1927, to 230 units by 1930.

By that time, the predominant number of BU models produced were sent to school bus body builders and were built for use in school districts throughout the Seattle and Puget Sound area of Washington state.[citation needed]

1930s edit

KHC series edit

Kenworth continued expanding into bus production throughout the 1930s, despite the Great Depression being a major influence. To assist Kenworth's 80 factory workers - who were idled by the Depression, the company undertook a bold move by introducing a new line of buses in August 1932. Known as the KHC-22 (Kenworth - Heiser - City), the 23-passenger bus was developed by Kenworth engineers as a stock demo vehicle to help aid a glum sales picture, and to jumpstart the local economy. At a time of mild economic recovery, the KHC22 proved to be very popular and sparked a renewed interest in Kenworth buses. Major operators of the KHC-22 (later expanded to a 225-inch (5,700 mm) wheelbase, 33-passenger KHC-33, in September 1933) were the Portland Railway, Light & Power Company of Portland, Oregon, and Spokane United Railways.[citation needed]

Production of Kenworth buses continued throughout the 1930s and into the early 1940s, and during this time Kenworth was manufacturing bus chassis for body builders such as Wentworth and Irwin (later renamed Wentwin), and Heiser. Heiser, long an often chosen body for school buses bearing Kenworth chassis, would later be purchased by Pacific Car and Foundry Company in 1937.[citation needed]

Model 870 and 871 edit

In 1933, Kenworth also released its most popular and successful line of transit bus, a conventional styled bus based on their Model 86 heavy duty truck. Powered by a Hercules JXCM engine, the model 870 as it was known, would soon be replaced by a model 871, which became Kenworth's standard line of buses throughout the early and mid-1930s. Experiments with "deck-and-a-half" buses would soon follow, made reality in the W-1 model, as well as the company's very first experiments with rear-engine coach-type buses in 1936.[citation needed]

Transit buses edit

Kenworth changed its production line early in 1939, reflecting a desire to remain "in tune" with market forces. The conventional bus chassis, which had become poor sellers, were dropped altogether, and Kenworth focused its designs on more transit or "coach-type" buses with engines being located either underfloor or at the back of the bus.

By this time, Kenworth was a major force in transit bus production, and nearly every major transit company in the Pacific Northwest were running Kenworth buses. Seattle Municipal Railway purchased several new model 601s to replace the previous model H30s, which were powered by a Hall-Scott 135 engine underfloor and had bodies built by the Pacific Car and Foundry Company. Kenworth also built a model 612, which became the company's most widely distributed underfloor coach. 27 were built with 14 wheelbase variations (and seven engine variations), and all 27 were sold by as many as 15 different operators.[citation needed]

1940s edit

At the beginning of the decade, bus customers began to decline in number, but the company received larger orders as several regional operators consolidated into larger, territorial ones. Bremerton Transit purchased several buses in 1940 to accommodate the increase in ridership due to the preparations for the war itself; the same year, the Seattle Municipal Railway purchased 30 buses in a single order, assisting Kenworth in breaking a production record.[citation needed] Producing about 40 buses yearly, Kenworth became a low-volume bus manufacturer, accommodating special-order coaches. Gray Line affiliates Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver purchased several of these special coach orders known as Grayliner or Grayliner Junior buses; the bodies for these buses were all built by Pacific Car and Foundry.

At the onset of World War II, war production took precedence over bus manufacturing as Kenworth supplied recovery vehicles for the U.S. Army. Along with military variations of their commercial truck line, Kenworth buses remained in production for use as troop transports.[citation needed] In 1945, Kenworth was sold to Pacific Car and Foundry; both companies believed bus production would play a pivotal role in jumpstarting a postwar economy. Kenworth also saw the opportunity in hiring former military truck and aircraft workers as part of launching its post-war product line.[citation needed] For 1946, Kenworth launched four new model lines of buses, deriving their model designations from the first four letters of the company name. The Model K was a line of small intercity/interurban buses; the Model E, a trolley coach; the Model N, a city transit bus; the Model W, an intercity bus.

Subsequently, Kenworth added the Model O one-door transit bus and Model T prototype school bus.[29] Ultimately, the company built trolley buses for just one city – a single order of 50 of model E2 built in 1947–48 for the Portland Traction Company, in Portland, Oregon.[30][31]

Model K, N, W edit

Outwardly similar in appearance, the Model K intercity/interurban and Model W intercity bus differed in function, size, and layout. The Model K was shorter, with a capacity of 25-33 passengers; the longer Model W seated 31-41 passengers. The Model K was equipped with a rear-mounted International Red Diamond RD450 while the Model W used a horizontally-mounted underfloor Hall-Scott 190 engine. The Model N, in its original configuration, was a 36-44 passenger bus; after the design found no takers, the vehicle was downsized in 1947 to a 32-36 passenger bus.

After 1947, Kenworth revised its model designations, assigning numerals to its model lines to signify evolutionary variants of each design.

Kenworth "Brucks" edit

As production orders for the interurban model Ks and model Ws waned, Kenworth focused its attention on special orders including an order of 10 "Brucks"[32] for Great Northern Railway in Montana, (an earlier version was built for Northern Pacific Transport, but was a split-level coach) and several Highway Post Office coaches.

These "special order coaches" were based on the Model T school bus, which entered production in early 1949. The company also test-marketed a small 20-passenger bus known as the Carcoach (only one example was built).[citation needed]

1950s edit

 
1955 Kenworth T-126 "Pacific School Coach"

Model T and CT edit

The Model T school bus, which entered production after the last bus was built for Great Northern in April 1949, was an immediate hit with many school bus operators in the Pacific Northwest. The T-126 as it was known, boasted a unique four-pane windshield that offered unheralded forward visibility in any school bus at the time, and was the first school bus ever built to feature a roof escape hatch[33] (now required equipment). Production of the T-126 averaged over 375 buses per year, making it Kenworth's most lucrative bus offering in the company's history up to that time.

Shortly after its launch, Kenworth renamed the line the model CT. The model CT also came in several varying passenger capacities ranging from 55, 61, 67, 73, and 79 passengers. The model CT "Pacific School Coach" was powered by an International Red Diamond 450 inline six-cylinder gas engine placed at the rear of the bus, and a LeRoi H540 engine was made available for an LR-73 model that was produced in August 1950. Some orders for modified model CTs were made available and sold internationally, with variants being sold to Uruguay and Venezuela, as well as the Middle East.[citation needed]

End of production edit

After the boom of school bus production, and to focus more on truck production due to a rising number of heavy duty truck orders, all bus production was shifted from Kenworth over to Pacific Car and Foundry in the middle of 1956. After some final cleanup, PC&F wound up completely outstanding orders for the Pacific School Coach in early 1957. Shortly afterwards, PC&F sold all rights, tooling, and equipment to school bus manufacturer Gillig Bros. of Hayward, California.

Following the acquisition, multiple features of the Model T/CT were integrated into the Gillig Transit Coach line of school buses[citation needed]; the model line was produced until 1982.

Bus industry legacy edit

Kenworth's role in the transit and school bus industry has largely been forgotten. This is likely due to a number of factors including Kenworth's current status as a leading manufacturer of Class 8 heavy-duty semi trucks, and the fact that hardly any examples of Kenworth-built buses exist today (with exception of a few surviving model CT-73 "Pacific School Coach" buses and one remaining "Bruck").[citation needed]

In 2006, at the American Truck Historical Society's 11th Annual Truck Show at the Mason County Fairgrounds in Shelton, Washington, a historical society dedicated to preserving the Gillig Transit Coach and Kenworth-Pacific School Coach was officially dedicated.[citation needed]

Reception edit

The brand claims to maintain an image of high quality, it has won five of six JD Power Awards in 2005, and was a clear sweep in the 2007 J.D. Power Awards for Heavy Duty Truck Product Satisfaction.[34][full citation needed]

Gallery edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Kenworth, National Road Transport Hall of Fame
  2. ^ "About Us | PACCAR". www.paccar.com. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
  3. ^ "Kenworth Trucks - The World's Best ®". www.kenworth.com. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
  4. ^ a b c d e . Archived from the original on 28 February 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Kenworth History 2007-10-02 at the Wayback Machine - at Kenworth.com
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Kenworth Motor Truck Corporation incorporates in Seattle in January 1923". Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Kenworth Trucks - The World's Best ®". www.kenworth.com. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i . Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  9. ^ "Kenworth 346 / 516 (Commercial vehicles) - Trucksplanet". trucksplanet.com. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  10. ^ "Kenworth series 500 (Commercial vehicles) - Trucksplanet". trucksplanet.com. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j . 2001-04-22. Archived from the original on 2001-04-22. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  12. ^ "Kenworth series 500 "Bull Nose" (Commercial vehicles) - Trucksplanet". trucksplanet.com. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  13. ^ "Kenworth 853 (Offroad vehicles) - Trucksplanet". trucksplanet.com. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  14. ^ "Kenworth 801 / 802 (Offroad vehicles) - Trucksplanet". trucksplanet.com. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  15. ^ "Kenworth CSE (Commercial vehicles) - Trucksplanet". trucksplanet.com. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  16. ^ a b "Kenworth K series 500 / K series 900 / later - K100 (Commercial vehicles) - Trucksplanet". trucksplanet.com. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m . 2001-04-22. Archived from the original on 2001-04-22. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  18. ^ Green River, Running Red The Real Story of the Green River Killer—America's Deadliest Serial Murderer By Ann Rule
  19. ^ "Peterbilt History". Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  20. ^ "Kenworth L700 Hustler (Special vehicles) - Trucksplanet". trucksplanet.com. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  21. ^ "From LT to Worker - Volkswagen's Versatile, Long-lasting "LT" Cab". BigMackTrucks.com. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  22. ^ "Kenworth retiring K500 severe-service truck after 14 years". FreightWaves. 2020-08-13. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  23. ^ "Own the Road: Kenworth Launches New Long-Hood Conventional – The W990". Kenworth (Press release). 28 September 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  24. ^ "Zero-Emission Kenworth K270E and K370E Battery-Electric Vehicles Available for Order". Kenworth (Press release). 11 September 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  25. ^ "Kenworth Launches Its First-Ever Class 8 Battery-Electric Model – Kenworth T680E". Kenworth (Press release). 14 October 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  26. ^ "Kenworth Video Stars Zero Emissions Kenworth T680 FCEV on the Climb to 14,115-Foot Pikes Peak Summit". Kenworth (Press release). 11 January 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  27. ^ "Toyota Moves Closer to Production with Next Generation Fuel Cell Electric Technology for Zero-Emissions Heavy Duty Trucks". Toyota (Press release). 11 December 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  28. ^ "Kenworth's Road to Australia". TruckWorld.com.au. 2 February 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  29. ^ Pacific Photos - at Gillig Coaches January 18, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  30. ^ Murray, Alan (2000). World Trolleybus Encyclopaedia, p. 123. Yateley, Hampshire, UK: Trolleybooks. ISBN 0-904235-18-1.
  31. ^ Sebree, Mac; and Ward, Paul (1973). Transit's Stepchild: The Trolley Coach, p. 217. Los Angeles: Interurbans. LCCN 73--84356.
  32. ^ KW Bruck - at Gillig Coaches September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  33. ^ Pacific Trivia - at Gillig Coaches March 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  34. ^ . Archived from the original on 2008-02-09. Retrieved 2008-01-25.

External links edit

  • Kenworth Truck Company
  • Kenworth Trucks Australia
  • The Kenworth W-1 Deck and a Half Bus


kenworth, other, uses, disambiguation, truck, company, american, truck, manufacturer, founded, 1923, successor, gersix, motor, company, specializes, production, heavy, duty, class, medium, duty, class, commercial, vehicles, headquartered, seattle, suburb, kirk. For other uses see Kenworth disambiguation Kenworth Truck Company is an American truck manufacturer Founded in 1923 as the successor to Gersix Motor Company Kenworth specializes in production of heavy duty Class 8 and medium duty Class 5 7 commercial vehicles Headquartered in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland Washington Kenworth has been a wholly owned subsidiary of PACCAR since 1945 2 operating alongside sister company and marketplace rival Peterbilt Motors Kenworth Truck CompanyKenworth KW emblem and name badgeA Kenworth W900 a family of models lettered W after founder Edgar Worthington whose name is the worth in Kenworth 1 Company typeDivisionIndustryManufacturingPredecessorGersix Motor CompanyFounded1923 101 years ago 1923 in Seattle Washington U S FoundersHarry KentEdgar K WorthingtonHeadquartersKirkland Washington U S ProductsSee listingParentPACCARWebsitewww kenworth comAn Australian Kenworth unloading cattleA 1985 Kenworth K 124CRKenworth marked several firsts in truck production the company introduced a raised roof sleeper cab and the first heavy duty truck with an aerodynamically optimized body design 3 The Kenworth W900 has been produced continuously since 1961 serving as one of the longest production runs of any truck in automotive history The K100 was also released in 1961 Contents 1 History 1 1 1912 1923 Gerlinger Motors 1 2 1923 1930s Kenworth Motor Truck Company 1 3 1940s War production and company sale 1 4 1950s Market expansion 1 5 1960s W900 and K100 1 6 1970s Product line diversification 1 7 1980s 1990s 1 8 2000s present 21st century trucks 2 Current models 2 1 Current products 2 1 1 United States Canada 2 1 2 Australia 2 1 2 1 Legend Series 2 1 3 Mexico 3 Operations 4 Bus production 4 1 1920s 4 1 1 BU series 4 2 1930s 4 2 1 KHC series 4 2 2 Model 870 and 871 4 2 3 Transit buses 4 3 1940s 4 3 1 Model K N W 4 3 2 Kenworth Brucks 4 4 1950s 4 4 1 Model T and CT 4 4 2 End of production 4 5 Bus industry legacy 5 Reception 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksHistory edit1912 1923 Gerlinger Motors edit Kenworth traces its roots to the 1912 founding of Gerlinger Motors in Portland Oregon the company was a car and truck dealership owned by brothers George T Gerlinger and Louis Gerlinger Jr 4 In 1914 the brothers expanded into vehicle manufacturing marketing a truck named the Gersix 4 Deriving its name from its inline six cylinder engine one of the first trucks equipped with the type 4 the Gersix was framed in structural steel intended for commercial use 5 While the first vehicle was completed largely as a side project the heavy duty construction of the Gersix found itself in demand by loggers in the Northwest 4 5 In 1916 Gerlinger Motors relocated from Portland to Tacoma Washington leasing a building from Seattle businessman Edgar K Worthington 4 In 1917 Gerlinger Motors filed for bankruptcy and was put up for sale with E K Worthington acquiring the company with business partner Captain Frederick Kent 5 6 To emphasize its connection to truck manufacturing the company was renamed Gersix Motor Company 5 In 1919 Captain Kent retired with his son Harry Kent replacing him as partner in the company 5 In 1922 Gersix produced 53 trucks in its final year located at its factory on Fairview Avenue at Valley Street 6 Following continued strong demand of the model line the company found itself with 60 000 to reincorporate and relocate its headquarters 5 1923 1930s Kenworth Motor Truck Company edit In January 1923 Gersix Motor Company was reincorporated as the Kenworth Motor Truck Company combining the names of partners Kent and Worthington 6 Under the new name the company relocated within Seattle to 506 Mercer Street and later to 1263 Mercer Street 6 In contrast to car manufacturers Kenworth abstained from assembly lines instead constructing vehicles in individual bays 6 The company also introduced a practice of building vehicles to customer specification a practice still offered by Kenworth today 5 In 1926 Kenworth expanded its product line introducing its first bus In 1927 production was increased from two vehicles a week to three the same year manufacturing began in Canada to avoid import taxes 5 In 1929 E K Worthington retired with Harry Kent becoming company president In another change to accommodate increased demand Kenworth relocated to a larger factory within Seattle 7 The onset of the Great Depression hit the company hard initially in good financial health a substantial decline in new vehicles and a high rate of vehicle loan defaults forced the company to adapt 5 In 1932 Kenworth produced its first fire truck adapted from its commercial truck Kenworth fire engines were among the heaviest duty fire apparatus of the time 5 In 1933 diesel engines became standard equipment replacing gasoline engines entirely 7 at the time diesel fuel cost 1 3 the price of gasoline 5 In another design innovation Kenworth introduced the first factory produced sleeper cab 5 7 In 1935 the Motor Carrier Act was passed introducing new size and weight regulations for the trucking industry in the United States 5 to comply with the legislation Kenworth underwent an extensive redesign of its truck line To match weight regulations the new trucks received aluminum cabs and axle hubs four spring suspension was introduced with torsion bars for the rear axles 5 In 1936 Kenworth introduced the Model 516 its first cabover COE truck the tandem axle 346 was introduced for 1937 8 9 In 1937 Harry Kent died with Philip Johnson becoming company president 8 1940s War production and company sale edit In 1939 Kenworth introduced its 500 series trucks which would form the basis of its commercial truck line into the mid 1950s 10 By the end of the 1930s demand for trucks began to recover with Kenworth producing 226 trucks in 1940 8 Following the onset of World War II Kenworth converted to war production supplying the Army with 4 ton 6x6 M 1 recovery vehicles 8 In 1943 the company became a supplier for Boeing manufacturing components for the B 17 and B 29 bombers 6 8 To maintain its government contracts Kenworth commenced production of the M 1 wrecker at a temporary facility in Yakima Washington 8 In total the company would supply the Army with 1 930 wreckers by the end of World War II to accommodate the extensive increase in production Kenworth introduced an assembly line to produce the vehicle 8 In 1944 company president Phil Johnson died leaving ownership split between his wife and the surviving wife of Harry Kent and another company director 8 Uninterested in owning the company all three initially planned to offer their ownership to company employees but financing for the offer was never completed In 1945 ownership of the company changed as Pacific Car and Foundry Company negotiated its purchase of Kenworth as a wholly owned subsidiary 8 By the end of 1946 Kenworth relocated again following the purchase of a former Fisher Body factory by Pacific Car and Foundry 6 this would house all Kenworth manufacturing under a single roof 11 In 1948 Kenworth redesigned the cab of its COE product line later nicknamed the Bull nose 500 series 12 1950s Market expansion edit By 1950 Kenworth had grown outside the Pacific Northwest marketing vehicles across the western half of the United States and across nearly 30 countries worldwide 11 In 1951 the company received an order for 1 700 Model 853s from ARAMCO in the Middle East 11 13 The Model 801 was introduced as an earth moving dump truck adopting one of the first cab beside engine configurations 11 14 In 1955 Kenworth began the redesign of its COE product line launching the CSE Cab Surrounding Engine in line with the Bull nose the CSE shared its underpinnings with the 500 series trucks and did not have a tilting cab 15 In 1956 Pacific Car and Foundry revised its ownership of Kenworth changing it from an independent subsidiary to a division 11 The same year the 900 series was introduced with an all new drop frame chassis 11 with the CSE cabover replaced by the K series COE derived from the 900 series 16 In 1957 Kenworth ended bus production selling the rights to its product line see below In 1958 Kenworth became a sister company to Peterbilt as the latter company was acquired by Pacific Car and Foundry In 1959 the company further expanded its sales base establishing facilities in Mexico 11 1960s W900 and K100 edit For 1961 production Kenworth underwent a substantial revision of its commercial truck line debuting the W900 and the K900 later renamed the K100 the W and K model prefixes are derived from company founders Worthington and Kent 7 11 The W900 debuted the first complete redesign of the Kenworth conventional cab since 1939 with a standard tilting hood 11 Similar in appearance to the previous K500 the K900 K100 received a taller cab and the doors of the W900 16 To meet increased demand for the new product lines Kenworth opened a new assembly facility in Kansas City Missouri in 1964 11 From 1964 to 1966 Kenworth nearly doubled its yearly truck sales 17 In 1968 the company established Kenworth Australia in place of importation and conversion right hand drive trucks were produced and developed in Melbourne Australia 17 In 1969 Kenworth hired Gary Ridgway who worked in their paint department for the next 32 years during which time he murdered 48 women as the Green River Killer 18 1970s Product line diversification edit During the 1970s the company underwent further expansion adding an all new facility in Chillicothe Ohio in 1974 The W900 and K100 underwent their most substantial revisions becoming the W900A and K100C 17 Kenworth added two new product lines in 1972 adding the C500 6x6 severe service conventional and the Hustler low cab COE developed jointly with Peterbilt and produced in Canada 19 20 The same year parent company Pacific Car and Foundry adopted its current name PACCAR Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the company annual Kenworth sales exceeded 10 000 for the first time for 1973 7 17 For 1976 Kenworth launched a flagship customization series the VIT Very Important Trucker with a high level of interior features distinguished by its skylight windows the Aerodyne sleeper cab was the first factory produced sleeper cab with stand up headroom for both the W900 and K100 7 To commemorate the American Bicentennial the VIT series was introduced in a limited edition series of 50 with each truck named after a state 17 1980s 1990s edit In 1982 and 1984 respectively the W900 and K100 underwent their most substantial revisions becoming the W900B and K100E While visually distinguished by the adoption of rectangular headlamps the updates were centered around upgrading fuel economy road handling and reliability 17 In 1985 the Kenworth T600 was released by the company in contrast to the W900 the T600 was designed with a set back front axle and a sloped hoodline While the latter initially proved controversial the combination improved aerodynamics fuel efficiency and maneuverability 17 Intended as an expansion of the Kenworth model line the success of the T600 would lead to the introductions of similar designs from multiple American truck manufacturers In 1986 the T800 was introduced adapting the sloped hoodline and set back front axle for a heavy duty chassis the shorter hood T400 was introduced in 1988 as a regional haul tractor 17 In 1987 Kenworth introduced the Mid Ranger COE its first medium duty truck Shared with Peterbilt the Brazilian produced Mid Ranger was derived from the MAN G90 a wide body version of the Volkswagen LT 21 In 1992 the Mid Ranger became the K300 as PACCAR shifted production to Sainte Therese Quebec 17 In 1993 Kenworth opened its facility in Renton Washington as its third United States assembly plant 17 In 1994 the T300 was introduced as the first Kenworth medium duty conventional truck adapting the T600 to a lower GVWR Class 7 weight rating 17 The Aerocab sleeper was introduced integrating the Aerodyne II sleeper cab and the drivers cab as a single unit 17 In 1996 Kenworth introduced the T2000 as its next generation aerodynamic conventional 7 While not directly replacing the T600 and W900 the T2000 was a completely new design the first from Kenworth since 1961 17 The first wide body Kenworth conventional the model shared its cab with Peterbilt distinguished by its bumper mounted headlamps The T2000 was discontinued in 2010 In 1998 parent company PACCAR purchased British truck manufacturer Leyland Trucks two years after Dutch manufacturer DAF Trucks the two had been merged as Leyland DAF from 1987 to 1993 Within PACCAR DAF would develop COE trucks for Kenworth and Peterbilt 2000s present 21st century trucks edit In 2000 Kenworth redesigned its medium duty COE range with the K300 replacing the MAN sourced design with a DAF 45 Leyland Roadrunner cab Following declining demand for Class 8 cabovers the K100E was quietly phased out after 2002 production in North America Kenworth Australia continuing production of the model line In 2006 the company released the K500 the largest COE ever produced by the company Developed primarily for off highway applications the K500 combined the chassis of the heavy duty C500 and the COE cab of the DAF XF all examples produced from 2006 to 2020 were sold for export 22 In 2008 Kenworth underwent a modernization of its model line The T600 underwent a substantial revision to its aerodynamics becoming the T660 The medium duty T300 was replaced by the Class 5 7 T170 T270 T370 model family The low cab COE made its return based on the DAF LF Initially marketed as the K260 K360 the model line was renamed the K270 K370 for 2013 The T660 would be discontinued in 2017 For 2011 production the T700 replaced the T2000 adopting a larger grille and fender mounted headlamps 7 For 2013 production the T680 was introduced as the third generation aerodynamic Kenworth conventional 7 serving as a single replacement for the narrow body T660 and the wide body T700 The T700 was discontinued in 2014 while the T660 was discontinued in 2017 32 years after the introduction of the T600 Sharing the same cab as the T680 the T880 was introduced as the first wide body Kenworth for vocational applications 7 alongside the W900S and the T800 model family In 2018 the W990 was introduced as the flagship conventional of the Kenworth model line 23 Sharing the wide body cab of the T680 and T880 the W990 is the longest hood conventional ever produced by Kenworth As of current production the W900 remains part of the Kenworth model line six decades after its introduction For 2021 production Kenworth introduced three model lines of electric vehicles with the K270E K370E and T680E powered by battery electric powertrains 24 25 In 2021 Kenworth launched the T680 FCEV with a 10 vehicle demonstration fleet in California 26 The T680 FCEV is powered with a Toyota hydrogen fuel cell has six hydrogen tanks and a driving range over 300 miles 480 km at a full load weight of 80 000 pounds 36 000 kg 27 In 2022 Kenworth announced a new T680 The T680 Next Gen was redesigned with the future in mind The new Next Gen model has a skinnier but taller grill than the original T680 It has a completely all new front bumper Like the 579 Next Gen See Peterbilt it has an all new interior and steering wheel Current models editSee also List of Kenworth vehicles Current products edit United States Canada edit nbsp Kenworth T600 nbsp Kenworth T600As of current production Kenworth offers the following vehicles in North America C500 1972 present K270 K370 2013 present T170 T270 T370 2008 present T440 2011 present T470 2010 present T680 2013 present T800 1986 present T880 2014 present W900 1961 present W990 2018 present Australia edit nbsp Kenworth T650 used as a heavy vehicle tow truckThe headquarters for Kenworth Australia is located in Bayswater Victoria where all Australian models are assembled The first Kenworth model in Australia was the KWS925 imported fully built in 1962 Soon later Kenworths were imported in complete knock down kits and assembled in Preston Victoria 28 Australian built Kenworth models are also exported to nearby RHD markets in New Zealand Japan Thailand and Papua New Guinea The T range includes the bonneted conventional models and the C for heavy haulage mining off road and road train use and the K range covers the cab over models As of July 2020 the only models that do not have Twin Steer configurations are T410 SAR T610 SAR T900 C510 C540 Kenworth Australia started building the new range of trucks tying in their 2008 release with the model range being the 08 Series This includes the following conventional bonneted models in approximate order of smallest to largest the T358 A T408SAR T408 T608 T658 T908 and C508 The only cab over truck built was the K108 which was very popular in the B Double market segment owing to its shorter length citation needed Legend Series edit The Kenworth Legend Series is a limited production truck based on a previous models styling with modern improvements such as safety and environmental Originally commencing in 2015 with the Kenworth T950 Legend inspired by the Kenworth T950 that was in production from 1992 2007 This model of Kenworth Legend had 75 produced and sold out in 48 hours The T950 Legend also came with a special edition Cummins ISXe5 engine which was painted in Cummins Heritage Beige 2017 Saw the second truck in the Kenworth Legend Series released that being the Kenworth T900 Legend inspired by the 1991 Kenworth T900 There were 257 Kenworth T900 Legends produced The T900 Legend came with a special edition Cummins X15 painted in black and red to commemorate the Cummins N14 that many of the original T900 came with In 2021 the third truck in the Kenworth Legend Series was released this being the SAR Legend a homage to the W900 SAR that was produced from 1975 until 1987 The SAR Legend has sales orders of over 700 a final number currently has not been released The special edition Cummins X15 in the Kenworth SAR Legend is painted in Cummins Heritage Beige similar to the Cummins Big Cam which were in many of the original Kenworth SARs Previous Australian Kenworth models include T300 Series T300 T350 T358 T359 T388T400 Series T400 T401 T401 ST T402 T403 T404 SAR T408 SAR T409 SAR T450 T480 T600 Series T600 T601 T604 T608 T609T650 Series T650 T658T900 Series T900 Classic T904 T908 T900 LegendT950 Series T950 T950 Tradition T950 LegendK Series K100 K123 K124 K125 K100E K100G K104 K104B K108 K200Current Australian Kenworth models include T Series T360 T410 T410 SAR T610 T610 SAR T659 T909C Series C509 C510 C540K Series K220 Mexico edit nbsp Kenworth Truck Mexico In the early 2000s Kenworth introduced to Mexico the T604 based on the Australian T604 with a few modifications mostly in the hood citation needed Operations editKenworth currently has manufacturing plants in Chillicothe Ohio Renton Washington US Sainte Therese Quebec Canada Bayswater Victoria Australia Kenworth Australia and Mexicali Baja California Mexico Bus production editBus production was a mainstay at Kenworth during the early years of company history at one time buses were its most lucrative form of business When the company was still known as Gerlinger Motor Car Works their first two full chassis vehicles were school buses based on the Gersix truck chassis 1920s edit BU series edit In 1926 Kenworth developed a chassis specifically for school and transit bus operators known as the BU The BU model sported a wheelbase of 212 inches 5 400 mm that was expanded two more inches in 1927 and could be fitted with bodies ranging from 21 to 29 passengers The BU model also heralded the return of the Buda six cylinder engine and remained the company s principal offering through 1931 The new model became so popular in the Pacific Northwest that production rose from 99 units in 1927 and 127 units in 1927 to 230 units by 1930 By that time the predominant number of BU models produced were sent to school bus body builders and were built for use in school districts throughout the Seattle and Puget Sound area of Washington state citation needed 1930s edit KHC series edit Kenworth continued expanding into bus production throughout the 1930s despite the Great Depression being a major influence To assist Kenworth s 80 factory workers who were idled by the Depression the company undertook a bold move by introducing a new line of buses in August 1932 Known as the KHC 22 Kenworth Heiser City the 23 passenger bus was developed by Kenworth engineers as a stock demo vehicle to help aid a glum sales picture and to jumpstart the local economy At a time of mild economic recovery the KHC22 proved to be very popular and sparked a renewed interest in Kenworth buses Major operators of the KHC 22 later expanded to a 225 inch 5 700 mm wheelbase 33 passenger KHC 33 in September 1933 were the Portland Railway Light amp Power Company of Portland Oregon and Spokane United Railways citation needed Production of Kenworth buses continued throughout the 1930s and into the early 1940s and during this time Kenworth was manufacturing bus chassis for body builders such as Wentworth and Irwin later renamed Wentwin and Heiser Heiser long an often chosen body for school buses bearing Kenworth chassis would later be purchased by Pacific Car and Foundry Company in 1937 citation needed Model 870 and 871 edit In 1933 Kenworth also released its most popular and successful line of transit bus a conventional styled bus based on their Model 86 heavy duty truck Powered by a Hercules JXCM engine the model 870 as it was known would soon be replaced by a model 871 which became Kenworth s standard line of buses throughout the early and mid 1930s Experiments with deck and a half buses would soon follow made reality in the W 1 model as well as the company s very first experiments with rear engine coach type buses in 1936 citation needed Transit buses edit Kenworth changed its production line early in 1939 reflecting a desire to remain in tune with market forces The conventional bus chassis which had become poor sellers were dropped altogether and Kenworth focused its designs on more transit or coach type buses with engines being located either underfloor or at the back of the bus By this time Kenworth was a major force in transit bus production and nearly every major transit company in the Pacific Northwest were running Kenworth buses Seattle Municipal Railway purchased several new model 601s to replace the previous model H30s which were powered by a Hall Scott 135 engine underfloor and had bodies built by the Pacific Car and Foundry Company Kenworth also built a model 612 which became the company s most widely distributed underfloor coach 27 were built with 14 wheelbase variations and seven engine variations and all 27 were sold by as many as 15 different operators citation needed 1940s edit At the beginning of the decade bus customers began to decline in number but the company received larger orders as several regional operators consolidated into larger territorial ones Bremerton Transit purchased several buses in 1940 to accommodate the increase in ridership due to the preparations for the war itself the same year the Seattle Municipal Railway purchased 30 buses in a single order assisting Kenworth in breaking a production record citation needed Producing about 40 buses yearly Kenworth became a low volume bus manufacturer accommodating special order coaches Gray Line affiliates Seattle Portland and Vancouver purchased several of these special coach orders known as Grayliner or Grayliner Junior buses the bodies for these buses were all built by Pacific Car and Foundry At the onset of World War II war production took precedence over bus manufacturing as Kenworth supplied recovery vehicles for the U S Army Along with military variations of their commercial truck line Kenworth buses remained in production for use as troop transports citation needed In 1945 Kenworth was sold to Pacific Car and Foundry both companies believed bus production would play a pivotal role in jumpstarting a postwar economy Kenworth also saw the opportunity in hiring former military truck and aircraft workers as part of launching its post war product line citation needed For 1946 Kenworth launched four new model lines of buses deriving their model designations from the first four letters of the company name The Model K was a line of small intercity interurban buses the Model E a trolley coach the Model N a city transit bus the Model W an intercity bus Subsequently Kenworth added the Model O one door transit bus and Model T prototype school bus 29 Ultimately the company built trolley buses for just one city a single order of 50 of model E2 built in 1947 48 for the Portland Traction Company in Portland Oregon 30 31 Model K N W edit Outwardly similar in appearance the Model K intercity interurban and Model W intercity bus differed in function size and layout The Model K was shorter with a capacity of 25 33 passengers the longer Model W seated 31 41 passengers The Model K was equipped with a rear mounted International Red Diamond RD450 while the Model W used a horizontally mounted underfloor Hall Scott 190 engine The Model N in its original configuration was a 36 44 passenger bus after the design found no takers the vehicle was downsized in 1947 to a 32 36 passenger bus After 1947 Kenworth revised its model designations assigning numerals to its model lines to signify evolutionary variants of each design Kenworth Brucks edit As production orders for the interurban model Ks and model Ws waned Kenworth focused its attention on special orders including an order of 10 Brucks 32 for Great Northern Railway in Montana an earlier version was built for Northern Pacific Transport but was a split level coach and several Highway Post Office coaches These special order coaches were based on the Model T school bus which entered production in early 1949 The company also test marketed a small 20 passenger bus known as the Carcoach only one example was built citation needed 1950s edit nbsp 1955 Kenworth T 126 Pacific School Coach Model T and CT edit The Model T school bus which entered production after the last bus was built for Great Northern in April 1949 was an immediate hit with many school bus operators in the Pacific Northwest The T 126 as it was known boasted a unique four pane windshield that offered unheralded forward visibility in any school bus at the time and was the first school bus ever built to feature a roof escape hatch 33 now required equipment Production of the T 126 averaged over 375 buses per year making it Kenworth s most lucrative bus offering in the company s history up to that time Shortly after its launch Kenworth renamed the line the model CT The model CT also came in several varying passenger capacities ranging from 55 61 67 73 and 79 passengers The model CT Pacific School Coach was powered by an International Red Diamond 450 inline six cylinder gas engine placed at the rear of the bus and a LeRoi H540 engine was made available for an LR 73 model that was produced in August 1950 Some orders for modified model CTs were made available and sold internationally with variants being sold to Uruguay and Venezuela as well as the Middle East citation needed End of production edit After the boom of school bus production and to focus more on truck production due to a rising number of heavy duty truck orders all bus production was shifted from Kenworth over to Pacific Car and Foundry in the middle of 1956 After some final cleanup PC amp F wound up completely outstanding orders for the Pacific School Coach in early 1957 Shortly afterwards PC amp F sold all rights tooling and equipment to school bus manufacturer Gillig Bros of Hayward California Following the acquisition multiple features of the Model T CT were integrated into the Gillig Transit Coach line of school buses citation needed the model line was produced until 1982 Bus industry legacy edit Kenworth s role in the transit and school bus industry has largely been forgotten This is likely due to a number of factors including Kenworth s current status as a leading manufacturer of Class 8 heavy duty semi trucks and the fact that hardly any examples of Kenworth built buses exist today with exception of a few surviving model CT 73 Pacific School Coach buses and one remaining Bruck citation needed In 2006 at the American Truck Historical Society s 11th Annual Truck Show at the Mason County Fairgrounds in Shelton Washington a historical society dedicated to preserving the Gillig Transit Coach and Kenworth Pacific School Coach was officially dedicated citation needed Reception editThe brand claims to maintain an image of high quality it has won five of six JD Power Awards in 2005 and was a clear sweep in the 2007 J D Power Awards for Heavy Duty Truck Product Satisfaction 34 full citation needed Gallery edit nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp See also editPaccar Peterbilt Kenworth s sister company in Paccar Dart commercial vehicle Kenworth s sister company in Paccar DAF Trucks Murphy Hoffman Company Largest US Kenworth dealership Gillig Corporation Class 8 Trucks Semi trailer truck Dump TruckReferences edit Kenworth National Road Transport Hall of Fame About Us PACCAR www paccar com Retrieved 2020 07 24 Kenworth Trucks The World s Best www kenworth com Retrieved 2020 07 24 a b c d e History of Kenworth Trucks Archived from the original on 28 February 2021 Retrieved 24 July 2020 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Kenworth History Archived 2007 10 02 at the Wayback Machine at Kenworth com a b c d e f g Kenworth Motor Truck Corporation incorporates in Seattle in January 1923 Retrieved 9 July 2018 a b c d e f g h i j Kenworth Trucks The World s Best www kenworth com Retrieved 2020 11 14 a b c d e f g h i Kenworth History 1936 1944 Archived from the original on 2007 09 28 Retrieved 2020 11 14 Kenworth 346 516 Commercial vehicles Trucksplanet trucksplanet com Retrieved 2020 11 14 Kenworth series 500 Commercial vehicles Trucksplanet trucksplanet com Retrieved 2020 11 14 a b c d e f g h i j Kenworth 2001 04 22 Archived from the original on 2001 04 22 Retrieved 2020 11 14 Kenworth series 500 Bull Nose Commercial vehicles Trucksplanet trucksplanet com Retrieved 2020 11 14 Kenworth 853 Offroad vehicles Trucksplanet trucksplanet com Retrieved 2020 11 14 Kenworth 801 802 Offroad vehicles Trucksplanet trucksplanet com Retrieved 2020 11 14 Kenworth CSE Commercial vehicles Trucksplanet trucksplanet com Retrieved 2020 11 14 a b Kenworth K series 500 K series 900 later K100 Commercial vehicles Trucksplanet trucksplanet com Retrieved 2020 11 15 a b c d e f g h i j k l m Kenworth 2001 04 22 Archived from the original on 2001 04 22 Retrieved 2020 11 15 Green River Running Red The Real Story of the Green River Killer America s Deadliest Serial Murderer By Ann Rule Peterbilt History Retrieved 2021 09 15 Kenworth L700 Hustler Special vehicles Trucksplanet trucksplanet com Retrieved 2020 11 15 From LT to Worker Volkswagen s Versatile Long lasting LT Cab BigMackTrucks com 29 May 2014 Retrieved 2020 11 16 Kenworth retiring K500 severe service truck after 14 years FreightWaves 2020 08 13 Retrieved 2020 11 16 Own the Road Kenworth Launches New Long Hood Conventional The W990 Kenworth Press release 28 September 2018 Retrieved 10 April 2021 Zero Emission Kenworth K270E and K370E Battery Electric Vehicles Available for Order Kenworth Press release 11 September 2020 Retrieved 10 April 2021 Kenworth Launches Its First Ever Class 8 Battery Electric Model Kenworth T680E Kenworth Press release 14 October 2020 Retrieved 10 April 2021 Kenworth Video Stars Zero Emissions Kenworth T680 FCEV on the Climb to 14 115 Foot Pikes Peak Summit Kenworth Press release 11 January 2021 Retrieved 10 April 2021 Toyota Moves Closer to Production with Next Generation Fuel Cell Electric Technology for Zero Emissions Heavy Duty Trucks Toyota Press release 11 December 2020 Retrieved 10 April 2021 Kenworth s Road to Australia TruckWorld com au 2 February 2007 Retrieved 13 April 2015 Pacific Photos at Gillig Coaches Archived January 18 2007 at the Wayback Machine Murray Alan 2000 World Trolleybus Encyclopaedia p 123 Yateley Hampshire UK Trolleybooks ISBN 0 904235 18 1 Sebree Mac and Ward Paul 1973 Transit s Stepchild The Trolley Coach p 217 Los Angeles Interurbans LCCN 73 84356 KW Bruck at Gillig Coaches Archived September 28 2007 at the Wayback Machine Pacific Trivia at Gillig Coaches Archived March 14 2007 at the Wayback Machine Kenworth Truck Company Archived from the original on 2008 02 09 Retrieved 2008 01 25 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kenworth Kenworth Truck Company Kenworth Trucks Australia Kenworth Trucks Mexico The Kenworth W 1 Deck and a Half Bus Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kenworth amp oldid 1212047159, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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