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DuMont Telecruiser (Remote Truck)

C

Chuck

I've embarked on a huge restoration project. I recently parked a 1949 Flxible Bus in my driveway. It was converted new by Allen B. Dumont Labs to make a TV remote truck for Channel 8 in Dallas. The data plate calls it "DuMont Telecruiser Model B, Number 101." I wonder if they ever made #102? And what does a "Model A" look like? I got some equipment with it, but nothing from DuMont. It was last outfited with Marconi MK-IV Image Orthicon cameras. I got one camera head with it. Two others are missing. The switcher is missing. I'm not even sure what WFAA used as a switcher.

It needs everything. It has been sitting outside since 1972, which has not improved it any. I plan to restore the coach, and make it a functional black & white remote truck, typical of the era. This particular vehicle has a lot of history to it, so it is worth preserving. I'm hoping to find some people who know where appropriate equipment might be located, as well as any documentation, history, etc that might be relevant. Another "Chuck" in California, Chuck Pharis, has recently acquired a similar vintage RCA truck. Misery loves company.

If you'd like to see what this is, visit: www.chalkhillmedia.org/museum I'll update the site periodically, as work progresses. This project will probably take years. I hope I live long enough.

Any help or information about this thing would be appreciated.

Chuck
 
> I've embarked on a huge restoration project. I recently
> parked a 1949 Flxible Bus in my driveway. It was converted
> new by Allen B. Dumont Labs to make a TV remote truck for
> Channel 8 in Dallas. The data plate calls it "DuMont
> Telecruiser Model B, Number 101." I wonder if they ever made
> #102? And what does a "Model A" look like? I got some
> equipment with it, but nothing from DuMont. It was last
> outfited with Marconi MK-IV Image Orthicon cameras. I got
> one camera head with it. Two others are missing. The
> switcher is missing. I'm not even sure what WFAA used as a
> switcher.
>
> It needs everything. It has been sitting outside since 1972,
> which has not improved it any. I plan to restore the coach,
> and make it a functional black & white remote truck, typical
> of the era. This particular vehicle has a lot of history to
> it, so it is worth preserving. I'm hoping to find some
> people who know where appropriate equipment might be
> located, as well as any documentation, history, etc that
> might be relevant. Another "Chuck" in California, Chuck
> Pharis, has recently acquired a similar vintage RCA truck.
> Misery loves company.
>
> If you'd like to see what this is, visit:
> www.chalkhillmedia.org/museum I'll update the site
> periodically, as work progresses. This project will probably
> take years. I hope I live long enough.
>
> Any help or information about this thing would be
> appreciated.
>
> Chuck


> The truck being from 1949, must have been KBTV's (WFAA's old calls) when it was a DuMont station.
 
> > The truck being from 1949, must have been KBTV's (WFAA's
> old calls) when it was a DuMont station.

You are probably right. I'd love to find a picture that showed it in a KBTV paint job. I'm guessing that it was at least ordered by them before the station was sold to Belo. I'm not sure when the sale happened. Does anyone remember? KBTV was owned by Kilgore oil man, Tom Potter. Oddly, I get my mail in Kilgore, Texas, and there is that Kilgore connection. Things have a funny way of coming around.

There's a group of people in the East Texas area who are trying to save the Potter mansion from the ravages of time. One of the plans is to turn it into a broadcasting and theater museum. That's going to be tough, but I wish them luck.

WFAA kept the Telecruiser in service for at least 30 years. They sold it at auction in 1972. Records I have indicate that it sold for $900.00. The purchaser intended to make a motor home out of it, but never got that far. He did strip out the equipment, but I actually found some of it.

I think there is a lot of Dallas history involved in this thing. It was on the air when Lee Harvey Oswald was shot. I remember it being used at Northpark Center for Ron Chapman's "Sumpin' Else" show, before they installed color cameras and a control room in that remote studio. In later life, I think it was only use for a church remote on Sundays.
 
> > > The truck being from 1949, must have been KBTV's (WFAA's
>
> > old calls) when it was a DuMont station.
>
> You are probably right. I'd love to find a picture that
> showed it in a KBTV paint job. I'm guessing that it was at
> least ordered by them before the station was sold to Belo.
> I'm not sure when the sale happened. Does anyone remember?
> KBTV was owned by Kilgore oil man, Tom Potter. Oddly, I get
> my mail in Kilgore, Texas, and there is that Kilgore
> connection. Things have a funny way of coming around.
>
> There's a group of people in the East Texas area who are
> trying to save the Potter mansion from the ravages of time.
> One of the plans is to turn it into a broadcasting and
> theater museum. That's going to be tough, but I wish them
> luck.
>
> WFAA kept the Telecruiser in service for at least 30 years.
> They sold it at auction in 1972. Records I have indicate
> that it sold for $900.00. The purchaser intended to make a
> motor home out of it, but never got that far. He did strip
> out the equipment, but I actually found some of it.
>
> I think there is a lot of Dallas history involved in this
> thing. It was on the air when Lee Harvey Oswald was shot.
> I remember it being used at Northpark Center for Ron
> Chapman's "Sumpin' Else" show, before they installed color
> cameras and a control room in that remote studio. In later
> life, I think it was only use for a church remote on
> Sundays.


> Very interesting info. Have you checked Ch. 8's site, they have a history section there, with a photo of their camera with a DuMont logo on it. There is also a photo of a remote truck on the street, but it's not yours (sorry). Of course you know Northpark was B&W for about 2 years, with Marconi Mark IV's.
 
> > Very interesting info. Have you checked Ch. 8's site, they
> have a history section there, with a photo of their camera
> with a DuMont logo on it. There is also a photo of a remote
> truck on the street, but it's not yours (sorry). Of course
> you know Northpark was B&W for about 2 years, with Marconi
> Mark IV's.
>


The picture on their web site is a Crown Coach, which is a little later model. These remote units were constantly being updated. I'm sure it was B&W when that picture was taken, but I remember it as a color unit with GE cameras. I'm pretty sure they used the Crown as late as the early 1980's, maybe later.

I did get one of the Marconi MK IV cameras, as well as cable, CCU's and the rest of the stuff for three cameras. I'd sure like to find at least one more MK IV camera in one piece.

I'm also looking for tripods, dollies and pan-tilt heads or cradles.
 
Re: WFAA DuMont Telecruiser (Remote Truck)

This thread is getting lower and lower. Hope your still checking it. I found these photos on the Dallas Public Lib. site. They are available for purchase from them. There is a photo inside a ch.8 telecruiser (looks newer than the DuMont) and the other photos are WFAA cameras made by Dumont showing they are with NBC. Check out the zoom lens!!

Go to: http://catalog.dallaslibrary.org
Click: DPL catalog button
Type in: WFAA AND graphic
Click: Keyword
...and then, Click: Display attached image<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by longtime listener... on 09/15/05 07:45 PM.</FONT></P>
 
Re: WFAA DuMont Telecruiser (Remote Truck)

> This thread is getting lower and lower. Hope your still
> checking it. I found these photos on the Dallas Public Lib.
> site. They are available for purchase from them. One is a
> photo inside a ch.8 telecruiser (looks newer) and the other
> 2 photos are WFAA cameras made by Dumont showing they are
> with NBC. Check out the zoom lens!!

I used to work at an ABC affilate that had a large remote truck. We were hired by other networks all the time. We did sporting events for NBC, ESPN and smaller networks like Raycom.
 
Re: WFAA DuMont Telecruiser (Remote Truck)

> This thread is getting lower and lower. Hope your still
> checking it. I found these photos on the Dallas Public Lib.
> site. They are available for purchase from them. There is a
> photo inside a ch.8 telecruiser (looks newer than the
> DuMont) and the other photos are WFAA cameras made by Dumont
> showing they are with NBC. Check out the zoom lens!!
>
> Go to: http://catalog.dallaslibrary.org
> Click: DPL catalog button
> Type in: WFAA AND graphic
> Click: Keyword
> ...and then, Click: Display attached image
>
Thanks for providing the link. Those are some great pictures. I plan to visit the Dallas Library to see what else might be there. The inside of the mobile unit in the picture is the bigger (and newer) Crown Coach that actually housed a video tape recorder as well as camera controls. Still, it looks like a very similar layout. That will be a most helpful picture.

I've posted some more pictures on the web site of the thing as it currently stands. You can see them by going to www.chalkhillmedia.org/museum and clicking on one of the "Dumont Telecruiser" links.

I did manage to get all the junk out of it. It took two full dumpster loads. I did save anything that remotely looked like it might be original to the bus. It is getting new tires today (9-29-05) and we are hoping to get the engine running this weekend. If we get it running, it can be parked inside which will be a big help.

Wish me luck.

Chuck
 
Re: WFAA DuMont Telecruiser (Remote Truck)

> I used to work at an ABC affilate that had a large remote
> truck. We were hired by other networks all the time. We did
> sporting events for NBC, ESPN and smaller networks like
> Raycom.

Back in the late 1960's, I worked at both KRLD-TV and KTVT. As I recall, both stations frequently used their remote trucks to service other networks. Remote operations could be profitable for the stations if it was managed correctly. The network logo's were usually just a cardboard sign stuck on the camera with some gaffer's tape.

Since this thread is getting lower and lower on the Board, I think I will start a fresh one now that there are some new pictures to look at. I must admit that even I hadn't checked it out recently.

Chuck
 
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