vehicle preservation

In the early 1990’s Dick and Barbara Carlsberg happened upon a Yellowstone National Park Bus on display in front of the Union Hotel in Goleta, California. Dick searched to find a similar Yellowstone National Park Bus to display at their guest ranch, Brooks Lake Lodge, at Togwotee Pass, Wyoming. With the help of George Baker, Dick located a bus at a ranch outside Elko, Nevada. The bus had been used at a Silver Mine in Elko where everything in back of the front seat was removed so the bus could be used as a flatbed truck. The bus had been disassembled and parts were scattered around the ranch. Dick and George gathered all the parts they could find which included the original chassis engine and fenders.    

The bus was shipped to Montana where George Baker worked on the bus restoration. During this time Dick researched the history of the bus and he learned that it was Yellowstone Transportation Company Fleet No. 321, a 1925 White Motor Company Model 15-45, Series B. The bus had been one of the replacement buses following a fire that destroyed many of the Yellowstone National Park vehicles in the spring of 1925. Bus 321 was later sold at auction between 1940 and 1943.    

On May 15, 1992, after restoration was complete, Bus 321 was delivered to the Carlsbergs at Brooks Lake Lodge, Wyoming where they displayed the bus and used it for rides for their lodge guests, and to drive in many special events including Fourth of July Parades, trips with Jammers through Yellowstone National Park, and three trips to Rose Parades in Pasadena, California. When the lodge was sold in 2020, Barbara kept the bus for personal use to display in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.     

Dignitaries carried in Bus 321 at Rose Parades are the 2015 President of the Tournament of Roses; and honorary guests including the family of sports commentator Vin Scully; and documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and family.   

In November 2021 Bus 321 proudly became a part of the permanent fleet of Buses of Yellowstone Preservation Trust.