Casa Rosada in 1954

The aluminium clad buses that you can see are American, "Mack "brand. They were imported in 1950 and were in business until 1964, replaced to other brands like Mercedes Benz or Leyland (British).

At that time, parking a car in downtown was easy. From 1955 onwards we have traffic lights. Before, a policeman in a high lectern (garita) ruled the traffic with white sleeves in his arms, over the uniform.

Avenida de Mayo had both senses of traffic. And 9 de Julio run from Belgrano until Paraguay street.

We boasted to have the widest avenue in the world, but inmediately we said "it does not matter that it is the shortest!"

In 1954 we still had streetcars. Unfortunately, they were suppressed in 1962. Also we had trolley buses, very well made in Germany.

Delightful video! Yes, the contrast between those days and these is great, but don't forget that all other countries (exceptSingapore) have also, to some extent, slid into states of litter, graffiti, disrepair in the past 60 years.

Carlos, you are our forum's Highly Esteemed Historian. Thank you for all the context you provide!

The images seen in the video shows a Buenos Aires that I remember very well, as I was 9 years old.

But please, be aware that in those times many crucial events had not taken place.

The model of a man was that of a British gentleman. The model of a Lady was that of a refined European one. The morals were still Victorian, and nobody dared to live with his/her fiancée in an apartment. Social sanction was strong. Very rare the unexpected pregnancy among single women.

Medium class was dominant (65 %) of the population. Poors were only a 3 %. Uneployment was also very low. Nobody was homeless.

The cultural influences came from the USA and Europe, and no Caribbean cumbia was known to degrade or popular music.

If the economy went on a dubious way, 2 or 3 years of good crops would resolve the problem, for in those days the total population of the country was only 18 million. Now we have 42 millions and this is not enough, even with best performances of agricultural techniques and improvements.

Even we were ruled by Peron, he already could not destroy the class structure of the traditional Argentina, and most of the regime respected the "God given order of things".

Later, the uprising of leftist groups that pretended to change Latin America fueled by Cuba was the beginning of a long quarrel in this part of the world by the cold war. Also the "Soixant huitards" student revolution in Paris 1968 changed radically the vision of the young people And the sexuall revolution also collaborated with this explosive cocktail.

As a conclusion, the video shows an ideal state of things that later was decaying more and more.

I am sending some photos of the bus long distance service, when the railways were less reliable.

The main advantage was that you could get out (or get in) of the bus asking the chauffeur in the small towns, that were not assisted by th express trains, as them went directly to the great cities.

Also there are some short distance "colectivos" of the 1960's.

These pictures, and your description, help me understand the tradition that led to current long-distance coach service in Argentina, where the coaches' seats and service are comparable to those of airlines' first class cabins.

Please keep giving us these great glimpses of life in the mid-20th century in Buenos Aires!

Quote from Rice

These pictures, and your description, help me understand the tradition that led to current long-distance coach service in Argentina, where the coaches' seats and service are comparable to those of airlines' first class cabins.

Please keep giving us these great glimpses of life in the mid-20th century in Buenos Aires!

Well, thank you for your words, but I think that in the US also you have first class cabin treatment in your buses.

But now I am reminding that the people who could afford these services prefer the airlines. I remember very well the advertisements of the US bus companies in the 1950's. Trailways and Greyhound. In my last visit to the US I see very few Greyhound buses. It seems that the business is decaying.

However, if Argentina would invest to have trains of medium speed (90 miles per hour), the bus services also will fade. I am no longing for the trains of superhigh speed of Japan and Europe.

Only a medium speed trains.

Now I am sending a photo of a famous English locomotive which in 1923 run from Rosario to BA (300 kms, 190 miles) in only 2:40 hours. We called it "La Emperatriz" (THe Empress). And also an advertisement of the serv ice Retiro-Tigre that you already know, and a very comfortable sleeping car that we used to go to Cordoba in my childhood.

Quote from Carlos

Well, thank you for your words, but I think that in the US also you have first class cabin tre atment in your buses. But now I am reminding that the people who could afford these services prefer the airlines. I remember very well the advertisements of the US bus companies in the 1950's. Trailways and Greyhound. In my last visit to the US I see very few Greyhound buses. It seems that the business is decaying.

However, if Argentina would invest to have trains of medium speed (90 miles per hour), the bus services also will fade. I am no longing for the trains of superhigh speed of Japan and Europe.

Only a medium speed trains.

Now I am sending a photo of a famous English locomotive which in 1923 run from Rosario to BA (300 kms, 190 miles) in only 2:40 hours. We called it "La Emperatriz" (THe Empress). And also an advertisement of the serv ice Retiro-Tigre that you already know, and a very comfortable sleeping car that we used to go to Cordoba in my childhood.

I may be wrong, Carlos, but I don't think that buses in the U.S. ever had big, comfortable leather seats like Argentina's overnight coaches. Although our train service is practically non-existent, we do have a few trains with sleeper compartments that conjure images of 1940's black & white movies. You would not want to consider ever taking a bus in the U.S. these days.