The Stagecoach was a vehicle powered by horses or mules to run between stage stations.
They carried people, mail, express, packages, gold, and money.
The stagecoach and coaching industry of the frontier days have been replaced by the bussing, mail delivery, parcel shipping, and armored trucking industries of today.
Stagecoach types can be divided by their appearance and utility.
The mountain wagon was a type of stagecoach. It had the simplest design of all the stagecoach designs. It was mostly used as a passenger wagon in mountainous regions of the far West from the mid 1800's to the early 1900's.
Studebaker
Three reaches
Side springs
Elliptical cross springs
Two to Four seats positioned crosswise
High standing top
Luggage rack
Roll down curtains for protection
Stage wagon
The mud wagon was a type of stagecoach. It had a more complex design than the mountain wagon, but was simpler than the Concord stagecoach. It was mostly used as a passenger wagon and was designed to be light weight. It was used in mountainous regions with poor roads. The name "mud wagon" comes from the fact that the roads it was used on were often muddy.
Abbot-Downing
M.P. Henderson
Light weight design
Exterior framing
Iron rockers
Leather thorough braces
Canvas storm curtains
The Yosemite coach was a type of stagecoach. It was used as a touring wagon in our National Parks.
Abbot-Downing
Henderson
Leather thorough braces
The Concord coach was a type of stagecoach. It had the most complex design of all stagecoaches.
Abbot-Downing
Leather thorough braces
Rigid front box boot
Rigid open rear luggage rack
Single front bunter
Folding coach step
Rear axle mounted beneath reaches
Kingpin in front of axle
Splinter bar
Standard castor
Flexible leather bag boot
Leather covered rear boot on flexible frame
Two to three bunters
Pad on the brake served as a coach step
Coach lamps were designed to invert the glass frame
Heavy ¾” thick iron tires
Axle mounted on top of reach
Doubletree
Albany bed plate
Stagecoaches can be divided into eastern and western designs. The eastern types were used where the terrain was flatter and less rugged. The western types were used in the rugged mountain terrain.
Eastern Stagecoaches
Western Stagecoaches
An historical account of passenger etiquette for riders a stagecoach.