All aboard — Bally’s Bus Stop is an electromechanical two-player wrapped in a travel-and-transportation theme, designed by the prolific Ted Zale with art by Art Stenholm. With reel scoring and a scarce confirmed run of just 825, it’s an uncommon and characterful woodrail-era piece from one of Bally’s most dependable designers.
The layout has a distinctive, bumper-heavy character: two flippers, three pop bumpers, a generous six mushroom bumpers, a pair of slingshots, two kick-out holes, and two rollover buttons. That hearty helping of pop and mushroom bumpers is the machine’s calling card, promising a wildly bouncy, unpredictable ball that caroms and pings across the playfield and demands sharp reflexes and active nudging to keep in play. The two rollover buttons and kick-out holes offer scoring to chase, all in service of the everyday travel theme. It’s the kind of kinetic, bumper-driven design that gives EM machines their signature bounce and energy.
Bus Stop is a fun example of Ted Zale’s electromechanical craft and Stenholm’s artwork, pairing an everyday transportation theme with an energetic, bumper-rich layout. The bus-and-travel motif was a charming, down-to-earth choice, and with only 825 built it’s a scarce find for the collector who loves the lively heart of EM pinball. For anyone who enjoys the bumper-bouncing joy of the era and Zale’s dependable design touch, it’s a worthy find. Ride that field of bumpers, work the rollovers, and catch your ride. Some machines are all about the joyful energy of the bounce, and this Zale travel classic is one of them. Wait for the bus and drop a coin.