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Also would like to mention a couple of bus moves for the next pick which takes affect on 1/5/04.From what I saw looking at the BO pick sheets inside MV,the M2 is moving from MV-MCH.The M86 is going to 100St,there will be 3 extra runs on the M79 covered by 100St. MJQ and WF wont change in terms of bus routes.I couldnt see anything else other than that so who knows what else is gonna happen come 1/5/04.
Or if the ta ever takes over the privates thet may have reopen ams
as a operating depot
MetroB
Robert
M2 will be transferred from MV to MCH.
M86 will be transferred from MJQ to 100th St.
S44/94,S59 & S74/84 will be transferred from CAS to YUKON.
X22 & X31 will be transferred from YUKON to CAS.
If anyone else on bustalk knows of other bus route moves on January 4th, 2004, please post it.
B1-#7524-Reman RTS
B1-#9094-NOVABUS
Seriously though whatever leaves WF would most likely come there and that could be the 400's or whatever it is since the O7 hybrids are nowhere in sight.
These buses accelerate very quickly as well, faster than the 5600s and any other diesel bus I know of. So, generally I had a great experience. THe only thing is, they get boring very quickly, since there is no transmission. Therefore, no gear changes that make bus engines "musical". So, although they are nice to ride, I wouldn't want to ride them all the time.
I can't wait to see the next batch of New Flyers...
Note: I bought a transfer for the 113 so I could take it back to the terminal...the driver said that my transfer wasn't valid, despite the fact that the time was good as well as the fact the 108 crossed the 113 right at the place I boarded the 113. I went to the customer service place at 69th st, and he said he couldn't tell me whether or not the pass was good, but gave me a card to call the costomer service place. Should I even bother (I got all the info possible, including the location, run number, bus number, rt number, driver description, and such.) I am so sick of SEPTA...it wrecked my day!
Chuck Greene
Incognito
STILL the West Farms Kid
They used to run the Bx11 and Bx35 a lot, but now it's the 15, 19, 21, 6 (though I personally have never seen it there yet)...
Incognito
West Farms Kid II
West Farms Kid II
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
B38 TMC Repowered #8529
B25 Nova #8899
B54 Nova #9162
B65 C40LF #814
Bx2 MOTT HAVEN
136TH STREET
Bx2 VIA CONCRSE PKY
VIA MELROSE
WTF is that??? Was there a time when the Grand Concourse was named "Grand COncourse Parkway???"
I remember seeing a sign at Mount Eden Avenue/Mt Eden Pkwy saying "Grand Concourse Boulevard," but "PARKWAY?"
Incognito
The West Farms Kid
Speaking of errors on signs, I have a Vultron sign with ca. 1990 readings; one of them is "B6 EASY N Y". Was this mistake on the whole fleet, or am I just lucky?
But it's not a Parkway, even though it looks like one.
MetroB
Bx41-5696
Bx31-8172
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
B1-#8677-TMC
We were wondering a couple of things:
How much does a new, state of the art transit bus cost? (approximately)
How much are transit bus drivers paid per hour in the Washington DC area?
Thanks!
-Massapequa Mike
"I think you could find the answers to your questions by simply calling WMATA and w/e other bus agency may be operating in the DC area. Be sure to search hard for any less obvious DC area services. Not too many know of DeCamp or Suburban Transit in New Jersey. Also, the price of the bus all depends. There are many bus manufacturers, and many provide different styles of buses, all which have prices that could be all over the place. If you would like, I could assist you in searching for these costs, as I would like to know as well."
I was just looking for a ballpark figure....ie, are we talking $40,000, $4,000,000, or $400,000? I honestly had no idea....but now I realize the latter is the most reasonable. Thanks for your offer to help though :)
The commuter page (website) lists most of the transit providers in DC area, which is really really helpful! I actually never knew about the Georgetown Metro connection until I saw their page, I used it last night, it was definitely one of the better transit services i've used in my lifetime.
Acording to the website:
Cost of new NovaBus transit bus: $295,000
Average cost of new cruiser bus: $380,000
Average cost of new articulated bus: $475,000
I hope this helps!
MetroB
Look between $250,000 and $300,000 and you shall find your answer. :)
-F.
Bus rides:
8812 A12 to Addison Road
8973 P12 to Southern Avenue
4201 A2 to Anacostia Station(note this was the first bus delivered in June of 1996
4038 P2 to Downtown
2218 32 to Tenlytown
4025 34 to Downtown
9410 36 to Naylor Road
8812 F14 home
OBSERVATIONS:
4286 is rehabbed, seen and maybe a photographed at Anacostia Station
Unrehabbed 87(8727) doing midday service on the V7
I took some pics of the American University, but didn't realize they still had that Gillig Spirit, the only one in this area.
A funny sighting I saw 8761 on the 32 with something odd. It had a wheelchair sticker by the front door, but this bus doesn't have a wheelchair.
Here's push to keep making high floors. I was riding on 4038 and the wheelchair lift was used twice and both times took around 20 seconds for the whole process to be done.
9203 looked like one of the Flxible Old Looks with the paint nearly gone from the roof line.
Oh yea before I forget, the smarttrip buses are running from Arlington(we all know that), but also Annex only.
1)Buy any CAGVs or ODVs, don't follow THE BUS's buys or you'll be laughed at and ridiculed on an endless basis.
2)Have it run by First Transit. Fairfax Connector replaced First Transit's service in northern Fairfax County with Connex/Yellow and First Transit run's Ride On's Helldoradoes and THE BUS. Again you will be laughed at and ridiculed.
3)Be so OC that your buses are shining to a tee, but buses come once every year. Being OC and running buses often is good.
4)If you ever buy specially designated buses for certain routes don't ever put those buses on non designated routes. Oh look that Pike Ride bus is on the 32 I didn't know Pike Ride was extended to Wisconsin Avenue.
5)No matter how they try to make them look good, don't buy any of BWI's ex Gilligs, you will running buses with one wheel sooner or later.
6)On the ODV and CAGV tip also don't buy any truck buses, I have already put a roof dent in one of those things with the bad suspension and all.
7)Steal any of MTA's routes, though it might be better, MTA could be really ticked off and start offering to do service on your buses.
Just some suggestions, can any busfan think of more no-nos for a new Anne Arundel bus system?
No break trucks either unless Wonder bread is buying them.
10)Don't create routes that duplicate and compete with other services.
We also forgot two obvous ones:
12) Do not end weekday service at 7PM
13) Do not neglect weekend service
Additionally, it may make sense to absorb the Annapolis bus system into a proposed county system, but that may be easier said than done.
AFA #7 is concerned, there may also be some union issues that would prevent MTA from turning over routes such as the #14 and #17 (which have a lot of territory in Anne Arundel - #14 to Annapolis and #17 to BWI and Arundel Mills). On the other hand, if there were a fare honoring program and if the labor issues could be settled, it might actually be in MTA's best interest to turn over routes such as the #14 and #17 to an Anne Arundel operated system.
I have to agree about First Transit; I rode on a CAR bus operated by Yellow Coach once, and was very displeased with how those buses were maintained. From my personal experiences, Yellow Coach is to the Baltimore-Washington area what Krapf's is to Philadelphia - a third-rate operation.
Two community briefings have been set to allow local transportation officials to share plans for the proposed K Street Busway-a high capacity, high-performance transit system linking Union Station with Georgetown via K Street-with the community that the proposed Busway will serve. The briefings will allow individuals who are interested in the project to ask questions, discuss ideas with the project team, and learn more about the Busway concept.
The meetings have been set for Monday, December 8, starting at 8:30am (open house starts at 8am) in the Great Hall Room 301, at The Charles Sumner School, 1201 17th Street, NW and on Thursday, December 11, at 7pm (open house starts at 6pm) at Francis Jr High School, 2425 N Street, NW(corner of 24th and N Streets, NW). The meetings are hosted by the District of Columbia's Department of Transportation and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro).
The proposal calls for the reconstruction of K Street through the central core of Washington DC creating an exclusive Busway in the street median. In addition, pedestrian and traffic operations improvements are planned for the corridor including areas, west of Washington Circle to Georgetown and east of Mt. Vernon to Union Station.
The principal bus service planned for the facility will include the new Downtown Circulator. Phase I of the Downtown Circulator will consist of a crosstown high-capacity, high performance service connecting Union Station, the Washington Convention Center, and Georgetown via the K Street Busway. The service would operate through the day with a high level of frequency and would use specially designed low-floor buses to maximize operations and passenger convience.
rode one coming home-N.J.T.!
While on that bus I saw an MTA Maryland D4500 with a laminated 505 destination sign in the dashboard and headsigns saying NOT IN SERVICE on the front and NOT IN SERVIC on the side. So, I see the MTA MD D4500s are starting to fall into standard MTA condition. So sad...
Well once I got my mouth blasted out, I got an F6 to College Park, where I then planned to wait for an 83 to Rhode Island Avenue, but instead I saw a The Bus SLF on the 14 and was, oddly and freakishly enough, tempted to ride.
This was actually my first time on the "new" The Bus (as opposed to old The Bus with the school buses), and at first I was semi-impressed with the appearance of this SLF. There was a radio playing, I believe, WPGC, and no pieces of anything hanging from anywhere. They have the same seat "cushions" as the SLFs WMATA operates and maintains for GEORGE here in NoVA, which is starting to make me think that there may have been some sort of piggybacking, but I doubt it because WMATA's have LED destination signs while The Bus's have LEDots that they cannot seem to get programmed. Well my first impressions were blown to pieces once we reached 5 MPH exiting College Park Station -- the bus made a left and the window I was leaning on swung out, and when we hit cracks in the asphalt, dear god...I remember one street we were going down that was so raggedy that you couldn't hear the engine over the rattling, and this was while sitting at the rear of the bus. When we got to the end of this street, there was a sign that said BUMP...no s-it Sherlock...
I also noticed that The Bus has moved on from the days of paper destination signs -- every The Bus I saw today had a laminated number card with a separate laminated destination card. Looks like PG The Bus is movin' on up!
The biggest surprise this year was found at the front of this SLF -- mounted above and to the right of the Luminator pad, which might as well have just been a watch or something, was...a NEXTBUS TRANSMITTER! As if The Bus could get NextBus working -- why would they even bother? I can see it now, Friday at dusk -- "14 PG PLAZA STATION: 3000 MINUTES AND 3060 MINUTES", or if they really want to be informative, "14 PG PLAZA STATION: TAKE F4/F6 SINCE IT'S THE SAME ROUTE ANYWAY"
I kick myself for not getting the number of this bus...
I found it interesting (smart) that this bus had to pull into the kiss & drop lane at PG Plaza instead of going to a bus bay -- I mean if I were WMATA I wouldn't let those things close to my real buses either...
After that horrendous ride, I took an R2, an 80, and the subway back to school -- I grabbed a bus at the Pentagon, and as we were pulling out I saw #4237, another rehab from Four Mile, idling in wait of its pullout.
Maybe they ended up with GEORGE rejects? I can't imagine either that they piggybacked on that order since they'd be too expensive. Anything PG gets would have to be second hand or rejected by someone else.
The other night on Channel 4, they were showing the aftermaths of a horrible accident on Addison Road. I'm not sure what time this was taken, but a CAGV came rolling by. I didn't think those things were allowed out after dark? Maybe they had those hooligan lights placed on the road so they could find their way back to the garage?
Even funnier was yet another Fox 5 Investigation *rolls eyes* with people who lived near some landfills in PG that they wanted shut down...and right next to one of them was The Bus lot.
So what are you trying to say. Because Baltimore MTA and WMATA have Flx's that they are crap? I think there much better then the RTS's anyday!! You might not like Flx's and thats your opinion but don't sit there and say that WMATA and Bmore MTA is crap b/c of Flx's. You probably have'nt even ridden the system to say that!!
And if the Metro was such trash why did so many TAs buy them and repeatedly buy them. Hell even Seattle bought Gilligs over RTSs and I think Nova had the lower bid(don't quote me on that one, and if it was that would be a big surprise) and Baltimore chose initially Orions over RTSs also, before going finally to Neoplan.
Second, its just fun to pick on them. : )
Flxible > RTS
IMO : Flxible > RTS
I feel the same way; that is why the Flxible New Look and Grumman 870 (nee Flxible Metro) are my favorite transit buses of all time. Here are some picture examples of what got me into buses here at home:
http://www.commonwealthcoach.com/76ValleyMetro.html
http://www.commonwealthcoach.com/79ValleyMetro.html
I hope you will enjoy looking at these buses as much as I did with riding them. I helped restore the Grumman, and the New Look has been assigned to me as my own personal restoration project at the museum.
-Fred
-F.
While I do not personally think that about the RTS (as long as it is well-maintained), I must admit that I got a chuckle out of that one.
-F.
I prefer Really Tough Shit, myself.
-F.
So many sexual analogies for buses?
I agree with the Orion taking off from the flxible look with the slanted window, and then the square windows on the VII.
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
(With apologies to RTS fans, of course. Hey, we are all Italian, Irish, Scottish, Polish, and whatever...we all make fun of each other! Same with buses.)
-F.
-F.
-F.
FLXIBLE: Fun-Loving, Xstatic, Intelligent; Brain Like Einstein!
NEW FLYER: Notoriously Everywhere When Flxibles Leave Your Everyday Routes".
I like the LFs okay, but they sure do prey on aging Flxes. :(
-F.
IMO, on topic of this post; Flxible is just as good a product as the RTS, based on my rides on them. I like the RTS better only because in the rear of the bus, there is a space where one can rest his head, unlike any other model of bus currently in use. The Flxs were just as good a ride (although the defoggers on some of them need some work, such as 9783.)
Also, a transit system needs to get buses that fit in with ridership needs. Some areas work with 35 foot buses, while some others need 40 footers and artics. Truck cutaways also work in some areas. It depends on how the individual TA sees its ridership, or in some cases, wants fleet interhchangeability. (For example, for you DC people, I doubt you would use the 51xx buses on the Y8, 52, 70, or 71 (WMATA)!) Similarly, an Eldorado would not work on the 46 (Ride On)! One may not like certain equipment, but its all in what makes sense!!! (Scheduling, now that is another issue, and since I do not know about how THE BUS operates, I will not comment on it other than to say Road Planning for THE BUS is not doing their job if they are not complementing WMATA lines. At least WMATA allows it, in NYC, that is a no-no.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I respect ALL buses even those I don't like(I mean real buses), so don't diss a bus just because it isn't RTS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIKE BUT DAMMIT RESPECT THE FLXIBLE METRO, ALOT OF T/As AND REAL!! BUSFANS DO!!!!!
WMATA bought RTSs in 78, never bought another one, WMATA bought Flxibles in 87, kept buying them until Flxible shut its doors and would they have kept buying them if Flxible stayed open.
BALTIMORE MTA bought RTSs in the early 80s and bought another group a couple of years after, THAT WAS IT, Bought Grummans in 82, bought Metros in 83, kept buying them until hmmmm, Flxible closed its doors and would have kept buying them if Flxible stayed open. Oh also when MTA parted ways with NABI they decided to go with the RTS, NOT!!!, and instead chose Orion initially then went to Neoplan.
Man I guess your greatest nightmare is if Flxible comes back, it won't be for the rest of us. Just keep praying Flxible never comes back, because the RTS never will.
Now you're using the old "they weren't made anymore" excuse. Okay, so do tell why transit agencies were keeping GM New Looks for 20 and 30 years? Houston kept theirs from 1961 to 1991. Your very own TA kept theirs until 2000? Explain this? EXPLAIN THIS PLEASE!!!! Oh yeah, you can't because you gave a pathetic excuse on why Flxibles are retired so young, just like most of their New Look ancestors. Not every bus can be like the GM old Look/New Look/RTS. It's okay. We have to have average buses to balance things out. The Flxible is an AVERAGE bus. It's okay. It is adequate for what it does.
>>>WMATA bought RTSs in 78, never bought another one, WMATA bought Flxibles in 87, kept buying them until Flxible shut its doors and would they have kept buying them if Flxible stayed open.<<<
Who cares? The point I'm making is that the WMATA Flxibles will not last the 22 or 23 years the RTS did. They won't even make it to 20, or even 18 at this rate. And the funny thing is this; WMATA had the problematic RTS-03's and they got 22 years out of them. The fine tuned Metro B's will not see that many years. Explain that one. And how do you know WMATA would have kept buying Flxibles? You're just making ASSumptions are you not? If TMC stopped producing RTS buses in 1992, I could say "If TMC had never closed it's doors NYCTA would have bought Flxibles forever and ever and ever, so nyah!" See how that works?
>>>BALTIMORE MTA bought RTSs in the early 80s and bought another group a couple of years after, THAT WAS IT, Bought Grummans in 82, bought Metros in 83, kept buying them until hmmmm, Flxible closed its doors and would have kept buying them if Flxible stayed open. Oh also when MTA parted ways with NABI they decided to go with the RTS, NOT!!!, and instead chose Orion initially then went to Neoplan.<<<
Good for them. And NYCTA bought Grummans in the early 1980's but never went back after they crapped out on the streets. That's why they bought RTS for 12 years straight. And when Flxible finally was going to get a 2nd go at NYC, they shut their doors. Boo hoo hoo. Oh well, more business for Nova and Orion was all that was.
>>>Man I guess your greatest nightmare is if Flxible comes back, it won't be for the rest of us. Just keep praying Flxible never comes back, because the RTS never will.<<<
But the Flxible never will come back though as the company that owns the plans, MCI, is barely holding it together making intercity coaches. They WILL NEVER EVER EEEEEEEEEEVER EVER EVER EVER, bring back the Flxible Metro, let it rust in peice. Besides, the RTS may be gone, but I take solace in knoiwng it had a great 25 year run. Aside from the first two years of crap, it was a great bus. Even the crappy Nova's are as good as the best Flx Metro. And Flxible, after five craptacular years, they finally got it together and made a good bus. Too bad it only lasted 11 years. Oh well, no one picked up the franchise.
Change Flxible to RTS because we know THAT would have never happened, not after 1980 anyway.
Also, I'd like to know if you've heard of any other transit agencies besides BMore and WMATA? I mean really, I could do a better job arguing the case for Flxible than you could. All you say is, "WMATA this and BMore that, and grow up and you suck!!!! Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo boo hoo hoo hoo." Hey man, if you have an issue, here's a tissue.
Other T/As like CTA (Flxibles after buying RTSs), Pittsburgh(have Flxibles and never went to the RTS when Flxible shut its doors, going to Classics instead), most of the Ohio T/As who have made ton's o'Flxible purchases, New Jersey Transit(they may have bought RTSs, so). I would think of others, but I could go on for a while.
Will the REAL busfans stand up, I mean those who respect ALL buses doesn't matter their make(I mean real buses, please no Chumpion fans stand up......if there are any).
And while I am sad to see them go, it does make them readily available for those of us who want to buy one at a good price...:)
-F.
-F.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-F.
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-F.
I rode this horrible whatever the thing is called mini bus. The door was swinging open the entire time. The ride system was horrible. Almost EVERY stop overlapped a WMATA stop. The only things good were the music that played and the friendly driver. Three people were the maximum to langly park, a shopping central for mont. co/pg county.
Service hours are rediculous.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
"My name is Tristan, and I rode The Bus..."
*someone in back of room passes out*
"Hi Tristan", they say in unison, consoling the poor transit fan.
Hi I am WES I live near a THE BUS line. Since this line has replaced the F14 I have had delusions and gitters and spontaneous crying for no reason. I missed seeing real buses so bad when I see a real bus, I just run up and hug one, sometimes when they are in motion, btw, very painful to do that.
For real I rode THE BUS Chumpion 62932 and for one the left side interior lights were not on, the rear window on the right side was not in properly so it was popping in and out, slow to take off, and please don't be shocked when you hear this, this bus has a real farebox, YES I SAID A REAL FAREBOX!!!, but of course it didn't work. Well I did get a free ride on THE BUS, so I got my money's worth. :~D
A real farebox on The Bus? Go figure that it wasn't working. I guess the chimp that installed that had to either run and pick up a CAGV after it fell over, or is still trying to figure out how to install the electronic signs on the other buses. No wonder nothing else on that bus was right because all the maintenance hours allotted to them was spent screwing the farebox into the floor. "What are these wires for?" "Ahh, forget it, we can just have the drivers collect the fares manually"
That's pretty much how I felt when all those Flxibles pulled up at Silver Spring a few weeks ago, escpecially 9380 in the second scheme. Knowing that Flxes are rapidly disappearing all over the country, it really felt good to see so many still in regular service. And when we rode 9717, it looked just like a brand new bus on the inside; it was IMMACULATE. Long live the WMATA Flxibles!
-F.
-F.
On another note, look at NYC; in 1996, they were slated to receive at least 50 Flxible Metros for the MTA, a full 16 years after the 870 fiasco there that sparked all the commotion on that design. Once again, a major city was ready to give Flx a second chance. The only thing that stopped them was the premature closing of the plant in 1996....right after four of the NYC Metros were made. Those still live on as engine test mules at Detroit Diesel, and one should rightfully go to the New York Transit Museum as they were the very last Flxibles ever made.
-F.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I said it before, and I will say it again. Flxible: Feels Like Xmas In Bus Lines Everywhere. :)
-F.
But who gives a damn, its FOX, the last station I would turn to for news.
-f.
Tristan if you noticed, the MTA sticker isn't on those buses like they are on Ride On's. I guess even the MTA have standards.
These days, those things are still wearing their dinged up skirts; I guess they just figured they were wasting their time trying to keep them straight. The fact that a front fender buckled on the 30-foot demo they sent us in early 2000 should have given them a clue about cosmetic longevity, but oh well. Besides, they are neat looking buses, especially with their unique paint schemes that set them apart from our fixed route Gilligs.
-F.
Incognito
are a number of 126th St 5600s being transferred over to 100th St so 100th can have extra buses for th M86? If that's the case, then 126th will have to take buses from somewhere to fill in the gaps...
I have a few theories as to what's going on, but will only discuss via e-mail or via AOL Instant Messenger tonight...
sn: cleanairbus
e-mail: you should know this already
Incognito
BIG AL
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Has it EVER worked :-). Plus it looked kind of odd.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
BIG AL
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
B1-#9338-NOVABUS
#5062 - B26
#8689 - B6
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A7759-2002Nov18?language=printer
However there was no mention of any website and I got the impression from the article that most of his stuff has become rust-buckets.
None of it is restored. Hardly any of it runs.
www.regionaltransitservice.com
I found the show to be a hodgepodge of school buses, transit, intercity and conversion buses (ugh!- these are not buses!)They wanted to cover everything without any real justice to anything.
Egon Kafka's collection was featured. No specific details of his collection were given. Acknowledgement was given to Kafka, Motor Bus Society, Don Coffin, etc.
I personally did not find anything special about the program but saw it as rather a paid commercial for conversion buses.
Monday
N22 JAMAICA #209
N27 GLEN COVE #321
N20 HICKSVILLE #176
N22 JAMAICA #176
Interestingly found out that the bus that arrives in Hicksville from Flushing at around 5:50pm also does the 6:05pm N22 to Jamaica. Now that I know thats a swing run, I'll know if the N20's are running late its gonna delay that N22.
In short, this bus is an accident waiting to happen. No wonder this bus is so reviled and scorned at East New York, along with bus 4428, which I have not seen lately.
The first one happened on 7th Street near Howard University. A speeding SUV lost control, hit a Howard University shuttle bus, then hit a light pole then got wedged between Northern Flxible B 9371 and another car. About 10 people were hurt, on both buses and the truck. No word if there weren't any serious injuries. I am pretty sure the SUV driver will be charged but none have been leveled yet.
The second one involved apparently a CNG bus on Route One near Riverdale. Not sure of the bus number or if there was anyone hurt, more of a blip of a story they just mentioned after the first one. I am also not sure if any damage to the bus.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Mike
David
CG
Incognito
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Thanks,
CG
Station B, Lefferts Blvd., which serves the Long Term Parking lot, is a long distance from many of the parking spaces. I've got to believe that there will be some sort of shuttle service from various parts of the Long Term Parking lot to the Station. The brochure on the opening of Airtrain on the Port Authority's site doesn't mention anything about whether or not there will be such a shuttle operation.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
B12 TMC #8702
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
I wonder if Harrisonburg Transit is gonna be there..I didn't even know they had transit until the state roadeo this summer -- they actually hosted the event (on their .2 acre gravel lot I bet :p)
-F.
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-F.
Looks like someone wants to start sumthin here.....
www.commonwealthcoach.com
Also, we can ride Valley Metro while you are here and possibly trek over to Blacksburg (hopefully the BT will not have ousted their Flxible Metro Bs by then, but if they do, CC&T will have one). And if you can't get enough Gilligs and SLFs in Roanoke, maybe we can even go over to Lynchburg! :)
Think about it, and let me know if you want to make a fest of it.
-Fred
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http://www.commonwealthcoach.com/79ValleyMetro.html
This was our first restoration project, which Yours Truly helped with.
-F.
Three words: A Que Duct.
-F.
I have pictures of those buses...
and rode one...
Incognito
-f.
-F.
B1-#8684-TMC
B64-#4772-TMCRTS
On another note, the bus looked to be in Blacksburg Transit colors; those are very similar to those found on the TTC in Toronto. Both TAs have had New Looks in their fleets.
-F.
-F.
BUSES RODE
62932 Chumpion-Farebox broken, window broken, left side lights out and I think this bus was 40 minutes late, because no bus showed up at 8am. Oops, 21 to New Carrolton
8805 F4 to Silver Spring btw(DAMN IT WAS COLD!!!)
2141 Q2 to Wheaton
5419 34 to Bethesda
8714 J4 to Silver Spring
9222 J4 to College Park
2092 F6 to New Carrolton
9651 F14 home(this bus had most of its left side lights out)
OBSERVATIONS
9635 for some odd reason had a smarttrip sticker on it, but no smarttrip farebox. It wasn't even an Arlington Orion V
2141 destination signs worked fine on the Q2 but on the J2 it didn't, juse said "Seasons Greetings", and "Not In Service"
9624 was on the F4 about to leave New Carrolton as my F4 came in.
Almost there, saw mostly artics on the Y8,9.
I think there were others, but I can't remember.
David created this board so we all can share our enthusiasm about our favorite subject and it would be a waste of his time and effort to create this board, to shut this board down for morons who aren't mature enough to have a decent discussion. Some have left the board because of the stupid stuff said on this board and that is a shame. And as for myself I will not get into any stupid arguements, just state the facts and shutup and do my part to keep the board informative and humorous, I just hope everyone can do the same.
Statements like that only add fuel to the fire.
I hope to have some bus pics back in a few days, hopefully they won't incite a riot either. :)
-F.
*Rimshot*
Someone who asks the same question again and again and again and...
I am neither a busfan nor a railfan. I care more about services than equipment. Whether you put a Flxible or an RTS or a Gillig on a badly crafted route, the route is still poor. I start to care about equipment when someone starts discussing bread trucks with seats, UPS trucks with seats, and paratransit vans taking on medium to high volume routes.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I agree with you. We have many folks amongst us who seem to get satisfaction out of attampting to belittle others. Others are often sarcastic and just seem to have an elitist attitude. I don't even bother to get into those arguments (or participate in those threads) either because many posters act like they have a chip on their shoulder - of course they do this behind the safety of their cyber-wall. I think debates are fine, but the name calling and profanity is totally unnecessary and rather juvenile.
Well, the first thing that she did was that she arrived at fordham road and Southern Boulevard and opened the doors- while the front doors were not past the first pole marking the stop and the back doors were still in the middle of the intersection (SHE VIOLATED THE RULES REGARDING DOOR OPENINGS). Able bodied passengers didn't mind, and boarded the bus, BUT there was a lady with two kids (that looked 7-8 years old) WHO COULD BARELY WALK and had an EXTREMELY noticible limp who managed to make it to the front doors just as they closed and the bus slowly advanced ~3 feet. The lady knocked on the door, then asked "Please open the door". The bus advanced another 3-5 feet and now the little kids chased along and the lady attempted to keep up, and they knocked together and said VERY politely , but VERY audibly "Please open the door miss!". A man then got up and said to the cunt (she doesn't deserve the title B/O) "Miss, you could have really opened the door for that lady, is it going to kill you to just open the door for her and the kids?" to which she shouted " I already moved!!!" (BUT YOU NEVER opened them IN THE STOP stupid!!!!). She then floors the pedal (which doesn't do much on an artic...) and leaves, at which point there was an uproar amongst passengers along the lines of:
-"oh come on, the lady could barely walk and had kids, AND it's cold outside"
-"Some people need to get a heart and put themselves in her position"
-"Some bus drivers are wonderful, but most of the other ones are just UGH!"
-"Oh come on!!"
- "She could have fucking opened the doors!"
-"WTF is her problem? Why does she have to be so fucking nasty?"
another passenger "it's a woman?"
-"yea"
other assenger- "When I got on i thought she was a man"
At which point the cunt (driver) floors the brakes REALLY hard for like 1.5 seconds and then floors the accelerator! The people standing were BARELY able to hold on and at that holding on by a THREAD. They were pretty much TUMBLING towards the front and clinging to the poles. The cunt is fucking LUCKY that no one fell and at that got injured, or else I would LOVE to see all of them sue the MTA and get the cunt FIRED ON THE SPOT, because that is what she DESERVES!
Someone then said "whoa, this bitch doesn't know how to freakin drive!", at which point SHE DOES IT AGAIN!!! This time, people didn't say anything but were seething mad and were just muttering under their breaths.
NOTE: THERE WAS NOTHING (cars) DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF OR NEAR TO THE BUS. SHE HAD NO REASON TO EVEN TOUCH THE BRAKES.
It is absolutely DISGUSTING that pieces of shit like her and the old guy on run 19 have jobs today, when you have poeple who are the DEFINITION OF EXCELLENCE, such as Trevor Logan getting put through hell because of some posts, which are about nothing negative about him, on bustalk just because of some minor detalis.
The Bx22 overall has really shitty B/O's, who are lazy, rude, inconsiderate, or just don't care about the passengers OR THE RULES. There are a FEW exceptions to the blanket statement such as the older guy on run 15, and the guy who usually is on run 10 in the AM rush. Run 36 (PM rush) from last pick was pretty awesome as well. There probably aren't any others. There are lots of operators on this line that pull that "i'm not opening doors" crap. One guy pulled that crap with me- I told the line supervisor, and when the supervisor got within eyeshot of the B/O the doors were open really fast, and he got a nice look and a write down on the clipboard. I dipped my card, glared at the B/O, gave a sarcastic/menacing smile, and sat down.
The BX10 has pretty cool Bus operators who are polite and enjoy having conversations with people, there may be exceptions but I haven't found them yet.
The BX12 operators are possibly the best ever ( I haven't taken the M15 in a while, so I don't know if things have changed). Incredibly personable, and definately unique. They're really kind! Instead of letting you freeze your ass off when it's cold, and get rained on when it rains or stand outside alone at night time, many BX12 operators tend to let you on the bus while they are still on break- Commendable since that's their personal time( Bx22 operators NEVER do that, and just don't give a fuck). I still remember the Bx12 B/O that was cracking jokes over the PA while the bus was having mechanical problems ( the "stop engine" light came on, he tried pushing the bus a little further, but the bus shut down [so much for GH's maintaince of the artics]), and another who shared his aspiration and desire to become a singer, and then sang a (pretty good) song for all of us, which got him a nice applause from everyone onboard. Another got up and assisted another guy in assisting a really old lady down the stairs and onto the sidewalk. Bx12 operators are pretty witty too, my favorite quote " Hey, go ahead and get on through the back door! I'm not paying for it!". Operators on this route frequently POLITELY AND COHERENTLY give out directions to riders unfamiliar to the route, they also make clear anouncements most of the time, unlike bx22 drivers who LOOOOOOOVVVEEE to mumble , or just make no announcements (because they suck).
If I have offended you as an operator, sorry about that, but I honestly don't care that anyone is offended by my stating of the fact that many of your fellow operators are less than savory characters and some do not deserve to have a job. It is the people that deserve to be flat out on their asses in front of MTA HQ, that degrades the public's perception of you and will change the way you are treated and thought of by your riders. Little kids are tought to say "Mommy, mommy, I want to be a fireman", Not, "Mommy, Mommy, I want to be a B/O". Well, you are both public servants who have tough jobs, but people who end up being viewed as hostile and unpleasent because of the people who insist on making the public have a bad image of them as individuals, will be cross appiled to the entire group of people (B/O's). People see Firemen taking kittens out of trees, but a person driving a bus is frequently seen as the person who creates the ride from hell.
Enough of my banter, state the lines that you generally have good expierence with the B/O's and lines which you have bad expierences with them.
Do they even take complaints seriously?
MetroB
David
David
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I'm starting this thread mainly to bash
he's an asshole
deserves to be spat on
a few kicks to the face
this lady is the bitch
with short nasty looking
and said to the cunt
fucking opened the doors
so fucking nasty
the cunt (driver)
The cunt is fucking
whoa, this bitch
pieces of shit like her
really shitty B/O's
your ass off
and just don't give a fuck
they suck
on their asses
I view you as someone who has issues with women and is violent in nature. Perhaps in need of mental help. You might want to look into such. Before it's too late.
However, I responded as a participant of this message board, and not as a bus operator. Had I responded as a bus operator, I'd have deflated many of your arguments. Yet I felt it best to ignore your post, accept it for what it's worth, and instead focus on your mental health issues and your violence towards the unknown as a public service to you.
Get help.
So, you think that everything done by Run 25 driving 5417, was perfectly within the rules? Think it was right? would you have done what that shemale in the driver seat of bus 5417 did?
I clearly do not hate all Bus operators, you have a rough job, BUT no one is forcing you to be there if you don't want to be. If you hate people and think of all non MTA employees as swine, then find another source of income. I LIKE to talk to Bus operators since I can learn a bit about transit stuff, and the various things an atric is capable of.
And how did this become an attack on me? I flamed no one and simply stated the facts of what has happened. Think that all B/O's are of the same quality as yourself (as shown from some posts on the strappies board), well cross the whitestone bridge and think again.
It's called ignorance, and lack of self-respect as well as respect for every other member of this forum who you apparently don't perceive can attribute "anger" to the tone of a post without a barrage of profanity.
So, you think that everything done by Run 25 driving 5417, was perfectly within the rules? Think it was right? would you have done what that shemale in the driver seat of bus 5417 did?
I don't dignify your ignorant query with a topical response.
I clearly do not hate all Bus operators, you have a rough job, BUT no one is forcing you to be there if you don't want to be. If you hate people and think of all non MTA employees as swine, then find another source of income. I LIKE to talk to Bus operators since I can learn a bit about transit stuff, and the various things an atric is capable of.
Try talking with your parents and teachers. They probably couldn't teach you much about NYCT, but they can teach you how to complete a sentence without the use of profanity.
And how did this become an attack on me?
Are you that ignorant? Or just that stupid?
I flamed no one and simply stated the facts of what has happened. Think that all B/O's are of the same quality as yourself (as shown from some posts on the strappies board),
Go ahead and post that exact same message, word for word, at "Straphangers" and see if you don't find yourself bashed and banned. Or is it that you already realize that fact, and decided to post your garbage here, knowing Dave would probably be too busy to realize? That, and the fact your post displays sheer disrespect to everyone who participates here- not that you care, or course.
well cross the whitestone bridge and think again.
I've driven a bus in every borough in this city, kiddo.
You owe the good people of BusTalk an apology for your disgraceful language and lack of respect.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
And if you posted that on Strappies, they'd all flame you (I'm sure you have vivid memories of that happening many times back then).
But to get back on the topic, I have never seen, nor heard of any bus driver that mean and disrespectful in my life. I've just seen some drivers skip stops when there was CLEARLY someone waiting for the bus mainly because 1) the stop was being blocked or 2) they didn't feel like stopping for some reason or another.
The only bad experiences I've had with Queens bus routes involved malfunctioning wheelchair lifts and tiny forms of bus bunching.
You'd do well in the Nextel forum......
I complement you and you fuggin insult me.... unbeliaveable (I don't feel like spelling it correctly).
The driver of the bus we got onto was INSANE, cutting off cars and making a right turn around a truck (this was on the M4). It was fun yet scary, lol!
Other times, I have seen passengers respond to the driver by punching the plastic and forcing the doors open, or threaten to do so by saying "Either you let me off or no one gets home!", because I imagine that doing so will put the bus in emergency.
Also, thanks for giving me this imformation. Prior to this post, I called the MTA to report this driver, and will continue to do so until she is off the road and the MTA payroll.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
MetroB
MetroB
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
MetroB
Cover
Your
Own
Ass
MetroB
BIG AL
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Regards,
Jimmy
Incognito
Wayne
MetroB
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Mark
7512 - B4
9097 - B6
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
MetroB
There was an announcment on the school's PA system that the buses might not be running today. (We get our own S46 and S42's.)When we got out of school today the assistant principal of the eight grade said that the busses will not be coming today. So I thought that the regular S46 might be running to the ferry but boy was I wrong. While I was waiting for the S46 St. George ferry bound at Brighton Ave., about three buses towards West Shore Plaza came inching by. I then walked up to the S48 and 2 buses were sitting at the corner of Forest Ave. and Brighton Ave. stuck in the snow. All the people waiting for an Arlington bound S48 would be waiting there for awhile. I then walked back to the S46 stop and bus still hasn't shown up. We finally saw bus come towards us and we were jumping for joy. As the bus started to get closer we realized that it was Not In Service. We were so downed as it has been 25 minutes already. Another bus then pulled up from Brighton Ave. and we all ran across the street to see if it was ours. The bus driver then called the yard/or got called and hen said that he was going towards Mariners Harbor. What a let down. Our assistant principle then said that there will be two shuttle buses on the way. So it was 15 minutes and still no bus. I was getting a cold just standing around and went to buy hot chocolate. AS I was coming out another assistant principle said that the shuttles aren't coming anytime soon and the next S46 shouldn't be here for another 2 hours. I finally gave up and started walking home. I saw an S42 towards Forest Avenue but it didn't look like it was going anywhere anytime soon. Overall it was miserable. I hope everybody has a pretty good day.
B1-#8684-TMC
B64-#4869-TMC
M42-#8284-TMC
Not one street in all of Port Washington has been plowed!!!! ROFL
Not one street in all of Port Washington has been plowed!!!! ROFL
Now I'm gonna go try to ride my bike with my sled in tow! WEE!!!
BIG AL
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I just hope Acela does not have an argument here
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Nah I can care less about him and wasting my post on him....I'll let other users get angry and curse him out for me....
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
BIG AL
MetroB
(yes, it is sticking in NYC)
http://www.1010wins.com/
And you can answer your own question.
BIG AL
MetroB
http://www.commuterpage.com/store-ccpics03.htm
This Starbucks without the coffee is the remodeled Crystal City Commuter Store, where transit users can get information about transit, as well as purchase any fare media they would need except farecards and bus day passes. Beauty, ain't it?
So who thinks their local transit stores are better?
These stores are not the only places you can get transit fare media in the area, but they are where you can go and get advice about taking transit, information about that transit/mortgage rate discount, directions, and even some P/R materials...as well as use those cool computers.
If you go to Giant and ask if you can use a DASH PASS on a WMATA bus...well take some guesses as to what kind of answer you'll get.
My mother had to come home from Northern Blvd. and the Cross Island Pkwy. where she works. She waited 10 minutes for a Q12, when a woman walking past the bus stop told my mother that she just walked there all the way from GREAT NECK, and that there are no Q12 buses at all. So my mom walked to Bell Blvd. with a friend from work, and waited there for a Q13. Two Q31s eventually passed by, but no Q13s! So they walked to the LIRR and took that to Flushing. My mom walked over to the Flushing Library and got onto a Q20. The bus got as far as 39th Ave. After picking up a ton of people at 39th Ave., it took her 30 MINUTES to get to Northern Blvd. The bus finally turned onto Northern Blvd., and started crawling toward Union St. The bus suddenly stopped in the middle lane just past Linden Pl., slightly behind another bus that was stopped in the left lane. They sat there for a while, and then the driver opened the doors and announced: "Attention passengers: I suggest everybody leave the bus now. We will NOT be moving anytime soon. Traffic is not moving on Union Street." So my mom got off and walked the rest of the way home. And that's when she saw the sea of buses up and down Union St.
So I reiterate.....WHAT THE FRICK-FRACK IS GOING ON?????
Seriously though, if a bus driver doesn't feel it's safe to operate the bus, the bus stops. And when one bus stops, everyone else will also. It's the domino effect of a day off with pay (albeit in a bus).
It's NOT giant-mystical-bird drandruff???!
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Peace,
Kevin
I love the snow, but my Dad hates it. Especially when things like this happen.
Thursday Dec 4
N22 JAMAICA #322
171 PATERSON #3737
171 GWB #7947 (was 20 min late and an MCI, maybe the usual Flx broke down?)
N22A HICKSVILLE #147
Friday Dec 5
N35 HEMPSTEAD #166
Rode this as far as the Source, which took 30 minutes. Needless to say, I walked back.
Ellison ave and Old Country road before I took cover in the mall....nobody's goin anywhere. the N79 bus in the picture was just past the intersection about 20 minutes later after I left the mall.
The only N22 I saw was this one going to Hicksville
When I got off my N35 at Privado Dr, there was another one right behind us.
And the N35 bus that got me there, though I might as well have walked
Incognito
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Enjoy!
BTW 8714 looked like crap, sounded loud, but it took off like a bat out of hell or passengers running away from an ODV. It was also a fast bus too after accelerating.
This scene can be the opening scene of a horror flick based soley on ODV's and CAGVs that come to life on their own and kill/maim/decpitate unsuspecting humans;-)
The story: Four Mile for once assigned a non-Pike Ride bus to a non-Pike Ride route..BUT the CleverBox seemed to think otherwise. The CleverSign was dead, but the exterior CleverVoice announced "Route 16B, Destination Culmore" when the doors opened, even though the headsign correctly displayed "9A PENTAGON" and a GOOD EVENING P/R
I haven't been down to Newport, though - maybe they're down there.
JD
While on the subject of RIPTA and smaller buses, I saw on RIPTA's website that they are using smaller buses for the Providence Link shuttles instead of the Chance trolley buses this weekend, due to the storm. The notice said that the smaller buses handle better in the snow than the trolleys. I wonder if they used the 30 foot RTS, the 30 foot New Flyers, or the cutaways, or a mix of all three?
Mark
JD
www.regionaltransitservice.com
-F.
-F.
Oh, and quite a lot of the guy and gal doing the wild thing in the bus.
Shortest = Mid-Pike Plaza/White Flint shuttle (i think it's called the S97 or S91)
I think the 1C from Ballston to Fair Oaks Hospital is a pretty long mileage route as well, especially with all the loops it does through Seven Corners, Fairfax Hospital, Fair Oaks Mall and then up to Fair Oaks Hospital. I bet that's pretty close to the Q2 and B30 mileage wise.
-F.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Basically, I had to leave home by 2:30 in order to get to work by 4 pm. When the last bus left,[about 12:50am] I got home around 2 am everyday.
-F.
Longest: C18???
Michael
Washington, DC
I lost my data CD for S&T 2001, if anyone has one please lemme know!
5A with "improvised" Herndon-Monroe P&R routing (it looks like an intestine on the route map) and sans Tysons-Westpark Transit Station = 30.71 Miles, including extra weekend routing around L'Enfant Plaza area.
I did the B30, but the stickmap isn't quite descriptive enough. The best mileage I could get from Greenbelt to the Airport to Business District was just over 24 miles.
NJTransit:-buses will be pulled off the road once conditions get worse-can see that happening soon.
BeeLine:-CANCELLED.
Suffolk Transit:-unknown.
MTA-LIBUS:-probably still running with delays.
MTANYCBUS:-running with delays. Did see buses on the M1 and Q32 running on 5th Avenue on the news so buses are running. Probably delays worse in Staten Island,Queens and Brooklyn.
Wayne
YES-HAVE seen the low floor buses running on the B68 as well as the Orion VII buses plus #4671 on the B68. The B1 was running too-4 at a time with #3969 leading the way. Guess the snow isnt that bad that the low floors cant run.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Maybe some buses in the course of running their route are too far from their home depot to make it back to their depot. So, they pull in whatever depot they could.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-F.
I learned from this site that they would pull up to a bus stop and dump shovels of salt out the windows...
ex-Amsterdam Depot
1381 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027
Gun Hill Depot
1910 Bartow Avenue
Bronx, NY 10469
Kingsbridge Depot
4065 10th Avenue
New York, NY 10034
Mother Clara Hale Depot
721 Lenox Avenue
New York, NY 10039
West Farms Depot
Unknown.....
----------------------------------------------------------
Brooklyn Division
East New York Depot
1 Jamaica Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11207
Flatbush Depot
4901 Fillmore Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11234
Fresh Pond Depot
66-99 Fresh Pond Road
Ridgewood, NY 11385
Jackie Gleason Depot
845 Fifth Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11214
Ulmer Park Depot
2449 Harway Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11214
---------------------------------------------------
Manhattan Division
126th Street Depot
2460 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10035
100th Street Depot
Unknown......
ex-Hudson Depot
11 Eleventh Avenue
New York, NY 10011
Manhattanville Depot
666 West 133rd Street
New York, NY 10027
Michael J. Quill Depot
525 Eleventh Avenue
New York, NY 10018
------------------------------------------------------
Queens Division
Casey Stengel Depot
123-53 Willets Point Blvd.
Flushing, NY 11268
Jamaica Depot
165-18 South Road
Jamaica, NY 11433
Queens Village Depot
97-11 222nd Street
Queens Village, NY 11428
-------------------------------------------------------
Staten Island Division
Castleton Depot
1390 Castleton Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10302
Yukon Depot
40 Yukon Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10314
http://copper.takiweb.com/~ntwrkguy/bvesite/nyctbacontact
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Does anyone know if some of the East New York CMF is being expanded to include bus parking expansion & what year would it be completed.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Try writing to MTA Government and Community Relations, 347 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10017 (or send an e-mail by going to www.mta.info) -- ask for an annual report.
David
MetroB
MetroB
As to the badges, I understand from "CC Local"'s post that the Transit Museum still has some available. Contact the Museum to find out how much they cost.
David
MetroB
It also depends on the capacity of the garage. NJT can't handle alot of buses like NYCT depots since most of them were built by Public Service. It's been a while since the "local" garages have had a major bus change since the arrival of the 1999-2000 NovaBUS. But honestly, I don't know how those transit assigned those buses to the garages. Maybe someone can help with that one. I did notice those buses were assigned without a major break in the fleet numbers (Hilton - 1418-1486 & Orange - 1312-1417). But if you look at the garage assignments for the new MCI order, there are numeous breaks to their assigned garages. Anyone else explain better?
MetroB
Or explain why we got only 3 Metro D transits [1869/1870/1871] down South!
I don't know - I consider everything south of the Raritan River to be South Jersey...;-)
Now for you "geographically challenged" people in North Jersey, South Jersey is described as this:
Mercer, Burlington, Camden, Atlantic, Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland, and Cape May counties.
The Philadelphia metro area NJ suburban counties are Camden, Mercer, Burlington, and Gloucester Counties.
Mercer County overlaps the Philadelphia and NYC metro areas.
MetroB
Last, but not least, does anyone know which garage runs the 319. If Egg Harbor runs part of the line, then its reach includes Essex, Hudson, and NYC.
MetroB
Tony M.
Meadowlands Grage.
Egg Harbor mainly covers the south Jersey Shore, with almost all routes hubbing in Atlantic City (save for the 313/315/316 Philadelphia-Wildwood-Cape May services). The main area is Atlantic City, but routes stretch out all over the place.
Washington Township covers interior South Jersey, primarily with routes connecting Philadelphia-Camden with Gloucester, Cumberland, and Salem Counties (406 actually operates via Cherry Hill Twp, Marlton, and Berlin Borough with limited service to Medford - all of which are in Burlington and Camden Counties; why this went to Washington Twp instead of Newton Av is a mystery to me).
A few years ago, the 551 and 554 were split between Washington Twp and Egg Harbor. The 551 is now virtually all Washington Twp; I can't say for sure about the 554, but from past observations, it's been mostly Egg Harbor, as best as I can tell.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
B44 Repowered #8411
B65 Orion 7 #7677
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
The M60 is never scheduled to make local stops on Astoria Boulevard or Broadway.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com; wfarmsorion416@aol.com)
David
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
BIG AL
Michael
Washington, DC
BIG AL
As some of you may be aware, Oren's Transit Page went down in September. I am pleased to announce that it has returned and includes many new pictures and features. New pictures are from the Washington, DC area including behind the scenes from Ride-On, New York, and Germany. There is also a complete Ride-On roster and a list of which Ride-On garage operates each route, plus all the pictures from before the site went down. I invite you to check all of this out at www.orenstransitpage.com, the same address as before.
Sincerely,
Oren H.
Webmaster of Oren's Transit Page
Please note: My e-mail address is still being reconfigured. If your e-mail is bounced back, please hold on to it and try to resend it in a few days.
www.orenstransitpage.com
HTH
http://www.orenstransitpage.com/otpdccars/metrob17.jpg
....And is it still alive, or was it ravaged for parts?
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
It doesn't look good from this photo. Hopefully my greatest fears didn't come true?
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
Does it have to do with the advantage of NYC probably having more plows (6000 I think) in a smaller area than NJT being a statewide agency? Who makes the decision of keeping NJT buses on the road? How were the buses pulled off the road? I think NJ residents were probably inconvenienced by that action than those in NYC. Please answer the questions, Thanks!
MetroB
MetroB
MetroB
Well I thought that's what they did. A spokesperson was interviewed by phone that that's what they did. Well, unless they said it for good PR.
"I drive throught he town he lives in with a Volvo Artic and the slightest accumulation can be murder on those buses."
I should've posted it at the beginning, but I was thinking about the 40 footers in my area in Newark.
MetroB
http://members.aol.com/JPSPCC699Auction/NYCTAScrapBuses.jpg
I am a little unsure of this, but think that Surface Transit had 4507's numbered in the 1100's through 1500's for much of the Bronx fleet. That would account for 1133, 1162 and 1440. MABSTOA got rid of these after the first batch or two of new buses came in and as more NYCTA 4000-4499 buses came on over to MABSTOA. I remember Surface Transit had 35-foot Mack's in the 1700's, 1800's and 1900's which MABSTOA never took title to. 1757, 1994 and 1999 may have been Fifth Avenue Coach buses, although I recollect that its 4507's were numbered in the low 2000's and low 2700's; perhaps they were renumbered to avoid conflicts with existing NYCTA buses.
-F.
The MBTA buses are still running as of this posting, several routes on snow route detours, and several buses stuck in the snow. A portion of the Green Line (above ground) is down due to the heavy snow on the tracks causing trains to become stuck, and a bus shuttle is operating Green Line service. Also, several buses stuck in and around Dudley Station.
Mark
Concord Trailways:If Concord Trailways needs to cancel service due to inclement weather, service cancellation updates will posted online as soon as they become available
Dartmouth Coach: Cancelled Service Due To Storm
Due to the weather conditions, Dartmouth Coach has suspended the following service for 12/06/2003: 5PM Southbound from Hanover (Schedule #13) and the 8:45PM Northbound from Logan Airport (Schedule #14).
We plan to run a full timetable for 12/07/2003.
C&J Trailways: Saturday - December 6th, 2003: Due to the current winter weather conditions, C&J
Trailways has discontinued service for the remainder of the day with the last buses
departing to Logan Airport & Boston, South Station from Dover, NH at 2:45pm, Portsmouth,
NH at 3:15pm and Newburyport, MA at 3:45pm. The last buses are departing Northbound
from Boston, South Station at 5:00pm and Logan Airport at 5:50pm. We will commence
service on Sunday, December 7th, 2003 at 9:00am from Portsmouth, NH & 9:30am from
Newburyport, MA. We will commence service Northbound from Boston South Station at
11:00am and Logan Airport at 10:50am. The following information is subject to change
if current severe weather conditions continue.
C&J Trailways does not cancel service due to weather unless driving conditions become a threat to the safety of our passengers. Weather cancellations are posted on our website as they become available
Peter Pan: Nothing
Capitol Trailways: Nothing
Carolina Trailways: Unknown
New York Trailways: Nothing
Fullington Trailways: Unknown
Lakefront Trailways: Nothing
Martz Trailways: Nothing
Pine Hill Trailways: Nothing
Susquehanna Trailways: Nothing
Concord Trailways: All service to & from Boston to Portland & Bangor ME cancelled today. Service from Concord to Boston will resume with the 11AM trip, service from Concord to North Conway NH resumes at 11:30 AM.
Dartmouth Coach: planning to operate a regular Sunday schedule.
C & J Trailways: no cancellations reported.
Greyhound: still showing Saturday's notice saying service cancelled till 8 AM Sunday.
Vermont Transit, Peter Pan, Bonanza: no info on their websites.
MBTA buses running, several on snow route detours, expect delays.
Mark
Nothin
C & J Trailways now reporting on their website that they will only have 5 trips to & from Boston today, every 2 hours.
And Greyhound still has yesterday's notice on it's website stating that service is cancelled till 8 AM today. I don't know if they've started running again.
Still snowing here in Eastern MA, close to 2 feet in some areas. Coastal NH and Maine now getting the brunt of this storm.
Mark
JD
Mark
I rode the 39 on the day before Thanksgiving, and the only buses I saw on the route that day were 1000's and 6000's. So I'm guessing if an 8600 was running on the 39 on a Saturday, some or all of the artics were kept out of service.
Jim D.
BIG AL
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
BIG AL
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
MetroB
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Cost was probably a factor also.
BIG AL
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
David
David
David
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Incognito
Bus 8009 (unrepowered) has been put on the scrap list with a cracked bulk head.
BIG AL
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
BIG AL
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Incognito
MetroB
http://www.orionbus.com/orion/0,,0-11-10022-1-10949-0-0-0-0-0-0-94-9893-0-0-0-0-0-0-0,00.html
-F.
nevermind.
MetroB
1. Slow in accelerating which creates many dangerous situations when trying to pull out into or merge into traffic
2. Frequently have door problems where the operator has to shuffle passengers around to balance the weight so the front end electronic sensors will allow the doors will operate
3. Leak water at the front end seam above the operator and into the destination sign compartment
4. Can't hold paint worth a damn
5. Ride like a concrete block
6. Corrosion problems more so than on other buses in the fleet
7. Bottom skirt panels that are hinged frequently break the rubber latches and the skirt panels flap in the breeze
8. More road calls per day for the Flxibles than for other buses in the fleet besides the Neoplan low floors.
9. Many have tracking problems where the bus is angled sideways when it operates
One of the few positives is that they look nice but besides that, they don't have much going for them, at least where I'm at.
To be fair to the Flxible Metro's however, PAT's were built towards the end and shortcuts in the production process were obviously taken with them such as not priming the aluminum body surface. If I recall right, there were about 15 that were never delivered due to Flxible closing up shop during production.
-F.
-f.
-F.
Nothing new has been added for a while and planning is taking place to get the group moving forward again this spring.
Incidentally, I have some B&W press photos and Flxible press releases from 1983, most of which depict that specific coach; if you do not have those documents already, I am willing to donate them to OMOT where they belong. Please let me know if you may be interested. Hope to hear from you soon, and Happy Holidays.
Sincerely,
Fred Donaher
Notes:
Big delays going into Roosevelt Field, apparently the mall only cleared one lane from snow and traffic was backed up.
Going back from Greenvale I saw the N27 running 20 min late heading up. Also the N20's in both directions were 20-30 min late.
The N27 which was quite late managed to make it back to Roosevelt Field only 5 min late.
There were major delays in N22 service. Upon arriving at Roosevelt Field at 6:20pm I encountered a very large group of people waiting for an N22 to Hicksville. Apparently, some of them told me they were waiting over 2 hours for an N22 to Hicksville! Naturally I took the N35 which came first. The operator told me that the N22 and N79 buses are very screwed up due to severe traffic congestion earlier on Old Country road.
Needless to say, I was glad that 35 came or I would've been standing out there for a long, long time. The radio also seemed quite busy with mechanical failures. probably due to the weather.
I can tell you East Gate and Old Country road were still ice and snow covered, except for the parkways they did a lousy job with the roads. And quite a few cars and trucks were getting stuck on East Gate. Cmmon, the snow ended over 12 hours ago!
I guess because of budget cuts they have reduced snow removal. Thanks again BU$H!
-Harry
2. Perhaps the Chinese women mentioned in the article settle for pipsqueak's because they are only like 4' 10" as it is. If I was the height of an Umpa Lumpa I would want a vertically challenged mate too.
By your's truly,--'Sir John Holmes'
Do you grasp this concept?
The roads are still pretty bad. The sun was out, sun melts snow, sun goes behind clouds, melted snow freezes, cars and buses skid.
Someone on the 7 train about 2:00 this morning told me he had to wait three and a half hours for it. I found that kind of strange, since the platform was virtually empty when I had gotten off the W four minutes before that 7 pulled in.
"Women now care more about the personal, social and economic conditions of men...In terms of social and economic conditions, during the 15 years, the mentioning rate of women's requirement on the job and educational experience of their partners has been falling but that on career rose from the 9th place in 1985 to the second place by the end of 1990s."
I thought you said you had good news?
No wonder...
I thought you said you had good news?
He does. He just saved a bunch of money on bus commutes by switching to the N35.
Anybody know him?
Anything else?
-Fred
And our Orion Is are still around, probably for the PTO Shuttle, but you won't be able to find them moving on weekends.
For Ride-On: The 30ft Gilligs...the last time I rode one, it was in pretty decent condition...I don't know about now, though. The Orion Is are chipping up, though (paintwise...how sad!)
NYCTA-1981/82 RTS-04 (rehabs)
1984 RTS-04(non-rehabbed)
NYCDOT- 1981 GM-T8H-5307A's
LIBus(MSBA)-1990 Orion's
Bee-Line-1989 Flxible Metro B's
NJT- 1986 Volvo Artrics
-F.
-F.
-F.
Yes, the GMDD T8H-5308A at NYBS (1481-1505).
Wayne
It was on my "walking transfer" between the Lexington/60 and Lexington/63 subway stations.
...and they're still in daily service now. Since the Classics were delivered the GMDD fishbowls pretty much only do line service during peak hours.
-F.
To be technical, they belong to NYBS, not DOT, and they're all '82s (S/N C3500275-C3500289, C3500385-C3500394), even though the first batch was delivered in late 1981.
Don't forget the 1966 Fishbowls providing express service from Williamsburg and Boro Park to Manhattan!
Don't forget the 1966 Fishbowls providing express service from Williamsburg and Boro Park to Manhattan!
....also they're actually GMDD (not GMC) T8H-5308A (96 inch wide)
Wayne
-F.
3469 & 3474 to be exact.
-F.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-F.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Miami-Dade Transit: 1990 Flxible Metros (Cummins L-10/Voith)
Broward County Transit: 1992 Flxible Metros (DDEC 6L71)
Also PalmTran in Palm Beach County may still have a few early to mid-90s Flxibles, not sure what engines they have.
-f.
To be replaced in 2004-2005 by New Flyer LF60 Artics (At least 70 on first order).
-F.
I used to love taking them on the old R8 that ran from Calverton to Fort Totten. They would fly down Riggs Road.
-F.
I assume 8713 is still in the second scheme? :)
-F.
-F.
-F.
At least until you lean on it the wrong way.
Then it explodes!
JD
As you may recall in my earlier posts, over in nearby Blacksburg, the 1986-87 Flxible Metro fleet are still sitting at the garage and may have possibly had their swan song at the last Virginia Tech home game. When the next batch of New Flyers come in, they will go; that will make their initial order of New Flyer LFs (1998 models) the oldest in the BT fleet. And what a sad day that will be.
Going over to our state capital, Richmond is retiring their oldest buses daily as new Gillig Advantages keep rolling in; their 1990 Flxible Metros are slowly but surely being put out to pasture, and one has even shown up on eBay. The oldest buses after they leave? Series 50-powered 1996 Gillig Phantoms. It seems like only yesterday when the 90 Metros were the newest buses there, and the oldest were a mix of AM Generals, Flxible New Looks, and GM Fishbowls.
The good news is that we may receive an example of each of the above at our local transit museum one day. :)
-F.
I think the oldest one I've driven to date was built in 1977, but there's still one 1975 New Look left (#8058) that was left unrebuilt... it's the only bus left that has NO power steering, and it's also the only bus left that has rollsigns instead of luminator destination signs, which all the other New Looks have been modified with.
Then there are the Orion VI CNG buses, whose future at this point seems to be up in the air, but they have been problematic and the TTC is very dissatisfied with them. Rumours are floating around that they're going to be sold to a smaller transit system or scrapped altogether (which is a shame because they're only five years old).
Now to show you how venerable those old GM's actually are, none will be retired until all of the above are gone first :-) They seriously are the best bus we have, the operators love them and every maintenance person I talk to say they're in the repair bays less often than any other bus.
As for 8058, that bus is in the regular rotation with all the other buses. During the blackout it was actually at my depot for a while, but I didn't get to drive it. Once the TTC is finished with it they will be donating it to the Halton County Radial Railway Museum which is just west of Toronto.
St. Thomas, Ontario is still running a 1967 GMC TDH-4519 as well as a 1973 GMC TDH-4523N, while Brantford, Ontario is currently rebuilding a 1972 T6H-4521 that spent first 20 years of service in Hamilton.
Peace
David
Incognito
The ORIGINAL West Farms Kid
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Wayne
MetroB
Wayne
Bill "Newkirk"
B1-#9303-NOVABUS
B16-#585-Orion V-CNG-Repowered
Also, they were still running Flxible New Looks at the time, as my home TA also was; it really made me feel at home!
-F.
-F.
Mark
-F.
It's good to hear that Flxibles are still being run in NYC. Does NJT still send a fair amount of Metros through there? Hearing about this gives me all the more reason to come up there to visit. And this news couldn't have come at a better time of the year...like I said:
FLXIBLE: Feels Like Xmas In Bus Lines Everywhere. :)
-F.
There are still many NJT commuter routes to NYC that utilize Flxible Metro's most of the time. This list is not meant to be exclusive, but off-hand you can find Metro B's (3000's or 3500's) on the 126, 156 and 159 into PABT. (The 126 also frequently uses transit buses in the low 1700's. The 156 and 159 use Volvo artics during the week.) Into the GWB Bus Station, you can find Metro B's and D's (1800's and 3700's) on the 171 and 175; similar buses are frequently on the 178 and 182. The 181 and 188 generally use Metro B's. Sometimes RTS's pop up on the GWBBS routes. [Note: The aforesaid observations are from some months back, so things may have changed since then.]
-F.
N22 JAMAICA #282
N27 GLEN COVE #302
N27 HEMPSTEAD #171
N22 JAMAICA #394 (50 min late w/18 standees)
Lastly, there's always a silver lining to every cloud. Waiting for that bus means time to get some photos! :-)
And for those who don't like my bus logs or observations...tough! I wish more people would post their observations for their commutes. I'm sure NYCT has had their fair share of snow related probs as well.
But then I was DETERMINED to do it - not because I love my job (it's an okay job, but the pay sucks), but to prove to myself that I wouldn't chicken out! Sure, I could've called out like the 11 others that did, but why should I let a little snow stop me!
Then there was that jackoff who made some snide comment on how stores closing early was bad for the economy especially during the holiday shopping season and that "this generation" is spoiled - I wanted to crack him five big ones right across the mouth, that sonofabitch!!!
Some people don't think before opening their fat-ass mouths.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
First some pics of the road, barely plowed and covered with ice.
Way more people waiting than normal
LI Bus #278, the first N15 to Long Beach in a long time
Here's a prettier rear shot
First N22 to Jamaica in awhile, jam packed
And back up in Greenvale earlier, a blocked bus stop and sidewalk. It is technically the responsibility of Wendy's to clean it up, but they didnt. I went in there and told them that "its a dangerous situation and they better clean it up". And I told them I have pictures and will put them on the internet. The mgr said "is that a threat"? And I replied "well just clean it up tomorrow". Needless to say, I'm posting the pic anyway. Pedestrians are forced to walk in Glen Cove road, all the way from the bus stop in the foreground to the end of their property in the background.
Get off the government cheese I'm paying for, get yourself a damn job, and contribute to the society you so desperately despise.
I don't know about anyone else on here, but I'm sick of your constant whimpering. And I have no qualms about saying so. Take this act to Straphangers. You've long since worn out any BusTalk welcome.
Be gone, whimpy.
No you're not. You're lodging complaints. Complaints about buses, and complaints about every other trivial issue in your pathetic life. None of which anyone here really cares about.
Some days are good, some days are bad.
Every day is "bad" with you John, and I for one am sick of hearing about it.
And I am looking for work. You dont just go out and get a job you have to look for the right job.
Looking for work? By roaming the streets and malls of Nassau County taking pictures of buses and threatening Wendy's employees? Or by staying up all night posting your whines to various internet message forums, as if anyone really gives a dman? Which job search would that be?
You also want to gradually get into a career so you dont lose your benefits right away.
I already have a job. You've made a career out of complaining about it, remember?
I know a guy who recently "jumped into" a low paying minimum wage job. He's struggling more now than when he was unemployed, because his govt assistance was cut back and he lost medical coverage, plus his rent went up (as per housing program rules).
Hey, guess what John.. THAT"S LIFE!!! You would think that someone who actually realizes how easy he has it would stop complaining about every facet of his semi-existance, but no.. the housing I pay for, the medical costs I pay for, the public transportation funding I pay for isn't enough.
Dont tell me how to live my life.
You don't have a life. Your life is my life, and every other hard-working tax-paying citizens life. WE support you. WE fund you. Hell, we even pay for your internet access.
Perhaps if we hadn't had to support you, the bus system on Long Island would have proper funding :-)
Fool!
Keep up the good nightshots.
That wall there isn't as bad, but it's still bad. Ultra-high chance someone will fall and sue. And when they think they're suing Wendy's, they're actually all franchises, so the owner won't be too happy.
There is a LOT of people who make a living falling on things like that. It's on the same scale as if they didn't put wet-floor signs in a "conspicous place".
I bet they were having the biggest laugh of their lives after you left.
Wrong place John, don't ya think ;-D.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
BIG AL
MetroB
MetroB
MetroB
-F.
-F.
MetroB
STAYIN' ALIVE!!!!! :)
Pardon me...I wanna strut.
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
1 - NJT did NOT buy any Flxibles from NYCTA. Flxible bought back all 850 of the NYCTA Grumman Flx 870s, rehabbed them, and sold them as used buses to whomever wanted them. NJT was not the only customer - Cleveland and other cities jumped on them too. NJT simply bought the most.
2 - There are only around 285 Flxible Metro Bs left in NJT's fleet. 100 of them were already replaced by new MCI D4000s. They are 14 years old and are not worth saving in front-line service. Most of them are the 96-inch width, and only a few dozen of them have wheelchair lifts - making them relatively obsolete in today's transit picture.
3 - They are the only buses in NJT's fleet still using the outdated 2-stroke Detroit 6V92TA engine and Allison V73x transmission. They don't come close to curent emissions standards, have poor gearing, and don't get the fuel economy of the Detroit 50, Cummins ISC/ISL, or Cat C9.
4 - Flxible has been dead and buried for over 7 years. MCI is making parts for a bus they never manufactured. No operator ever wants to have to buy major components and bodywork from a company that is literally guessing that these parts will work. These buses are becoming increasingly more difficult to keep on the road, and consequently driving up NJT's maintenance costs.
5 - These were Flxible's first suburbans and were poorly thought out by both Flx and NJT. These buses replaced the more traditional GMC and Flx New Look suburbans with single doors and full length seat platforms. Most drivers would not allow passengers to use the rear door because they had trouble seeing over the high back seats and low loggage racks. The seats were too tightly spaced, and after the first few dozen were delivered, the seats were rearranged on the remaining buses.
Just as the Old Looks and New Looks ran their course, it's time for the 1970s-designed ADBs to go as well. The Flx 870/Metro and GMC/TMC/Nova RTS served their usefulness. I'm as big a bus fan as anyone else - my dad was a driver when I was born 39 years ago, and I've been around buses literally from day one. The highlight of my childhood was visiting the GMC bus plant in Pontiac Michigan back in 1978. But even then, I understood the need for progress and advancement. Transit authorities do not maintan buses for the pleasure of any fan outside of the museum fleet; they have to make money and save on operating costs. New buses stay on the road collecting fares and use less fuel; old bises waste mechanics' time by constantly requiring attention.
Let's put the Metros to sleep and move on, please!
-F.
Outside of collectors like yourself, I don't see much of a market for these units - maybe college shuttles, and definitely out of the country where used buses usually go.
-F.
I don't believe Cleveland bought any ex-NYCTA Grumman's. Cincinnati bought some, as did PVTA in Western Mass. There may have been one or two other buyers, but NJT certainly bought the overwhelming majority.
-F.
MetroB
Mark
Unfortunately, only 10 ABRs left the factory, and there is only one known survivor; it was originally a 1974 Flxible New Look no. 800 from Queen City Metro in Cincinnati. It is preserved by the Ohio Museum Of Transportation (www.omot.org).
-F.
Also, we know about that one and the Queen City Metro, but where did the other 8 ABRs go to? I believe I saw a picture of a yellow, green, and blue in South America listed online.
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
MetroB
To those routes being given their walking papers, the cast of the "Sound of Music" would like to say to thee: So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night.
There are several routes that 'parallel' metrorail that are successful. The 38B is always crowded, the 16Y is allowing people to not have to transfer to rail at the Pentagon, the P17, 19 and W13, they're always crowded. If the powers that be realize that the whole world is not interested in taking the subway into DC, but rather need the bus to get them to other points in between, they could leave some things alone.
On the other hand, this will also give The Bus an opportunity to figure out what other WMATA routes to parallel. "There's a WMATA bus, cut him off and steal their passengers!"
Btw, DASH's new AT0.5 route started today, a 5 minute trip from King St Metro across Duke Street to the PTO Complex.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
BUS RIDES:
20XX F14 to New Carrolton
9768 F6 to University of Maryland
9636 C8 to White Flint
5580 46 to Rockville
5558 55 to Lakeforest
5584 55 to Shady Grove
9635(fake me out Smart Card bus, but no smart card machine) Q2 Rockville station
5807 46 White Flint
9636(again) C8(again) College Park
2029 R12 Deanwood
Rohr lead car 1081, car 1139 orange to Landover
2050 A12 somewhere close to home.
I saw 8742 on the 24T this afternoon when I was driving near the East Falls Church Metro. I don't recall seeing anything else out of the ordinary, not that this was, but I hadn't seen it in VA in the past. Oh, I saw 8872 going down Fairfax Drive on its way to I-66, I guess heading to Vienna for a 12 or 20 line run and the destination sign read, "bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb" or something to that effect.
Wayne
Yes, the buses were bunched. It's a WhyMATA kinda thing;-)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Da Hui
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Oh yes,I dunno if it was mentioned before but 8069 is now at ENY still with WF stickers on it.Saw it on the B15 today.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Even the WMATA Orions that Green has are falling into the pit.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
According to WTOP, no damage was found anywhere.
-F.
Needless to say, she has been dishing out "I Told You So" like it was candy. :)
-F.
Here's a capsule for other BusTalk readers. Basically, the M&Q was an independent trolley line operating from 59th and 2nd Avenue (the underground station) out Queen Boulevard to South Jamaica. A substantial portion operated on private right-of-way along Queens Boulevard, including right under the Flushing IRT. The IND Jamaica Line subway was built and on April 15, 1937, the M&Q cars were replaced by the M&Q Bus Company (this route was designated Q60-Queens Boulevard at that time, the same as today), which had been incorporated in 1935 in anticipation of the conversion. The M&Q Bus was absorbed by Green Bus Lines in 1947. Had the line received modern streetcar equipment before its conversion (the PCC had successfully operated for about a year in nearby Brooklyn), it might have lasted far longer. It was a viable trolley line, even with the subway underneath for about half its distance, and the poor, irregular bus service provided today is "second to none."
The following three routes were operated by the New York & Queens County Railway; today the replacement bus lines are served by Queens Surface. The Q65 was College Point / Flushing / Jamaica route, and today its route is almost exactly the same as in trolley days, except it doesn't use the two private rights-of-way it had in Jamaica. Q66-Northern Boulevard ran from the large carhouse at 51st Street and Northern Boulevard (parts of its beautiful brick facade have been thankfully preserved) down Northern, then along Main Street in Flushing, southeast on Kissena Boulevard and east on Sanford Avenue terminating at Parsons Boulevard. Its bus route today is again quite similar, but it ends in downtown Flushing. The Q67-Borden Avenue was known as the Calvary Line; it started at Borden Avenue and 2nd Street and terminated at 69th Street and Metropolitan Avenue. Most of its right-of-way is today the Long Island Expressway.
Steinway Lines was originally part of the NY&QC Railway, but was spun off after a 1922 bankruptcy. Most of the current ex-Steinway (now Queens Surface) routes were originally trolley lines. The last SL route was Steinway Street, converted to bus operation in 1939. On the very last day, brand new 650-series Third Avenue Railway System streetcars were used on Steinway Street. This was to train the motormen in their use for the Queensboro Bridge Railway; these new units operated for about a six-month period on the QBR while the older ex-Manhattan 3-Cent Railway 500-series cars were refurbished in the TARS shops. In 1949, the QBR purchased more modern cars from the New Bedford, Massachusetts system. These were used until QBR service ceased on April 4, 1957. It is interesting to note that some of the ex-New Bedford cars operated in those city's colors until the now familiar orange and cream paint scheme was applied to them. One of the QBR cars "survives," but in wretched condition, at the Trolley Museum of New York in Kingson, New York.
Noted traction author Vincent Seyfried published a very limited edition book on the NY&Q/SL in 1950. It is extremely difficult to find but pops up from time-to-time on eBay. As I write this, I'm currently revising this original book into a much larger, 200+ page edition, with hundreds of photos discovered in the ensuing years. I hope to release it in a year or two. Only small articles - never a full-size book - have been printed on the M&Q. However, Mr. Seyfried has completed a new manuscript on this line, and hopefully we'll be able to publish this also.
B1-#4682-TMC
B70-#7651-Orion VII
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
And at night, the shutter is so damn slow most of my pics look like this
It seems only those close-up pics come out OK
That was the N22 tonight, about 40 min late and there was another bus right behind us. And we were packed, and I mean packed. I was stepping on other people's feet and people were standing in the front doorwell.
Havent these ops heard of flagging stops when they are packed and there's an empty bus following?
That's my LI Bus complaint of the day! :-O
N22 JAMAICA #314
N27 GLEN COVE #191
N27 HEMPSTEAD #383 (10 standees from Roslyn to The Field)
N22 HICKSVILLE #310 (40 min late, packed like a subway)
BTW, the specs on my camera
Minolta Dimage E201
2.3 MP
2X Digital zoom
Highest ISO 340
For $300 and under, 3MP or greater, optical zoom DC, Canon, Olympus, Nikon etc offers many cameras at this range.
I suggest getting a new camera. A Canon or a Sony wouldn't hurt, as their photos don't come out looking so blurry as often as photos from your Minolta.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I don't have a tripod so I used the fence to take this pic...
Of course sometimes it can be fun to take a picture with a blurred object:
Plus, i dont' know how it works on digital cameras, but I'm used to pictures looking different on the computer as opposed to on print film for some odd reason.
Incognito
The West Farms Kid
Transportation Photographer
Or maybe you want to take the buddhist approach and meditate slightly before pushing the shutter. Just hold the camera close to your body and exhale slowly as you take the pic, I've found that that works when I cannot find anything to set the camera on.
Your pictures with the flash no doubt look darker and less blurred because the flash puts more light out there, that light bounces off the reflective parts of the bus and increases the light on those small areas. The total light in the picture is being raised, but only in those small areas, so the rest of the bus outside the reflective strips and self-lit areas goes underexposed. When you don't use the flash, the shutter has to stay open for a long time, and even if you have a tripod, taking a picture of a moving object, no matter how slowly it is moving, and getting a clear photo, is out of the question.
So just get a tripod, lean on something, or learn to stand very very still, and don't take pictures of moving buses at night.
Also, don't bother with digital zoom.
I took this picture with a 2mp Olympus C380, I can assure you that this is a worse camera than your Minolta Dimage, all I did was make sure I was leaning the camera on a pole, that the flash was off, and that the trolley had stopped before taking the photo. The operators no doubt must appreciate us foamers, whether we're bus or railfans, not killing their night vision with flashes.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
BIG AL
B1-#8686-TMC
B64-#9326-NOVABUS
B3-#3970-GMCRTSII-04
B31-#4628-TMC
And please tell us where it is written OFFICIALLY that Jackie Gleason Depot can handle more buses than it now has.
David
And please tell us where it is written OFFICIALLY that Jackie Gleason Depot can handle more buses than it now has.
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I would love to know that also...As far as I know..Im the only one on this board who has close contacts with JG, So Busfan what's your story??
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I can name another depot that is overcrowded. It's the Busfan garage, location hopefully NEVER known!
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Nah I blew it up....
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
NOVA_BUS -#9030
NOVA_BUY -#9089
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-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
David
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AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Yes, route B1 once ran out of Gleason. That doesn't mean it would be a good fit now. Much of the riding on weekdays (the driver of costs) is on the far southern end of the route (heading between the terminal at Kingsborough College and the Brighton Beach subway station), which is much closer to Ulmer Park than it is to Gleason. Running the route out of Gleason would mean a great deal of unnecessary mileage (whether in service or not), vehicle hours, and pay hours. In addition, the current relief point at 86th Street & Stillwell Avenue is only five minutes from Ulmer Park Depot by bus, and it is has a Dispatcher's post in the afternoons, so reliefs can be monitored. If the route were to run out of Gleason, any relief point selected (Bay Ridge & Third Avenues, Bay Ridge & Fifth Avenues, 86th Street & 18th Avenue, 86th Street & Stillwell Avenue -- wherever) would be farther from Gleason than 86th Street & Stillwell Avenue is from Ulmer Park, increasing travel time costs.
David
David
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NOVA_BUS-#9074
NOVA_BUS-#9077
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David
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AcelaExpress2005 - R160
But the oldest in the system are 3469 at JAM and 3474 at GH
ENY: 4393 [unless 4357 is still running]
FP: 4676
KB: 4400?
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Da Hui
B1-#7519-REMAN RTS
Link Please
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Here's your freaking link!
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
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AcelaExpress2005 - R160
I thought Casey Stengel didn't have any RTS buses in their fleet. Why would a RTS be there?
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
But I guess you're right about why it was there.
There's a tiny fishbowl there too.
Da Hui
Nova RTS #9056
Nova RTS #9099
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
B38 Nova #5064
B65 C40LF #870
N22 JAMAICA #315
N27 GLEN COVE #164
N20 FLUSHING #193
N22 MINEOLA #347
many buses were operating late today but made it home in an hour from greenvale, luckily my RFM is in my bag and was not taken.
Bill "Newkirk"
BIG AL
LMAO!
Why no mention of the "Greenvale thugs" who "robbed you" here at Bus Talk?
At first, I thought this post was regarding a bus or bus passengers who'd been the victim of a robbery. Of course, nothing of the kind. Instead, what we have here is just another instance of him complaining and whining (and now placing blame) at anyone and anything other than himself for his own shortcomings.
But more importantly, John- what did you have for lunch today? Were you wearing a matching outfit? Did you floss AND rinse today?
Sheezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....
BIG AL
YOU LOST IT.
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Basic Answer...
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
BIG AL
Nope, according to the security tape it showed me putting my wallet in my front pocket and then leaving the store.
Unless the store is lying?
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Well who did you walk pass? I mean was there alot of people?
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
BIG AL
And I'm talking about the BUSES people, the BUSES.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
The 6:02 23 showed up at about 6:14, after we both got on the T2. I didn't feel like walking home today. It must have gotten stuck in traffic while deadheading from Silver Spring to Friendship Heights. Also, 5506's destination sign was not working, and 5545 has not had a working sign either for the past week. I've gotten both buses on the 37, block K3.
Dispatch: That kid Oren rides this bus doesn't he?
Driver: Yup
Dispatch: Maintenance, please send someone over to unplug this sign so he doesn't change it to THAT route.
Maintenance: 10-4, unplugging all signs that go on the 37 block K3
Chris G: Thank you!
Oren: :-(
GET OVER IT!
BW BUSTRIP ITENERARY:
Starting at 9:30 am at Addison Road Station:
9:30am 26 to PGCC arriving at 9:46am
9:50am 21 to New Carrolton station arriving 10:16am
10:30 R12 to Greenbelt arriving at 11:04am
11:20 B30 to BWI Airport arriving at 11:55am
At BWI airport we will eat lunch
12:31 Light Rail to Patapsco arriving at 12:49pm
1:12 27 to Mondawmin arriving at 1:50pm
Minor bus watching until 2::05pm
Subway leaving Mondawmin at 2:12pm to arrive at Roger's Avenue 2:19pm
2:35pm M10 to Mount Washington Light Rail Sta. arriving at 3:04pm
3:16pm to Lutherville Light rail station arriving at 3:31pm
3:37pm 8 to Downtown arriving 4:41pm(Around Lexington Market)
4:51pm Light Rail back to BWI airport arriving at 5:25pm
5:30 B30 back to Greenbelt officially finishing the trip
Things to consider or hopeful to view:
THE BUS's day pass is only 2.50(don't ask me why)
Nothing on this has been reported yet, but it is around that time BWI is supposed to receive their CNG Neoplan delivery whether they will be in service is another thing.
The MTA day pass(for those who come from out of the Baltimore-Washington area) can be used on bus, light rail and subway.
The express fare with day pass for the B30 is 1.30
Hopefully we can ride all of Baltimore's equipment, except for the Thomas SLF(of course we might ride one on THE BUS)
Any questions email me via here or respond to this message.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Here is a thought though, sometime in late June or July is anyone up for "DC BUS/RAIL FAN WEEK"? Of course vacations would have to coincide, what do you say.
Also, it is cheaper to just pay the $2.50 both ways than to pay $3 for a day pass and then $1.30 each way...unless we start with The Bus day passes.
I have to give them credit for having the same amount of letters as Montgomery and Mall do and add the bonus of Express after it. I wonder if this is slang for "Don't cancel our route?" Maybe the drivers are protesting and from now on will just have random routes posted.
At least it made an otherwise frustrating evening on Metro more laughable. I was on the Red Line to get off at Dupont Circle, and the train was just crushload packed, not packed like Qtrain has showed us, bur really packed. I was literally hugging the guy in front of me to hang on to a railing, at least that's what I think it was. eek.
Well, we pile more people on at Farragut North, then all of a sudden, here's Dupont Circle, and, well, there WAS Dupont Circle. Hey buddy, thanks for not announcing you were going to bypass that stop. Lots of bewildered passengers got off at Woodley and waited for a Glenmont bound train to go back one stop.
WhyMATA????? Why do you continue to have the Baltimore MTA effect??
Z9 BUREAU
Z9 OF ENGRAVING
Z9 LIMITED STOP
I have also seen the flip dots on an 87-88-89-9200 series (The Trans-Dot models) do this:
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
#################
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Ride-On's Orion VI's has their rear route flip dot signs permanently stuck on theirs in that pattern. Also, Ride-On Orion V CNG #5814 has TEST stuck on its rear route flipdots. Also, Fairfax Connector's Orion V's display this for some reason when they are out of service:
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
Let's just say that SEPTA's done a much better job with the rear signs on the New Flyers...
Over in Blacksburg, a friend who used to drive there would program their Flxible Metros to read out "Whirled Peas". :)
-F.
-F.
2115 (?number forgotten, best guess...low 2100s): 8+W=PENTAGON instead of 8W PENTAGON
Most, if not all, New Flyers: H4 BROOKLAND STADIUM
11P NATIONAL AIRPORT (11P hasn't gone there in over two years)
DAS[[[[|||||| (Dash About #52 TwinVision screwup)
I've seen this once before on the New Flyers:
H4
BROOKLAND
STATION
yes, one whole line for a stupid route number and no route number for the destination ala Orion VI style;-)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
It's actually an Eldorado, and believe me, it gives the classic Cadillac a bad name.
-F.
This picture was taken from the J train.
This is at Jamaica Avenue and Parsons Boulevard.
Enjoy!
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
They didn't actually load until I removed that section. Nice pics, tho.
This should work now!
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I took this picture on Thursday night.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com
MetroB
MetroB
How about the buses? Are they run until they die, or sold when they are still operational to someone else? If so who, and how?
The Redbird subway cars are being dropped in the ocean. New York City's auto fleet is run until it dies (they were still running K cars with 400,000 miles on them as of a couple of years ago). But the City buys fire engines new, and sells old, still usable, ones to fire departments in small towns.
How about the buses? Are they run until they die, or sold when they are still operational to someone else? If so who, and how?
-F.
Another example is the Flxible Metro; in 1979, I remember seeing the Grumman 870 for the first time and thinking it looked years ahead of its time; in fact, it STILL looks new to me today after almost 25 years. Which is another reason I wish TAs would not be so quick to put such modern-looking buses out to pasture. You can bang them up and run them through the mud, but they still look new to me!
These days, you can even say that Chrysler is a bus manufacturer to an extent; Orions, Setras, and the SLF are DaimlerChrysler products.
-F.
-F.
-F.
They're clearly making good moves these days, but they still don't do it for me. The resale is still low, quality levels still suffering and reliability is still hit or miss.
While I like riding the bus and all, Greyhound soured me on taking them as an alternative; the above trip took 23 to 32 hours with them, most drivers would blast the A/C to a point where I was urinating ice cubes, and most dog staffers were so rude I wanted to punch them every time they opened their mouths. While I like the sound of a 6v92-powered MC-12, dealing with the jerks who operate them made me REALLY miss driving the Intrepid to my destination.
-F.
Some were sold to RIPTA, Jetaway and a few other agencies across the country but otherwise most go to the scrapper at NIMCO.
Interesting. Funny that no big fuss is made over retiring buses, like the Redbird mania we've seen. Perhaps people would take note if NYCT dumped the buses in the ocean, or at least if the bus auctions were better known.
IIRC, there was something of a mediafest when NYCT retired its last Fishbowl, probably more to celebrate a 100% wheelchair-accessible fleet than to lament the passing of the body style.
Wayne
-F.
I just wish for the days when the F14 was running in front of my house instead of the 22.
Get the passengers all happy about bus service to the Boulevard with the Gilligs, then switch to CAGV's and a bus stop across the street two blocks away from the Boulevard;-)
According to the Arkansas Department of Motor Vehicles, "A commercial vehicle is defined as a vehicle used in a business for the purpose of transporting persons, goods, or property."
-The Bus barely carries any passengers -- they could resort to using Crown Vics on some routes (...) but they'd have to call it The Car, and that name is already reserved for swat team vehicles...you don't need a CDL to transport less than 15 pax (like with 15-passenger vans or RVs) so The Bus is exempt here.
-I do not know of any "goods" involved with The Bus, except the nice drivers.
-"The Bus" is property of whom? Who would claim it as their own anyway?
I think the Gilligs don't get road time because of maintenance -- it doesn't help that Gilligs need more of it anyway, but they probably do not want to have to buy parts that they couldn't use on other county vehicles, as they can do with the CAGVs and ODVs
Yes, I know they made some great innovations in styling and technology when they built coaches (i.e. the Fishbowl and RTS), but look at history; they bought out streetcar manufacturers throughout the 1940s in a push to get cities into their buses. In the 50s and 60s, they began persuading people to get off the bus and buy their latest cars. By the late 1980s, they sold off their transit interest altogether, and the RTS and Classic molds were passed around like hot potatoes well into the following decade, before each design was just killed off altogether.
I am highly appalled at GM for their abrupt slander against mass transit; they are degrading a public service just to sell more cars. As a business owner, I believe in free enterprise just as much as the next guy, but I would never stoop that low. You would never see DaimlerChrysler pull something like that; in fact, the Orions you ride every day are just as much a product of theirs as a Dodge Ram. I have always been into Chrysler products and stand by them to this very day, and now I have another reason to; they may produce and aim to sell a lot of cars, but they still stand behind their buses.
On a lighter note, the first article in that column features a large color photo of Iraqis stealing a speedboat using a Basra city bus as a tow vehicle. Unfortunately, they forgot to put it on a trailer. :)
-F.
-F.
http://algorhythm.org/archives/2003/03/25/creeps_weirdos.html
-F.
http://vancouver.indymedia.org/news/2003/03/37322.php
-F.
MCI's gonna get you
-f.
As a vehicle for everyday driving? I'd think not.
Now I can understand that he would be more focused on the bigger money maker, but still....that is no reason to turn down ANY potential customer who is willing to look at your product. Her theory was that since we are both under 30, we are looked at as just a couple of kids with no money. I think she has a point there; this is not the first time we have gotten snubbed like that. That man represents GM every time he goes into work, and BOY did he show their true colors. Screw them.
-F.
-F.
Sometimes I wonder how they cornered so much of the world market with such a lousy think tank.
Hand-me-downs? How dare you! We don't get anything used, Alexandria doesn't want to be responsible for equipment that is not 100% guaranteed to work. Our Luminas are relatively new, which sucks even more. We just get side orders from City vehicle purchases -- when every department head got an Impala, our GM (who is employed by First Transit...we aren't a First agency but our GM and AGM are provided by them) got one...when the City bought Expeditions for folks, we got two for our supervisors...
I hope the City doesn't buy any more GM (General Motors, for clarification)!
-F.
Those thoughts are not unique to GM. Unfortunately, many potential transit users who now rely on the automobile think of public transit in the same light. Perhaps not enough effort is made to change that perception!
-F.
As far as GM owning transit goes, i'm trying to locate a book on teh subject, forget the name of it though. I understand they bought Tampa's streetcar system, back when it was the largest in FL and ran every 5 minutes. Apparently the system was profitable. They haven't turned a profit since rubber tires hit the road in '54 and ended up costing the city millions, especially after the city had to buy them out.
I'm still a Chevy man though.
Creeps and weridos are the last people I want to see on the road anyway. Too many of them.
Our buses are all 35 feet and seat 45 people. Most cars carry only one person, the driver. The average car is around 15 feet long. Which would you rather be stuck behind in traffic, 35 feet of bus, or 675 feet of cars?
And people wonder why we have traffic jams!
-F.
I'm not sure if I can find a pic of it, but I'll see what I can do.
-F.
Go here to download the video. Let me know if you enjoy it.
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BTW- GREAT video!
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Complaining about a measly 35 seconds!?!
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Da Hui
I wonder if the original poster is going to ask where this came from
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:-D
MetroB
More floor space = more capacity. I don't know exactly what you mean by the "bendable second near the rear".
If you mean the second trailing section, it bends so the bus can go around corners better than if it were a long rigid vehicle.
If you mean the axle, some articulateds had a steerable rear axle at the far back of the trailing section so that it would follow the track of the middle axle at the back of the front section.
Hope that helps.
Mike
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Da Hui.
I would take any train from 47-50 Street one stop to 42nd Street, and then transfer to the #7 from Fifth Avenue to Times Square. This probably involves more walking than the E train, but may get you there faster.
How far is the rockefeller subway from the spot where the concerts are held?
If you see an M27 (on 49th) and you feel like spending a fare, go for it, but depending on traffic it could take a lot longer than walking.
FP: B13, B20, B26, B38, B52, B54, B57(?), Q54, Q55, Q58, Q59
ENY: Q24, Q56, B12, B14, B15, B17(?), B25, B40(it's dead now), B42(?), B60, B83
FLA: B31, B41, B44, B46, B49(?), B78(it's dead now)
UP: B6, B64(?), B74
JG: B63, the rest ????????????(someone can fill me in on this)
QV: Q1, Q2, Q30(?), Q43, Q46, Q79, Q88(?)
CS: Q12, Q13, Q14, Q15, Q16, Q26, Q27, Q44, Q48, Q74, Q76.
JA: Q3(?), Q4, Q5, Q42, Q77, Q85
Help me add to the list.
B49 have never moved out of Flatbush so it stands
JG: B16, B37, B51, B63, B67, B70, B71, B75 (That's all I know)
FP: B13, B20, B26, B38, B52, B54, B57(was this route in XT?), Q54, Q55
ENY: Q24, Q56, B12, B14, B15, B25, B40(no longer exists), B42, B60, B83
FLA: B2, B31, B41, B44, B46, B49
UP: B6, B36, B64, B74
JG: B16, B37, B63, B67, B70, B71, B75
QV: Q30/Q31(?), Q36, Q43, Q46,
JA: Q3, Q4, Q5, Q85
CS: Q12, Q13, Q14, Q15, Q16, Q20, Q26, Q27, Q28, Q44, Q48, Q74
Any more to add?
FP-None
ENY-Q-24(old B-22),B-25,Q-56 and B-83
FLAT-B-41,B-44,B-46
UP-x28,x-29
JG-B 71,B-75
QV-Q-88,x-68
JAMAICA-Q-3,Q-4,Q-5,Q-17,Q-42,X-63,X-64,Q-77,Q-84,Q-85
CS-X-51,Q-76
CAST-X-10,X-13,X-14,X-16,X-30,S-40,S-42,S-46,S-48,S-53,S-54,S-57,S-60,S-66,
YUKON-S-79
126th STREET-None
Any questions please advise
My source was Motor Coach Age for Brooklyn and Queens
Thank You
How can that be? What was there before 1962(when FP was made)?
Hope this helps
Thank You
The B-31 was in West 5th Street when it reopened in 1951 i believe till it closed in 1960 and the B-49 was in West 5th Street when it was converted to buses in 1951 again until it closed in 1960 when both routes were transferred to Flatbush
Thank You
Manhattanville (and prior, 132nd St): M3, M4, M5 - goes back to when these were Fifth Ave. Coach routes, pre-MABSTOA.
Bronx:
Kingsbridge (new and old): BX1/2, BX3 (old BX38).
Bronx: Kingsbridge (new and old): BX1/2, BX3 (old BX38).
Both depots were closed for reconstruction at one point, requiring all of their routes to be moved around for a few years....
Old 132nd Street:
- M3 went to Amsterdam, then Mother Hale
- M4 went to Hudson for a month or two, then Mother Hale
- M5 went to Kingsbridge (with some work at Hudson), then Amsterdam
- M20 (now M116) went to Amsterdam, then 126th
Old Kingsbridge:
- Bx1/Bx2 and Bx3 went to Coliseum.
David
David
But the 8800s and well as 1300s definately had luggage racks, but not the kind that was in the bus you just described. The racks I am talking about are in the same position as the ones on the current PA shuttle buses.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
A few of the lower PA1300 series from ENY had luggage racks installed for service on the JFK Express shuttle. 1298-1317 were also different in that they had the DD 6V-92TA (and 2281-2300) engine and the rest of the '81 NYCTA RTS had the dreadful DD 6V-71N engine.
Wayne
To answer your question NYCT shuttle bus came out of your ass!
In the late '90s, the Q44 was split between JAM and CS at night.
Actually, Jamaica had a good chunk of the Q44 (10 runs plus several Miscellaneous pieces), including both hawks.
NOTE-The B 38 may have been in ENY and the B 54 may have been in Crosstown or Fifth Ave)
I will post the assignments after July 27th,1960 in another post
Thank You
Thanks.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
EAST NEW YORK-B10(B15),B12,B14,B22(Q24),B25,B40(B47),B45,B47(B43),B56(Q56),B60,B65
FIFTH AVENUE-B11,B15*,B16,B19*,B23,B33*,B35,B37,B63,B67,B69.B70,B71,B75,B77
FLATBUSH-B2,B3,B7,B17,B31,B41,B42,B44,B46,B49
ULMER PARK-B1,B4,B5(B82),B6,B8,B9,B21(B1/4/36),B34(B1/3),B36,B64,B68,B74
FRESH POND-B13,B20,B26,B38,B39,B52,B53(Q54),B54,B55(Q55),B57,B58(Q58)
CROSSTOWN-B18(B13),B24/29(B24),B39,B48,B59(Q59),B61,B62(B43)
Baically it remained the same until 1978 with these modifications
B78 to Flatbush-1961
B 80 and B 81 Worlds Fair routes to ENY and Flatbush 1964 only
B 83 to ENY-1966
B 84 to ENY-1968 to 1970 when it became the B 6 Shuttle
B 85 To FA -1 month in 1970
B 27X to FA-1972
B29X too Ulmer Park in 1972 followed two months later by the B 28X
B 88 to FA in 1973
B24/29 Shuttle became the B 30 and the B24/29 became the B 24 in 1974
B 50 to ENY in 1975 after starting as a unnumbered Shuttle in 1974
M 25X interlined with the B 27X in 1976-later split with UP
Q 49 to ENY in 1977(Even runs only Odd runs were operated by Jamica of the Queens Division)
JFK Express Shuttle Bus in 1978 to ENY
In 1978 the B3 was transferred to Ulmer Park and the B 11 was transferred to Flatbush and the B 21 and B34 routes were discontinued
Hope this information is useful
Thank You
I took Wednesday off to Bronx busfan again. After taking the 4 to Bedford Park, I got an Orion on the BX26, one of my favorite Bronx routes for the wooded run through Bronx Park and potential speed on outer Allerton Avenue. While waiting, I saw a 7500 remain on the BX28 and (I think) 4453 on the 26 the other way. While waiting for the light at the Concourse, I saw a '96 Nova (8800 series, I think) full of passengers pass by on either the BX1 or 2. At Webster Avenue, a brand-spankin' new Artic in the 5700 series- the highest number I've seen to date- passed by on the 41. Along the rest of the route, several Artics on both the 25 and 26 passed the other way.
I changed at Bartow & Gunther for a Norwood-bound BX28. A 2001 Artic and Orion arrived at the same time. Got off at Gun Hill & Bronxwood, hoping to get an Orion on the Locust Point-bound BX8- a route that fascinates me for the suburban, un-Bronxlike atmosphere it covers, along with the prospect of riding a boxy Orion along some very narrow streets. Unfortunately, it was a 1990 RTS that came.
I got off Westchester Square, where there's a Parks Department recreation center with bathrooms and little resistance. I would then have a choice of an Orion on the BX8, Country Club-bound 14 (another intriguing route), Woodlawn-bound 31, or an RTS on the BX21. Alas, the next buses to come on all of these routes were their customary pre-WF equipment. I then saw a '93 Orion on the Parkchester-bound BX14, so ran across the street to grab it. Along Tremont Avenue, I saw a 9200-series Nova pass the other way on the BX42!!
At Parkchester, I got a '99 Orion on the GWB-bound BX36. (Now when you wait for the Queens-bound Q44 at Parkchester, you can't assume that the Orion turning from the CBX service road right onto White Plains is your bus!) The loud, growling engine inherent on this model bus made for a good fast ride over the 174th Street bridge, but sounded ready to explode going up the long hill afterward.
I got off at Tremont Avenue for the subway, noticing a '93 Orion passing by on the eastbound BX40! Seeing as how it was after 10:00 AM, it becomes very clear that Artic/non-Artic cross-pollination is not limited to the rush hour. As I was going up the stairs, I saw an Orion 7 pass by on the BX36, the first time I ever saw a low floor outside of Brooklyn. It REALLY looked out of place in the Bronx.
As far as I know, the depots that have more than one type of equipment on local routes are 126, JG, QV, YUK and all three Bronx depots. I don't count MJQ or MV because the M23, 79 and 86 run ONLY Artics, and the other routes out of both depots run only RTS.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
B44 Local RTS #8020 Repowered
B25 Local RTS Nova #4969
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At Ride-On, those factors can determine the quality of a run. While some drivers pick for the days off, others pick for the hours, and others for the pay, the general complaint once you start talking to a driver is something along the lines of "I have that 2:10 38 trip from Montgomery Mall and I have to pick up all the Churchill kids..."
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
BIG AL
Peace,
Kevin
BIG AL
Eventually, she will bump other people. When that happens, will you call your mother a punk ass?
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But of course not...:D
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Can't get no better, and for that all I get is grief from this firm.
As for the VR slot, this is the first and the last time I select VR. I will take another run if need be. The only reason I picked VR after being bumped was that it would be the only way I'd see ANY overtime.
Regards,
TL
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
B43#7624
B65#981
First take a bus to 57th to start trip. What do you think i know its long thou sorry.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
BIG AL
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
It might be fun. =)
I think MIGHT is an understatement ;-).
http://www.transitdc.50g.com/5171.jpg
-F.
-F.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-F.
You Decide!
M15-#8498-TMC
M42-#9042-NOVABUS
For the record, there was a large fleet of double deckers that ran for many years on Fifth Avenue Coach Company routes - today's M2, M3, M4, M5, and Q32. The last ones ran on the M5 in 1953.
A 40ft=12m double decker is simply a combination of two 40ft buses. Unlike the lower level where driver area, front axle, rear axle, front door, rear door, and stairs needed to be accomodated, only the stairs take up some space in the upper level. So in a typical dd bus, you can add as many as 57 seats depending on the bus body manufacturers and their specs. In case of Coach USA case, i.e Dennis Trident with Duple Metsec DM5000 Body, it can hold 59 seats in the upper level, 29 seats in the lower level plus 41 standees. For Alexander ALX500 Body, the passenger capacity is 129 with U59/L29+S41.
Artics and double deckers have their own specialty, which are faster loading/unloading for artics and more capacity for double deckers.
Double-deckers also suffer from excessive vandalism to the upper deck but they do occupy less space in depots and on roads than articulated buses.
http://www.divorcemag.com/news/bus.shtml
I couldn't believe it myself. Tired of your spouse? Get her on a Flxible!
-F.
-F.
So what other cities have Flxibles with this power combo?
-F.
-F.
What was different about the engines other than designation?
Emission.
Here's the engine compartment of an ISM Metro...
A motion picture of 9215...
http://gp.no-ip.com:8245/natransit/video/9215.rmvb
Come to think of it, Ride-On has several 1995 and up Orions outfitted with L10s, so the ISx designation must have been some time later. But when?
-F.
BTW, that M11/Voith combo in the 5500s sure did sound SWEET!!!
-F.
-F.
Friday, Dec,12
N22 JAMAICA #181
Tappan Zee express #121
and #120 on the return run
N22 HICKSVILLE #197
Traffic seems to have died down, both N22 were on time and for some reason a bit less crowded than usual. Had older MCI coaches on the TZX. And getting MNRR from White Plains is less congested (and more interesting)* than Tarrytown.
*stay tuned for photos of buses from the White Plains Tranit center.
MetroB
I'm baaaaack, but only to Bustalk....
NJT's following northern division wraps are:
MCI's 7484, 7477, 7599, 7929, 8101, 8216
Nova's 1108, 1111, 1138
Flxible's a 1800 from Ironbound & Greenville (IIRC), 3771, 3772
The Ads range from NJT's Secaucus Junction, Six Flags Great Adventure, ReMax, Kean University, Montclair State University and All-American Ford.
Here is a few shots I have......
Bus #8101
Bus #3772
Bus #7599
Bus #7929
Regards,
Trevor Logan
TransiTALK Transportation Media Group
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
It's interesting that NJT is now starting to wrap its buses. Up until this point, the only wraps that I had seen on an NJT bus was the 14xx Flx in the AquaLink wrap years ago.
NICE PICS!
It was Orion 05.501 #9659 and it had a Green Wrap for Metro with the slogan "The Easy Way In. And Out." with cartoons on the sides showing people sitting on the bus. The even did a commercial around the bus, with some silly ass song, and even Fox 5 did a segment about it.
Most of the Wraps were in Montgomery, even 9659 came and resided at Montgomery for a while, and there was 1 Flxible METRO-D out of Northern.
The Flxible was for some Healtcare firm. The Orion 5s in Montgomery were wrapped for Bell Atlantic. Below is one of the shots I have of the Bell Atlantic Wraps....
There was a Blue, White and Red Bell Atlantic Wrap, The Healthcare wrap was purple.
Regards,
Trevor Logan
TransiTALK Transportation Media Group
I like the current scheme and hope they don't wrap it.
-F.
And as far as fashion goes, you could have fooled my girlfriend; she bought TONS of new clothes while she was there and got her hair done at a salon right above Capitol Hill. And she was looking GOOD!!!
-F.
Was that a wrap? I thought it was a special paint job on Bladensburg's Metro-B 9343.
-Fred
For those who care, the first external ads on WMATA buses started in 1982.
I hope all is well with your return.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Now you see why I'd rather get my TZX bus or Metro North at White Plains!
By the way, saw something new tonite on my Bee-Line commute. A 14-Cortlandt run operating with a Flx, the 775 I think. This was on the run leaving White Plains at 4:52. First time I EVER saw anything but an Orion on the 14, at least since they got rid of the RTSs. Almost as amazing as the Saturday evening 13-Tarrytown that used to get a MAN artic.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-F.
The first Bee-Line buses to be ADA-compliant were the 84 Orion 05.501 buses built in 1995-1996. (fleet #s 401-484)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
The first Bee-Line buses to be ADA-compliant were the 84 Orion 05.501 buses built in 1995-1996. (fleet #s 401-484)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
JD
-Fred
B100-#4925-TMCRTS-CNG
B47-#8332-TMC
-F.
Incognito
HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DA HUI
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
What models are these however? Thanks.
I think that at least one of them is a Goshen, but I am not sure.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I didn't know Zergs, Terrans, and the Protoss made buses;-)
(If you understood that joke you are a true video game geek)
But anyways, I have no idea who makes these cutaways, Goshen or Startrans. Besides, cutaways don't even deserve discussion time on the BusTalk forum;-) The most they'll ever be are wannabe buses.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Chuck Greene
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
BIG AL
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
I always thought it was:
8398=4976
8399=4977
8567=4978
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
that's CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT! it should be deemed unconstitutional!
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Someone had to cross the county line somewhere.. and back again..
Probably had 2 days out of training school. Running about 45 minutes late on a 10-minute rush hour headway on the M-4. Dispatcher instructs me to "turn around" at 168, make a short trip and start live southbound.
So there I was, in the right lane on Broadway, discharging everyone at Bway and 165th St. Then I went up to 168 and "turned around". Here comes your southbound M-4 on Broadway...
:-)
Da Hui
Nice ride on there. Way up on 16th Street, we picked up a boat load of people and instead of pulling all the way out of the left lane to pick them up, we pulled in diagonally with our butt end blocking the left lane. This caused the morons behind us to lean on their horns. I thought it was pretty funny because it would have been impossible to get back in traffic anyway. I did that a couple of times when I drove, too, so cars wouldn't go flying past me and really hem me in. Having a laugh at this and at the lady whose shopping cart got stuck on the shopping cart portion of the escalator causing it to jam at Target gave me a couple of chances to laugh out loud. Gotta love those two floor Targets!
Got to Silver Spring and boarded Orion V 4334 on the Y8. As we were leaving, NABI artic 5214 was pulling in on the Q2. Oh well. Got to Wheaton, got may haircut, ate lunch and did a little shopping. Went back over to catch the bus and a huge amount of people were waiting for either the Q2 or Y8 to show up. I figured that they were probably both due soon, so I decided to let whatever came first go by as I knew everyone would pile on there. Sure enough, 4365 shows up on the Q2 and they packed on. Meanwhile, as that bus left, Orion V 2136 on the Y8 pulls up nice and empty. : ) Suckers. We leapfrogged for part of the way down Georgia Ave before we finally left them in our dust.
Got to Silver Spring and went up and caught the Ride On 1 to Friendship Heights. Got Orion V 5606 on there. Chris G. told me about this route and its fun. Boy does it go down some narrow streets! They're barely wide enough for a car, let alone a bus. Arrived at Friendship Heights and then boarded Orion V 4357 on the 34 to go to Best Buy in Tenleytown to get a gift card for my coworker whose name I pulled for our Secret Santa. Ran back across Wisconsin Ave. and caught Flxible Metro E 4080 on the 34 back to F.H. Wandered around a little there and then took the Ride On 23 to Sibley Hospital. Got Orion V 5611 on that one. I love those Orions the best and I was lucky to get two of them.
Arrived at Sibley just in time to miss the D6, so I waited about 25 mintues for the next one. Had the company of a upside down dead pigeon in the shelter and finally New Flyer 2331 came in and off we went. Somewhere after Dupont Circle, the driver did something wrong, but I didn't really know the routing enough to figure that one out. On 20th St. just passing M St. he let out a mutter that probably translated to "I missed my street". The Clever device blurted 20th and K, but for some reason we made a left on L St. instead and took a really wide right turn onto 19th St., which shut the Clever Device off until we got back on track. I have to look at a map and see what we did wrong, but I don't think we should have been on L or 19th St. Oh well, he then went to K and made a left. Got off at 17th and K and caught Flx Metro E 4079 on the 42 to Dupont Circle to meet up with Pam.
No out of the ordinary bus sightings today. I did see a Ride On Helldorado missing the "Ride On" logo on the left side of the bus, but didn't see the number. Had I been paying attention, I would have just caught the Ride On 9 bus to Silver Spring and had my first ride on their 40 foot Orion V, but didn't see it until I had boarded the Y8.
You mentioning 4204 reminded me that the other night, I saw Arlington division's 4214 with both the new orange sign, which all Arlington's 42 and 4300's have, but this one was also rehabbed. It was looking pretty sharp. That was one of the better 4200's I had been on before they did that, so I bet its a very nice ride now.
-F.
Does Oliver Stone know about this conspiracy theory yet? We might see a movie on this soon! LOL
On Saturdays, all trips to Sibley Hospital return as 23s except the last two which deadhead to the garage. The first trip in each direction is a deadhead from the garage. From Friendship Heights, all trips that don't do a second round trip come off the 1 except for one deadhead from the 16 from Silver Spring. Upon returning to Friendship Heights, the buses either do another trip on the 23, L8s, and there are 3 deadheads to the garage throughout the course of the day. I think most 23 buses do this interline starting from Silver Spring Metro on Saturdays: 1 23 23 L8 L8 1. Crhis seems to have the drivers spending as much time on the 23 as they can. I forget the maximum number of round trips a driver can do before having to interline on to something else on a route less than 30 minutes long each way but I think it is around 6 one way trips.
As for the conspiricy theory, most of the Ride-On routes I use on a regular basis have been modified in some way over the past 2 years or so: 23, 42, 37, 38, 47, T2, and of course, the 27. Apparently Chris isn't finished with me yet, I hear more changes are in store for those routes come January 25th...
Plus, now it gives me a chance to do a little busfanning since I miss out on the weekday trips everyone does. : ) You're not the only one that asks me that. I used to drive up there and that was a quick 25 minute drive, but with the holidays, mall traffic and the fact that gas is so expensive that its actually cheaper to take the bus in the long run, I make a fun day out of it.
I think I can answer this one.
When you have a good barber who knows how you want your hair cut - you don't want to experiment and/or break-in another. When I lived in NYC (Bronx) my barber was in Queens Village. When I moved to the DC area I still went to the same barber in NYC since I used to go to NYC at least once (usually twice) per month. It was also another chance to busfan while I was there.
The buses that cover the M14 service from 8 Av to 1 Av in place of L Train service(I call it the M14SS) where mostly NF D60HF's from 100 St and 1 1996 Nova RTS Transit from MJQ from what I saw.
Here's what I rode today(All times are PM)
1:11 5532 R46 F
1:25 1983 R62A 7
1:37 649 Q32
2:02 5632 M15 Local
2:34 9043 M14D
5:44 7039 M8
6:11 3731 R32 E
So I let several buses go untill I got on 9295 and rode that back to Myrtle where I hopped on the M and went to Marcy to ride the other shuttle bus that was running between Marcy and Bedford Avs via Lorimer St but I changed my mind and I took the B39 across the Willy B and to my pleasure I got a Cummins bus!9144!Got off at Delancy and I was suprised when I saw O5 #235 from MCH there.Got some pics of it.
Also saw RTS 8287 and artics 1000 and 5594 plus a few other buses doing shuttle service between 8Av and DelancySt.So Q46,it wasnt 8Av-1Av but 8Av-Delancy.
4674=SS
953=SS
9295=SS
9144=B39
9043=M14A
Da Hui
Da Hui
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Da Hui
thanks
Da Hui
BTW BusFan where you live?
BTW BusFan where you live?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
With CDTA...
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
JFK: MAYBE convert airtrain to LIRR type service. LIRR runs trains from the suburbs to JFK via the Jamaica branch from Hempstead, KO(maybe even ISP), and Huntington.
The A train should go to JFK via the howard beach line. Another possibility is LIRR from NYC via the old rockaway line connecting at Howard Beach to go to JFK, maybe double track or widen the airtrain ROW for that branch?(NO DISCUSSION OF ROCKAWAY BRANCH!!!)
LGA: A new airtrain/airtrain line from Jamaica to LGA via Van Wyck with a stop at the Flushing Main St station, terminating at the ferry terminal near the delta shuttle terminal
The Astoria lines extended somehow from the current terminus(NO NEW BRANCHES! It'd only clog up service). Does not stop at the ferry terminal, ends at Flushing Main St station with stop at Shea Stadium
ISP: Branch from KO to airport. New modifications to schedule would follow. Example of eastbound train schedule on weekends(I figure that at the earliest, this would be done with ESA, so I've figured that in too as an origin)(trains every hour):
GCT-ISP
NYP-ISP
NYP-Greenport
GCT-ISP
NYP-ISP
GCT-Greenport
GCT-ISP
NYP-ISP
NYP-Greenport
GCT-ISP
NYP-ISP
GCT-Greenport
Something like that. All in all, every train that terminates at KO is extended to ISP, except for the ones that are extended to Greenport. No transfer would be required for those 4 Greenport trains, well, MAYBE at Jamaica.
Then some trains from Greenport to ISP would run too, maybe 3 per day, say at 7am, noon, and 4 pm.
Stewart Airport: This is part of the I-287 rail line plan for trains to run from Port Chester-White Plains-Tappan Zee bridge-Suffern-Stewart Airport. This is a great rail line and should definately be done
EWR: PATH should replace airtrain. Allows for direct rail to EWR from midtown and downtown, and from exchange place.
Republic airport: just re-open the old republic station and have a bus running every now and then. It's a small airport with no scheduled flights really, so it'd only be limited service.
HPN: Maybe some kind of branch off the Harlem line from White Plains North? Trains would originate at GCT, stops at 125th St-Fordham-Bronxville-Scarsdale-Hartsdale-White Plains-White Plains North-then on to the airport
Hartford: What's the airport there? What's the closest rail line to it? If it's what I'm thinking, then trains should run from the airport to Springfield, Ma(or even Worcester), and another line stopping at Hartford-New Haven-Stamford and other stops along the way. Maybe even a line to New London, or would that be too much?
Tweed Airport: Pretty close to the current New Haven Union Station, right? Isn't there a track that gets pretty close to the airport, or is it gone now? Either way, some way from Tweed with lines to Stamford, Ct, and maybe New London and Hartford(maybe even to the Hartford airport)
Is that airport in bridgeport used for regularly scheduled flights? What about Danbury airport?
Also, Westhampton has a HUGE airport, so big they were even thinking about using it as an emergency landing area for space shuttles. However, it is hardly used and has no regularly scheduled flights. I think airlines should start doin some regional flights to this airport. Maybe just summer only service? Trains running from the airport to Montauk and maybe to the North Fork as well via the Manorville-Eastport ROW.
Any other airport that I'm forgetting?
Incognito
The West Farms Kid
carlwal@hotmail.com
The new drivers will have fun! :-)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
The fleet was made up of 20-some 40' X 102" Gillig Phantoms and a couple of Orion IIs, plus some other lighter vehicles.
From the webpage:
"........You CAN drive a bus. It may be big but that's what makes it fun. The skills are quickly obtainable and most find it much less difficult than they ever imagine. Training is one-on-one with a fellow student and at your own pace. Big, small, short, tall, strong, weak, freshman, grad-they all have and do drive a bus........."
Mike
-F.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
The female drivers we had were great, though. Very safe and pleasant to work with. Some weren't bad to look at either. I know this one cute girl used to flirt with me all the time and I guess I was too young and stupid at the time to pick up on it.
The IQ's of one driver were greater than a busload of passengers at some points of the day. : )
What's the big surprise? I'm a college student with a P-endorsed air brakes CDL. I drive for University of Michigan, where we operate one of the finest campus systems in the country. We have some full-time ("union") drivers - they go through the whole runpick process like any other transit system. They have routinely scheduled work in 8-hour shifts and they even have assigned buses. We also employ about 75 student drivers. We drive the part-time runs, which make up roughly 60% of the service hours.
With the exception of longer-distance charters, there's nothing the union drivers can do that the students cannot. We student drivers are every bit as safe and skilled as our full-time union coworkers. Being a trainer myself, I can tell you that students pick up bus-driving quite easily. They really are not that hard to drive! But then again, I'm the kind of driver who gets really excited about making certain turns, plus I have all sorts of "driving theory" that I confer on my trainees (whether they like it or not).
I'd say that our mix of full-time and student operators is an ideal arrangement. An all-student workforce seems to me like a scheduling nightmare. An all-full time workforce wouldn't be quite as "cool" - I feel that riders of our system appreciate the fact that students drive the buses.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
At the beginning of each semester, you would go pick your shifts by seniority. Being the short shifts that they were, it wasn't hard to fit them between your classes. The system runs late and on the weekends, I never had a problem getting work even when new. There were other regular shifts at the garage, like cleaning or fueling.
The coolest part about it was that if you knew 7 days ahead of time that you couldn't work a shift, you could sign it off no questions asked and you were no longer responsible for it. So if you had an exam or a project due, no problem. This made it easy to pick up extra work too. And if you didn't have 7 days notice, you could still sign it off and it would usually get picked up unless it was a crappy shift.
Funny thing about the union drivers getting the long distance charters... A friend of mine works for CyRide, the city-university system in Ames, Iowa that has both students and other part- and full-time drivers. His system sort of babies around its "inexperienced" drivers too, so he isn't eligible for certain work assignments either. Well anyway, I got him working for my old boss on a temporary basis over the summer when he didn't have CyRide shifts scheduled. So he was driving the 40 and 45ft Van Hool motorcoaches on a short line-run and also around town on local charters, but also a couple times on some long distance over-the-road stuff. He drove from Iowa to St. Louis where he met me for the first half of an Atlanta trip. Him and another driver brought a bus home to Iowa from Virginia. So I find it funny that he'd driven buses across the country but can't drive his transit buses on certain "special" assignments. LOL. Like you said, it isn't THAT hard.
Mike
The shifts were similar too. I think the longest was 3 1/2 hours or so, maybe 4. But as you said, made for working around the class schedule real nice.
I loved doing Charters. The best was being able to take a Flx up to Baltimore and then deadhead back empty. Opened that puppy up on 95.
Shoot, by now I've had a Van Hool motorcoach with a Cummins M11+ up to maybe about 85 mph like it wasn't no thing. The company I work for now has all MCI coaches (yuk!) and the govorners are set at around 70 mph, which is good enough I suppose and also probably good for my driving record!
Mike
-F.
-Fred
-F.
The other fun one was one trip where three of us had to go up to Baltimore deadheading from campus and we were driving in formation along I-95. One bus was in the right lane, one was a little further back in the second to right and little ol' me was in the second to left a little further back. Kind of 3 Flx salute. : )
-F.
12/14 Sun
N35 ROOSEVELT FIELD #288
N27 GLEN COVE #306
N27 ROOSEVELT FIELD #195
N35 WESTBURY #215
Roads were snow covered until it changed to rain around 3pm. Buses were doing pretty well despite the weather, with only 15-20 min delays. The N35 was running to RF 20min late, the N27 GLEN COVE was 15 min late because it was running 30 min late from Glen Cove. Also the N27 was rerouted via LIE service road between Glen Cove road and Roslyn Road. There was no service on the route between Roslyn Rd north of the LIE and Harbor Hill rd and Glen Cove rd, due to icy conditions.
Once the snow changed to rain, buses were on time as road conditions improved. Observed and just missed 2 N22 Hicksville buses back to back out of RF at 4:15pm.
Right now it is a wet mess out there, there may be flooding tonight. I have some pics but cannot upload them right now. Hopefully the server Imagestation will accept uploads later.
Nuclear warheads resting in peace now that Saddam is captured.
Some illegal sshhh***ttttt going on here. (Actually, it's a Jewish Folklore Arts Festival Shuttle bus, which is still illegally on WMATA property.)
Unfortunately, Due to Financial problems, DC Transit@Transit Gallery no longer exists, so I do not have an album to link you guys to :(
Well Anyhoo, Enjoy!
Nuclear warheads resting in peace now that Saddam is captured.
Some illegal sshhh***ttttt going on here. (Actually, it's a Jewish Folklore Arts Festival Shuttle bus, which is still illegally on WMATA property.)
Unfortunately, Due to Financial problems, DC Transit@Transit Gallery no longer exists, so I do not have an album to link you guys to :(
Well Anyhoo, Enjoy!
Nuclear warheads resting in peace now that Saddam is captured.
Some illegal sshhh***ttttt going on here. (Actually, it's a Jewish Folklore Arts Festival Shuttle bus, which is still illegally on WMATA property.)
Unfortunately, Due to Financial problems, DC Transit@Transit Gallery no longer exists, so I do not have an album to link you guys to :(
Well Anyhoo, Enjoy!
Oren you got some explaining to do. How dare you illegally park a bus on WMATA property.
"Why would I ever come to Fairfax County?"
Spoken by Oren Hirsch, that time when Carl was down and we went to Tysons Corner...I forget the date.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Come to think of it, let's see how they react when I talk to them about Dodge Darts and AMC Pacers. Those are now Benzes too! :)
-F.
;-)
http://members.aol.com/netransit/index.html
Click on the 'vehicle inventory' link to access rosters by mode, including buses.
Jim D.
B1-#4865-TMC
The 600 Series are more likely to be on the major lines like the N6,N22,N24,N40/N41,N70-N72.
And I know the N25 on sundays usually run the newest buses(The 300 Series O5's right now). I rember one time 583 ran in sunday service on the N25 back in 1999(Doing that time sunday service on N25 was covered the upper 200 Series O5 CNG's and that was the newest ones at that time)
It's also dangerous, in that it can distract the driver. That's why NYCT and other transit authorities forbid the use of flash devices when photographing on the rail lines.
Jim D.
JD
-F.
On the bright side, this weekend's weather looks mostly clear, so hopefully it will be smooth sailing....and not a moment too soon. I bought the bus almost a month ago, and can't WAIT to get it here!!!
-F.
Actually the ad was meant to convey that on Earth Day, people across the nation are asked to leave their cars at home and take public transportation in order to reduce pollution. Since less cars on the road mean less pollution, taking the bus is called the "Pollution Solution".
The bus was probably used for display on Earth Day 2002 at that time.
MetroB
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
1990-1991 TMC RTS-06 (Scrapped)
8014, 8070, 8075-8076, 8085, 8098-8099, 8167, 8186, 8223, 8243, 8248, 8278-8279, 8316, 8351
1990-1991 TMC RTS-06 Unrepowered
8051, 8067, 8072, 8351
1990-1991 TMC RTS-06 Repowered
8034, 8047, 8049-8050, 8054, 8056-8057, 8059, 8061-8062, 8065, 8068, 8070-8071, 8076, 8078, 8081, 8085, 8143, 8186, 8206, 8223, 8226, 8236, 8273, 8284, 8360
Ray
RESPECT THE BUSES OF NEW YORK CITY!!!!!!
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
B1-#9299-NOVABUS
Da Hui
My bus is a USBus Gm Express Van. It is run by MiniBus Service and this bus is #620 and is a Ex Varsity Bus(And my driver was from Varsity too)
Now thats what I'm talking about ;-)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Also saw a crown school bus with a tamdem back axle. Almost reminded me of the GMC PD-4901 (The Golden Chariot)
So, is that your girl, Dom?
MetroB
Enjoy! and please post some comments here. I've always photographed urban stuff and other scenes and haven't really done buses before other than once in a blue moon, so i'm new at this.
BIG AL
Anyway, thanks, i'm kindof mad how the inside bus pic of the 40-footer makes the bus feel smaller than it is. I need to find an emptier one so I can get some detailed shots in. It's hard getting a pic in a "crowded" bus. :)
BIG AL
Actually though, the major routes in Orlando crowded and in downtown or I-drive, I think I see standee's when the bus goes by. But that's the older area's, not the places with the new spawl.
Da Hui
This is a service that has been in the making for over 20 years, and it has finally become a reality for those who fought to make it so. This means a lot for SW Virginia as it will connect their technology and new thinking with our rich arts and history culture. I just hope it will be used and appreciated as much as possible.
-F.
http://www.metro-magazine.com/t_newspick.cfm?id=9057347
Looking at the bright side, this may prolong the life of some Flxibles in LA and VTA territory.
-F.
BTW, MTA still has about half of its 1982 35-foot GMC RTS-04s in service, they were recently GOH'd and have no immediate plans for retirement! :)
A rider's standpoint is different than a driver's standpoint or that of a mechanic or dispatcher. All are valid.
I am a former rider of NYCTA buses. The buses of my era, the Old Look, and the GMC and Flxible fishbowls were all amazing. They all carried me through all kinds of weather...never experienced a breakdown, whether it was enroute to school or wherever.
I loved the look and ride of the Old Look...a true classic. I also appreciated the smoother ride of the new look, and then the air conditoning of those modern marvels. The Flxible's were fast as hell, even if they rode more stiffly and shifted constantly.
I think that era of buses has been featured in more classic movies and TV shows than most others. I can safely say that all were excellent performers, and served their owners and riders well.
Many on this forum will tout the qualities of newer models....all of which I have never ridden on. '
Let's not forget the Intercity Coaches...the GMC PD 4104, 4106...Scenicruiser, Silversides, Silver and Golden Eagles, and many others that proved themselves over millions of miles worldwide.
Great question....now if UPS would deliver my copy of GMC INTERCITY COACHES....I'll be a happy guy. (AMAZON.COM)
1. ID three of the company names with only two including Steinway or transit/surface in the name.
2. ID one QSC route in Astoria & one in College Point or Flushing that were trolley lines.
Submit entries to my e-mail account.
The art work was done by a relative of the President & inbcludes reference to trolleys & buses.
Have three winners, so far & just a few cards left.
Steinway Lines or Steinway Transit
Queens Surface or Queens Transit
NY & Queens County Ry or Queens-Nassau Transit
Also accepted:
- Steinway & Hunter's Point Railroad or Steinway Railway
- Flushing Heights Bus Corp or Briarwood Bus Co.
- Queensboro Bridge Ry or Steinway Omnibus Corp.
Not correct:
- NY & Queens Transit
- NY & LI Railway
- NY & North Shore Traction Co
- Queens Bus lines (1924 - 31)
- Jamaica Lines/Jamaica Central Railways
- Brooklyn & Queens Transit/Brooklyn Queens & Surburban Trolley
- Surface Transit Inc (they were in Westchester)
- TARS (Third Ave Ry Sys)/5th Ave Coach ... well maybe if you knew they were associated with Steinway.
Routes:
Q25, Q65, Q66, Q67
Q101, Q103, Q104
Her rehab center is on West Pico Blvd just west of Fairfax Ave. While visitng her I saw several GM FISHBOWLS in the BIG BLUE BUS livery of the Santa Monica Transit Agency operating on their # 7 route to LA. They were only spotted during rush hours.
I stopped at the agency at 612 Colorado Ave and purchased a toy NABI low floor and they gave me a cardboard bus (gratis). One driver who was in the office at the time told me that they are about to scrap all of them. So ride 'em while you can.
I got a few shots of the New Looks in the yard behind the building through a fence. Also got a picture of a New Look in the old livery, similar to one on the "Speed" bus.
Only 1 issue ,,this month,,,
B15 Q3 JFK Airport'
All buses will stop ONLY at terminal 4--Can transfer to the AIRTRAIN at that point!!!
B15 will come into the aipoirt from the Van Wyck ,,and the Q3 will enter the airport from the Northeast
WEST FARMS
* Bx 4,Bx6 *Bx8 Bx11 *bx13 Bx14 Bx15 Bx17 Bx19 Bx21 Bx27 Bx31 Bx35 and the *bx36
GUN HILL
*Bx1 *bx4 Bx5 *bx8 Bx12 *bx16 Bx22 Bx25 Bx26 *Bx28 Bx29 Bx30 Bx34 *Bx36 *Bx39 Bx40,*Bx42 and the Bx55
KINGSBRIDGE
*Bx1 Bx2 Bx3 Bx7 Bx9 Bx10 *BX13 *Bx16,,Bx18 Bx20 *Bx28 Bx32 *Bx39 Bx41 *Bx42
M100
Mother Clara Hale
Bx33
M1 M2 M7 *M30 M60 ,M shuttle (Lenox Av Shuttle)
M A N H A T T A N
*Split Depot Operations
100 street
*M79 M86 *M101 M102 M103
126 street
M15 M31 M35 M57 M66 M72 M116
MANHATTANVILLE
M3 M4 M5 M10 M11 M18 M96 M98 *M101 M104 M106
Michael J Quill
M6 M8 M9 M14 M16 M20 M21 M22 M23 X26 M27 *m30 ,*Q32 M34 M42 M50 *M79 X90
B R O O K L Y N
*Split Depot Operation
East New York Depot '
B7 B12 B14 B15 B17 *B20 B25 B42 B45
B51 B60 B82 Q24 Q56
Jackie Gleason
B8 B9 B11 B16 B23 B35 B37 B43 B61 B63 B65 ,B67,*B68 B69 B70 B71 B75 B77
Flatbush Depot
B2 *B6 B31 *B39 B41 B44 B46 B47 B49
Fresh Pond Depot
B13 *B20 B24 B26 B38 *B39 B48 B52 B54 B57 Q54 Q55 *Q58 Q59
Ulmer Park Depot
B1` B3 B4 *B6 X25 X27 X28 X29 B36 X37 X38 B64 *B68 B74
Casey Stengel
Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q20 A, Q20B Q26 Q27 Q28 *Q32 *x32 Q44 Q48 X51 *Q58 Q74 Q76
Jamaica
Q3 Q4 Q5 Q17 Q42 X63 X64 Q77 Q84 Q85
Queens Village
Q1 Q2 Q30 Q31 *X32 Q36 Q43 Q46 X68 Q75 Q79 Q83 Q88
S T A T E N I S L A N D
*Split Depot Operation
Castleton
X10 X11 X12 X13 X14 X16 X18 X20 *X22 X30 X31 S40 S42 X42 *S44, S46
S48 S51 S52 S53 S54 *S55 *S56 *S57 *S59 S60 *S62 S66 S67 *S74
S76 *S78 S81 S86 S90 S92 S93 S96 S98
Yukon
X1 X2 X3 X4 X5 X6 X7 X8 X9 X15 X17 X19 *X22 *S44 *S55 *S56 *s57 *S59 S61 *S62 *S74 *S78 S79 S84 S91 S94
Westbound to Bay Ridge `
from Cropsey and 7 av via Cropsey av,7 Av,92 st,4 av to the Terminal at 4 av and 95 st
Eastbound to Brownsville
from the terminal at 4 av and 95 st via 4 av,Marine av, Fort Hamilton Parkway ,92 st ,7 av ,Cropsey av then regular
Ray
RESPECT THE BUSES OF NEW YORK CITY!!!!!!
NYCT Routes, Depots,,and Divisions January 4,2004==SI and Qns
Posted by FDNY on Tue Dec 16 12:15:51 2003, in response to NYCT Routes, Depots,,and Divisions January 4,2004, posted by FDNY on Tue Dec 16 12:07:38 2003.
Q U E E N S
* Split Depot Operation
Casey Stengel
Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q20 A, Q20B Q26 Q27 Q28 *Q32 *x32 Q44 Q48 X51 *Q58 Q74 Q76
Jamaica
Q3 Q4 Q5 Q17 Q42 X63 X64 Q77 Q84 Q85
Queens Village
Q1 Q2 Q30 Q31 *X32 Q36 Q43 Q46 X68 Q75 Q79 Q83 Q88
S T A T E N I S L A N D
*Split Depot Operation
Castleton
X10 X11 X12 X13 X14 X16 X18 X20 *X22 X30 X31 S40 S42 X42 *S44, S46
S48 S51 S52 S53 S54 *S55 *S56 *S57 *S59 S60 *S62 S66 S67 *S74
S76 *S78 S81 S86 S90 S92 S93 S96 S98
Yukon
X1 X2 X3 X4 X5 X6 X7 X8 X9 X15 X17 X19 *X22 *S44 *S55 *S56 *s57 *S59 S61 *S62 *S74 *S78 S79 S84 S91 S94
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ray
RESPECT THE BUSES OF NEW YORK CITY!!!!!!
The Manhattanville trips (formerly the Amsterdam trips) are returning M104's that aren't needed along Broadway. After dropping off at the U.N., they loop down to 3rd Avenue & East 24th and make a northbound Limited trip to Amsterdam & 129th.
OK.... and the GW Bridge is not exactly next to KB either, but it doesn't take long to deadhead between those two points. Well... from Randall Ave they can simply go onto the Bruckner Expway and get to GH quicker than it would take from GWB to KB.
Both the B-15 and Q-3 routes will be rerouted to Terminal 4 but the service frequency will be extended to 24 hour operation on the Q-3 route and 23 hour operation on the B-15 to JFK Airport
Thank You
Thank You
There were about a dozen Fishbowls parked behind the 612 Colorado Ave building. They were mixed in with the NABI's and others, so I think that they're not being segreated prior to scrapping but are in regular revenue service for the time being. Couldn't find a way into the yard. Also had the wife in the car and she was annoyed enough that I stopped to buy the toy bus, so I couldn't push it to get into the yard.
I don't know enough about the system to know if this is their only yard or if there are other Fishbowls in other yards.
Surprising that they were mixed amongst the other buses, because, I dunno if you noticed, but SMBBB has a reserved parking space for each bus in the fleet (except possibly reserve buses) in their yard. And they are generally in numerical order. Since many of the Fishbowls have been retired, they may just park the remaining ones wherever.
I" don't know enough about the system to know if this is their only yard or if there are other Fishbowls in other yards."
That is the only yard at 6th & Colorado. Most of the municipal operators (i. e. not LACMTA) have small enough fleets that they can fit in one yard. An exception is Long Beach Transit (the 2nd largest agency after MTA in L. A. County) which has 2 yards. Also, some contractors that operate MTA or LADOT service have more than one yard.
Nope; its serial number is G3500179, an '86. The first 31 buses of that order, 5123-5153, were delivered in late 1985 but are 1986 models.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
9259 is another story. I took that bus home on the Q31 and the handgrips on top of the seats were all facing the wrong way!
I think our own Q46 Nova RTS#9288 got a photo of that interior a while back. Can't understand how someone messed up on those seats...
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Bill "Newkirk"
No I was on 9272 or 9273 on the M22 and the platforms were still raised with the hardseats...felt weird and also a few others on the bus made note of it along with the 2X2 seating
Baltic
Mediteranean
Oriental
Vermont
Connecticutt
Saint Charles
States
Virginia
Saint James
Tennessee
New York
Kentucky
Indiana
Illinois
Atlantic
Ventnor
Marvin Gardens
Pacific
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Park Place
Board Walk
According to Ray, the front said
26 MONTGOMERY MALL
the side said
78 IRVINGTON
78 VIA SHIRLINIA
and the back said 80. Oren, you and Patricia have some explaining to do
78 IRVINGTON
78 VIA BERRY
The back did read 80 but I thought we eliminated that route like a year or 2 ago. Maybe it's coming back from the dead? Oren, don't pray to hard!! LOL
Didn't the 80 sign say KING FARM?
BTW, I plead the 5th every time someone says they saw an old Ride-On sign 0:-)
As far as NYCT's yellow strip, i've seen that on older buses at an agency called PSTA. On the rear doors, I watched everyone who got off using all their might and pushing the doors open. When I get off, I use one finger, and the doors fly open for me with ease. :) Experience does the body good(and not make you look like a fool).
Da Hui
I also noticed that, unless it's a TA option, the Gillig Advantages that I see dont' have tape or touch bars or anything at the rear door. Not even those green open lights.
I was going to post a similar response, but held back because this is only in theory. On almost all interstate and intrastate trips I have taken on NJ Transit the past few years, it is extremely rare for the driver to make sure you take your receipt. (I sometimes get strange looks from the driver if I do take my receipt!) Inevitably, the driver just lets the receipts pile up untaken, and then tosses them in a waste basket. As a practical matter, NJ Transit buses use the honor system when it comes to checking payment of proper zone fares.
Flxible870B!
MetroB
As for the current NJT receipts, they contain the following information:
Date and time of issue
bus route number
bus fleet number
driver employee number
zone from/to (the 02-02 means from zone 2 to zone 2)
fare type (adult, transfer, ticket, etc.)
fare amount paid
receipt number (consecutive serial number)
I always take my receipt, no excepttions, My trips are few and far-between now, and usually involve a round trip to NYC, thus having the receipt is necessary - for those not aware, you can purchase a round-trip ticket on many routes and the receipt serves as your fare on the treturn trip. This saves the trouble of having to reach for a wallet or cash in a pocket when boarding at the Port.
MetroB
When I ride, it's usually on a 16x route from Bergen County. I get on and tell the operator "Round trip to NY" and pay double the one-way cash fare - the register spits out an extra long receipt, not unlike the transfer receipts, and that is used as my return fare back from NYC. Haven't used NJT's TVMs because I really have no need to.
KCRAM3500 may be correct about looking under Hoboken. I will check the TVM next time I am in PABT. But it is possible you cannot buy a ticket for the 126. Back before the last fare increase, the 126 had a different fare than the regular Northern NJ - NJT fare zones. In addition, I believe the 126 was an "exact change only" route. If it still is an exact change only route, that may be why paper tickets are unavailable at the TVM's.
Flxible870b
The doors used on NJT's RTSes are actually considered the standard door; this was the foor GMC originally developed back in 1977. The push-type door was engineered at NYCT's request - GMC had designed the wheelchair lift at the rear door and needed time to figure out how to combine a push-type door with one that could stay open when the lift was used.
Push-type rear doors are sometimes disregarded on systems that see a lot of senior citizen ridership for fear the elderly may not be able to push and hold the doors with enough force to prevent them from swinging back against the passenger, possibly causing injury or knocking items out of their possession. As mentioned in the thread, it's also a security issue in some areas. Also, in cities like Pittsburgh where pay-enter is a daily fare structure, riders are encouraged to ebnter via the rrear door on a pay-leave run, and exit by the front door after paying the appropriate fare.
Current stops listed in order are:
Greyhound(3 routes):
-Islip
-Huntington/Mellville
-Hempstead Transit Center
-Queens Village
-PABT
-Hempstead Transit Center
-Queens Village
-New Rochelle
-Stamford
-Bridgeport
-New Haven
-Hartford
-Islip
-Huntington/Mellville
-Hempstead Transit Center
-Queens Village
-GWBBT
-Newark
-Mt. Laurel
on to Blatimore then DC.
Adirondack Trailways(1 route):
-Babylon
-Massapequa
-Freeport
-Hempstead Transit Center
-Mineola
-Queens Village
-New Rochelle
-White Plains
on to Kingston, Ny with other intermidiate stops
Shortline(1 route):
-Patchogue
-Lake Ronkonkoma
-Islip
-Huntington/Mellville
-Hempstead Transit Center
-Carle Place
-Queens Village
-New Rochelle
-White Plains
on to Monticello
Having all these routes open to commuter traffic would be great. Maybe the 2 forks companies, Hampton Jitney and Sunrise Coach could also start a little something, and open a stop in Nassau County somewhere, probably the Hicksville exit of the LIE or something like that.
A good combination of Greyhound and Hampton Jitney would be from Montualk-Southampton-MacArthur airport-Islip-Hicksville-Queens(The Hampton Jitney stop off of the LIE)-then either:
PABT-GWBBT
brooklyn-downtown manhattan-PABT
LGA-GWBBT
I really think this would work, and would be great for intra-island commuters.
Also, like I said before, there is nothing wrong with taking the train. I support rail transit and ferry transit more than any other forms of public transportation. And while the buses may take longer into the city, some go to places not served directly by the RR. Many LIRR trips involve ATLEAST one transfer. And then there's the small number of those commuting to points outside of the city. Yes, there are some that live on LI and commute to NJ, CT, and westchester. Few, but they do exist.
The way I see is that these bus routes are already running, many, if not all, way below capacity. Why not try to get a few more riders? I'm not trying to take people off the RR, I'm trying to take people out of cars. If this would help move people out of cars and onto these buses, then that'd be a great sucess.
That deer was probably running away from one of the CAGV's thinking it was animal control.
Four minutes after that, a Q44 Limited approaches my stop. The bus was mostly empty, except for a few passengers sitting down. Strangely, despite our hails, the bus blew past us. Weird.
Shortly after that, another bus approaches, also bearing the sign "NEXT BUS PLEASE". But this one had plenty of empty seats, and it actually stopped! After opening the doors, the driver announced that this bus would only be going as far as Main Street. Then, after leaving my stop, we didn't make any other stops all the way into Flushing! (That means skipping five stops. Three of which had people waiting at them.)
So, that was my strange morning on New York City Transit.
If both of these drivers got the same order from headquarters to resume picking up people at another location, what makes one a jackass and the other not?
Da Hui
I did not misread the post. Nowhere does the original post say anything about the first driver being told anything by the dispatcher, console, etc. You probably assumed that the first driver received instructions. I think it is fair to assume, by the actions of the second driver, that he also received instructions not to pick up passengers at that stop. Thus, it is fair to assume that neither driver is a jackass, although the first driver did post "Next Bus Please," which the second driver probably forgot to do.
Da Hui
When the B/O decides that his bus is full enough, he'll change the sign to NEXT BUS PLEASE, and then bypass stops unless somebody rings to get off. At which point he'll let some more people on. This goes on until some space has been cleared up, and then the B/O will change the signs back to whatever route he's on.
-F.
Fifth Av Museaum Buses= 9098, 5117,1059,5227.
-F.
The 'MACK' doesn't look to bad for it's age though, Thank's for the info, one day I'll shoot up there.
Also, we may have another Mack from that fleet on the way to our museum. We look forward to having you there one day!
-Fred
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
B44 Limited Nova #5100
B25 Nova #8899
B65 Orion 7 #7618
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
FLXIBLE: Feels Like Xmas In Bus Lines Everywhere.
-F.
Also - The term "fishbowl" actually refers to GMC/GMDD new-look buses. Flxible new-looks did really have a nickname.
FLXIBLE: Feels Like Xmas In Bus Lines Everywhere.
-F.
WMATA(new looks, RTSs, Neoplans, MANNs-5000s and 5100s, unrehabbed Flxible Metros, AMGs)
Cue(Orion Is), DASH (Orion Ones-30 and 35 footers), Ride On (Citycruisers and 84 Orion Ones)
Baltimore MTA(new looks, Neoplans-high floor of course, Grummans-never got a chance to ride them)
Corridor Transit(the ex Hagerstown Orion Ones, never got a chance to ride them)
The Bus(um I don't think so, I am just waiting for the day THE BUS ceases to exist)
Cue(Orion Is), DASH (Orion Ones-30 and 35 footers), Ride On (Citycruisers and 84 Orion Ones): Never got to ride an Orion I, but I have heard great things about them from DC BusTalkers.
Baltimore MTA(new looks, Neoplans-high floor of course, Grummans-never got a chance to ride them) The New Looks sure look like they would have been fun to ride. I would be happy if they would just hang on to the Metros they have and leave them in the blue stripe scheme. That stupid racing flag crap does nothing for them at ALL. And yes, I would love to have rode on one of their Grummans. In fact, one of them is for sale dirt cheap on eBay right now.
Corridor Transit(the ex Hagerstown Orion Ones, never got a chance to ride them) Again, never got to ride them.
The Bus(um I don't think so, I am just waiting for the day THE BUS ceases to exist)
With the 88s being switched like this I wonder if this means that the next batch of CNGs are coming.
8728 was still running around out of FMR. Saw that yesterday on the 24P.
" Bus maintenance problems have been compounded by heavy construction at four of Metro's 10 garages.
Service in Virginia is being impacted by the $13 million construction of new compressed natural gas fueling facilities at the South Four Mile Run Drive bus garage in Arlington, home to 225 Metro buses. The work there will be ongoing for the next 15 months.
``The numbers should start going up in January with certain fixes,'' Hughes said.
Transit officials hope that completing heavy construction at the Bladensburg garage in the District of Columbia - where heavy repair and service overhauls are performed - and work at three other District garages will bring up the score.
Metro plans to solicit bids in February or March for 175 new CNG buses - costing an average of $330,000 apiece _ and for 75 more in July 2004, said Metro Chief Operating Officer for Bus Jack Requa.
All ordered buses would all delivered in the summer of 2005.
``Most will go to the Four Mile Run facility in Virginia, and 38 will go to the Bladensburg CNG facility,'' Requa said."
Full article ("Metro gives itself a D"): http://www.jrnl.com/cfdocs/new/stories/fxfp1219200301.htm
Coming in 2005, the FMR garage shuffle, and you thought Bladnesburg was screwy wait till 2005.
Notes: 11:33AM N22 HICKSVILLE was a no show, next bus was SRO
12/16 TUE
S62 RIVERHEAD #9908
S62 RIVERHEAD #9910
S58 E.NORTHPORT #9904
Notes: Base radioed our S58 that our sign said "EMERGENCY CALL POLICE", so the b/o had to shut the bus down at the side of 25 and re-start it, and re-enter destination codes. Seemed to fix the problem, though it shows how difference ppl are out there, I see those "EMERGENCY CALL POLICE" signs on NYCT buses alot and no one ever does anything!
Also buses operating out east have their interior lights off at night, just using them when ppl board or get off. I guess because alot of the roads have few or no lights, so its hard to see out driving with interior lights on.
Also, had all Orion V's, which are extremely fast. We were flying, I'd say the bus easily does 70-80mph. Passing all the cars, yeah! One op told me that SCT does have governors on those things! Well LIB must govern at a lower speed because ours dont go nearly as fast.
Anyway, those SCT buses could blow any MTA bus off the road. Probably NJT too.
12/17 WED
N22 JAMAICA #608
N27 GLEN COVE #270
N27 GLEN COVE #204 (15 min late)
That really defies logic to me. I thought the EMERGENCY CALL POLICE sign was intended to be a secret signal to outsiders that assistance was needed (e.g. hostage situation). Doesn't calling the bus over the radio to tell them the EMERGENCY sign is flashing sort of defeat that purpose?
Yes, which is why NYCT uses a different verbal code over the radio to announce the fact.
And a Flx
You guess the locations!
Da Hui
That is incorrect. They are governed as well. Some depots govern their buses at different speeds. Im sure there are a few buses in each depot that arent governed or are governed at a higher speed than others. Now as for the private companies thats a completely different story :) .
Peace,
Kevin
Da Hui
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Dave
These buses easily do over 55mph and have car-like acceleration.
Any bus will "do over" 55 MPH unless governed. Even when not governed, what NYC bus should travel upwards of 55 MPH?
Also the ops are all great, no "scardey cats" like over at MTA.
What the hell is an MTA "scardey cat"?
The Orion V's are the fastest. I remember awhile ago someone posted the speeds reach 80mph. Now that's what I call rapid transit.
You little twit. If you were ever on a local city bus doing 80 MPH, you'd dirty your diaper.
Too bad the MTA doesnt know the meaning of rapid. :-0
Too bad you don't know anything about urban rapid transit.
Because you're (notice the spelling) just as insignificant to me as he is. Try taking your own advice.
Apparently that's the sound the bell makes when you want to get off the bus. Either that or someone is trying to bring gangsta rap to Suffolk Transit.
-F.
(But I have posted there once or twice.. possibly under my original BT handle)
In any event, I didn't see the need to respond to panzyboy's comment. {shrug}
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I have improved myself from the begining of my posting life here at bustalk, but when people like Brooklyn67 lash out at people, it puts me over the edge. I don't cause trouble, and I sure don't go looking for it, but I'll stand up for a friend.
Yes. You began as a malignancy and slowly evolved to become the big-mouthed punk you are today. Bravo. The same attitude that got you banned elsewhere.
"but when people like Brooklyn67 lash out at people, it puts me over the edge."
You're probably going to need medication, or a reality check if you can go "over the edge" involving yourself in an internet message board conversation that has nothing whatsoever to do with you, nor required your assinine and juvenile input.
"I don't cause trouble, and I sure don't go looking for it,"
You certainly do go looking for it, missy. You involved your big mouth in something that had nothing to do with you. As you always do, here and elsewhere.
"but I'll stand up for a friend."
I'm old enough to be your father. Best make that "standing up" from your keyboard, skippy. Now mind your business and keep your mouth shut.
Sorry to say but NIMBYKiller is not a lady
Shows that not all adults are not mature....
"involving yourself in an internet message board conversation that has nothing whatsoever to do with you, nor required your assinine and juvenile input."
Nor did it require your input you narrow minded jackass!
"As you always do, here and elsewhere."
You don't know anything about me, nothin! I've never gone looking for trouble and certainly was not this time. Like I said before, I'm sticking up for a friend.
"Now mind your business and keep your mouth shut."
How about you mind your own business. Qtrain is trying to post pictures and post his experiences, but no! Big bad wolf over here is on too much of a power trip just b/c he's old enough to be my father!
Yeah... BusTalk would be much better if it were only "I saw bus 5901 on the Y35 yesterday" and "Orions suck less than Gilligs," rather than actually being a place to learn something.
With all due respect, I agree that no transits should be able to go above 55, but the governor should not be set to 36 mph! (50 mph is reasonable for a depot that needs to use the highway a lot.) The MCI D series and 102DL3s should be allowed to go faster than they currently can (58 mph), and especially those out of Staten Island Division utilizing the NJT (being only able to go to 58 mph on the NJT with a speed limit of 65 mph is a bit scary for traffic, even if the bus is in the right lane). (By transit, I mean a bus with hard seats.)
A QV bus that can only do 36 mph can't enter the GCP, right?
A cap of 40 mph would do good for transits based out of JAM, CS (Q44 is not much of a problem even on the Whitestone), all of Brooklyn Division except for ENY (B15), all of Bronx Division except for Mother Hale (M60), and all articulated buses regardless of depot. Just my two cents. So long as the depot does not need to use limited access highways, 40 mph is a good cap.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
We agree. A bus should not be governed to a maximum speed of 36 MPH, yet some are. Largely because that was the goal until the unions stepped in and reminded the TA that they are forcing their employees to violate the NYS DMV VTL.
A QV bus that can only do 36 mph can't enter the GCP, right?
That's a grey area, and I'll tell you why. The GCP isn't part of the Interstate Highway System which mandates a minimum speed restriction. Unlike I-495, motorists using the GCP may travel at any minimum speed. However, QV buses also utilize the LIE which does mandate a minimum speed of 40 MPH.
Just my two cents. So long as the depot does not need to use limited access highways, 40 mph is a good cap.
Keep in mind, all NYCTA buses may use the highway system from time to time when running onto various shuttles and such.
Jamaica Depot still does this, and IIRC, buses 8388 and 9370 may be capped at 36.
Keep in mind, all NYCTA buses may use the highway system from time to time when running onto various shuttles and such.
Was I ever reminded of this when many RTS and Orions during the 2 train shuttle traveling over the Deegan, Bruckner, and Sheridan could not go past 40, many of the culprits being from Bronx Division, Flatbush, and Ulmer Park!
Also, what is the specific regulation in the NYS DMV VTL that governs this? Thanks.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I have the NYS VTL book. When I find the section, I'll scan it and post it. Check back late tonight.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
QvDepot.Com will not return.
Da Hui
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I wouldn't try that unless it was safe. At the time, I was on the expressway at about 3 AM. The only vehicle in sight.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Hmmm - I may have to beg to differ on this one as I've paced many Ride-On buses above 70 MPH on I-270. WMATA buses may inedd be governed around 65-70 MPH which is just fine.
But these buses are on the road upwards of 20 hours daily. Engines wear quickly, and the governers don't help the situation any. The engine still revs. Minor repairs aren't usually made to keep the bus in service. It all takes a toll on the life of a bus.
But I'm not sure about your point concerning engines wearing quickly. Average engine life should be about 400,000 miles, but I have read somewhere that a north of England bus company had nearer 600,000 miles out of a Volvo engine. Surely it all depends on the level and quality of maintenance performed on the engine?
At first, all buses were governed to a maximum speed limit of 36 MPH. This changed only after the unions argued we're a moving hazard on the cities highways. They then began adjusting the settings to reflect an approximate maximum speed of 45 MPH.
I'm not sure of your experiences, however if you've ever driven an 18 year old GMC RTS, you pray that the bus can make it across an intersection, or up the slightest grade, let alone reach any top speed :-)
For these buses, we hope for decent pull, or pick-up. These are buses who's engines have long passed the one million mile mark. The "Reman" series' we have here barely move when empty, let alone any type of load. When stopping every two blocks in city traffic, if you have a bus that can't get out of it's own way, it'll be a long day..
For me, as long as I have decent pick-up, I'll make that changing traffic light, hence not find the need to speed. The difference between an easy trip and blowing all recovery time.
As far as sharp accelleration, not too many of our buses do. Our passengers know the routine anyway.. balance themselves at the farebox, hold onto the grab rail with one hand and dip the card with the other. Hopefully they're out of there by the time I make the next stop ;-)
But, given the choice, I would always go for acceleration over top speed.
I enter the LIE service road just after 108th Street and proceed to make the climb. At about 3 MPH.. The bus starts slowing down.. but because of a downgrade, I'm cruising at a good 9 MPH... then I lose the air from the front right bellows. Right side of the bus goes down, but I've gotta make it off that ramp. Bus is bouncing like a Yo-Yo and slamming down to the ground. I make it off the ramp, cross College Point Blvd and pull over to the right.
Much of the fender is gone- somehow the tire rubbed into it and just burned it until it disintegrated. Couldn't open the front doors because the pounding down without air-suspension literally twisted the steel under the door panels up into the bus body.
Luckily, I had a decent Supt arrive at the scene. Toting a SLEDGEHAMMER.. he proceeds to smash the steel downward to free the doors. What could have been written up as an accident was now just "sticky doors" :-)
Possibly my worst experience happened two or three years ago, whilst yet again operating a school trip. On this particular journey, my depot provided a double-decker and another depot provided a 35-seat 'duplicate' bus, such was the number of kids that used it. On this day however, the duplicate failed to show up, and as you could imagine, none of the kids were volunteering to walk. So I end up with about 100 of them on the bus. Anyway, things weren't going too badly (by the usual standards of this run anyway) until I hit the steepest part of the route - and I mean STEEP. Unfortunately I had about the slowest of our double-deckers at this time, and as usual the bus dropped right down to its 'crawler' first gear on the incline. But the weight was just too much for it, and it ground to a standstill! All the kids had to get off and walk up the hill, and get back on at the top. As I was driving up the hill empty, it was tempting to keep going and leave them, but.....
Another time I was operating this same trip. For a while, you could guarantee that on the narrowest, most winding part of the road, you would meet another school trip double-decker coming the other way. And as everyone knows, kids do not like other kids from another school. As the other bus was coming uphill, I pulled into the side of the road and stopped, so the driver of the other bus could hopefully get through without having to come to a standstill. Then just as he came level, my vehicle lurched to the right (don't forget we drive on the left in the UK). What had happened was that seemingly every last one of the children upstairs on both buses had moved to the driver's side and were punching, spitting and yelling at those on the other bus - who were doing exactly the same! How the tops of the two buses didn't come together I don't know.
These were a couple of the more unusual journeys on that route. More routine ones consisted of broken windows, and seat cushions being thrown out of the upper-deck emergency door. Ain't kids wonderful?
Fortunately, another company now operates this route. Good luck to them.
We had an instance similar to that one. One of the guys had a trip on the Q30. As the bus left the subway station (Homelawn/169) and made the right up the hill, it came to a complete halt! The people had to get off, walk up the hill, and get back on the bus!
I believe it was one of the GMC RTS 3200's. Possibly 3241 or 3249. Even empty, with 130 PSI, downhill, they couldn't top 22 MPH.
:-)
"You little twit. If you were ever on a local city bus doing 80 MPH, you'd dirty your diaper."
I was on the S53 that did 60mph on the Verrazano,heard another bus do 67mph on the same stretch and when I was waiting last night for S46 in front of Castleton Depot,bus came 5mins late then the driver went to get himself a cup of coffee or whatever making him close to 10mins and I thought I was gonna miss the ferry and have to wait an hour for it to come back but what does the driver do? He takes off and proceeds to drive along Castleton Av,a NARROW TWO WAY STREET!,at 65-70mph and instead of being late and missing the ferry,we got there a mintue later!AND I LOVED IT!!!
Da Hui
But ya know.. that's actually how the TA wants us to drive. They do everything they possibly can to slow us down. The wheelchair system that no longer has clamps. The front doors that now cannot be opened until the bus is stopped. The governing of bus speeds to an average of 40 MPH. The rear doors that can no longer be dumped. All these things sure add up to a slow ride when combined. And many times they are.
The TA wants their buses slow, and their drivers slower. The reason? Lawsuits from accidents and incidents. Slowing everything down helps avoid accidents and incidents, hence monetary loss.
I was on the S53 that did 60mph on the Verrazano,heard another bus do 67mph on the same stretch [...]
That driver would have been instantly removed from service and written up for dismissal.
AND I LOVED IT!!!
Sure, it's fun. But is it safe? Is it professional?
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Da Hui
I've had other tasty speed treats from several regional bus agencies. I'll say that I enjoyed them enough to not say anything.
NYCT RTS #4932 had a left-rear blowout the other evening. I took a few pictures of that bus. I'll post them sometime soon.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Otherwise, buses should be governed to 55MPH and dialed to 65MPH when heading to Detroit Diesel or out-of-state. There is no reason ANY vehicle should be on a 65MPH+ facility doing less than 65MPH. That is a huge liability and you guys should sue the MTA if you get whacked by a trucker in 4th gear:)
Likewise, the capabilities of any vehicle should be respected, particularly when passengers are on-board. My shuttle van at college will sustain an indicated 85MPH (more like 92-94MPH with speedometer error). I would NEVER go that fast under any circumstances unless a trooper needed to get around me. It is not wise to abuse the capabilities of a vehicle or you will lose it. My friend aired out the new van and now I can't use it in shuttle service, just for transporting my sports team. Buses operating at 65MPH on city streets will result in automatic revokation of one's license should they be spotted. This means no more MTA and probably none of the major bus companies either. It will also result in governors that will increase deadhead time.
For example, the Queensbound Q32: what happens when the bus gets up to 60 coming off the Queensboro Bridge, and the B/O forgets about the right-hand turn before the columns in the road...
Imagine an NYC 40mph bus on the NJT turnpike. And cars go wiping by you 40mph that is very scary...
I already mentioned my ride on the S46 earlier.By that BO going at 65mph through Castleton just about the whole way,what was supposed to be a 18min trip,he did it in HALF THE TIME! while only dropping off 2 people.He'd make Trevor Logan PROUD!
Da Hui
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Da Hui
The TA wants their buses slow, and their drivers slower. The reason? Lawsuits from accidents and incidents. Slowing everything down helps avoid accidents and incidents, hence monetary loss.
This are all safety precautions for boarding and alighting procedures, govenors dont kick in until the bus is in motion where NO ONE is getting on or off.
That driver would have been instantly removed from service and written up for dismissal.
Uhhhh.....governors are only mechanically speed limitators, if they're not in effect, it's not the drivers fault!
Sure, it's fun. But is it safe? Is it professional?
GET A LIFE! Down here where I live, I've gots Orions, Gilligs, and Flxibles doing 50 mph, and this is between 2 bus stops! Buses do not deserve to travel slower than cars just because they're "bigger" and carry "more people". So what if they do? It doesnt mean they should travel no faster than 39 mph, it isnt a shuttle crawler! Buses (transit or intercity) can take on high speed as well or even better than cars can!
Da Hui
"This are all safety precautions for boarding and alighting procedures, govenors dont kick in until the bus is in motion where NO ONE is getting on or off."
Which is exactly when accidents happen, you fool. Which is the reason behind governing buses in the first place, you fool. If you took your remedial english classes as instructed, you'd understand and comprehend the written word.
I wrote: "That driver would have been instantly removed from service and written up for dismissal."
Panzyboy muttered: "Uhhhh.....governors are only mechanically speed limitators, if they're not in effect, it's not the drivers fault!"
Uhhhh.. if the driver is speeding, he is breaking the law. If he is driving 30+ miles an hour over the posted speed limit, he is operating recklessly and subject to gross negligence charges that will result in dismissal charges. It's called operating according to Article 19-A and the VTL. Inform yourself, fool.
"GET A LIFE! Down here where I live, I've gots Orions, Gilligs, and Flxibles doing 50 mph, and this is between 2 bus stops! Buses do not deserve to travel slower than cars just because they're "bigger" and carry "more people". So what if they do? It doesnt mean they should travel no faster than 39 mph, it isnt a shuttle crawler! Buses (transit or intercity) can take on high speed as well or even better than cars can!"
If by chance you spend your early adult years outside some federal penetentary, which is highly doubtful, and resume your GED classes, you'll learn reading comprehension; a valuable part of adult life.
You, my good man, are a very dim bulb.
*Light's out*
Explain how a governor can prevent boarding and alighting accidents which takes place at 0 mph........
Uhhhh.. if the driver is speeding, he is breaking the law. If he is driving 30+ miles an hour over the posted speed limit, he is operating recklessly and subject to gross negligence charges that will result in dismissal charges. It's called operating according to Article 19-A and the VTL. Inform yourself, fool. Uhhhh.. if the driver is speeding, he is breaking the law. If he is driving 30+ miles an hour over the posted speed limit, he is operating recklessly and subject to gross negligence charges that will result in dismissal charges. It's called operating according to Article 19-A and the VTL. Inform yourself, fool.
Governors are mechanical speed limitators , drivers are not responsible for maintaining the mechanical speed limit of the bus. They do not tell the drivers "This bus has a speed limit of 39 mph, keep your eyes on the speedometer and make sure it doesnt go above 39 mph!" Now LEGAL speed limits, thats another story.
You may be old enough to be My father, but I may be smart enough to be Your father.
"You little twit. If you were ever on a local city bus doing 80 MPH, you'd dirty your diaper."
I was on the S53 that did 60mph on the Verrazano,heard another bus do 67mph on the same stretch and when I was waiting last night for S46 in front of Castleton Depot,bus came 5mins late then the driver went to get himself a cup of coffee or whatever making him close to 10mins and I thought I was gonna miss the ferry and have to wait an hour for it to come back but what does the driver do? He takes off and proceeds to drive along Castleton Av,a NARROW TWO WAY STREET!,at 65-70mph and instead of being late and missing the ferry,we got there a mintue early!AND I LOVED IT!!!
Da Hui
Any ungoverned bus would do over 55mph easily if the engine were tune for that and final drive. I just rode on one yesterday and it did 55mph in like a block: -D
Buses that are governed, or speed regulated, should be governed to the maximum local area speed limit. We agree that a govorner set to 36 MPH is absurd, however a bus traveling 65 MPH on a local street is just as absurd.
But I'll go for a 52 MPH governer.
Whoa now hold on there, come down to D.C. and some of our Wide open Neoplan AN460s equipped with Detroit Diesel Series 60 (not cut back like Bee-Line's) Or come up to MCPS and ride a Thomas MVP/HDX Equipped with a powerful CAT 3126 engine. Those things will definately smoke a car away if not at least provide some competition.
I totally agree with you. I don't understand how some folks don't realize this. To me is basic common sense. I never quite realized that until I drove a few buses. I've been a bus fan since I was a child, but one thing that's quite obvious is that the fasted bus cannot hang with the typical car on the road.
I know a guy who's a B/O who actually thinks he can run (and manuver like a car. He clearly doesn't know that the laws of physics applies to buses as well. I know some buses have awesome acceleration and top end, but I'm sure no bus will accelerate from 0-60 in less than 9 seconds (which is slow by car standards) nor will they top 95 MPH which is also slow by car standards. I've actually asked the guy I know to explain how a vehicle weighing 40,000 lbs, very little hard cornering ability with the aerodynamics of a brick can possibly outdo (or even keep up) with a car. I challenged him, but still no response. I even said that I'll even bring my second (old) car which is a '92 Honda Accord with a tiny 2.2 16V-SOHC in-line 4 (130HP) with 212,000 miles.
My point to him was that cars and buses are clearly in two different classes. It's sort of like a car trying to run with the motorcycle. Now I know there some really slow motorcycles (especially Harleys) but the typical car is not even close to being a match for a motorcyle in acceleration as well as top end.
Electic Throttle Position Sensors. No more air valves.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Dave
Dave
I personally would Take the A to Ozone Park-Lefferts Boulevard (Free transfer to Q10) or E/F to Kew Gardens, Union Turnpike (Free Transfer to Q10 or Q10a) to JFK.
$2 Vs $7?
Utlizing the Q10 to JFK Airport is usually extremely slow. For an occasional rider, the $5 Airtrain fee is probably worth paying. Daily riders can purchase a monthly Air Train ticket for $40, which works out to less than $2 per ride.
I suspect Airtrain will be more successful than most people think. If I am correct, Q-10 ridership to and from the airport should decrease.
First off I saw a U of MD bus heading into Landover Mall, which is odd, usually buses don't come this way and the last time one did is when the new Gilligs came and they were testing one on Landover Road.
The next one came as 63034 pulled up on the 21X. It seems now that the 21X, instead of deadheading on 495 back to New Carrolton is now taking the route back and picking up passengers. As goes with THE BUS something is crappy and that would be the window I was sitting at flapping in the window. YEA!!! THE BUS. Next came as I was on 63034, seeing 4051 deadheading from Landover along Ardwick Ardmore Road. I also saw a whining Chump at Landover Mall.
I got to New Carrolton where sightings are a common occurance and today didn't disappoint. First off, 8734 was deadheading to Landover with its left arrow missing, in front of the metrobus insignia. Next came two buses with non working signs, the first being 9756 about to do an F4 and the next being 3934, with only the route number sign not working. I then caught 9730 on the F6 and took it to the U of MD. There saw Landover's first rehab 4258 on the F6, followed by first rehab 4337 followed by another rehab 4369. I saw 9345 again also on the F6 heading towards New Carrolton but with its sign screwed up. It was signed F1 "Seventh Day" then "Adventist",but it was the F6 New Carrolton. I just missed C2 4044, it was right in front of our bus. I then got 9708 on the C2 to Wheaton. There even though the Y8 is seeing more artics did see a couple of 40 footers on that route. I also saw 5212, got a pic of that but missed 4337(had to releod my camera). I then got 9634 on the Q2 and took that to Silver spring, where I ate lunch.
Got back out and got 5308 on the 70 to Georgia Avenue-Petworth then got 2199 on the 68 to downtown. I was taking some bus pics downtown when I saw the oddest thing. I saw not one but two albino sqirrels in the park where I was taking pics so I took pics of both. One was whiter than the other but still an odd thing to see. After taking pics I got 9451 on the 36 to Naylor Road. At Naylor Road, saw 8866(Royal), 8898(Southern) and 9834 all doing H11 runs. I also saw 3917 with in the rear inside dressed up for Christmas. I would have taken a pic of the inside but my F14 came up, plus the driver left the bus to go to the station. That bus, also a rehab was on the M2. The windows were done also, in the Christmas spirit that is. My final bus was 8802(to my knowledge still of Western fame, in fact I saw this bus about 3 hours earlier doing a 42 run and I might have a pic of that bus as such, if that is that is odd). Lastly saw 4035 finishing up another 36 run and to my knowledge was still at Southern.
This will be my last bus trip until the New Year's Eve trip, though I might take one to work and then go to the auto show, oh well Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and Happy Kwanzaa.
FLXIBLE: Feels Like Xmas In Bus Lines Everywhere.
-F.
-F.
-F.
*See last week's post for more info on the offensive Cavalier ad.
-F.
-F.
Dr Dre is sipping a Coors Light on the corner of two roads in the middle of nowhere (desert)
A Black H3-45 with Alcoas was shown rolling down the desert road, approaching the intersection
Driver stops the bus in front of Dre, opens the door.
Dre asks "Going my way?"
Driver : "You know it"
Dre steps on the bus
Prevost H3-45 closes its doors up and makes a VICOUS left turn at the intersection and peels away
-F.
-F.
I will be out of town from tomorrow until Tuesday afternoon/evening. Before anyone asks, I will NOT be on any of the MOD trips this weekend (nor will I consider taking the Chinabus or Ride-On route 15 anywhere). I may check my e-mail occasionally while I am away and will return any messages sent when I get back.
Have a great weekend!
Oren
wake me when you get back home.
-Fred
Why must you make posts like this?
-Fred
Do you think that you're important enough for any of us to care? Think that I care that you leave for a trip? Do we e-mail you for all out bus info?
OH MY GOD WMATAGMOAGH IS LEAVING!!!! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO!?!?!?!?
Hey, one less person to post crap on Subtalk about how service should be changed WHEN THEY DON'T LIVE HERE.
-F.
Uh...what was meant by that statement? Either you are firing a shot in the dark, or you just had a severe "Dukes Of Hazzard" flashback. What are you going to say next..."Possum on a gumbush"?
DURN!!!
-F.
-F.
You guys are stupid for saying that DANG!!!!!!!
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You out of all the damn people on this forum calling others stupid? Reality check...you ain't to bright your damn self...Don't make me go back into the archives on your threads you started..
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
B38 Nova - #9149
B52 Nova - #5056
B65 Orion 7 - #7648
I don't believe he's 11. I believe he's intentionally trolling the board for the thrill he receives when everyone jumps at his messages. A good tongue-in-cheek response is all that's necessary :-)
I think not.
Perhaps it is because he thinks he is superior to us
Hmmm, he just might be talking about you. I think you should lay off the "holier than thou" attitude. Your posts recently, more often than not, fan the flames and add fuel to the fire as opposed to rebuff or disagree in a logical adult manner.
I'm confused and concerned.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
please ride a train more than one to 3 times before drawing a conclusion about it.
Try riding at least twice a day, every day.
I'd like to see that Memo you have. You can post it or email it- whatever.
I suppose the idea is so they can track our movements across bridges via EZ Pass, as opposed to the Miss-America-like wave usually given to the toll plaza attandent.
Da Hui
I tell u , no B/O knows it . Every Q44 stopped 2day in a cash lane had no knowledge of it , even a training insructor from Fresh Pond who always uses my cach lane was amazed at the memorandum that I showed him.Im guessing Bridges & Tunnels is enacting and possibly in the future enforcing this without even notifying the Buses division.
But seeing as you're a 15-year-old little punk with a mouth that's going to get you in trouble the more you open it, a city unto yourself may not be such a bad idea.
Cutaways=pussy wannabe buses
That said, most of the costs associated with individual lines have less to do with what kind of bus is used, but rather with labor and overhead costs. At least that's how it was explained to me a few years ago by a SEPTA suit (but, given how long ago that was, my memory is a little fuzzy). I'd probably have to double check that info once everyone at 1234 Market returns from the holidays.
I dont' get why they just dont' use a van. I need to get some pics because of how funny I think the thing is.
Daryl J
What is the max speed and acceleration rate of a NJT D4000 MCI Coach?
So with a five-speed transmission and a high-ratio drive axle (and a sufficiently powerful engine) a bus could theoretically cruise at 70mph with the engine perhaps only turning at 1000rpm.
Yesterday....
N79 S.HUNTINGTON #390
N79 MINEOLA #199
N79 MINEOLA #309
The N79 is a busy route, every bus I took was 80% full or had 5 seats or less available. The 300s I had were fast but 199 was a doggy Cummins as usual. I do have some pics from the Walt Whitman mall, so stay tuned!
Today...
N22 JAMAICA #613
N27 GLEN COVE #189
N27 HEMPSTEAD #137
N35 WESTBURY #275
Lots of delays today, from holiday traffic around Roosevelt Field. Saw about 100 people waiting for an N22 to Hicksville, then 2 N22's came together. All the buses I took were more or less on time. I've learned its better to take the N35 since its a shorter route and less prone to delay. Also isnt nearly as crowded as Westbury doesnt get the crowds New Cassel does.
All buses were dogs except for #613. Except for a few buses those L10G's are real dogs and arent really fun to ride.
Have to wonder if they got alot governed to 40mph, sure feels like it.
And a "flashback" to late 2001, when the buses stopped in the rear of Lord and Taylor for "security" reasons after 9-11
Here is A HART Orion 1
Da Hui
I've been to Walt Whitman twice. Mostly went to Lord & Taylor with family. It's a nice mall, I have no problems with it at all. :)
1)Take more bus trips(that is not hard to do)
2)Take bus trips outside of the DC area, maybe do Delware's DART, SEPTA, NYCTA, Richmond's transit, PAT and other regionals that I can drive to within a couple of hours.
3)Take weekends off to go to bus rodoes and other events like that.
4)Take more pics of buses
5)Make fun of THE BUS
6)Make fun of M.W.
7)Make more fun of THE BUS
8)Try to get rides within weeks of delivery of new buses to Ride On, Baltimore MTA, Frederick TranSIT, FFX Connector??, WMATA???, THE BUS(take that back, you've seen one ODV you have seen them all.
9)Try to ride as many 87s as possible before or if they ride off into the sunset.
10)Go to the meeting for the bus changes for when the Largo Town center extension opens.
That is all I can think of.
I plan to do the same.
2)Take bus trips outside of the DC area, maybe do Delware's DART, SEPTA, NYCTA, Richmond's transit, PAT and other regionals that I can drive to within a couple of hours.
I have never rode a Richmond bus; I was hoping to catch a Flxible there, but it may be too late.
3)Take weekends off to go to bus rodoes and other events like that. Ditto here; I judge every local Bus Roadeo here in SW Virginia.
4)Take more pics of buses
AMEN!
5)Make fun of THE BUS
6)Make fun of M.W.
7)Make more fun of THE BUS
I don't know enough about the above to do so.
8)Try to get rides within weeks of delivery of new buses to Ride On, Baltimore MTA, Frederick TranSIT, FFX Connector??, WMATA???, THE BUS(take that back, you've seen one ODV you have seen them all.
I just want to ride the Flxibles at any of the above TAs that are getting replaced before it's too late.
9)Try to ride as many 87s as possible before or if they ride off into the sunset.
I have never ride an 8700...only 97 and 9800s. Still want to ride an older WMATA Flx, and the 4000s.
10)Go to the meeting for the bus changes for when the Largo Town center extension opens.
Once again, don't know anything about that.
That is all I can think of.
-F.
Today at Mississauga Truck and Bus facility in Mississauga, ON, I saw an all-white fishbowl with a New York registration sticker that can be seen here: http://24.156.116.249/pics/NYVIN.jpg
Does anyone know in which New York State transit authority this bus operated?
This would be generous to employees and airport passengers who live outside of Queens and Bklyn; what about those who live in Qns and Bklyn the next method would then be the car which is already a problem to us which we ask people to use mass transit for work. If the PA goes ahead with this then MTA would have to go full speed with a subway route for LGA to JFK.
As for that Penn station stuff, I don't think it's time to start worrying about that.
David
adj.
Being an unspecified number or quantity: Some people came into the room. Would you like some sugar?
Being a portion or an unspecified number or quantity of a whole or group: He likes some modern scupture but not all.
Being a considerable number or quantity: She has been directing films for some years now.
Unknown or unspecified by name: Some man called.
Logic. Being part and perhaps all of a class.
Informal. Remarkable: She is some skier.
pron.
An indefinite or unspecified number or portion: We took some of the books to the auction. See Usage Note at every.
An indefinite additional quantity: did the assigned work and then some.
adv.
Approximately; about: Some 40 people attended the rally.
Informal. Somewhat: some tired.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Sorry but wut STFU?
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Shut The Fuck Up!
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
SAD!
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Hope this helps.
MetroB
That is a list of bronx bus depots in the 1970's, and it even tells you what routes ran from there
Kingsbridge - Which was demolished and the new KB built (early 90's) on the same site.
West Farms - Was two buildings at Boston Road and 175th Street. WF closed in the early 80's. One of the buildings is still standing and can be seen from #2 and 5 trains just north of the 174th Street station. The Bx19, 21 and 36 buses also pass this site. When WF closed it's buses were transferred to Walnut which had been a base shop.
Coliseum - Closed when the new KB opened and was demolished. The new WF which opened a couple of months ago was bult on the same site of the old COL depot.
KB Bx1 Concourse-138th St
KB Bx2 Concourse Hub
KB Bx3 Prospect Ave
COL Bx4 Bainbridge Ave
COL Bx5 Bruckner-Story Ave
COL Bx6 Gun Hill-Boston Rd
COL Bx7 Boston Road
COL Bx8 Williamsbridge-Bronxwood
COL Bx9 Eastchester Ave
COL Bx10 Riverdale Ave
KB Bx11 170th Street Crosstown
COL Bx12 Fordham Road-Pelham Pkwy
COL Bx13 Castle Hill Ave
COL Bx14 Edenwald
COL Bx15 Gun Hill Road
COL Bx16 Webster Ave
COL Bx17 Allerton Ave
COL Bx18 McCombs
KB Bx20 Bronx Park-Van Cortl
WF Bx21
COL Bx22 Country Club
COL Bx23 Crosby Ave
KB Bx24 Bailey Ave
WF Bx25 Jerome-Morris
WF Bx26 Boston Rd-Morris Pk Ave
WF Bx27 Clason Point
WF Bx28
WF Bx29 Willis-3rd Ave
OFS Bx30 149th Street Crosstown
WF Bx31 Southern Blvd
WF Bx32 St. Anns Ave
WF Bx33 138th Street Crosstown
KB Bx34 163rd Street Crosstown
KB Bx35 167th Street Crosstown
WF Bx36 180th Street Crosstown
KB Bx37 Ogden Ave
KB Bx38 University Ave
COL Bx40 Tremont Ave
KB Bx41 Webster Ave
WF Bx42 Westchester Ave
COL Bx49 Highbridge
COL Bx52 Co-op City/Orchard Bch
COL Bx54 Story Ave
KB Bx55 Third Ave
KB X61 Riverdale-Wall Street
I think you may have them mixed up. Remember, the old COL (current WF) is located at 177th Street & Devoe Ave. The only bus route that passed directly in front of that location was (and still is) the Q44.
Technically the Bx36 could've passed the old COL, but it would've missed the portion of 174th Street between Hoe Ave and Longfellow Ave.
Bx36 Routing: After West Famrs Square an eastbound Bx36 continued south along Boston Road, passing the old West Farms depot at 175th & Boston Road, left turn onto S/B Hoe Ave then left turn onto E/B 174th Street
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Castleton is giving up at least 40 local buses(most likely the #6200s and the 6300's) back to Yukon. In turn, Yukon is giving up the newer MCI express buses(#2800's) and sending them to Castleton. I kept hearing here that older buses from other depots would be send to Yukon, that's not happening.
MetroB
MetroB
How many MCI buses did NYCT get right after the Grumman buses were yanked off the streets in February 1984 & if anyone has a picture & wants to post it on MCI bus numbered 5950 that has the electronic desination sign, please post it.
The bus numbered 5950 was a commuter demo from MCI, and it, too was in the NYCTA blue stripe scheme...but the roof had striping similar to that of Academy Lines. I guess nobody looked up there when it was time to NYCTA it!! It either came from Baltimore MTA or went there after NYCTA, not sure which order things happened in, but they folks down in Baltimore were interested in highway coaches for longer runs at the time.
B6-#3970-GMCRTSII-04
B82-#8124-TMC
My friend rode one of those home that night and came back complaining the next day about the hard seats. But other than that, he said the bus seemed to run ok.
I think those hard seats stayed in place until the loaner buses from Washington showed up.
Jim D.
How may fishbowls surburbans did NYCT get & were they assigned to Staten Island express routes only.
Finally, when the Metrobuses from Washington, DC returned after the Grumman Flexible buses were yanked off the streets, did they use the same Metrobuses when the Grumman Flexible were yanked off the streets in the early 1980's, how long did they remain on the streets & what depots were they assigned to
NYCTA borrowed buses from WMATA only ONCE. The WMATA buses were used at FFS, AMS and Staten Island depots. They may have strayed into other TA depots too. NYCTA used them over a year, but less than two.
The second group of buses NYCTA borrowed were Greyhound MC-8s.
I remember riding those buses on the M104; the drivers were fond of using the "PENTAGON" reading to replace "United Nations."
David Gunn just became President of the Transit Authority 4 days before the fire and ordered all the Grummans pulled that day
I recall that the TA was moving buses all around the city as Ulmer Park,Queens Village,Yukon were assigned Grummans for the TA routes and i believe that 54th Street,Amsterdam and Kingsbridge for the OA (buses were marked eithe TA or MABSTOA then)
It was a mad scramble but there was sufficent service the next day
The TA then proposed the following short term option
1-Rent 150 buses from Greyhound for Staten Island Express service
2-Rent 200 buses from WMATA for local service
At that time because of the problems the TA had with the Grummans they had sufficent amount of buses in storage for emergencies and that is why service was able to operate the next day
Thank You
The 150 Greyhound MCI's were used on Staten Island express routes only
and the WMTA buses were used in 54th Street,Amsterdam for local service and for Staten Island express service.
Hope this helps
Thank You
Also, where was NYCT storing these buses for emergencies & what buses did they have.
M2 going back to MCH for what reason.
Service is just going to get worse again.I remember when I used to ride the M2 to school and about 80% of the time it was late. And the
buses used to come in groups of 3,4 and sometimes 5. Service on the
M2 is already bad and buses are always crowed during the rush hours
they should increse service between 110st and 168 st.
Da Hui
Da Hui
Also what buses where in service at this time and what depot
these buses ran out of.
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
The route structure was strictly local (no limited or expresses) that generally fanned out from St. George Terminal. Many of the key local routes (Forest Ave., Victory Blvd., Hylan Blvd.) haven't changed much except for the introduction of limited stop services.
Routes were strangely numbered: R-1 thru R-6, then jumped to R-101 and went up to R-117. Before anyone asks, the R stands for Richmond, the former borough and still current county name.
The bus fleet from around 1957 until the Verrazano Bridge opening was completely Macks - 5000 series C-50s (so-called "Bingham Macks", retired in 1960), and the 6000 series C-49s that the TA bought in 1956. When the VZ bridge opened and the R7 (now S59) route was started, the first GM new looks (3000 series TDH5301s) operated in Staten Island.
Somewhere near the transfer point there was a small cafe or refreshment stand in a real railroad caboose. It was somewhat elevated from street level, and named something like the "Jolly Trolley" or "Loose Caboose". This was probably in Port Richmond but I have a feeling it may have been along Clove Road nearer the stables or Victory Boulevard.
If anyone can remember where, I'd appreciate it. Maybe in those days there was a 2nd transfer needed to make the trip (3 buses in all).
R1 now the S40 (the R1 actually ran the entire length of Richmond Terrace and turned onto Western Avenue, terminating at Howland Hook, and later at the Goethals Mobile Home Park after it was built; it did not go along South Ave. as the S40 does now)
R2 now the S51 (essentially the same route, except that the "short line" version of the route went through the South Beach streets now served by the S52 - McClean Avenue, Norway Avenue etc.).
R3 now the S46 (back then it terminated at Maple Parkway; it was later extended to Grandview Ave., then Caldor, where it ends today).
R4 now the northern half of the S59 (originally the R4 turned around at about Richmond Avenue and Richmond Hill Road; a separate route, the R114, went the rest of the way down Richmond Avenue, then picked up the present S54 route as far as the Richmondtown Restoration, where it terminated).
R5 now the S52 from the ferry terminal to Beach St. in Stapleton; in the 1980s it was combined with the R104 and the number of the entire route became R104 - then some years after that the R104 became the S52).
R6 now the S66 (the same route as today's S66, except the western terminus of the R6 was Charles Avenue and Richmond Avenue, not Richmond Terrace and Richmond Avenue).
R7 now the S53; however, prior to the building of the Verrazano Bridge, it was known as the R105 and had various eastern termination points, including Frederick Staats Circle (Hylan Blvd. and Fingerboard Road) and Sand Lane and Seaside (now Father Capodanno) Blvd (the R104 also terminated at the latter site, as did the "short line" R2).
R101 now the S42 - both branches remained completely unchanged.
R102 now the S44, except the termination point was "Port Richmond Square" (i.e., Richmond Terrace and Richmond Avenue); it did not go to the mall until about the late '80s, roughly the same time the numbering system was changed.
R103 now the S78 (the S79 was added much later).
R104 - see notes to R5 above; originally went only to South Beach (see notes to R7), being extended to the new Staten Island Hospital soon after the latter opened.
R105 - see notes to R7 above.
R106 now the S57; originally, the R106 ran from Port Richmond Square to Victory Boulevard and Jewett Avenue only; later on it was extended (along Victory Blvd.) to the ferry, at first only during school/work rush hours, then at all times. When the numbering system was changed, the R106 and the R111 (see below) were commingled and the new S57 route that resulted has never gone to the ferry; however, there is also an S67 that provides limited rush-hour service (peak direction only) over the same route as the entire original R106 (to and from the ferry terminal).
R107 now the S48; originally went only as far as Grandview Avenue; the Holland Avenue/Arlington loop was added in the late '70s.
R108 now the northern half of the S74; it only went as far as the Richmondtown Restoration, where the R113 began and picked up the rest of the current S74 route (to Tottenville); see further notes at R113 below.
R109 became the S72 (to Midland Beach via Richmond Road, then east along Midland Avenue, using Lincoln Avenue for the return trip west of Hylan Blvd). However, the S72 has since been abolished and the S51 now runs east-to-west from Midland Beach to the west side of Grant City along the aforementioned Midland/Lincoln corridor.
R110 became the S54; however, the R110 only went as far as Seaview Hospital; the rest of the present S54 line (to Eltingville) was added at the same time the numbering system was changed (in 1989 I believe).
R111 became part of the current S57 (see the notes at R106 above). A long time ago, however, the 111 only went as far as New Dorp Plaza (not to Mill Road and Tysens Lane, as it does today), where it met another, short route called the R118, which continued on to New Dorp or Oakwood Beach (the 118 had various termination points, including Foxbeach Avenue and sometimes Guyon Avenue and Hylan Boulevard). Like the 106, the 111 originally came in only as far as Jewett Avenue and Victory Boulevard, only later being extended to the ferry terminal; this connection was severed when the 106 and 111 were combined to form the S57.
R112 became the S62; originally, however, it operated only between Travis and Jewett Avenue/Victory Blvd., being extended to the ferry at the same time the 106 and 111 were (and also at first only during school/work rush hours, only later still being extended to the ferry at all times).
R113 became the southern half of the present S74; around 1960 or so it was extended to the ferry, duplicating the route of the 108; strangely, the shorter 108 continued to run alongside it until the mid-'70s, when it was subsumed into the full 113 route. Eventually, during rush hours, a "short line" S74 was added (conceptually replacing the old 108), this one terminating at Arthur Kill Road and Richmond Avenue instead of Richmondtown, but both this and the full route (to Tottenville) are both designated S74 (every other bus only goes as far as Richmond Avenue during these hours).
R114 - see notes at R4 above.
R115 and R116 now the S55 and S56, although the exact routes have changed several times, both before and after the renumbering. R115's original eastern terminus was at Seguine Ave. and Johnston Terrace. At some point the 115 and 116 were combined (the combined route designated as 115) and formed a continuous loop that started at Seguine/Johnston and proceeded west along Seguine Ave., Foster Rd. and Rossville Ave. to Arthur Kill Rd., then turned back eastward via Arden Ave. and/or Annadale Rd. (the exact route changed frequently), eventually reaching Hylan Blvd. by way of Huguenot Avenue; Luten Avenue replaced Huguenot Ave. when the new Tottenville High School was built, and service along the line was greatly expanded at the time the renumbering took effect (prior to that the 115/116 ran only about three times in the morning, then three times in the late afternoon, Monday through Friday). The S55 and S56 were extended to the mall shortly after they were renumbered from R115.
R117 now the S76; originally, however, the line operated between Oakwood Beach and the corner of New Dorp Lane and Richmond Road only, using Rose Ave. and New Dorp Plaza (then 6th St.) as a turnaround (transfers to the 111 and 118 were available there). Was extended to the ferry probably early 1960s; was rerouted along Vanderbilt Avenue approximately 20 years ago (prior to that it used Targee/Van Duzer Sts. between Stapleton and Concord, as the S74 does today). Until a few years ago, the southern terminus looped around Foxbeach Ave., Great Kills Lane and Tarlton Street; now a small unpaved lot at the corner of Mill Rd. and Tarlton St. is used as the turnaround.
Today's S61 and S79 had no equivalents in the old numbering format, having been added after the changeover.
Circa-1970, the R-4 did terminate at Richmondtown as you say; a bit later, it was extended to the Rockland Avenue/Richmond Road/Morley Avenue "triangle." With the renumbering, the S-54 went along this route, then continued via Rockland Avenue and Brielle Avenue to Seaview Hospital, where it assumed the route of the former R-110 (at the same time, the S59 - the former R-4 - was turned south on Hylan Blvd. and went down to Tottenville; indeed, even a bit before the renumbering alternate R-4s went either to Tottenville or to the "triangle" described above). I have no recollection of the R-114 ever serving Willowbrook State School; all maps show it ending somewhere around the old Staten Island Airport, where the Mall is today.
And you could be right about the R-105 and the R-7 - and you're definitely right about there being a shorter branch of the 7 (now the S53) that comes in only as far as Victory Blvd. and Clove Road (until about 15 years ago it reached Victory and Clove by way of Little Clove Road; now it simply comes straight up Clove Rd. to Victory Blvd. It also used to serve what is now the Michael Petrides complex, which the S60 serves today). But if the R-7 and the R-105 did coexist, it was only for a very brief time in the mid-to-late '60s.
Plus, in my original post I omitted any mention of the R-6S Grymes Hill Shuttle, which was renumbered S60, and sometime thereafter replaced the S53 in the Milford Drive area.
When service was discontinued between Willowbrook and Port Richmond, service on the R-4 operated as follows: on weekdays and Saturdays, service operated every 20 mins. between Port Richmond and Richmondtown only. Departures from Port Richmond on 10-30-50 and from Richmondtown on 00-20-40. On Sundays, service operated every 30 mins between Port Richmond and Arthur Kill Rd and every hour to Richmondtown. Departures from Port Richmond on the half-hour and at :39 from Richmondtown for the full route and on the hour from Port Richmond and on the half-hour from Arthur Kill Rd for the short route. This accounts probably for your recollection of a short route terminating around the airport. This schedule remained in effect for many years when the route was extended to the triangle and ultimately to Tottenville.
I will try and keep my recollection of the R-7 brief. When the bridge opened, the R-7 operated along the S-53 route between Brooklyn and Victory Blvd and Clove Rd. The R-7 did not offer any free transfers to other routes. The R-105 operated as a seperate route. About two years after the bridge opened, the R-7 and R-105 were combined into one route and the R-7 offered free transfers to the the same routes as the former R-105. The R-7 also offered a free transfer to the R-2 and R-104 so that former R-105 customers could continue their trips to South Beach on one fare. About a year after SICC opened, the R-7 was divided into two branches with one serving the college and continuing to Victory Blvd. (A seperate shuttle operated between the college and Victory Blvd during the first year of the college's operation - I do not recall the route number.) The R-7 college branch was discontinued and service replaced by the S-60 which resulted in the current S-53 Staten Island routing. The only other change the route has had was changing the Brooklyn terminal to 86th St subway station.
And as for the 7/105 - there were times when the 105 only came down to Hylan Blvd. and Fingerboard Road and did not continue on to South Beach (probably really long ago); plus until about 1989 the Victory Blvd. branch of the 7 went along Little Clove Rd. to reach Victory Blvd. (on the return trips to Brooklyn it went past the old SICC campus which is now Michael Petrides High School), then came down the hill to lay over on Seneca Avenue, which is one block east of Clove Road (there's a Little League field on the corner). The 6S Grymes Hill Shuttle laid over on Victory Blvd. halfway between Clove and Seneca, in the westbound lane (pretty sure its successor, the S60, still does).
Here's what I rode yesterday and today
12/19
5:52 PM 1153 Q60(Missing Headsign Control panel)
6:33 PM 5803 R46 E(Must had been a blue moon out last night!)
12/20
12:56 PM 6244 R46 F
1:10 PM 2006 R62A 7
1:30 PM 603 Q60
1:38 PM 5615 M15 LTD
1:58 PM 8658 M14D
5:08 PM 9045 M14D
5:35 PM 255 M7
6:11 PM 543 QM1A
7:00 PM 4903 Q46
More seriously, if I see a pic of one of them, I will post the pics here.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
how many more Orions will MCH received since the M2 is goig to MCH
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When you learn to start new threads instead of starting a new discussion through a existing thread.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
I rode 5721 last night on the M79 with an orange sign. I got pictures of it at Broadway, Madison, Lexington, and one or two crappy ones of the back at Third.
Rode this one on the S41 heading from Northport to E.Northport. This was heading up to Northport, I rode it on its return run.
Here's a HART Gillig on the 4N up on 25a in Northport. HART buses seem to pickup and dropoff anywhere, they generally operate on a "hail a bus" basis.
Here a Suffolk Orion V heading out on the S54 to Patchogue in East Northport, by the Huntington Square mall (no I did NOT go in the mall)
This is a pic of the buses from inside the foyer at Walt Whitman mall, the closest I got to the inside of a mall today.
Another pic, this time outside in the cold, here's 9919, a bus I got off heading to the mall on the S54. There's another ST Orion V right behind it.
Despite some extra traffic, most buses I had were running within minimal delays. And they ran pretty good, except for 155 which is powered by the slow POS Cummins L10G. Only the N22 was late, 20 mins late, but because it was late I made it. ROOSEVELT field was a zoo, I didnt dare go inside!
S41 #9927
S54 #9919
N79 #366
N20 #353
N27 #155
N22 #349
Just got a Cannon EOS Rebel as a VERY early birthday gift, cuz my photo teacher wouldn't shut up about how I should get a camera, lol. Glad to have one for myself though, can't wait to get some bus/rail pics.
Amen. I'm avoiding the malls when I can. Even riding the bus into one seems like a pain right now, if I had a wait for connections I dont' want to go in right now. I'm waiting next week until after christmas to do some more bus exploring around here.
Sadly for your sake, HART has gotten rid of all their Orion I's and replaced them with the shorter and newer Orions in the red, white and blue livery.
The thread was started on 11/19/03 on SUB-TALK by Paul Matus under the title of "Northport Trolley" and was post 606591
B8-#599-Orion V CNG
B1-#4778-TMCRTS
sorry for the delay in not being on much-computer wasnt working.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
But hands down, the best sighting is the MC-9B I saw parked outside the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone NP this past August - it had been converted to an RV, but STILL had the RED & TAN plate on the front (it was 52XX)!!! I couldn't beleive my eyes, but then again I couldn't believe I was riding on an MC-5 when we passed it ;-)
All of a sudden, I was like, "Old Faithful? Yeah, it's scalding hot water shooting into the air every 15 minutes - BIG DEAL!
But damn, look at this classic bus display here!"
Hehe, yes I had tons of fun that day!
FYI Yellowstone NP has a small fleet of beautifully maintained MC-5's used for their park tours.
But still, hats off to the MC-9s for so many years of hard work and reliable service! They really were workhorses and evidently, many have lots of life in them still!
I totally agree, The thing I still don't understand is the passengers in Bayonne matter of fact anyone that uses this line. They'll wait on line for twenty to twenty five minutes for a bus during commision hours (the line will go down the escalator) and NEVER COMPLAIN...
Sorry to go off subject.. Have a great Xmas everyone!!!!!!
Also, Sawyer's Bus Sales in Christiansburg (just before Blacksburg off I-81) has a few Jersey Cruisers for sale, complete with the unusual large destination signs. What a sight those buses were.
-Fred
-F.
Here's why....where I live, I have to drive over two mountains...not big hills, but mountains, and with a full load or even partial, those old 9's were slow as hell pullin' over those mountains...lines of traffic behind them. The new models that replaced them are really fast by comparison, and I believe I hear a turbo whistling in there. They can make over those mountains almost as quick as some cars.
I still see the Monroe 9's, hoggin the left lanes up and down Route 17 as I commute.....they roll pretty good, perhaps not governed, I don't know.
I hated to see the Old Looks go, and both Fishbowl types....but in this case, I was happy to see the progress...
Dash 80
I did see them in service during the late '70s and early '80s for a small commuter company in the Hudson Valley. The name of the company was Mt. Kisco Bus company and they ran several routes out of White Plains to points in Westchester and Putnam Counties. The Old Looks were on a route from White Plains to Mahopac (my hometown) and they had a small garage in Baldwin Place (which I believe got turned into a condo development about 10 years ago.)
Several of their Old Looks had a four speed manual stick and were even at that time - a very rare site. Drivers struggled with the lack of synchro (grinding gears alot) and lack of adequate power for the areas steep hills. They moved along alright on the highway but were only a little faster than a school bus on steep hills.
From what I recall, they had a raised floor under the seats, individualized reading lights, luggage racks above the seats and of course - no side door as they were suburbans.
I never saw them try to open luggage doors so I don't even know if they had luggage compartments.
Seems to me they had no A/C either.
I also recall seeing Old Look suburbans in service for New York, Keansburg and Long Branch in the late '70s. But I never rode on them.
Peace,
ANDEE
Thanks, Andee for the link to that pic..
Dash 80
The roll signs: Poppy/Sesame 3 for $1, or 33 cents each.
The block numbers: Sequential numerical order, starting with "1".
Bus Assignments: Eeeny, meeny, miney moe or once, twice, three shoot.
This is all basic stuff. You should know this by now.
Umm... why the 1¢ markup if you buy three? I thought we were supposed to get volume discounts with the advent of Metrocard.
Then again, it would put a lot more people on transit if driving becomes less affordable, and keep more idiots off the road...;)
-F.
Too bad CDTA didn't specify a system, I somehow doubt he was referring to NYCTA.
The blocks down here are not in sequential numerical order. Our system is much more fun to figure out.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Robert
No air conditioning. Duct tape holding the seat cushions (yes, they had cushions in those days) together.
It was nice in 1959 when those beautiful TDH5106's with the bulging destination signs in front showed up -- flourescent lights, they were clean, etc.
Was it as late as 1959 when these buses arrived? In any event, those Fifth Avenue and Surface Transit buses were great vehicles, and the bulging destination signs made them easy to spot. Too bad that not a single one was retained. One of them would have been nice to go along with 7141 and 9098!
The Surface Transit buses were originally numbered in the mid 3000's (e.g., 3045, etc.), but were renumbered after the MABSTOA takeover to the 3200's because Fifth Avenue had 4509's in the 3000 series. Most of the Surface Transit 1959 old look coaches ran on the M101 Third Avenue route, although a couple may have run in the Bronx on the Bx1 and Bx2, where the older 40 foot old looks ran most of the time (Surface numbers in the 1000 series, but renumbered by MABSTOA into the higher 3200's).
IMHO, Montgomery division had the best bus. All the buses were idling with the doors open so I peeked in each. Santa was sitting on the Montgomery division bus so I said "Hey Santa. What block are you working today?" "What division are you from?" When he replied "Montgomery," I told him a better answer would be "Northern."
Michael
Washington, DC
Have a safe and blessed holiday!
--
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Just a bit of advice: Refrain from using the word "blessed" in such a greeting. You never know if you will offend people with that phrase.
Bah...If anyone is offended then you should post it otherwise oh well...
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
-F.
Sincerely,
Fred Donaher
(Flxible)
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Also, the B15. Does it end at Federal Circle?
Will this service continue to operate now that Airtrain is operating? I would doubt it. There is no reason for anyone to opt for this bus, when for the same money, Airtrain will get you there much faster.
However, beginning in January 2004, the Q3 and B15 (I think the Q10 also) will only stop at Terminal 4 when you must use the Airtrain (it's free if you have to go to another airport terminal or LT Parking at Lefferts Blvd). There will be no more stops anywhere else on the loop.
And to answer another poster..the NCYT Q3 bus also stops at the east end of the LIRR Locust Manor Station (served by most Far Rockaway and some Long Beach trains).
The AirTrain System Map on the PA website indicates that Station B, Lefferts Blvd, is the stop for Long Term Parking Areas A and B. Station A, Howard Beach, is shown as the stop for Long Term Parking Area C. If someone parks in Long Term Area C (rather than A or B), how can they get onto Airtrain for free if they are told to access AirTrain via the Howard Beach station? It would seem odd that parkers in Areas A and B get on AirTrain for free, while those in Area C have to pay $5.00. If that is the case, nobody would park in Area C (unless it is $10.00 cheaper than Areas A and B).
Is anyone aware of any bus shuttles running in the Long Term lots to transport parkers to the AirTrain station(s)?
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Robert
Robert
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Peace
David
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Comly 5107 decked out in the holiday spirit at Frankford Terminal (this photo was taken in 1998 or 1999, you can tell from the positioning of the bus berths), I think this was working a 14, but I'm not certain.
Deaks760's photo albums
Or if that didn't work, copy and paste the following:
http://community.webshots.com/user/deaks760
The most modern double-deckers have a small monitor on the driver's dashboard which is connected to a camera positioned in the middle at the upper front of the top deck. On these buses, when the door(s) is/are open, the monitor shows what's going on upstairs, so you know if anyone is making their way towards the stairs so as to alight. Some of these modern vehicles also have a rear-pointing camera fitted to the back of the bus, and when reverse is engaged the monitor shows pictures from this, helping the driver reverse.
Older double deckers have a 'periscope' fitted in the cab. There is a small mirror fitted just above the driver's windshield which is at 45 degrees. This points through a magnifier up to a convex mirror fitted at the top corner of the upper deck, enabling the driver to see what's happening. Invariably though these mirrors are scratched and generally damaged, so vision can vary from pretty good to virtually non-existant.
Another, more basic way of knowing what's going on upstairs is to listen for the noise of someone's feet moving across the upper-deck. As the flooring is pretty thin, you can ususally hear when someone's walking around.
Whilst the double-deckers I have driven are all single-doored, virtually all in London are fitted with a second exit door just in front of the rear wheel. So the drivers of these, when at stops, not only have to think about what's going on upstairs but what's happening by the middle doors - which are opened and closed by the driver. Again, observation of these is by a system of mirrors, and like New York buses, the vehicle will not move with the middle doors open. That is not to say there haven't been accidents involving the middle doors though.
But really, the drivers who have it best are those who drive the crew-operated Routemasters in London. They have no doors at all! Not only that, but the conductor deals with passengers, collecting fares etc. He also 'rings off' the bus at stops. Whe he rings the bell twice, the driver knows it is safe to pull away from the stop.
Buses 8030(FLA), 8211(MJQ), 8277(MJQ), 8281(MJQ), and 8331(FLA) have become the latest additions to the Carlton Avenue storage yard in Brooklyn. Bus 8211 happens to be repowered--money well-spent by the MTA!
Mark
Da Hui
Da Hui
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Da Hui
You seem to be surprised that this bus had a roll sign. Why?
You are correct...this Hasidic owned and operated company offers service between Monroe and a few other areas with heavy Hasidic demographic, to Brooklyn. Williamsburg and Borough Park. I am sure their are other routes that I am not aware of.
Website indicates that they offer much more service in terms of charter.
Now, here is what I know about them. I used to work around the corner from their HQ on Nostrand Ave. Back in the 80's... their fleet consisted of a rag tag collection of fishbowls, and othet types, all retaining the paint schemes of their former owners. It was fun to see the streets nearby lined with coaches.
That was then. In the last five years or so, they have cleaned up their act considerably. All the fishbowls are gone...they now have newer buses and all have the same paint scheme and lettering design. White and silver with blue lettering.
The Hasidics have their own tour buses that they use to get from the City up to Kiryas Joel, or however its spelled. I saw a bunch of them last month when I was up there. Don't remember if it was a Monroe bus or not.
Da Hui
Da Hui
Da Hui
As far as the picture taking goes, ignore them. If it's a cop and they attempt to ticket you or w/e, tell them to show you where it says that you are performing an illegal activity. That shuts them up pretty damn quick.
In similar destination sign news from the same bus, I saw it last week with the DASHBOARD FLIPDOT SIGN scrolling ROOSEVELT BRIDGE...whatever that means in relation to a route that runs from Crystal City to Hunting Towers.
See this is why I don't like our baby V's -- they're trying too hard to be 35-40'x102"
H2
BROOKLAND
STATION
HAPPY HOLIDAY
In this schedule, the B42 transfer at Rockaway Parkway is missing, the Ocean Avenue transfer says B69 instead of B49, the B4 transfer says Bay Ridge and East N Y instead of Bay Ridge and Sheepshead Bay, the B6 transfer at Bay Pkwy and 78 Street is missing, and so is the B64 transfer to Bay Ridge at the end of the B82 line.
The B56 was redesignated the Q56 back in 1988, and the B54 does not connect with the B83! (The Q24 does.) Furthermore, the B25 transfer to Downtown Brooklyn is missing. You think that someone proofreads this before sending this out to print!!!
Sorry if I sounded as though as I was ranting.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
B8 (Old map): 20th Ave station on the B/M line (the bus runs along 18th Ave), B4 running along 60th st, 62nd st on the N line
B63: Has the 6 train stopping at Atlantic Ave
M5/6/7: Has the Times Square/GC shuttle stopping at Fifth Ave/42nd st.
B61: Has Manhattan Ave station on the G line
Q32: Transfer to Q19B at 37th Street (it's 37th AVENUE)
More goof ups later this week.
Well, this saturday Mr. Lincoln will be wearing PANTS!
In a bet with me today, Lincoln wagered that if I make up the time I'd lost while driving my bus today, he's wear pants to the Saturday M.O.D. trip. Well I was 10 minutes late when the bet was made and was 3 minutes early when the bet timer was up!
So for those of you who know Mr. Lincoln, this will be your rare opportunity to see this nutcase in Pants and not Khaki Shorts!
Regards,
T.L.
Da Hui
WMATA is great to busfan with the daypass, easily to get on the bus, unlike SEPTA, where you have to go who knows where just to get tokens...sigh...
Thanks WMATA for giving me a good transit fanning experience, but I'll have to say that I do wish I could ride new look again...maybe at the next SEPTA Roadeo...
Go north, young man, go north! To Canada ... New Look GM's still run 24/7 in Toronto, and can be found in Ottawa and other cities. Definitely worth the trip.
Jim D.
-F.
A shame ... the Flxible New Looks were the workhorses of the fleet when I visited D.C. in 1986.
JD
I do have to say that it tends to be a bit more placid towards Capitol Hill; all I saw on the 30s routes were nothing but Orion Vs. I like them okay, but too many of them gets BORING! DuPont Circle has a nice balanced mix of Vs and Metro Es. And the Flxibles are always the best part of the trip for me. Thank you, WMATA. :)
-F.
WMATA, on the other hand, has given me unreliable service, buses that would never show up, buses that would fall apart under my own ass, no special fare media, replaced my 6v92s, etc.
Thanks to Ride On and Montgomery County for making my daily busfanning experience so enjoyable. WMATA can lick my ass.....
BTW Unfortunately unless I can change it, our first THE BUS trip will be on a Chumpion and not the 35' SLF I wanted. If the Gillig is running the 22 and if it leaves at the same time, we might take that instead, and yes they do have real buses.
1981-1987 GMC/TMC RTS 04 10.0 1201-4899 The backbone of the MTA's fleet and some of these buses were retired when they had plenty of service left in them.
1996 Remans 8.5 7000-7049,7500-7559 The in-house rebuilds are doing great and I don't see them being retired anytime soon I give them another 2 years. But the Midwest buses are terrible and they'll be gone by early next year.
1990/91 TMC RTS 06 6.5 8000-8396 These buses were always bad but now they seem to be dropping like flees.....All favoritism aside QV seems to be the only depot not having trouble with them.
1993 TMC RTS 06 9.0 8402-8566 I don't really like these buses and I never did but they're not giving any problems and they seem to handle the repower very well
1993 Orion V 173-316 - These buses were always good and the repower help them so much more with speed now they are really fast I rode 308 last night and it was quick on the highway and Main street. They should have left a couple unrepowered because either way they are good. The ones in Casey Stengel are in way better shape then the ones in other depots engine-wise they aren't as loud.291-294 are amazing if anyone gets a chance you must ride these buses. it sounds like they don't have allison tranny's
1994/95 Orion V's 9.0 400-401,402-580 611-630 - The buses are great it's sad that we've lost like 5 of them to fires. I think the reason this happened is because Orion rushed manufacturing and delivery. They were coming like 5 or 6 a day when they were coming to CS and that's alot.
1996 Orion V 10.0 631-650 These buses are fast and if I'm not mistaken they might still be ungoverned. R.I.P 668 lol
1996-1999 Novabus RTS 06 8752-9349, 9350-9351, 9352-9699 4900-5249 Amazing buses....The ones in QV are great because they are governed at 55 instead of the disgusting 36-40 like others very strong buses.
1996 New Flyer Galaxy Articulated 10.0 1000-1072- These are easily the best buses New York City has Quill and 100st take very good care of them. No way are they governed at 40 they are quick. and hopefully one day they will get transfered to Queens.
1998 New Flyer Galaxy Articulated 8.0 1072-1109 Kingsbridge didn't take good care of these buses and they looked like shit......The ones transfered to WF look better but he ones at KB are crap they all have the smoke stains all over the back of the bus because they haven't cleaned the exhaust system ever.
1999 New Flyer Galaxy Articulated 5250-5509 6.5 no comment
2003- New Flyer Galaxy artics 5510-5835 great buses hopefully they are taken care of
MCI's are amazing.........Orion VII and CLF's lick balls
"Orion VII and CLF's lick balls"
Have you rode any of them?
"4900-5249"
5075-5124 and 5230-5249 are the best out of the 5000 fleet.
"8402-8566"
Great buses...
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
The Orion 7 is a low floor bus. If you want a high floor bus, you purchase an Orion 5.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
I agree that they are shit. I would give them a 2
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Them damn 400s. I hate them, they sound like a fucking vaccum cleaner,
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Love the 400s like that....Sound like a Airplane...
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Da Hui
Ahhhhh hell nah, you gave these bitches an 8.5, they deserve more like a 3.5-4.5. They gve off allot a polution. Ever been in a car behind one of these. This reman project was another waste of money by the TA. People talk about the Orion 7 this that and the other, the Orion 7 is a decent bus, the most powerful I think out of all TA buses, but thats just my opinon.
1996 Remans. The Midwest Remans absolutely sucked. They were without a doubt some of the worst buses I've ever driven. With the exception of being fast they were horrible. The TA in house remans are somewhat better but still not a fun day behind the wheel.
1990-1991 RTS. Agreed. They absolutely suck now and repowering them has made them even worse. They weren't bad when they were new. In fact they were really fast and rode pretty well. Now they rattle and shake and are slower than shit.
Orion VII and New Flyer CLF40's. I have friends who drive out of JG and both seem to really like these buses. They rave about the CLF40's acceleration. The Orion VII has also gotten good reviews.
MCI D4500 Commuter. I envy the drivers who get to drive them everyday. I only drove one briefly around a parking lot a few years back and loved it. These are the Rolls Royces of transit buses. Comfortable, quiet with great performance, ride, handling and braking. A dream to drive. Friends of mine who drive them absolutely love them.
1993 RTS. Somewhat better than the 1990-91's. There are some exceptionally good buses in this batch with excellent acceleration and ride. Overall a better choice than the 1900-91's but then again that's not saying much.
1993-1996 Orion V. I can't really comment on these buses since I've never driven them. Most drivers I've spoken to who have driven them have given them high marks.
1996-1999 Nova RTS's. A mixed bag here. The 1996's are fast but are also noisy, vibrate like crazy, ride like bricks, have cramped driver's compartments and LOUD climate control systems. The best one's I drove were the 9030-9050 series. The 1999 Nova's are somewhat better in that they ride better, have more room in the driver's compartment and quieter climate control systems. On the downside, they're slower, vibrate a lot and their brakes tend not to fully release so you have the brakes rubbing against the drums while you're accelerating which hampers performance and makes an annoying sound.
1999 Orion V. I've only driven this type once during annual re-certification. The bus I drove was # 6134 assigned to CS. Even though I only drove it for 20 minutes I have to say that I REALLY REALLY liked this bus. Excellent acceleration, ride, handling and braking. The driver's compartment was spacious, and all the controls were logically arrayed and easy to use. Overall visibility was excellent. Very nice bus. I wish we had them at 126.
1996-1999 New Flyer Artics. As with the 1993-1996 Orion V's, I've never driven them but the drivers I've spoken to who have really seem to like them.
2003 New Flyer Artic. I drive these buses practicaly everyday on the M15. Overall I like the bus. It's not perfect. It rides like shit and rattles a lot. Acceleration is not the greatest especially from a dead stop but improves greatly once the bus starts moving. The brakes and retarder are excellent combining together to bring the big bus to a stop in a short distance. Visibility is excellent and the driver's compartment is spacious with all controls logically arrayed and easy to use. The seat could be a little more comfortable but overall is okay. The build quality has improved. The 56xx series is much better built than the 55xx series was.
MetroB
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Queens 1975 Map, 3.5MB in size.
Pretty much, except the M32 terminated around Madison Square (5 Av-23 St).
My trip started on Friday afternoon. I got a ride to the Metro and took Rohr 1247 down to Union Station. On the way there, we passed a train in the pocket at Farragut North. When I got off at Union Station, PIMS said the next train was out of service. I saw its headlights and hoped to get a movie of the train running all the way through the station. Instead it stopped, and some employees at the back keyed open a door and began to make measurements between the train and platform. Apparently, there had been a dragging and they needed to investigate. When the next train came up, they keyed themselves back on to the train and went to Brentwood. I talked to the operator while they sat there. He hasn’t been trained on the CAFs yet either, but said he prefers the Rohrs over the Bredas since the former stop in the snow whereas the Bredas have more trouble. This is the first time I had ever heard the car classes compared from an operational standpoint.
I then proceeded into the train station, saw the not-so-great Norwegian train display, and got lunch from Sbarros. Soon, my train was called and I went to board. It was Acela Express 2168 with trainset number 9 (2035-2039). I went up front to the Quiet Car. Even though the train was sold out north of Philadelphia, the Quiet Car rules were well enforced the entire trip. We arrived at New York only a few minutes late, and when we arrived, I got off the train and went for the 8th Avenue subway. I swiped my MetroCards until I found one with money on it, and waited for an E train. It wasn’t long before one showed up. I got on the last car, R32 3611. I took that to Lexington Avenue, which seemed less crowded than before the new escalator was finished. I rode up to the transfer to the 6 and walked to the uptown platform, where a train was just pulling in. Throughout my trip, I hardly ever waited for trains or buses, though the M104 persisted to cause problems every time I rode it. Anyway, the train had the updated announcements and “THE NEXT STOP IS” displays. It also called itself a “Bronx-bound 6 local train.” The lead car, which I was on, was 7511, and was the last train I would ride that day.
The next day, my travels started by taking R142A 7300 to Grand Central. But first, I had to go to the uptown side of the station to buy a day pass since the MVM was not accepting bills. Some kid tried to sell me a swipe but I knew better and told him it was illegal. On the other side of the station, there were two NYPD officers, and I reported the kid to them. When I went back, the officers came with me, but the kid and his friends fled when they saw me come back. The train called itself a “Brooklyn Bridge bound 6 train” and had the new LED displays. At the Transit Museum store, I bought another redbird number plate and some other goodies. I went back to the subway and got on R142A 7265, also calling itself a “Brooklyn Bridge bound 6 train”, and took that to Astor Place. I walked around the NYU area a bit (I should have walked to Bleeker Street since I wanted to wind up at 8th Street on the N/R but oh well). When I got to 8th Street, I entered the subway as an R train came in. I got on the second car, 5973 and moved into the first at 14th. But there was a red signal, so we didn’t go anywhere. I listened to the radio and overheard the words congestion. When a Q pulled in across the platform, I took it. It was led by R68 2770. While en route to 34th, we passed several local trains. Upon arriving at 34th, a train of R32s on the R was pulling out, and the Q was confronted with a red signal. An R came in on the other side but also had a red signal. After a few minutes, I got fed up and went off for the F or D, whichever came first. A D was sitting at 34th, having just arrived, so I got on the first car, R68 2502. I took it to 59th Street, although it had to wait for an A before reaching that station. Why do they schedule them like that? I also saw an R32 on the F going to Brooklyn. Those things never run in the direction I am going. I then walked through Central Park and took many pictures until I got back to where I was staying.
That evening, I went to see Phantom of the Opera. After eating dinner out, I took R142A 7381, the 5th car of the “Manhattan bound 6 train” (it had the updated LED displays, too) train, to 42nd Street where I changed for the Shuttle (R62A 1945), the last car on the train. To get home from the show, I took RTS 5180 on the M104 (I miss the Orion Vs that used to run there). An M10 was at the stop at the same time as the M104 but I wasn’t sure I would reach it before it left. Naturally, the M104 was slower than the M10 and another M10 passed us before Columbus Circle. But there was a good side to all of this. A D60HF with orange signs was waiting at 79th Street and actually waited for the passengers connecting from the M104. It turned out to be 5721. I took it across town and got off at Madison and chased the bus all the way to Third, getting pictures at Broadway, Madison, Lex, and Third.
My travels on Sunday were more limited than on the other days. I started by taking D60HF 5722 on the M79 to Columbus Avenue. That bus also had orange signs and I got pictures. I also saw D60HF 5619 on the M102. That bus interests me since it shares its number with the Ride-On bus I rode many days for 8 months. At Columbus, Orion V 6010 pulled up almost immediately on the M7 and I took it to Lincoln Center and watched the Big Apple Circus. After a backstage tour following the show, I went to the bus stop and waited for the M5 to go to Saks Fifth Avenue. Eventually, RTS 9608 came. The trip was very slow from 59th and 6th to 5th and 49th due to all the holiday traffic. After taking care of what I needed to do in Saks, I got photos of the tree in Rockefeller Center and then went over to Madison Avenue to go home. An M2 limited had just left so I waited for the next bus. An M4 pulled up within a few minutes and with no other bus that could potentially be a limited in sight, I decided to take it. It was a 9600 series RTS but I didn’t record the actual number nor do I remember it. The trip uptown was a long one due to the many crowds and an M2 limited came out of nowhere and passed us not far from where I got on, but eventually we got to where I was going. While walking back to the apartment, 5619 came down Lexington Avenue, so I got pictures of it.
Monday was my big railfanning day and I covered a great deal of territory. I started at 9:05 AM by hopping on R142A 7495, a “Brooklyn Bridge bound 6 train”. At Grand Central, I went across the platform to R142 1191 on the 4 and took that to Fulton. I went to the A train platform and waited for a Far Rockaway train, which came within a reasonable amount of time. The lead car was R44 5440. I took that to Howard Beach where I went to the AirTrain terminal. As soon as I got there, an announcement was made to the effect of “there is a delay”. After awhile a train showed up, and I got on. I took that train to terminal 7, took a train on the terminal loop to terminal 4, looked at the ticket counter area which was reminiscent of European airports, and then took a train to Jamaica. The run on the Van Wyck is quite something. The AirTrain reminded me of the Disney World Monorail to an extent. I also compare it to the Acela Express because while it runs for the most part, the various amenities do not work, such as door chimes, automated announcements, and LEDs. The first train I was on did not have door chimes and one train had a non-working LED. I also did not like how the announcement told us to consult the airline directory at each stop, it got very annoying very quickly.
At Jamaica, I went to the LIRR station to get some pictures. A Far Rockaway departure was listed for a few minutes later and I hoped it would have an M7 consist. It didn’t. The only M7 train that came through was an inbound train and since I didn’t want to be the only person on the inbound platform once both trains left, I didn’t photograph it. After a few minutes, I went to the J train. Those stations are in really bad shape considering their age! After a few minutes, a J train came in, led by R42 4841. I took that to Norwood Avenue where I got a picture of a Jamaica bound train. Then, because the J only comes about as often as a DASH (Alexandria, VA) bus, another Jamaica bound train came through before the next Manhattan bound train, which was led by R42 4603. I took that to Marcy Avenue where I exited and crossed over for an M to Metropolitan Avenue. The J express run between Myrtle and Marcy is quite good and I am surprised no one ever gave it a good rating on SubTalk before. And it still has a railfan window! My M train was led by R42 4762, and I took it to Metropolitan Avenue. The Myrtle Avenue line isn’t bad at all. This was my first time on the Myrtle El, as well as the J between ENY and Chambers. If it weren’t for the J being so slow between ENY and Jamaica and infrequent along its whole length, I might actually like it a bit more. Anyway, I took the next M train (R42 4899) back to Myrtle where a J express was pulling in across the platform. It was now a few minutes past 1 PM and I was surprised the J was still express. When does outbound J express service start? The train was led by R40M 4549. I took it all the way to Broad Street, giving me my first ride over the Williamsburg Bridge. I also went through Essex, Bowery, and Canal (Nassau Line) stations for the first time, so I have now been in every station in Manhattan as well as the Bronx. I have under 50 more to go until I do the entire system. At Broad, I got out and eventually found benches along Trinity Place near the exit of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, where I ate the lunch I had brought for myself.
After lunch, I walked to the WTC PATH station. The write-ups of the WTC history on the fence around the WTC site are very well done in my opinion. The PATH concourse was pretty busy it seemed. I do agree that the entire station is cold and bare but I assume in its finished form, it will not look that way. I took a Hoboken bound train (lead car 614, I don’t know how to tell PATH cars apart) and walked around the terminal a bit, and used the restroom. Of course, on a day when my friend in Ridgewood can’t see me, they have a Comet V as part of a Main/Bergen Line consist. After a bit, I went to the HBLR platform and boarded car 2007, which I took to Liberty State Park. The automated announcements were not working on this train. At Liberty State Park, I changed directions and took car 2029 to Exchange Place, where I descended into the PATH again. This time, I took a Newark bound train, led by car 881, to Newark. I must say, I really love the run from Journal Square to Harrison, and it seems better outbound, too (I’ve done it 3 times inbound, once outbound). At Newark, I went off in search of the city subway. Seeing how they had the 50-cent downtown fare as far as Warren Street, I took car 112 to Warren Street, crossed over, and took 117 back to Newark Penn. At Newark Penn, I went out to the bus lanes and watched the buses go by for a few minutes, then had a snack. After eating, I went back inside the station. An Acela Express was arriving, so I photographed it coming in, as well as several other Amtrak and NJT trains. After a bit, I decided I needed to start heading back into the city, so I went to the PATH and got on car 879. At Journal Square, I crossed over to a 33rd Street bound train which I rode to 33rd Street (699). I decided to go photograph MCI coaches laying over before going to Staten Island on 59th Street so I took the R (R46 5804) up to 5th Avenue and then walked along 59th Street to Columbus Circle, getting my shots along the way. At Columbus Circle, I decided to go over to the M7/104 stop, since an M10 had just gone by. An M7 and M104 pulled up simultaneously, but the M7 was packed, so I opted for the M104 (RTS 8770). Bad choice, since the M7 left right away and the M104 sat in the stop for awhile with the doors open. Another M7 came and we left just before it did, but that M7 passed us at Lincoln Center. Eventually, we got to 79th Street, where D60HF 5576 was waiting to take me across town. I got back to where I was staying at 6:15, about 9 hours after I left.
Finally, this morning, I took R142A 7271 (6th car) to 51st Street, rode down the new escalator to the E/V platform (I like the tile work around the escalator), and got on R32 3611 (same train that I first rode when I arrived in New York Friday evening) to Penn Station. The R142A on the 6 only had one piece of artwork, the other frame was empty. We rode the yellows the entire way to Penn Station but the trip was still pretty fast. Door to door was no more than 20 minutes and I got both the 6 and E as soon as I entered the station. When the arrival screens showed track 13 as the arrival track for my train, Acela Express 2155, I went down there via the LIRR level and got there before the train did. I took my seat in the Quiet Car long before anyone else arrived there. The Quiet Car was more crowded than usual, but not excessively so, since I had both seats to myself all the way to Washington. We ran on time the entire way to DC and arrived on time. Once in Washington, I headed for the Metro and took Breda 3224 to Cleveland Park (4 car train, why do they do this?) and got a ride home from there.
Pictures coming to my website soon, I am leaving town again at the end of the week so we will see what happens with them.
Questions:
1. Are there differences between the AirTrain cars with 1XX numbers and 2XX numbers?
2. When does outbound J express service between Marcy and Myrtle Avenues begin?
3. How fast does the PATH go between Journal Square and Harrison? My guess is around 70 MPH.
4. Can you use a one way ticket for either the Newark Subway or HBLR as much as you want as long as it is within the validated period (45 and 90 minutes, respectively)?
5. What is up with the 6 train announcements? What is the “correct” version supposed to be now?
P.S. for Go Go 6 Train and TheGreatOne: As usual, the weekend 6 met demands. The trains have ample capacity but people at 77th and 68th, among other stations, cluster at the middle so the crowd isn't evenly distributed. I repeat, there is NO need to add service to the 6 over the weekend.
Those ARE the correct announcemnts.
-- P.S. for Go Go 6 Train and TheGreatOne: As usual, the weekend 6 met demands. The trains have ample capacity but people at 77th and 68th, among other stations, cluster at the middle so the crowd isn't evenly distributed. I repeat, there is NO need to add service to the 6 over the weekend.
Bullshit. How about taking the 6 into the bronx and then come back and write that again, but the bronx isn't on any tourist destination map.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
As for the weekend 6 train service, as I said before, based on my observations, there is no need for additional service in the Bronx on weekends. If 2 out of the 10 cars are packed but the other 8 are fairly empty, there is no need for additional service. Trains aren't meant to be running around practically empty to minimize your waiting time. If most of the seats are taken, that is ideal. If I have time to ride the 6 out to PBP next time in NYC on a weekend, maybe I will do that, but do realize that I don't come to NYC just to ride the subway and I generally have my railfanning day during the week when service is more frequent on all the lines.
What the hell were you doing over there?? People get shot for taking pics at Norwood, j/k, but seriously it is kinda bad if you don't know that area well...hehe...right by my school...
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Taking pictures. This sounds like when the reporter asked some US general "What was Mr. Hussein doing when you found him?" The answer was "He was hiding in a hole."
Click this WMATAGMOAGH
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Here's the Flxible Metros!
#3739 at George Washington bus terminal
Here #3207 at Garden State Plaza
And #1811
Now some MCI Cruisers
And Nova RTS's
Some pics of the bus stop which is much nicer and safer than at RF
NJT adds extra buses for holiday shoppers...unheard of in Nassau county!
So let me count the way as why Garden State Plaza is better for busfans
1-Different kinds of equipment. Could be a Flx Metro, MCI Cruiser or RTS.In addition to oddball buses on those van runs.
2.Bus stop right by mall entrance, no trek through a parking garage
3.Buses run more or less on time=better more reliable service
4.Security is always present (to keep gangstas away)
5.The mall makes Roosevelt Field look like Green Acres
6.Did I mention, VERY FEW GANGSTAS!!!
171 #3739
171 #3107
MetroB
Da Hui
How often does the 175 run MCIs? Whenever I am in Ridgewood (which I wasn't this past visit), I see Flxibles on it. The one time I rode it, I had a Flxible. I know the 163 always has MCIs but I also know that the 163 and 175 come from different garages.
Da Hui
That is not true. The 186 comes out of Oradell. The 181 and 188 come out of Meadowlands. The 171, 175, 178 and 182 come out of Market Street.
What The News found and where we found it
The Daily News took swab samples at 49 locations in the mass transit system. The samples were incubated and the microbes then analyzed at the department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology at New York University Medical Center.
Dr. Philip Tierno, director of the department and author of "The Secret Life of Germs: Observations and Lessons from a Microbe Hunter," assisted The News in the collection and cultivation of samples.
PLATFORMS/STAIRWAYS
125th St. and Broadway subway station, at escalator handrail: strep B, streptococcus viridians, E. coli, enterococcus
Port Authority handrail: staph aureus, E. coli, enterococcus, enterobacter
149th St. and Grand Concourse station handrail: candida, streptococcus viridians, enterobacter and in No. 2 and No. 5 platform: aspergillus, penicillium molds
GrPenn Station escalator: E. coli
BUSES
Q32: E. coli, enterococcus
Bx9: E. coli, staph aureus, candida, streptococcus viridians
M42: E. coli, candida
M34:Candida
QM24: candida
B35: streptococcus viridians
M104: streptococcus viridians
SUBWAY CARS/TRAINS
C Train: streptococcus viridians, enterococcus
R Train: E. coli
7 Train: E. coli
4 Train: streptococcus viridians
TICKET MACHINES/BATHROOMS
Metro-North ticket machine at Grand Central: strep A, E. coli, enterococcus
ATM at Port Authority: streptococcus viridians, E. coli, enterococcus
MetroCard machine at Penn Station: staph aureus, E. coli; pay phone: streptococcus viridians, E. coli
Women's toilet seat at Penn Station: strep B, candida, E. coli, enterococcus, enterobacter
Women's toilet seat at Port Authority: E. coli, enterococcus, enterobacter
Men's urinal flush handle at Penn Station: enterococcus
Originally published on December 22, 2003
They aren't shocking at all. Germs are everywhere, and we live with them; it just makes a great newspaper Exclusive! when they need a filler piece or, in this case, rile up public anger against the MTA.
I thought it was relevant, so I posted it. I'll be interested to see the responses.
Dash 80
Jim D.
Da Hui
That's my guestimate- I haven't spoken to the driver yet.
BIG AL
MetroB
Lets hope all our troops that are currently overseas in the Middle East will be home safe and sound very very soon
Thank You
In a friendly gesture, the Coalition to Save the 27 will make a donation to the Coalition to Save the N7 (I know the latter has existed in the past), provided some angry member of the coalition wishes to step forawrd to accept our donation. In return, the Coalition to Save the 27 expects the Coalition to Save the N7 to help us in our efforts.
In other news, the Coalition to Save the 27 has created a sub-coalition to save the B11, which needs to exist so that the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and charter member of the Coalition to Save the 27 can execute his master plans for the Wisconsin Avenue corridor in Chevy Chase. The B11 is an integral part of this plan. In addition, displaced 27 riders need the B11 as an alternate service over the Ride-On 42 since its equipment is much more pleasant to ride.
As for the chimp from THE BUS, the idea of having a Hell Dorado not paralleling a WMATA route for its entirety and not leaving exactly when the competing routes left Friendship Heights was totally unknown to it. He doesn't understand the plight of the 27 riders and is not joining our cause.
As for the 42 being in front of the B11, I've seen B11s arrive at Friendship Heights and I would say no more than half their load would get off there, representing passengers who would otherwise be on the 42. Seems to me the B11 also would help to alleviate Wisconsin Avenue traffic on the even 30s and could possibly allow for the creation of a Wisconsin Avenue limited bus (I would suggest the 30 for this role). The B11 also may have been saved if it were bi-directional and ran middays as well. Of course, Maryland has no desire to pay for such a service. I do think the B11 would have proven to be fairly successful if the 42 did not run when it ran, ran both ways, and ran middays. WMATA probably should have picked up the tab for this.
Da Hui
Oren your last name has officially been changed from Hirsch to Come-Lately. You may pick up your new identification documents in the alley behind the Blockbusters @ Langley Park Shopping Center between the hours of 12AM and 4:30AM, M-F.
My real problem is what happened in Port Washington. This is the first bus of the evening that is supposed to operate via Harbor Rd and NOT Main St(though we do go down Main to the train station and then turn back).
So, we turn left onto Main St. We get to Bayles Av, stop. I was waitenb for us to turn left, but then she starts goin straight. Shr stops midway at the intersection, then goes straight again(continuing down Main St). We stop at the LIRR stop. I go up to her and tell her we were supposed to make the left one block back. At the same time, people were getting on the bus telling her she was at the wrong bus stop. She ignores them. I show her the schedule and this is the dialogue:
"This run is supposed to operate via Harbor Rd, not Main St"
"Yes, I stop Harbor Rd"
"No, you are supposed to drive DOWN Harbor Rd, not stop there"
"Yes, I stop harbor rd at Shore"
"No, you are supposed to drive down Harbor Rd"
"I have been doing this for week"
"Well you've been doing it the wrong this the wrong way for a week"(this would explain why Kevin is gone, he probably took a weeks vacation).
I was enclined to start yellin at her in spanish, but she still wouldn't have understood me. I just get off the bus, then watch as she leaves and continues down Main St with a bus load of people expecting her to go down Harbor Rd(Except for one passenger that is a victim of LIB's poor notification about the Library and 3 other stops not being served by the Harbor Rd buses)
***He said, "my mistake" but refused to follow my directions to get back on route.*** Who the hell said YOU were in charge.
***I was one of the few who were unhappy about his mistake.*** Nothing new here.
***Of course I promptly reported what happened to LI bus.*** Of course.
BIG AL
I can see where drivers on "suburban" type runs could get lost,
and I don't blame them for that.
Chuck Greene
I'd bet that person wouldn't last ONE eight horu shift dealing with allt he walks of life on a bus.
BIG AL
BIG AL
Da Hui
BIG AL
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Now you're advocating violence. Just because you dont agree with me dont give you the right to make threats. Welcome to the killfile,pal.
BIG AL
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
To me it sounded more like frustration than a threat. No names were mentioned. At best just an opinion. If you go over the previous postings one can probably figure out who AL meant. But the chances of any 2 people in Bustalk actually meeting and exchanging words are very remote.
M34-#8609-TMC
Q32-#631-Orion V
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
A) he snaps 300-400 pics, and selects the best 10-20 of them?
or
B) all his shots come out that nice as if he were a prodigy?
NJ Transit (D4000/D4500, AN455)
Academy
DeCamp
Lakeland
AC Transit (MCIs, NABIs, VanHools)
MDT Miami Metro
CT Transit (New Flyer LFs)
OC Transpo
And some more...
Incognito
The West Farms Kid
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
Paint on a subway train is another story: Absolutely hideous, plain brushed steel makes a train look great.
From what I've seen and can remember.
Nice buses:
Miami Metro buses(liked it so much, i contributed the paint job in Midtown Madness I)
PSTA's MCI coach express buses(would like a little poster of that artwork, just love it)
Vegas has decent colors also on the CAT
Most other systems are generic to me, all have a stripe and that's all. Except I always liked the old SEPTA livery(red white and blue). The new is kind cool with the airbrush effect, except when there's no ads on the side, looks naked.
Of course it's one of the best buses, NABI.
other than Vegas, Philly and Miami are the only otehr places i've seen NABI's. Beautiful buses, especailly when the philly ones were brand new, with all the computer GPS announcers and digital signs and junk. Heavy and fast they were. :)
Though, I was really impressed/surprised at how many articls vegas had, somehow, it was the only types of buses I've seen, with high frequencies too.
The secend best if MTA since blue is my favorite color.
MetroB
Transit - I like QSC's Orions. All white with an orange stripe - clean and crisp.
WMATA [original scheme on the Flxible Metro]
LACMTA
DART [Dallas]
DART [Wilmington De.]
MTA-NYCBus
MTA-LIBus
CTA
TTC
SF Muni
Ride On
DASH
Howard Transit(wish they had better buses to wear that livery)
2nd WMATA paint scheme
University of Maryland
AS FOR THE WORST:
3rd WMATA paint scheme
Corridor Transit
MTA second
Da Hui
Ultimate fan of Miami Dade Transit
I understand each interior is a different color/pattern, and last time I was on a major route a while ago, there was flat screen tv's inside. I think it was dead reakoning to give the next destination and not GPS, but it wasn't that bad. It was neat.
-Baltimore MTA Blue Stripe scheme
-WMATA Second Scheme
-Blacksburg Transit (Blacksburg, VA)
-Miami-Dade Green/Blue stripes
-Cleveland RTA Red/Orange stripe scheme
-GRTC (Richmond, VA) Purple stripe scheme (the new White and Purple "swoosh" is just AWFUL)
-Valley Metro (Roanoke, VA) Downtown Express scheme
-San Francisco MUNI Red/Orange stripe scheme
-Chicago CTA Red/Blue stripe scheme
-PAT (Pittsburgh, PA) Red Stripe scheme (MUCH better than new paint)
-Greyhound Americruiser-style paint scheme
-COTA (Columbus, OH)
-TTA (Huntington, WV) Strikingly similar to COTA's latest.
-TTC (Toronto); Canada's finest.
-New York Bus Service
-NYCTA (but only when the doors and pork chops are not in white).
And some oldies but goodies that are long gone today:
-Valley Metro (Roanoke, VA) Red and White w/Gold Stripe scheme (1970s)
-Chicago CTA White, Green, and Yellow scheme (1970s)
-NYCTA Dark Blue stripe paint scheme (worn by the Grumman fleet)
-NYCTA Two-Tone Blue (as seen on the New Looks).
-NYCTA Green Metalflake/Silver (see above).
-F.
-F.
Off the top of my head, here's a few that I really like
Shortline(old SL paint)
Concord Trailways(Black with red and silver stripes)
ADP is pretty nice
Horizon
Sunrise Coach
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
My first question to you guys is when NJ Transit have all of their brand new Neoplan articulated buses? They said they were being delivered this year and the year is almost over. Are they having secound thoughts? If so good because in the first place I wanted them to try NABI'S model 416 articulated. About a month ago I rode on the #158 line from Edgewater Commons to New York Neoplan 9601 articulated suburban. The bus is very nice inside and out. The downside is the riding is rough. Again, where are those Neoplan articulated transits and suburban custom made buses? Still see those old age Volvos roaming around.
Secound question. Are the Hybrid buses now running regular service? If so which bus number and garage are they held?
Third. Will NJ Transit add more artics to its contract for usage down south?
Why is that Coach USA Trans-Hudson Express leaves all of their Flxible Metro "B" suburbans in horrid condition? Those babies are bang up, worn out seats and the outside bodies are always dirty. Do they have a washing facility? The one thing I like about thier Flixies is the turbo sound rips really high if you know what I mean. Compare them to NJ Transit's Flixibles which their sound is fluid and clean. Academy #22 Hillside Flxibles have some hard sounds. Sounds of a cow moooing. Most of Trans-Hudson flxibles sounds reach the very high note when shifting.
That is all for now. It's great to be back fellahs and I wish you all Happy Holidays.
Ronnie
NJT Flxible's 3791, 3605, 3009 and 3223
MetroB
I take offense to that.
Not true at all! Women and men sit in separate areas, but there is no requirement that the women's area has to be in the back of the shul. Please don't make statements about Judaism unless you know what you are talking about.
743 was donated by TCC to the NYPD and was based at Highway District 3 on the GCP near Francis Lewis. It was renumbered 3301 and nicknamed "Big Ken" after its NYPD driver.
Recently someone, IIRC poster RIPTAhopetunnel, put up a picture of the bus nearly the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel in service for the Hasids. All they did was to take the NYPD stickers off the bus, unless that was done prior to sale.
Reminds me of when I saw a Greyhound roll past me on Main St here in Port Washington, with the sign reading Local. I was so excited that Greyhound had started local service to PW, but then quickly realized it was probably just a charter or some driver that stopped at the travel agency in soundview(they had all sorts of bus companies parkin there before they closed)
You are right about it being unusual. I have a yearly client on Mineola Blvd, north of the station, and have never seen a 'hound on that street.
Not knowing the routing, do 'Hounds that go to HTC then go out to Melville and Hauppauge or is that a different run?
Greyhound has 3 routes on LI:
1.Springfield-Hartford-New Haven-Bridgeport-Stamford-New Rochelle-Queens Village-HTC
2.Washington DC-Silver Sping-Baltimore-Mt Laurel-Newark-GWBBT-Queens Village-HTC-Huntington/Melville-Islip
3.PABT-Queens Village-HTC-Hungtington/Melville-Islip(some terminate at HTC)
There is also Adirondack trailways, which has buses from Albany and Kingston, running:
Kingston-New Paltz-White Plains-New Rochelle-Queens Village-Mineola-HTC-Freeport-Massapequa-Babylon
and then there's shortline running:
Monticello-Middletown-Woodbury Common-Nanuet-White Plains-New Rochelle-Queens Village-Carl Place-HTC-Huntington/Melville-Islip-Lake Ronkonkoma-Patchogue
I'm not sure if any of them provide intra-island transit. I know trailways says they don't, which is stupid. I think Greyhound may, and shortline is beyond me.
The bus in question if on a line run, could have gone north to Jericho Tpke, turned east and continued out to Rte 110 and turned south or taken Jericho to the LIE to Rte 110. Don't know if this is faster based on the lights on Hempstead Tpke. Perhaps there was some sort of detour on 24 and the driver decided to go off route.
From Melville to Islip all they do is go down 110 to LIE and get off at exit 55 (or is it 56). The terminal is on the south service road.
So, the Islip terminal is right off the LIE? Oh yeah, I think it's 55, atleast that's where the shortline bus stop is, and it says shortline/greyhound terminal on the schedule. Is it a small little waiting room like HTC, or is it a little bigger?
I was disapointed when I found out that Greyhound, ADP, and shortline didn't go to the LIB terminal building, but rather had their own. It'd be an easier connection, much bigger waiting room and area, and it woulda been pretty damn cool. lol. I bet ADP is gonna stick with its roadside stop after Mineola gets its bus bays and all(As of now, all the LIB buses that stop there stop on the street. Big problem considering the majority of the rotues serving mineola terminate there).
As far as the buses stopping inside HTC or the planned Mineola facility there could be a number of factors mitigating against it.
1 - Can the buses fit in the terminal ?
2 - Will the edge of the stall be wide enough to open the cargo doors and lift the luggage out without interfering with a bus in the next stall.
3 - Would the dwell time increase and trip time increase because of going in and out of the terminal, rather than stopping at a curb? My guess is yes.
4 - Since this is a government building, can a private operator use it on a scheduled basis (even if they pay a fair rent)?
2. Not at Hempstead, but again, Mineola can have specially designed bus bays for them with wide areas for baggage loading/unloading(all the really do is make a big ass pile of bags next to the bus)
3. Yes, but very small, maybe 3 minutes extra. As of now, westbound buses loop around anyway to get to the eastbound side of Jackson Av, then loop back around to head west, so those buses would probably keep the same trip time, maybe even decreased trip time.
4. Probably
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
Sometimes one of the lines will go down with a mechanical failure or there aren't enough drillers for one reason or another. But when it's a lengthy line like that, and it's commonplace, it's poor management and poor drilling by those concerned.
Our normal fuel line after the AM rush is about 15 buses deep, but at QV, we don't drill them all. Instead, we turn them around and pull pull-outs from the pull-in line, when possible. This keeps the turnover of buses flowing. However, after the PM rush, it's another story entirely. We try and keep the buses off 222nd Street, but there are times when it can't be avoided. I've been on a pull in line as far back as Jamaica Aveune and 221st Street. Doesn't happen often, but does happen once in a while.
A good Yard SLD will pool buses on the PM line and park them somewhere until after the pullin rush has died down a bit. Then drill them from the parked locations.
It takes a good Yard SLD and good drill team to maintain a steady flow of pullins. QV is pretty good with that.
Once the bus is fueled, sucked (money removed) and inspected, the driller will pull the bus into and through the bus wash, cleaning the exterior. Upon exiting the wash, he will then park the bus on an available track for the night.
Should a bus have a defect of a safety-related nature, it is instead parked on a special "BO Line" (Bad Order Track) and will be removed from service until maintenance has repaired the issue.
Later, during the night, a dispatcher will walk the tracks, creating a floor plan of buses and where they are parked. While that's happening, two employees are busy elsewhere with the parked buses. One employee sweeps every bus. The other manually inspects the wheelchair lifts of selected buses.
This all takes place in the wee hours of the night, readying your bus fleet for the next days service.
A driller is another name for "shifter".
MetroB
Depends on how many drillers are working at the time, how much fuel the bus takes, and whether or not the fluids need topping off. I suppose the average is about 5 minutes per bus, give or take. Longer, I believe for CNG buses.
How many drillers work the depot after the PM shift?
Depends on the depot, how many pull-ins are after 8PM and how many buses they house. At The Village, there are 2 drillers after hours.
If your on the fuel line way past your pull-in time, the time spent on the line is counted as overtime right?
If I'm on the fuel line one minute past my pull-in time, it's overtime.
MetroB
I would assume the have enough drillers to park the buses. So while one is parking a bus on a given level, another is walking down, another is already drilling a bus, another is waiting to drive it to a parked position, etc.
Since Quill is multi-level, would the buses go on the first level first then to the third level?
I believe buses are parked as close to "route preferences" as possible, meaning buses for the MXX would be on the third level and buses for the MYY on another. At least, that's how it was when I was at Manhattanville. Perhaps someone who drives out of Quill can comment further.
How many fuel lines do most NYCT depots have to make it effecient? Thanks!
The majority have a dual fuel line, left and right sides. Doesn't mean it's efficient. It means we have 2 :-)
Regards,
Trevor Logan
TransiTALK Transportation Media Group
I look forward to more transit adventures!
COMING SOON:
Pay per view fight between Mr. Will(aka the Steve Urkel of the busworld but without the intelligence) and TECs Brain(aka the sanitizer) place your bets now as this will be a good one( um maybe not) :-P
Chris I swear I thought you looked like you were my age.
Ray you looked very stuck up and menacing on first impression of the way you looked;-)
And then there was the WMATA Roadeo where Perry's Orange Line train stopped with the door he was about to exit out of, right in front of where I was standing;-)
And remember we were in Chris's car in Bmore blasting old 1980's R & B/Rap?
And then theres that picture of me gulping down a Mountain Dew in the back of a Fairfax Connector baby Orion V with the No Eating/Drinking sign right above my head.
And then there's the infamous MTA Maryland Flx 9015, which I never rode, but heard is slower than molasses
Remember the dude in the back of the B30 who yelled at Tristan for giving him the middle finger when in reality it was Chris who did it?
And for old time's sake, here was the SubTalk DC report from back in April:
http://talk.nycsubway.org/perl/read?subtalk=471566
And who can forget my rant against my alarm clock (or rather, the non-expletive laced apology);-)
http://talk.nycsubway.org/perl/read?bustalk=74511
If I remember more I'll post them tomorrow.
A couple funny moments I remember on that trip are the people at Grosvenor that totally walked away as we unrolled that metro sign on the platform and nobody would take a picture, Chris G. yelling, "CAF CAF!! at Huntington and me, being ahead of everyone, ran for the wrong end of the train. It wasn't until I turned around that I saw you guys at the total opposite end. I thought for sure the doors were going to close and I'd be stuck on the platform. Then, there was the moment, I forgot which stop, we got separated on the Blue Line with a few of us in one car, and the rest of you guys in the front. I could see you through the window and could keep track of where you were getting off.
Of course, who could forget FFX Connector Party bus Orion V 7797!! Best bus ride ever!
LOL, I remember when my train stopped right where Chris D. was. Considering I was in the second or third car and for it to not stop near an escalator or anything like that and still see you there still makes me laugh. The WMATA roadeo was so lame compared to the Baltimore MTA one. I loved looking through the old WMATA bus schedules in Chris' car and then getting our grub on when we got to Baltimore. Screw the buses at that point, I wanted food!
Isn't that when we saw that "Sista's Cards and Gifts"? Ahh, yes, Baltimore at its finest.
Riding the New Flyer Hybrids on SEPTA
Finally riding an Orion VII on NYCTA
Checking out the Neoplan artics on WMATA- engines much better than the ones at SEPTA
My one and only ride on the C18. Too bad I rode an Orion VI [I hate those buses].
Riding the last of the Flyer DHF60's being manufactured in NYC
Riding DART's Gillig and NABI low-floors in Wilmington [I hate the rear-door placement on the NABI's though].
Just admit that you're bitter and that you want to axe the 46!
Sincerely,
Fred Donaher
(Flxible)
-Saving 5 vintage museum transit buses from 4 feet of flood water....and making the local news for our efforts.
-Starting restoration on a preserved 1976 Flxible New Look that escaped the above mishap...and hearing it start up for the first time in over 14 years. It is my favorite in the fleet as I grew up on it.
-Same situation as above, but this time in ex-WMATA AM General no. 7535, and a 1966 Fishbowl 5303 that starred in the following film...
-Watching "Finnegan, Begin Again". This touching comedy starred Mary Tyler Moore...who rode the above Fishbowl in its former colors.
-Winning a model car contest trophy with a resin "O" scale of a Grumman 870 in the "Slammers" class. What made it qualify? It's low to the ground...and has tinted windows. :)
-Receiving a super-rare Flxible New Look model in the same scale.
-Completing a New Flyer LF mold in the above scale. (And yes, these are available and can be made any time.)
-Riding Blacksburg Transit's Flxible Metro fleet one last time during the Virginia Tech/Boston College home game before they go bye-bye. The score stunk, but the ride on my babies was WORTH IT!!!
-Meeting the DC BusTalkers...and riding various WMATA buses. The kicker? We started off in a 9700...YES!!!
-Riding our museum's Charlottesville RTS for the very first time upon its arrival.
-Going all the way to Virginia Beach...and riding Orions and Flxibles the first day we got there.
-Moving into a new house that is right in between two local routes. And the warm feeling of standing in my backyard to watch all the buses go by. :)
-Every time I got to ride one of our 6V92-powered 91 Gilligs (they will be gone in February).
-Owning my very first bus. It is a 1990 Flxible Metro B with 6V92 DDEC...and it formerly served three states. It will be used as a mobile shop to store, display, and build car, truck, and bus models.
These are the big highlights; there were many others in between. Overall, 2003 has been a stellar year for this busfan.
-Fred
Seeing an exremely rare sighting of a New Flyer on the 92/133
Riding SEPTA's New Flyer hybrids (not the first two buses, but rather the 5603H-5612H series) for the first time
Riding a Baltimore Neo low floor while down in Baltimore for the Phillies/Orioles game at Camden Yards
The ongoing ineptitude at Red Arrow, including a decline in reliability on the 104 and some very strange scheduling
Seeing the new Luminator Horizon LED signs on the NJT Nova 6A series
VC Madman
Snorting coke!!!!
-F.
-F.
To reduce confusion i am changing this to "6 char-grilled Gilligs"
They certainly aren't flaming as in sexy;-)
Orion Vs don't deserve to be char-grilled, but certainly all of NYCT's pre-1999 Orion Vs certainly do...
Incognito
The West Farms Kid
-F.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-F.
ORIGINAL:
9:30am 26 to PGCC
9:50am 21 to New Carrolton
10:30am R12 to Greenbelt
11:20am B30 to BWI
lunch at BWI
12:31pm light rail to Pataspc0
1:12pm 16(I had said 27 but meant to say 16)
2:12pm subway to Roger's Avenue
2:35 M10 to Mount Washington
3:16 light rail to Lutherville
3:37 8 to downtown
4:51 light rail back to BWI
5:35 B30 back to Greenbelt
The alternative would be instead of taking the 9:30 26, if the gillig is running on the 22, it would be the 9:20 22 to Landover Mall with the same 21 going to New Carrolton.
So those who are taking the trip from the beginning, be at Addison Road at 9am.
Hope to see yall there.
XD
Da Hui
BIG AL
I was at my girlfriend's family's place, big party every year. She got me the radar detector I wanted....she rocks!
GM INTERCITY COACHES
GREYHOUND BUSES 1914-2000 PHOTO ARCHIVE
and, TRAILWAYS BUSES 1936-2001 PHOTO ARCHIVE
I think that just about every person who posts on here would like these books!
MetroB
In anoter way to explain it:
MTA bus orders to Orion = Jobs in upstate communities = feeding upstate political egos [for bringing and keeping jobs in their districts] = more stable funding to the MTA [like a lot of small town and rural politicians, any state money going to the big cities REALLY pisses them off. So if the MTA finds a way to keep these parochial people happy, then everybody's happy since these parochial pols will vote to keep the money flowing to the MTA because some of it will get back to them in some form.]= more bus orders to Orion, and the circle continues endlessly.
Nice picture, huh?
Ray
RESPECT THE BUSES OF NEW YORK CITY and LONG ISLAND!!!!!!
Ray
RESPECT THE BUSES OF NEW YORK CITY AND LONG ISLAND!!!!!
I rushed right downstairs to the subway and called the number, they told me to get a form from the tokenboth clerk and send the card in, pissed off I had to get another card, but two sad and long months later, the MTA had sent me another card with $16 on it.
Regards,
T. Logan
TransiTALK Transportation Media Group
On weekday nights, they give them 10 min. So the buses are supposed to travel TWICE AS FAST on Saturday nights? Take a look.
David
David
I have been on 6th Ave during this time and it just can not happen !!!!
Operations Planning Wake Up !
Thank You
David
I wonder if the driver gets a ticket for speeding who pays the fine?
Have a Healthy and Happy New Year
Barry
Anyway, here is the press release:
For Immediate Release:
December 23, 2003
What's In Store For Metro In 2004?
New Rail Stations, Modernized Rail Cars, Metrobuses Accepting SmarTrip, And Metro's Continued Commitment To Customer Excellence
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) is looking ahead to 2004 with the opening of three new rail stations, the introduction of SmarTrip on Metrobus, and a continuing dedication to provide the best level of transportation services found anywhere in the world. "As we reach the end of the year, Metro is looking to 2004 with a continued commitment to being an integral part of the national capital region by providing safe, reliable, and convenient transit service despite the significant financial challenges that we continue to face," stated Richard A. White, Metro's General Manager and Chief Executive Officer. "We also pledge to provide to best possible customer service for our riders and improve our customer communications." Here is some of what Metro has planned in 2004.
Metrorail
In December 2004, Metro is currently scheduled to unveil its 3.1 mile, two- station, $434 million extension of the Blue Line from the current Addison Road- Seat Pleasant Metro station to Largo Town Center with an intermediate station stop at Morgan Boulevard. The Morgan Boulevard station is less than a mile away to the south from FedEx Field, and will have the capacity to provide 500 all-day parking spaces. The Largo Town Center station will be located outside the Capital Beltway along the south parking area of the US Airways Arena and have a parking garage with the capacity for 2,200 spaces.
In December 2004, Metro is also currently scheduled to unveil its New York Avenue Metrorail station on the Red Line. New York Avenue, an "in-fill" station, is the first station in Metro's 27-year history to be constructed between two existing, operating rail stations – Union Station and Rhode Island Avenue.
Next spring, Metro will award a contract for a pilot project to upgrade the train control station stopping system needed for reliable eight-car Metrorail trains. Currently, Metro operates a combination of four and six-car trains. The Metrorail system is designed to accommodate up to eight-car trains, and this is one of Metro's top projects to relieve overcrowding and to support further ridership gains. The project would be implemented in two phases. The first phase calls for design, installation, and testing enhancements to the programmed station stop system on the wayside, and on board Metrorail cars. The pilot will occur at seven stations: Farragut North, Metro Center, Gallery Place- Chinatown, Judiciary Square, Union Station, Rhode Island Avenue and Brookland-CUA. The first phase should be completed by the end of 2004.
Early next year, Metro will initiate a pilot program to mitigate tunnel leaks on the Red Line between Medical Center and Dupont Circle. The program will place a new waterproof coating in the tunnel walls outside of Medical Center. The pilot should be completed by next fall.
Throughout 2004, Metro will continue to reintroduce into service its modernized series 2000/3000 BREDA rail cars. These cars look very similar to the series 5000 railcars. In 2000, Metro awarded a contract to Alstom Transportation Inc., to modernize 364 rail cars. With many of these rail cars in service for nearly 20 years, Metro needed to modernize these cars to extend their life cycle. The completion of the entire contract is scheduled for late 2005.
In 2004, Metro will continue to work with Alstom Transportation Inc., on the production and initial delivery of its new series 6000 railcars. The initial order calls for a delivery of 62 rail cars. The first prototype cars are scheduled to arrive on Metro property in early 2005. The first cars are expected to enter passenger service in the summer of 2005.
Next spring, Metro will begin the first phase of enhancements for the eastern end of the Ballston Metrorail station. These enhancements include installing an additional elevator next to the existing elevator on the north side of Fairfax Drive, and two new elevators and a connecting underground passageway beneath the south side of Fairfax Drive. Under the same contract, a new Shirlington Bus Station will be completed, and will be operated by Arlington County to serve both Arlington and Metro buses.
In 2004, Metrorail will continue operating until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights as part of an 18-month demonstration program. The demonstration period ends in December 2004. Further continuation of service will depending upon future funding.
In early 2004, Metro anticipates awarding a design-build contract to construct a new station mezzanine entrance with a platform, canopy extension, and 200 feet of new walkway at the King Street Metrorail station.
In early 2004, Metro expects to have a groundbreaking ceremony to signal the start of site preparation and construction work for the new 1,400-space parking structure at the College Park Metrorail station; a 1,800-space parking structure at the New Carrollton Metrorail station; and the expansion of the New Carrollton rail yard.
Next summer, Metro will award a design build contract for a new 1,200-space parking structure at the Glenmont Metrorail station.
Next spring, Metro will initiate a public hearing for a new parking structure at the Huntington Metrorail station.
In 2004, Metro will rehabilitate the Wheaton, Vienna North and Addison Road- Seat Pleasant parking structures.
Metrobus
During next year, Metro anticipates having completed installation of its SmarTrip bus fareboxes on all of its Metrobuses. The $23 million contract for the fareboxes will provide the foundation for a seamless, regional, "smart" fare system with the replacement of the old fareboxes. Similar equipment will be installed on all the local bus systems and the commuter rail systems serving the metropolitan area and Maryland through this year and next year. The new fareboxes will accept SmarTrip cards, which are currently available to customers utilizing the Metrorail system. SmarTrip cards are permanent, rechargeable plastic farecards, embedded with a computer chip that tracks the card's value. In addition to accepting Metro's SmarTrip cards, the new fareboxes will continue to accept cash.
Throughout 2004, Metro will continue renovations and construction of its Four Mile Run Bus facility in Arlington, Va., in preparation to service and maintain 212 Compressed Natural Gas buses. Metro anticipates CNG operations to begin by the summer of 2005.
Next year, Metro will award a contract and order up to 250 replacement buses. These buses are expected to arrive on Metro property in the summer of 2005.
Early next year, Metro will begin free distribution of its regional Metrobus maps. Enhancements to the Metro web site Metrobus mapping capabilities will be unveiled in spring 2004.
Next year, Metro will move ahead with the first phase of the Bus Enhancement Program to include bus route numbers on 300 bus shelters, regional bus system maps and 100 bus schedule kiosks to be placed in Metrorail stations.
Metroaccess
A task force was created in late 2003 to identify funding resources, paratransit transportation services, people using these services, and identifying duplicative efforts to reduce costs as it pertains to paratransit service in the Washington metropolitan area. Recommendations from the task force are due by late Spring 2004.
Escalators/elevators
Next spring, Metro will continue construction of canopies at 26 Metrorail stations as part of the Comprehensive Escalator Canopy Program. The entire program is scheduled to completed in fall 2005.
In 2004, Metro plans to modernize 13 elevators, with key units being Dupont Circle, Wheaton and Forest Glen. As part of a six-year program to overhaul 32 elevators, Metro will reach that goal by the end of the year.
By the end of 2004, Metro will complete on 150 escalator units as part of a six- year program to overhaul 170 escalators. 2004 will also see the completion of the systemwide comb plate repairs on 313 escalator units along with the directional indicators and emergency stop buttons on 251 units under Metro's multi-year program for this essential work. Escalator modernizations and controller upgrades will occur on 41 units throughout the system, including Union Station, Farragut West, and New Carrollton.
Next fall, the department of Elevators and Escalators will open a training lab at the Carmen E. Turner Maintenance Facility to help firefighters and first responders deal with elevator entrapments inside the Metrorail system.
Safety and security improvements
As part of its ongoing effort to improve safety and security, Metro will implement the following safety and security measures in 2004.
Next spring, Metro will award a contract and start construction on a new Metro Transit Police Department substation at Fort Totten. The police station is expected to be completed by summer 2005.
Throughout 2004, Metro will host Emergency Preparedness events throughout the Metrorail system on the first Wednesday of each month at a transfer, terminal, or other high-volume station. The goal of the events is to open a dialogue with customers and to create a heightened awareness on their part about personal safety. Metro personnel will discuss with customers safety issues, answer questions, address concerns and challenge them to join Metro in its ongoing mission to create a safe transit environment.
Next spring, Metro will expand its chemical sensor detection program.
Technology enhancements
In 2004, Metro will continue work to complete its fully integrated 490MHz Comprehensive Radio Communications System designed to provide Metro with a complete radio communications system for the Metro Transit Police, bus, rail, and maintenance departments. Metro anticipates all maintenance and service vehicles to have the new radio system installed by next spring, and on all of its rail cars by mid 2005. In 2003, Metro completed installation of the new radio system for the Metro Transit Police Department and the Metrobus system.
Project development
Next spring, Metro will begin construction on the Anacostia Corridor Demonstration Project, a new trolley line initiative within the District of Columbia on the CSX railroad right-of-way between the Bolling Air Force Base security gate and Pennsylvania Avenue. Service is expected to begin in the summer of 2006.
In 2004, environmental assessments and preliminary engineering work will continue on providing rail service to the Dulles Corridor. Metro is preparing this technical work under the direction of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
In 2004, Metro will continue to work with the District of Columbia on an opportunity to implement a dedicated busway to provide reliable and faster bus services in the K Street corridor between Union Station and Georgetown University.
In 2004, Metro and the Arlington County Department of Public Works will work on a comprehensive plan for the Columbia Pike Busway as a first step toward developing a high quality transit system for the Columbia Pike corridor. Arlington County recently adopted a plan for revitalization along Columbia Pike to serve as a framework for the redevelopment of the Pike, one of Arlington's most vital commercial and residential corridors.
Operating budget/funding issues
In 2004, Metro's executive staff will be working closely with its Board of Directors to close a $60-65 million shortfall within the projected fiscal year 2005 annual budget. To close the expected shortfall, Metro's executive staff has currently proposed to reduce expenses by nearly $30 million, while at the same time addressing the needs to close an estimated $29 to $36 million remaining shortfall.
Metro Matters
Throughout 2004, customers will hear the importance of why Metro Matters to the entire Washington metropolitan region.
Metro, which has served the national capital region for three decades, is facing serious funding challenges caused by a combination of its aging infrastructure and growing ridership and is on the precipice of a fiscal crisis. If not addressed, the under- investment will result in an inability to meet the public's expectations for service reliability and demand for increased capacity to move people on a daily basis."
In 2004, Metro officials will call upon federal, state, and local partners to come together to fund Metro's basic capital needs to sustain the system. "At a minimum, Metro requires $1.5 billion more than has already been committed over the next six years to protect and secure the $9.4 billion it took to build the Metrorail system, an amount that would be more than $24 billion today," said Mr. White.
The necessary funds would go to replacing and rehabilitating assets such as trains, buses, elevators, escalators, power cables, and tracks; bringing additional capacity to customers by putting eight-car trains into service and more buses into the system; and enhancing security and ensuring Metro can continue to move people if there is a regional emergency. Without the additional funding, the Metro system will be unable to support future ridership gains and will be unable to ensure reliable operations.
"Metro will continue to do its part to sustain the world-class public transportation system and engineering marvel that is a trademark of the national capital region and a security asset of the nation," said Mr. White. "Nevertheless, the fiscal crisis that has been looming is now here, and the region is running out of time.
"Failure to act on this crisis will result in a significant deterioration of our regional transit system as Metro will have to begin deferring basic recapitalization needs in fiscal year 2006. Our customers would experience a severe degradation of service reliability and increased overcrowding if we are not able to exercise contract options for additional rail cars in November 2004 and March 2005. Now is the time for a renewed federal, state, and local commitment to Metro and the region," Mr. White concluded.
Background
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) was created by an interstate compact in 1967 to plan, develop, build, finance, and operate a balanced regional transportation system in the national capital area. The Authority began building its rail system in 1969, acquired four regional bus systems in 1973, and began operating the first phase of Metrorail in 1976.
Today, Metrorail serves 83 stations and has 103 miles of track. A fleet of 962 rail cars provides service from 5:30 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Saturday, and 7 a.m. to midnight on Sunday.
Metrobus serves the nation's capital 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week with 1,455 buses. Metrorail, Metrobus, and Metroaccess serve a population of 3.4 million within a 1,500 square mile jurisdiction. For more information about Metro, including schedules and fares, visit Metro's Web site.
A sampling of Metro accomplishments in 2003
In fiscal year 2003 (July 1, 2002, through June 30, 2003), Metrorail achieved its highest ridership total in its 27-year history, carrying 184,364,325 customer trips, a 2.1 percent increase, or nearly four million more customers than in fiscal year 2002. This marked the seventh consecutive year of increased ridership for Metrorail. Meanwhile, Metrobus experienced its second-highest annual ridership in its 30-year history, as it carried 147,835,000 customer trips during fiscal year 2003, an increase over fiscal year 2002 when Metrobus carried 147,771,000.
Metro continued to construct the Blue Line extension to the Largo Town Center and the new Red Line station at New York Avenue. Both projects will be completed in late 2004.
Metro completed construction for the newly expanded mezzanine at the Mt. Vernon Square/7th Street-Convention Center Metrorail station at the 7th and M streets, NW entrance. The mezzanine connects directly with the new Washington Convention Center.
Metro opened its new Branch Avenue rail yard on the Green Line, with a storage capacity of 178 rail cars. The yard includes a car wash building for exterior car cleaning; an eight-car capacity maintenance building for the inspection and minor repairs of rail cars; and an operations and maintenance building, the focal point of yard activities which serves as the center of interior car cleaning and maintenance functions.
Metro completed installation of the new comprehensive radio system for the Metro Transit Police Department and the Metrobus system.
Metro successfully completed construction on the installation of canopies at four Metrorail stations as part of the Comprehensive Escalator Canopy Pilot Program. Canopies were installed at Brookland-CUA, L'Enfant Plaza, Medical Center, and Virginia Square-GMU.
Metro continued to introduce its new series 5000 rail cars on the Green, Orange, and Blue lines, accepting 182 of its 192 rail cars.
Metro introduced its first four modernized BREDA series 2000/3000 rail cars on the Yellow Line. These modernized rail cars contain several amenities for providing safe, attractive, convenient, and reliable service for all customers, including those with mobility requirements. The rail cars also have a totally new interior color scheme to match the series 5000 rail cars.
The Metro Transit Police created a new squad of officers called the Rail Anti-crime Target Squad whose main focus is the enforcement of Metro's public conduct ordinances.
Through a special grant from the U.S. Department of Justice COPS program, the Metro Transit Police Department will add 10 new officers.
The Metro Transit Police Department targeted parking lot crime with a new auto theft unit. This unit uses a variety of resources including officers in plain clothes, officers on motorcycles, officers with K-9 partners, officers on bicycles, portable aerial towers, and even Metro employees who are on workers compensation assignments that allow them to work for the police department as parking lot observers. The auto theft unit works varied hours, and shifts target stations that statistically are impacted by parking lot crime.
Metro installed a new self-cleaning public toilet inside the Huntington Metrorail station as a one-year test to determine customer acceptance and feasibility, as well as the impact on safety and cleanliness.
Metrobus officials continued testing new high-tech fareboxes that accept SmarTrip cards on 85 buses departing from its Arlington bus garage, marking the first step toward extending the use of smart card technology on the entire Metrobus fleet and other transit services throughout the region. Testing expanded in late 2003 to 93 Metrobuses operating out of the Southern Avenue Bus Division and serving routes in the District of Columbia and Maryland.
The Metro Is Accessible Campaign was launched to encourage more people with disabilities to use fixed-transportation like Metrobus and Metrorail route service.
The Metro Transit Police obtained a state-of-the-art explosives detection robot able to render safe any such device in the Metro system. The department also acquired a special EOD vehicle for transporting the robot where needed.
Metrobus system maps were made available on-line for free on Metro's web site at http://www.wmata.com/metrobus/maps/metrobus_service_maps.cfm. Visitors to the web site can click on each jurisdictional map for the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia to get an overview of bus service.
Metro launches its advertising campaign "Information Anytime," reminding customers how they can obtain information via phone, fax, e-mail, and through the Metro Web site.
Metro converted its Bladensburg Bus Division Heavy Equipment Overhaul Program area to include the installation of a fueling station for Metro's new compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. The project involved the installation of a fueling plant and a canopy to service the first 164 CNG buses that are currently in operation throughout the District, and to upgrade the electrical service to support the fueling plant. The first portion of the project was completed in February 2002, when Metro took initial delivery of its first CNG Buses.
Metrorail customers took advantage of additional hours on the weekends with the rail system opening at 7 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings from the end of the rail lines, and closing at 3 a.m., every Friday and Saturday night.
Metro offered free e-mail subscription service to notify its customers of elevator service disruptions at Metrorail stations. Customers were able to sign up and receive the notification at e-mail-capable computers, cellular phones, pagers, or personal digital assistants. The new electronic elevator notification service complements Metro's "eAlerts" service which sends e-mail messages on disruptions or delays to rail service. Both the electronic elevator notification and eAlert subscription services are free and available through Metro's web site.
Metro opened its new expanded parking structure at the Franconia-Springfield Metrorail station, adding an additional 1,000 parking spaces, bringing the number of parking spaces available to 5,100.
Metro and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) partnered to unveil the GrandDriver Program, an education and awareness initiative that provides a hands-on learning experience for the area's older adults on the Metrorail and Metrobus systems.
Metro launched its ‘Ride Guide' service via telephone, allowing individuals without access to the Internet to secure Metro travel information by dialing its main number at (202) 637-7000.
Metro approved a two-year demonstration program to implement a Small Business and Local Preference Program. The Small Business and Local Preference Program is designed to assist small business owners and employers of these businesses in benefiting through an infusion of funds from Metro. The program calls for a preference program for simplified acquisitions. Simplified acquisitions are those procurements for which Metro pays $100,000 or less. Under Metro's procurement procedures, simplified acquisitions are not subject to the same requirements of larger procurements, so therefore, Metro can make them more accessible to small businesses in the Washington metropolitan region.
Isn't this the same story everywhere? Seriously. It's insane that we fund highway and road construction with hundreds of millions but rail gets just a fraction of this amount.
On a different note, I did not see any new development along the light rail line and there is plenty of work to be done as much of the system is single track!
I thought that WMATA said that due to delays in construction that the Largo Town Center extension would not open until February of 2005, WhyMATA, why.
Also "EARTH TO WMATA, EARTH TO WMATA" The US Airways Arena is no more and is replaced by the Boulevard at Capital Centre.
MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR from my family to yours!!!
Ray
RESPECT THE BUSES OF NEW YORK CITY!!!!!!
This may take place at a later date, however.
If articulated buses are coming to Brooklyn, will they be assigned to just East New York Bus Depot & what route(s) will received them.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
As to the question about lifts in East New York, I don't like responding unless I have information, but trying to keep this on-topic, I don't have any information.
David
That's an el-cheapo style forum, frames and all, ad's everywhere.
Dreck..
B68-#7620-Orion VII
LOL!!!
Here's some more comparisons:
1. The day Casey Stengal Depot becomes all RTS again!!!
2. The day Brooklyn stop getting dumped with the oldest buses!!!
3. The day Fresh Pond gets MCI's/OrionV's/New Flyers!!!
4. The day LI buses are used on NYCT routes.
Knowing that you jsut said that, I bet that will NEVER happen...EVER...Muahahahahahhahaaaaaaa!!!!!
Incognito
BIG AL
Da Hui
Hey busfan, I know the answers! You heve to click the link that has the answers. It's a top secret MTA WeBsItE with your information.
MetroB
If you want to ask a new question, start a new thread.
The story is here:
Capital News 9: Lost Greyhound
Chuck Greene
Chuck Greene
Click to download.
MetroB
Also, just a little note, I don't think the old hounds are governed. They're "free to rome"
Greyhound retired their last MC-8's ages ago. Same for the MC-9's.
Their oldest stuff right now are some MC-12's with 6V92's.
Somewhere, in my moms closets or the basement are my old bus maps and transfer collection from the early 70's. I'll have to dig for that stuff and see what I come up with. If I have any duplicates, I'll post what's available.
When I have a chance to clean out my old bedroom, I'll let you know at that time what actual items will be available.
-F.
Have you changed your mind? =(
http://www.commonwealthcoach.com/79ValleyMetro.html
Enjoy!
-Fred
I made really good time on the Orange Line and when I got to L'Enfant Plaza, the Green Line to Branch Ave. (CAF 5091) was coming in. That was going to get me there about 10 minutes before I was meeting up with everyone, but that was ok. When I arrived at Suitland, got a call from Chris G. that he was running late but that he should get there in time for the C18. We got cut off as I entered a tunnel, but I called him later on after getting to Branch Ave.
Chris D. was on the train after me and Chris G. was on the train after him. Poor Nick was running so late that he completely missed our bus and headed back towards DC.
We had Flx Metro D 9834 for our trip. Its a shame this route is being discontinued. Maybe if they ran it once an hour instead, it could have survived, but then I suppose it loses its reliability. But its better than not having it at all. We had a very speedy ride down Route 5 and throughout Waldorf. We stayed on and came back to Branch Ave. since its a loop and not a point A to point B route.
We got back to Branch Ave. just in time to catch the C14, Flx Metro B 9340. Chris G. said we should take this to Silver Hill Road and St. Barnabas Road to hook up with the N13 to King St. We got off across from Iverson Mall and saw a Bojangles, so immediately ran across there to have a quick bite. We then headed next to the mall to wait for the N13. Problem was that there was no N13 on the stop. We waited for quite some time, and contemplated getting on a P12 and taking that to Suitland to see if we could catch up with the bus. We just gave up and took the P12, Orion V 9645 nopower to Southern Ave. Station. I looked on the N13 schedule just now and we should have been on St. Barnabas Road, not Iverson St./Silver Hill Road to get this bus. Oops!!
Got a CAF train to L'Enfant and took the Yellow Line, CAF again to see the bus action at Pentagon. Looked around awhile and then took Flx Metro B 8728 on the 13B to 10th and Constitution (Federal Triangle). While at Pentagon, saw several 30 foot Orions with the messed up new LED destination signs. Also saw a Fairfax Connector bus completely covered with ads, not only on the sides, but the backs now too. I thought maybe they'd leave the back alone, but guess not.
As we got off at Federal Triangle, Chris G. pointed out Orion V 4368 with totally different seats than any of the other Orions. These were almost high back but not like the ones on the SmartMover or B30 buses. Chris said these were prototypes, but never caught on with the other buses. Its on a Southeastern bus route as the block was "SX.." It also had the orange LED signboards as well.
We walked up towards Metro Center and I caught Orion V 2210 on the 42 and Chris, Nick and Chris headed back to MD.
Other interestng sightings:
-Orion V 22xx on the P17 to Fort Washington zooming by on Pennsylvania Avenue with a publicity message reading "Pike Ride". Nice that this has been extended from Columbia Pike to So. Prince George's County. LOL
-"The BUS" CAGV with a real GFI farebox. Not sure if it was working or not, but it was on there. I'm surprised the weight of that thing didn't flip the bus over.
-"The Bus" SLF with a working sign on the 32 at Clinton Park and Ride.
-A Pike Ride Orion VI actually running on the 16B
I saw 3950 with the O-signs on the 13B, now these are the apporiate buses on this route, no need for 30 footers.
A PIKE RIDE BUS ON A PIKE RIDE ROUTE, I AM SHOCKED, SHOCKED I TELL YOU!!!!
A mind is a terrible thing to waste, unfortunately mine is already wasted. :-P
They could have used an SUV on the 13B we had. We were the only ones on it from Pentaon to Federal Triangle. I don't think anyone got on after we got off either. With the Gov't. closed today, probably not too much demand for that route.
It would be funny to see banners on Orion V's too. The Pike Ride message we saw was on the destination itself. It read "P17 Fort Washington", then scrolled to Pike Ride, then back to the destination. I took a doubletake when I saw that. Between seeing 4368 with those funky seats and this bus within a few minutes kind of killed the remaining brain cells allotted for today! : )
The two 30 foot Orion V's we saw, one of the was the G-Unit Bus (It only said G on the front while the back said 17G) and the other said "OT IN SERVICE"
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
-F.
BTW, here is the model of the seats found on 4368, the USSC Aries. Just imagine the seat cloth in all blue, WMATA style, and the grab bars a creamish white or gray:
Question - think he'd pull the same stunt in South Jamaica?
However, a lot of bus drivers think they own the road, and you just got one of them!
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
I think it's more the people driving the H2's more than the actual vehicle.
I rue your comparison of H2's to tanks. Tanks are several millions of dollars, weigh several tons and has a massive cannon that can blow a bus in a second or two.
H2's in comparison to H1's are more reasonable priced and are built to suit city-dwellers more. This is why you see them so much more often around cities. I've only seen ONE H1 and that was at Broadway Mall.
Well, you can forget simply walking, bicycles or even horse and buggy.
That'd bring in the revenue just as easily.
That assumes people will actually ride it.
Would it bring in as much...well....probably not, but the environment would be a hell of a lot better than it is today. Also, rail transit would actually make a profit!
Yes, automobiles have contributed to the pollution problem but this has been dragging since the Industrial Revolution. Hopefully, politicians (and the people who vote for them) will get the clue and get some action on this.
Driving shows that natural selection takes too long.
I applaud his efforts. Nothing better than a driver who is concerned for the well-being of his passengers.
He could've easily pulled around her!
Are you certain of that?
But he got very indignant when, after leaning on the horn, the woman still didn't move. That's when he got out and demanded she move. At no time did she have him blocked!
I think that's a matter of opinion. Where were you on the bus? It's easy to misjudge distances and the like.
The only vehicle blocking traffic was the bus! Normally I'm sympathetic -- I drove a cab for 10 years -- but this was ridiculous.
All because that woman wouldn't move. How pitiful.
Of course there are detractors, Arlington representative Chris Zimmerman stated that "People are reluctant to ride clean diesel buses, and hybrids are more expensive that would not allow WMATA to buy enough), and of course the Sierra Club doesn't support the plan.
My opinion. Chris Zimmerman and the Sierra Club's short sighted and narrow mindedness are just getting outrageous. If I am correct Ride On, who purchased some of the first CNGs buses in the area, are planning to purchase some hybrids and also hybrids will come down in price when they get massed produced. If I am also correct didn't CNGs cost an arm and a leg when they were first introduced. These geniuses won't even give either clean diesel or hybrids a chance, CNG is the only way. I hope WMATA's bus ridership doesn't grow expeditially or else they are screwed with board members like Zimmerman.
Now I don't mind CNG but depending on just one technology that one costs so much to a point where bus purchase numbers would have to be reduced and two might not possibly be refined further to be more cleaner is just insane. Diesel can be refined to be cleaner, but can CNG.
Let me tell you about Arlington County and Mr. Zimmerman: They are all a bunch of tree huggers, hence the creation of ART and the significant decrease of WMATA routes through there. Add an F to the beginning of Arlington Transit's name and that's where their CNG buses get their natural gas from. : )
ART's existence is probably partially due to NIMBYs in Arlington bitching, but another part of it is revealed in a quote from an article about DASH published earlier this year in the Northern Virginia Journal:
"WMATA is a regional organization thinking globally. They don't have time to serve all the little areas of this big area."
That's where the regional transits come in, and Arlington was the last jurisdiction in this area without their own "neighborhood" system. It's just too bad someone had the bright idea of using bus-wannabes instead of at least a small transit bus manufactured by a transit bus manufacturer...
Here's how transit started in the area:
CUE: 30' Orion Is, then replaced by 30' Gillig Phantoms
DASH: 30' Orion Is, then replaced by 35' Gillig Phantoms and Orion Vs
Fairfax Connector: 30' Orion Is, then replaced by 30' Orion Vs
Ride On, first of the regional systems: Wannabes, then 30' Orion Is, 30' Gillig Phantoms, replaced by...well let's not go there.
The Bus: Made ART's mistake
Even WMATA had 30' Phantoms, replaced by 30' Orion Vs, the Orion IIs, and now 30' SLFs.
*sigh* Too bad they don't still make the Orion Is.
B100-#4928-TMC-CNG
B9-#7621-Orion VII
Q35-#604-GMCRTSII-04
Q29-#669-GMCRTSII-04
This is all legal and Air Train workers will tell you that it is OK
Hope this helps
Thank You
In am middle of a holiday weekend what useful ridership information can be obtained unless Operation Planning is looking to cut service and is using the information to lie to the riding public.
Thank You
Another warm and loving TA favorite is having extra supervision along many lines knowing they'll catch many operators running ahead of schedule. As we all know, a school-closed schedule is just that, a "school-closed" schedule. It doesn't take into consideration the multitudes of "businesses" that are also "closed". Without normal ridership, and subsequently not making many bus stops along the route, the driver will inevitably find himself ahead of schedule at some point, unless he's driving 5 MPH the entire length. Each operator written for running ahead of schedule can face monetary loss- a feather in the cap of the location head.
By all rights, the TA should run a Saturday schedule on the Friday after a major Thursday holiday. But to do this, the union must agree to a picked holiday and/or the TA to overtime. In Queens, that is.
It gets sticky as you get into the OA/Brooklyn aspect of things.
MetroB
Those are the 870b's Drogin Had.
Flxible 870b
I know that many less than superstar wrrestlers had interesting modes pf transportation....i.e. Sgt. Slaughter had a camouflage limo, which I saw him driving once on the Cross Bronx Expwy...
One year somewhere around 1990, while I was working for a large firm in Queens, we organized an employee trip to Atlantic City. We chartered two buses from Academy for the trip. When I booked the buses, I asked for at least relatively new equipment, and I was told that it would be no problem. When the buses arrived on the morning of the trip, they were old MCIs. The bathroom on one of the buses wasn't working right, some of the seats didn't recline....you get the picture. We weren't satisfied.
The following year, we decided to do another Atlantic City trip, and there was no way I was going to book with Academy again. I had noticed that Domenico had a young fleet, so I called them and booked with them, about a month prior to the trip date. When our buses arrived, they were Academy buses! I asked the driver why we were getting Academy buses when I had booked with Domenico, and he told me that Academy had bought Domenico.
Mark
Incognito
Mark
JD
Orion V 9902 pulling in to Smith Haven on the S58
A Flx #9325 on the 6B laying up after dropping off, I've got to ride one of their's one day
Orion V #9923 on the 3D
-Fred
Where in Smith Haven Mall is my best bet to catch the ST Buses?
Da Hui
Buses and trucks (Under 14 Feet) are also allowed on the Grand Central Parkway bewtween Exit 3 (31 Avenue) and Exit 4 (Brooklyn Queens Expressway).
Buses are also allowed on the Garden State Parkway From The Ny/NJ Border South to Cape May. (No Buses or Trucks On NYS Thruway Connector)
Another poster has pointed out that the Bx12 runs on Pelham Parkway. Also, the M98 runs on the Harlem River Drive (which is a parkway) and the B1, B4, and B36 run on Ocean Parkway.
David
http://www.circuitcity.com/detail.jsp?c=1&b=g&catoid=-8025&qp=0&bookmark=bookmark_18&oid=70906
Read Reviews for this Product
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
I guess the big brown truck can race. :)
Michael
Washington, DC
(Football fans will get this joke; especially those down in the Beltway, now that Spurrier has finally left town. The Redskins, of course, play at FedEx Field.)
The last time I went into a chat to ask to be removed, I was basically cursed at for being a bi*ch about invites, even though I constantly stated "It's not that I have anything against you all, but I'm usually just too busy for chats, so don't waste your time inviting me". So, I will ask again:
Please do not invite me to AIM chat rooms. I have nothing against those who have invited me or who participate in those chats, I just don't have time to participate myself. Tonight, I rejected three invitations, which has driven me to this. Again, I know it's off-topic but this is the only place I know of where most transit fans frequently converse.
This is not addressing anyone personally, just those who generally make a habit of inviting all the transit fans they can think of, or however/whatever...my screenname on AIM is TECsBrain.
If you are not part of this, don't fan flames in this thread, it really isn't meant to start an arguement. I just don't want anyone wasting their time, and I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. Anyone else who doesn't want in, post here.
There should be some sort of standard for these chats...they should be under one name so whomever can join whenever they desire, and those who don't like certain people have the option of ignoring them as desired.
Happy chatting and living to all.
I am not interested in going to an AIM chatroom.
I am not asking for an invite.
I have tried in the past to join but was unable to.
I have no desire to join now.
If he moves his screen name off the list it doesn't matter. As long as someone else has the name TECsBrain on their list, he can get invited.
Just use caution if your taking pics of the hospital.
Yeah, it really pisses me off when the cops can't do their job because somebody has a panic attack -- like thinking that their wallet has been stolen when they really just lost it.
CG
Bill "Newkirk"
Da Hui
Da Hui
Da Hui
Here is a teaser phtoto from the album:
Are in dire need of a new sign
Are in dire need of a rehab
Orion V repowers of CS fastest non coach buses in the system along with quill's 100st and Quills artics from the 100 series!!!!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Let's gets RTS_2150 to start another Orion/RTS dispute. This should be interesting.
To everyone on this board, which is the better bus overall? Last time, the majority was for RTS's(too bad QVDQ36). There are new people here now, and I want to here what they think.
MetroB
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
-Happy New Year
- B54-RTS# 4107(old school)
Da Hui
Post any information you have on bustalk.
Some buses will move to the left. A bus driven by Rush Limbaugh will move to the right. Some others are stuck where they are for maintenance.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
*SNICKERS* They think they're gonna do better with Gilligs?! Ohhh this'll be fun!
These would be the area's first Gillig Advantage buses too
And while they are junk, Gillig Advantages aren't exactly the best buses ever built and probably should not have been the choice for them if they wanted to eliminate maintenance headaches.
Those CTSes sure are crappy though.
And as a sidenote: With no one else around in the area with Advantages, they're gonna be in trouble if they need a little support...with the Phantom, DASH can turn to Ride On or even Hertz & The Bus in a "parts emergency".
Plus, you ever notice that now the high-floor portion of the bus always has all the people sitting on it. Why can't they do a hybrid, and have half or 3/4's of the bus high floor and the front low-floor? In an area where the bus service isn't dominated by old people and invalids, i fail to see any advantage, besides losing the front seats, and having to look up at the cars driving to close to you.
Of course, that theory goes right out the window for The Bus!
This is happening in Baltimore too with their new low floors. Word is no more Neoplans. They are piggybacking on with Seattle for New Flyers to be delivered as early as Spring, 2004.
Hmmmmm, those Champion buses unreliable, YOU DON'T SAY!!!!
I wish the Omnilink portion would at least run on weekends with all the shopping centers around Prince William County. I saw a few of the stops when I was at Potomac Mills this weekend and have seen Orion V's come through there during the weekday.
Hey, WMATA's 9A already goes to Lorton, why not extend it another 10 miles are so. :) That way, this would definitely be the longest route in WMATA's system.
Do you know anything about Glen Ridge Coach (possibby Glen Ridge coach lines, or transit, or bus lines could have been the name..)
I was lucky enough to ride their 4106 and 4104's everyday....to and from my apartment building enroute to the 179 street subway station. It was an express bus we had exclusively, as tenants of the Cambridge Hall Apartments....
They ran several times each morning and afternoon. Sure beat the hell out of riding the Union Turnpike bus to the Kew Gardens subway station...
Man......what a score. Those have always been two of my favorite and surely two of the greatest coaches ever made.
I wonder what ever became of that company....those coaches
The only Glenridge memory I have is that they were contracted a corporation that relocated a factory from, IIRC, Westchester to Hauppauge. They would run, I think, 2 4106's everyday from Westchester to LI to bring people to work. Used to seem them on the LIE during rush hours.
from Monticello: White Plains-New Rochelle-Queens Village-Carl Place-Hempstead-Huntington/Melville-Islip-Lake Ronkonkoma-Patchogue
We had the same driver daily, a guy named Eddie, who shook hands with each passenger each day as we boarded. He was a really nice guy, and one hell of a driver.
B36-#9182-NOVABUS
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
If you go to www.njthc.org you can read about the project. Click on 'Collection' and you'll see pics of the 15 or so they have and are restoring. Just awesome examples of Mack, GMC Old and New Look, as well as some 'Beavers' which I am unfamiliar with. I know there are some guys on this board that love those old "built to last" and "built like a tank" coaches as much as I do.
These beauties are all veterans of the transit routes in NJ, and I bet some of you guys rode them at times.
These classics will be available for various events...you can read about that on the site, and there is also a very comprehensice piece on there about the history of bus transit in NJ. Very cool. I never lived in NJ but I always thought they had great looking buses out there.
I recommend this site....the group is looking for members, and if you choose to browse the website, I hope you enjoy it!
Dash 80
I know exactly how memories such as yours can stay with a person for life. Some people, if they remember them at all, prefer to purge them from the memory bank of life. Guys like many of us on this forum prefer to cherish them as fond memories and revisit them as adults.
Maybe there is a way you can become involved with that organization, you're practically a curator of such matters. In any event, you should be able to visit those buses sometime soon...keep in touch with them via the website (they might even let you sneak a peek while they are being restored)
By way, since you seem to particularly like the Mack's, if you don't already have it....there is a book abou them:Mack buses 1900-1960 Photo Archive. Avaiable from AMAZON.
Glad you got some enjoyment from this revelation...
Dash 80
As for the ACF Brill's (featured in the movie movie Bus Stop), I read that it was favored by drivers because of it's power and speed. Never rode in one....the oldest coach I ever had the pleasure of riding was the 4103's of the PERKIOMEN VALLEY BUS CO. to and from summer camp. Nice...
Yep...memories..
Sometimes I would catch the 'Golden Eagle Service', which had a 'Hostess' on board, offering snacks, sandwiches, beverages, pillows, blankets and magazines. Very cool ride.
I would ask the drivers questions as they waited at the gate to load passengers... "How fast...how old....show me the bellows in the air-ride suspension". I musta been some pain in the butt, they didn't seem to mind though. I always sat in the first row, across from the driver so I could watch him in action...
I haven't been on an Intercity coach for quite some time...but it seems like just yesterday.
My recollection is that Maplewood Equipment Co. was run by the NJDOT, but I don't remember whether NJDOT had control of NJTransit (or its predecessor, Transport of NJ) at that time, or got control later. In due course, NJDOT merged Maplewood Equipment Co. into NJTransit.
MetroB
Flxible870b
Tony M.
Da Hui
FFX party bus
Farebox blasting Oren when he inserted a penny.
Watching some of the DC and NY BusTalkers run into traffic to get pics.
Also that crazy ride on the Q2 from Wheaton to Silver Spring in October. It was myself, Tristian, Ray and Fred when some wild teenage girls were talking crap, I talked some back and yadda yadda yadda.
...and who can forget that day we were all nearly drenched at Ride-On's roadeo and then we went riding later.
I'm sure there's more but that all I can think of now.
I was also happy that I didn't get caught speeding because I was moving over 80 MPH at times and if I would've gotten clocked at those speeds it could've been a reckless driving charge.
Wish I could've met you all last week, but Nicole and I had gone out of town. On our way back I had made a food stop off I-85 near Durham. I saw 3 of their buses which were some very new looking low floor NABIs. I didn't get a chance to find out the powertrain combo as I wasn't close enough to hear them. Also saw a Charlotte Transit Flxible Metro in Gastonia, NC. I think it was a 35-footer.
Hope you all had a good Christmas.
You should come down with Tristan in a couple of weeks; he is coming to Roanoke, and I plan to show him our transit system and local bus and trolley museum, plus motor out to Blacksburg to check out their Flxibles and New Flyers. I also have my new mobile shop bus (Flx) to show off as well. :)
-Fred
Da Hui
Another funny memory I have from that trip was watching two of our photogs (Ray and Terrapin, I think it was?) take off after the Shuttle UM Flxible screaming like demons, not unlike Sixties teeny-boppers chasing the Beatles in "A Hard Day's Night". Their PDA was quite worth it; they took a beautiful shot of its egress.
-Fred
My understanding of that "non-seat" on the Orion V is due to the extra room needed for the DD S50. It seems that the S50/60 family of engines is a problem for buses that were designed with the older engines in mind. These eninges in inline while the older DD 6V/8V are in the V configuration which would require less room. My understanding that Prevost extended their H3-40 to H3-41 when the started using the DD S60 - Also it's the reason why the newer MC-12 have the DD S50 instead of the DD S60.
NYCTA '93 Orion originally had the DD 6V-92TA. They were recently repowered with the DD S50 and those 5 seats in the back are now a bit higher.
-F.
I see those things on pretty much a daily basis at Maryland so I don't have to chase it down;-)
Where are you in MD...Baltimore or Montgomery County?
-F.
Also, if you or any of the DC BusTalkers have any pics of the girls that Fred mentions in his post on this thread, please send!
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Thank you.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Da Hui
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
BIG AL
The "dump" key, as instructed, is used frequently, as is the F5 key.
MetroB
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
MetroB
...and to prove this observation, starting next week, Queens Division will be subject to a major "Beakie Blitz". There will be supervision flooding the routes to ensure.. bus drivers and dispatchers have their ties affixed properly, drivers have their windows 100% clear, dispatchers are standing in the rain, no unauthorized buttons or other paraphanalia is worn, including issued footwear.
The TA has no money to maintain current service levels, especially in the poorer of neighborhoods, but has the wherewithall and resources to hire superintendant after superintendant to discipline their workforce for the most trivial of matters.
MetroB
The AGMs, 3 General Supts, 1 AGS in the mega depots
and the maintainence G/S, 3 or 4 Supt, and the mega depots who have a AGS and the maintaince big shots. and the depot 15 dispatchers. and the road control AGM, 1 or 2 G/S and sometimes up to 15 supt are not going to pick up a broom or mop when there is a shortage of cleaners to clean the buses.
Is it really necessary for the TA to have one manager for every FIVE employees?
MetroB
MetroB
MetroB
MetroB
SOMEONE please name the supervisory and/or managerial title or titles that should be eliminated or reduced in number of incumbents. In so doing, please explain whether the jobs these people are doing are necessary or not; if not, why not; and if so, who (other than the people currently doing them) should be doing them. For purposes of this exercise, the entire agency can be scrutinized -- operations, maintenance, support, all of it.
It's easy to sit on the sidelines (or even behind a vehicle's controls) and say that a place is overmanaged, but not so easy to say how.
David
David
David
MetroB
MetroB
Despite this, 24-hour service along Springfield Blvd will probably be re-visited in the not so distant future. Arguing over 12 (or 14) people is rather inconsequential if you ask me. The bigger issue is the enormous loads that the Q27 is going to carry! Students who normally go through Jamaica to attend classes at Van Buren HS (my alma mater), Cardozo HS and Queensboro Communtiy College will now be able to transfer to the Q27 from the Q77, Q84, Q4, Q83 and Q2 routes. In the AM rush, the Q27 should have a standing load after only the first three stops leaving 120th Avenue (the Q77 and Q84 transfers at 120th & 119th Avenues and the Q4 at Linden Blvd). They will be absolutely hammered by the time they reach QV Station.
Ridership patterns on the Q2, Q4, Q5, Q30, Q43, Q77, Q83, Q84 and Q85 may see significant changes as well since these kids will no longer be forced to transfer in Downtown Jamaica.
The Q83 overnight service will remain intact, albeit cut short at Springfield Blvd and Colfax Street, so you and the rest of the QV b/o's will not lose a hawk run (which is the real issue here--don't think that for one second they actually CARE about wheather or not the Q83 hawk goes to QV Station). What you may lose is time in the seat, but everywhere I go b/o's complain about having too much vehicle time. Brooklyn67 I like you because you bring good stuff to this board (Lord knows we need it), but I have to go against you on this one.
Mark
The number is actually 12, but who's counting.
The hawk operator who's worked that piece for the better part of the last 4 years, who disagrees with the numbers posted here based on 4 days of on-board checking and farebox data from August and September.
Despite this, 24-hour service along Springfield Blvd will probably be re-visited in the not so distant future.
And this service would be provided by... extending the Q27 from Horace Harding? Or restoring Q83 hawk service to the LIRR?
Mark, these people were left without a bus with no warning by the TA. It's been only over the last few days that notices were posted and pamphlets became available. This, during the biggest holiday vacation period in this country.
Arguing over 12 (or 14) people is rather inconsequential if you ask me.
It wouldn't seem inconsequential to you if you were one of the people who depended upon that bus. But the numbers aren't the issue, because if they were, there would be no Saturday and midday service on the Q79. Regardless, I don't believe those numbers to be factual. I believe nothing the TA says. I base my opinions on first hand knowledge, and the first hand knowledge of other bus operators. In this case, the previous hawk BO on the Q83.
To me, what's inconsequential, is the minimal amount of money saved at the expense of some of the lesser healthy and lesser well-to-do people we service who depend upon that bus as their sole means of transportation, carrying them to the safest destination point possible, as is the idea behind Request A Stop.
The bigger issue is the enormous loads that the Q27 is going to carry! Students who normally go through Jamaica to attend classes at Van Buren HS (my alma mater), Cardozo HS and Queensboro Communtiy College will now be able to transfer to the Q27 from the Q77, Q84, Q4, Q83 and Q2 routes. In the AM rush, the Q27 should have a standing load after only the first three stops leaving 120th Avenue (the Q77 and Q84 transfers at 120th & 119th Avenues and the Q4 at Linden Blvd). They will be absolutely hammered by the time they reach QV Station.
I don't disagree there. So why this ridiculous move in the first place? Seems to me, Flushing is (or will be ) getting the better of JA and QV with respect to runs and overtime and such.
Any reason?
Ridership patterns on the Q2, Q4, Q5, Q30, Q43, Q77, Q83, Q84 and Q85 may see significant changes as well since these kids will no longer be forced to transfer in Downtown Jamaica.
Exactly.. see above. Without detailing too much here, I'm sure you can read between my lines.
The Q83 overnight service will remain intact, albeit cut short at Springfield Blvd and Colfax Street, so you and the rest of the QV b/o's will not lose a hawk run
Mark, it's not intact if it's cut short. Aside from that, we're not worried or concerned with losing that hawk. It's not going anywhere anytime soon.
(which is the real issue here--don't think that for one second they actually CARE about wheather or not the Q83 hawk goes to QV Station).
I understand that, but the real issue here is providing public transportation. That's our business and our reason for being. Saving an inconsequential amount of money by turning an already existing service short by 15 minutes at their expense isn't only absurd, it's commitable. I'm contacting Creedmoor.
And now, when you indicate that overnight service will be revisited, the TA will spend more money finding out how much of a flub this is than simply providing that minimal service in the first place.
The epitome of stupidity and waste that is TA management.
What you may lose is time in the seat, but everywhere I go b/o's complain about having too much vehicle time. Brooklyn67 I like you because you bring good stuff to this board (Lord knows we need it), but I have to go against you on this one.
We can agree to disagree Mark. Nothing I indicate above is a personal attack on you.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
How does the farebox distinguish between boardings along Springfield Blvd and boardings on Liberty Avenue or Murdock Avenue? How does the farebox know where people get off the bus?
Incidentally, it is rare that NYCT would base a schedule change or a routing change on farebox readings for precisely the reason "Gotham Bus Co." was alluding to -- the farebox (assuming it's even set properly, which sometimes it isn't) only registers per-trip totals, not WHERE people were getting on and certainly not where they were exiting (so there's no way to determine how many people were on a bus at its most crowded, or where that maximum load point is). The only place in NYCT's bus system where farebox readings conceivably COULD be (notice I didn't say ARE) used to determine ridership levels is the express network, where, in general, people get on until the bus reaches the last stop in the borough of origin and then they start getting off -- very little on/off activity in the same stop(s). What is used? Passenger counts conducted by Traffic Checkers. But even if, in this case, farebox readings were used to determine ridership levels (because the total riding during the overnight period is more important than the maximum load on a given trip), according to Mark, there were an average of only 12 people riding when the checks were done, which fails to meet NYCT's "hawk" standard of 15 people, and, as "Gotham Bus Co." indicated and I expanded upon, there is no way to know from said farebox readings how many of those people got on or off on the portion of the Q83 that is losing overnight service.
Like Mark, I respect "Brooklyn67," but also like Mark, I think he's off the "mark" here. I wish him and the rest of you a happy new year.
David
Actually, used to play the Keno game in the California lottery, when I was driving bus 4052 of our system. Many times I won eight bucks just for a one dollar play-in with 40 and 52.....the store owner where I bought my ticket always used to make jokes about it, kept saying "What are you gonna do if you get a different bus?" etc.
I don't believe 7777 was a fishbowl. It was a Flxible new look, among those in the order without standee windows.
You are correct about 1111. The third order of fishbowls by NYCTA was 1001-1130. I'm not sure about the year - it may have been 1961.
Okay, NYCTA had GMC TDH-5301 #1111 back in 1960. I've seen a picture of its sister GMC TDH-5301 #1114 on www.subwaywebnews.com's bus photo gallery.
MaBSTOA had 1981 GMC RTS-04 #2222.
There was 1964 (I think) GMC TDH-5303 #3333.
1986 GMC RTS-06 #4444 from Walnut with the NYCTA.
2003 New Flyer D60HF #5555 from 126th St.
I'm not sure about 1972 (I think) GMC T6H-5309A #6666 but there will be another when 2004 Orion 07.501 Hybrid #6666 comes out.
2004 Orion 07.501 #7777 will be heading into West Farms. However, I do remember 1977 (I think) Flxible New Look 53102-6-1 #7777 from MaBSTOA.
1963 GMC New Look TDH-5303 (A/C) #8888 with MaBSTOA and 1996 NovaBus RTS-06 #8888 with KB.
No bus with #9999. The closest was the demo for the NovaBus RTS-06 #9900.
Ray
RESPECT THE BUSES OF NEW YORK CITY!!!!!!
'86 GMC RTS #4444 did stay go to Walnut (OA), but it originally operated out of Coliseum (OA).
MABSTOA's #6666 was a 1964 GMC TDH-5303 (6401-6700). #6666 spent many of it's years at Coliseum.
The old #8888 was a GMC TDH-5305A (8800-8927) and it was a TA bus.
Flxible #7777 was a '75 (7500-7659, 7700-7937) bus. The '77 TA/OA Flxibles were 9000-9309.
The order was actually 6401-6900. 6701-6900 had batwings, but were really part of the same 500 bus order. As an aside, these may have been 1965 models, not 1964.
Yes, I realize that but I tend to call them as separate orders. I think I do this because I grew up riding these buses daily and of course at the time I knew they were similar, except some had Bus-O-Ramas.
MABSTOA's #6666 was a 1964 GMC TDH-5303 (6401-6700). #6666 spent many of it's years at Coliseum.
The old #8888 was a GMC TDH-5305A (8800-8927) and it was a TA bus.
Flxible #7777 was a '75 (7500-7659, 7700-7937) bus. The '77 TA/OA Flxibles were 9000-9309.
Correction:
4300-4499, 8800-8927 were GMC T6H-5305A
By the way, I think Fishbowl 3333 came out in 1962, and 6666 came out in 1965. The original home for 3333 was WF, and 6666 was delivered to COL.
:-)
G1RD
The highest four digit numbered old look was 9120, the last bus in the TA's last old look bus order (9000-9120). This was the only old look order to come in with two-tone green paint. 9000 and 9120 also had red stripes, similar to the scheme now seen on Museum bus 9098 (which didn't originally have a red stripe).
By the way, what became of those buses? Why DID they have 5 digits in the first place? Were they re#'d?
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
As for #5555, I can't believe that no one has mentioned that this 1973 GMC T6H-5310A (originally numbered in the 6900 series) was a Blitz express bus operated out of Yukon Depot.
Mark
...can't speak for everyone else, but I didn't mention that Blitz bus because it's not their original fleet numbers.
Maybe a Gillig Advantage too, but that'd be 3rd on the list.
Even a NABI artic in the old vegas scheme would be neat.
That, and I'd love to see some American articulateds made into models such as a Neoplan, NABI or New Flyer. The only toy artics I know of are of Eurpoean buss which are albeit nice, but I don't see those on Arlington Boulevard when I go to work, I see Orions and Flxibles.
-F.
-F.
-F.
http://www.martzgroup.com
Back on topic, I didn't know Martz goes down there. Are you sure it is scheduled runs, or is it charters?
-F.
But who's testors?
Here's a link: http://www.testors.com/catalog_browse.asp?ictNbr=3
-F.
But looking at the bright side, the oversized chrome exhaust will actually look right for a WMATA version! :)
-F.
On the intercity front... I'd to get the MC-5 through MC-9 and the Eagle 01 & 05. I'd go broke trying to buy them all.
I understand that the Scenic's sold out very quickly. I think there are a few more livieries in the pipeline.
You have to remember that Corgi has been burned with some American buses. Some of the runs consisted of 7,500 - 8,000 copies, many of which ended up in close-out racks. Bus collecting in the US is NOT the hobby it is England.
Corgi is in business to make money, not to lose money by satifying the whim of every collector. They're only going to make models they think will sell. To convince them to make a new model, you and your friends should write them or contact certain people in the hobby who have contacts in Corgi and have them do your pleading for you.
-F.
B8-#7643-Orion VII
B1-#4769-TMCRTS
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
I'm sure it was quite interesting to grow up in the DC area during the 70's. I can't say that I'd trade my childhood years in The Bronx, but I wish I could've seen more of the DC area scene in the 70's and 80's. Luckily, I was able to see WMATA buses during the 70's when we passed through DC which was usually at least once a year. I remember seeing the fishbowls in Green and of course the AM Generals, but I thought they were quite strange. Then in 1979 we went on a trip to Washington in which I thought the bus ride was the best part of the trip. We rode to DC on a Liberty Lines GMC deck-and-a-half #1101. Once we arrived in DC we rode a chartered WMATA GMC fishbowls. I don't remember the number, but it was one of the TDH-5304 that lasted so long at WMATA. Then in the early 80's much to my delight NYCTA borrowed the WMATA buses. Most were in WMATA colors, but some were also green. Boy were those the days - I chased those buses down as often as I could.
The 70's and 80's were great times for buses for me as well. I'm not sure if anyone remembers this, but on Sesame Street, they had a skit in which they were counting. One time, they filmed what must have been the Port Authority, I don't know. But, it was a big ramp or something with tons of fishbowls coming out of it. It must have been Port Authority since Sesame Street was in NY. I remember just locked to the TV watching that.
They did feature buses on there quite a bit. There was another time where they had the puppets getting into a mock-up of a bus and it looked a lot like a Flx New Look.
On "That '70s Show", Eric has a 1:18 scale diecast model of a 1969 Plymouth Barracuda in his room. As some of us know, such a large scale did not emerge in the mainstream until the early 1990s, and the model was a Yatming that was not produced until 1997. So what was it doing in a teenager's bedroom in 1977? Back then, the closest thing that Yatming was making to that model were Dodge Darts and Plymouth Volares in Hot Wheels size. OK, I have shared too much knowledge...
-F.
I always loved Redd Foxx in that show. "ELIZABETH, I'M COMIN' TO JOIN YA...THIS IS THE BIG ONE!!!". Ah, the memories.
-F.
You really bought back some memories there. Yes, I remember that Seseme Street segment. That was indeed PABT. It was one of the upper levels used by the commuter buses. In those days Greyhound and Trailways resided on the lower level which is also prior to the current Greyhound area being constructed.
Yeah, I couldn't believe it when I saw that particular show. I don't remember how old I was when I saw it, but it was in my early days of loving buses. I thought, "How funny that they chose to count buses coming out of there". They were coming out of there fast and furiously. All differnt colors is what I really remember. I wonder if they still play those really old school skits on there anymore?
What I really want to know is, whatever happened to "3-2-1 Contact" and "The Electric Company"? And did they ever have buses on there?
-F.
-F.
-F.
-F.
The Grummans really stuck out in my mind back then; they were the "Brand New City Bus"....they were all my Dad talked about. :)
-F.
-F.
Does Community/Coach USA run any transit routes? I had thought they lost their contracts to Academy within the past year. Yet, during a few recent trips on NJT Main Line trains, I have noticed many RTS's parked in Community's lot outside its garage between Clifton and Passaic Stations. Does anyone know on what routes Community uses those RTS's? Or, has Academy taken over that garage?
MetroB
What are you worst group of passengers you had to share a bus ride with?
It's times like those when I really hate the MTA for not allowing EVERY window to open in their buses....
It's not their body odor, it's their breath.
However, halitosis isn't confined only to the Asians.
Sounds like Manhattan busses, They make me so restless.
ok, so what you're saying is, that 5 million of the 8 million New Yorkers that take the bus and subway and the 3 million more that use the commuter railroads, CANNOT use these modes of transportation JUST BECAUSE you think cell phones should be banned from them? If that's the case, then the busses and trains would be empty and more cars would be on the road, since many of us who ride public transit use cell phones all the time, including in cases of emergencies...actually, many of us WOULDN'T use our cars, since traffic is bad enough in this city, AND, many of us DON'T HAVE CARS, so how in the F*** do we get around? Bike? Scooters? Cab?
And this cell phone ban crap is coming from a person who a) doesn't own a cell phone, and b) can't even afford to have one with the little bit of income he DOES have and what little satisfaction he has with living where he is...
C'mon, Qtrain, let's be real, cell phones are essential and ubiquitous, they're everywhere, and you can't get away from them, it's part of today's lifestyle...
Incognito
New Yawker fa life!
Some cell phone user without much courtesy was talkign very loudly into hsi cell phone -- and gave his cell phone number to the party on the other end. And as soon as he hung up, half a dozenpeople in the same LIRR car dialed his number and called him "assshole"!!!!
1] your sex life
2] why you hate your ..........[insert relative, co-worker, etc]
3] your financial business
4] your health problems
5] and who died. [Note: that's how I heard about Princess Diana's death]
Incognito
(I know nothing about cell phones except the EMF!)
I was kidding- The map looks like it was drawn by a 2 year old (how old most nextel users are) with a crayon.
Get a GSM provider, like Cingular or T-mobile. Not ATT because they really suck.
I have T-mobile, and my service is grat, compared to my lousy Sprint...problem is, I can't get reception at the ground floor of my job...
Incognito
www.howardforums.com
The Verizon section
Post that you think that the T720/30 is the best phone ever, and motos are great.
Lets see if you survive the flames...
-F.
As for me, just like in the restaurant, little kids who can't keep their hand to themselves, and on a crowded bus, the punks who can't figure out how to move out of the way when people are getting off.
But the absolute worst:
In non-transit cities, people who wait until the bus makes a complete stop, get up from the very back row, pass the open back door, and mosey on to the front to exit. If i'm paying my fare on board the bus, and you're just catching up to me, sit back down.
I love some of those ex-big city drivers who always seem to start to take off when this happens.
Preachers!
Drunks, crackheads...
The kid sitting behind you who keeps bumping into the back of your head with his hands.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
They think they know everything about transit operation. They hog up the front seats that are supposed to be for elderly/handicapped. They bitch and moan about everything the transit agency does, of course, at the top of their lungs, so everyone in the bus can hear them. And most of them don't seem to know how to bathe or do laundry.
1) If you try to ring the bell while the B/O is in the middle of a live announcement (ie not using the recording device on newer buses), it won't sound. I tried and it wouldn't go until after the announcement was completed.
2) If you ring the bell while the B/O is recording the announcement (ie on newer buses), when the announcement is played back, you hear the bell again. Good way to remind the driver twice that you're getting off.
I've noticed a progression in time regarding bells in different buses and systems. It used to be instantanous(neoplan), and now it's like a computerized ding(Gillig), where on more techie buses, there's a delay before it dings(NABI).
Riding the M86...press the tape.....EEEEEEEEWWWWWWWNNNNNNGGGGGG!!!
Good way to remind EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER that you're getting off.
Also two WhyMATAs I thought of today. Why did they paint a 5119 and a GM RTS and then sent both to the scrap yard(apparently-I believe neither are part of their historic fleet). They also did the same with the last of their GM new looks that were in the silverside paintscheme(the first WMATA one). Four months after coming out of the paint shop some were sitting in Landover about to be retired.
WHHHYYYYYMATA!!!!!
Sad, isn't it? And here's another WhyMATA situation, just for laughs:
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
Those 50 rejects were never actually delivered to WMATA.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
As much as I love the look and flexibility of an LED, BOY am I glad I bought a bus with a roll sign!
-Fred
I think B11 sign should have shown when it was going to be discontinued and have a drawing of Oren crying into his cavier(sp?).
Why eat fish eggs when you can eat the whole fish :-P
-Fred
Speaking of confusing signs, when we moved my newly-acquired Flxible Metro to its storage place yesterday, we were going down the 71 route, and some guy was throwing up his hands and running towards the bus at a stop. For one thing, this is a Gillig town, and my bus looks NOTHING like our local fleet...further proof that to non-transit fans, a bus is a bus is a bus. But what didn't dawn on me was that rather than change the sign to "OUT OF SERVICE", I accidentally left it on "MADISON AVE."....Whoops! But the man should have paid better attention; the route he was waiting for was "71 LEWIS-GALE". Once again, if you're not a busfan, you just don't think of these things.
-Fred
-F.
For those who would have just missed the first trip, there is an F14 that arrives at Addison Road at 9:44am and arrives at New Carrolton at 10:25am just in time to catch the R12 to Greenbelt.
HOPE TO SEE YALL THERE AND FOR EVERYONE ELSE HAPPY AND PROPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!!
Have fun guys, sorry I can't make it. Happy new year to all the BusTalkers.
and
http://www.railfanwindow.com/gallery/album72/IMG_7998a
Identify the make and model of the pictured bus and you will win nothing.
Nothing like the grey floored neoplans with the horrible bench/hard seating though :)
Robert
* The 29 operates between Downtown Newark (limited weekday and all day Sunday service to Penn Station/Newark) and Essex Mall in West Caldwell via Bloomfield Av (Bloomfield and Glen Ridge) with extended weekday service to Parsippany.
* The 71 operates between Penn Station/Newark and Essex Mall in West Caldwell via The Oranges and Livingston.
It sounds like the 71 may be the closest to the former #144 bus route that you're describing; I'd have to guess that the 29 was a PSNJ/TNJ route before the NJT takeover.
MetroB
MetroB
MetroB
Trackless Transit 94 Stuyvesant and 96 Clinton were merged int the NJT 94, then re-split into the 93 and 94. TT #64 became NJT #97. TT went belly up in the mid 80s and NJT immediately took over all its routes because the ridership was sufficient to warrant it.
MetroB
6 hours to report a missing bus is inexcusable! If the wrong person had stolen the bus, he could have used it as a vehicle for mayhem and possible tragedy. Someone should be held accountable for this, whether it be the driver who failed to secure the bus, the dispatcher who did not report the bus missing, or someone in power. This is utter insecurity, something that had it happened at a major public TA, would cause an uproar.
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
-Adam
(enynova5205@aol.com)
The ISC is essentially the newer name for the C8.3, as noted on NJ Transit's Flxible Metro D and Nova fleets
The ISL is the newer name for the L10 engine
The ISM is the newer name for the M11 engine; I think the M11 was the newer version of the L10 engine, but I'm not an expert on Cummins engines.
The ISL is based on the L10 block but now is only 8.9 liters in displacement.
The M-series was developed to take on the Detroit 60 11.1 liter - it's not based on the L.
IS stands for Interact System, which is the Cummins computer control system a la DDEC. The change was also an opportunity to change other items - the ISB and ISC went from 2-valve to 4-valve cylinders and added electronic fuel injection. In contrast, the B5.9 under the hood of my 1996 Dodge Ram is 100% mechanical.
We take the train up to BWI (which arrives around 9:53AM) and then take a BWI Gillig shuttle bus to the LRT station. This way we can make it up to Convention Center in time to catch the 10:53AM route 27 to the Travel Plaza.
The second half after lunch doesn't need to be modified.
This is only a suggestion. This makes it such that Mark doesn't wait an eternity for us. We can still stick to the original plan but this plan makes the connections and location for lunch time much better.
We'll have to wait and see what Wes wants to do, too, since he's the one that organized the whole thing.
So many choices, so little time, so much fun to be had. Our main purpose though is to hunt down the elusive M.W., he is a tricky sort, but not too bright, hehehehehehehehe.
Michael
Washington, DC
Makes sense since it hasn't be confirmed for sure that it will happen.
AcelaExpress2005 - R160
I wish my camera would catch the images like the 2 in here
I also hope, in another story I found, they do something about lights being green, or a dedicated median lane. This roads horrible(took 1.5 hours to get home 2 weeks ago). I was wondering why a brand new bus had brakes so bad, it was grinding. But I think this is great news anyway.
A total of 60 riders on 14 round-trips doesn't bode very well for this route's future.
The reason for it only being 60 passengers a day? Unlike the anti-rail pro-highway lobby, these buses aren't magic buses. it goes directly from tampa onto I-275 and Ulmerton road. If you got a map, traffic clogs up to a total gridlock from around the I275/I-4 interchange, all the way to the middle of Tampa Bay. Then Ulmerton is the ultimate nightmare. Lights changing red to green and back with nowhere to go and no one moving. Add another 10 or so miles without exceeding 5mph.
Time savings: zero. It's pathetic seeing these coaches sitting there in traffic too.
I like it though, you have to be stupid to put that wear and tear on your car, plus cost of gas, oil, and tranny fluid when you can take the comfy bus, which doesn't take any longer.
It's a step in the right direction, if they can get the thing to bypass traffic somehow. Maybe add a stop in the Westshore district w/o adding another 30min just trying to get off and back on the highway.
Though, recently, when i look at the park and ride lot, there isn't as many cars there as the first time i've seen it in the summer. We need a transport helicopter.
But that bus makes for wonderful day trips(and commuting if I was so lucky to be in that situation).
Yeah another Cummins breaks down, yeah big news right! Had 164 on Monday sounded like it was gonna die out any minute. Wish they'd repower those with the series 50s they are so much better. You folks at Gleason depot got lucky and got yours repowered. Now we await our L10G repowering. I'd like to personally be the first to trash that engine. :-0
Though, I think you may be right about maintenance being an issue; sounds like Pierce Transit takes more pride in maintaining their fleet than LI Bus.
Da Hui
When I was about 13 years old, I was waiting with a few friends for the Bx20 to go home from school. Along came a GMC Old Look, and the fleet number on the front was just "1". One of my friends yelled out "Hey, look, bus number 1!" Being the transit geek, I knew it was really 4120 (just missing some digits on the front), and I told him so immediately. When the bus pulled all the way up and we could see the fleet number on the side of the bus, my friend looked at me in astonishment and said "How the f*** did you know that?" I guess that qualifies as how I knew I was hooked on buses.
Da Hui
The ACF Brill in 'Bus Stop'
The Buffalo Bus in 'Midnight Cowboy'
The Fishbowls in 'Speed' and '48 Hours'
That incredible Silversides in 'A League of Their Own'
I love the 'Honeymooners' promo pics of Gleason leaning out of that Old Look that is still in the Transit Museum....but it never appeared on the Honeymooners Show.
I bet you maniacs remember lots more......
1. You make a topic like this.
2. You know every single route and its destination.
3. You seen every single bus, and know where it is at.
4. You would rather ride buses all day instead of going to the movies.
5. You hear bus pass by without seeing it, and know what type it is.
6. You wish RTS's/Orions were put in Grand Theft Auto III/ or VC.
7. You plan bus trips, and post them on Bustalk.
8. You're favorite places to go to are bus terminals(i.e. Williamburg Plaza)
9. You hear/see a certain number, the first thing that you think about is buses.
10. You change any conversation into to one about buses.
I'll try to think of more later.
11. You named one of your kids Orion, Nova, etc.
12. You visit different places, and only care to take pictures of buses; nice scenery has no interest to you.
13. You have lots useless MetroCards lying around your house.
14. You stand in one spot all day and watch buses(I use to do this all the time at Myrtle/Wyckoff).
15. You wish you can get your own bus someday.
More to come......
16. Your most pleasant thoughts are not about sex, but about buses!
17. You've made over 800 topics on BusTalk.
18. You have the movie "Speed" at home. :)
19. You put bus maps in your room instead of posters.
20. You watch the show "Transtit Transit" every month.
More to come....
Well, I managed to combine both once back in 1984, but this is a family list... :)
Some more:
- you have numbered your typical errand as personal bus routes (23 Pathmark, 14 GetKidsFromSchool, etc.)
- you announce cross streets as you approach major intersections
- when driving, you wave at bus drivers
- when friends or relatives go on vacation, you ask them to bring back schedules instead of t-shirts
- you go to the transit customer service desk so often, they know you by first name
- you vote for politicians based on their pro-transit views even if you disagree with everything else they say
- you ride the bus so often, drivers stop asking to see your monthly pass
- you strongly consider taking the bus to the prom (which will ensure you won't have a date...)
- someone gives you any random 4-digit number and you can immediately recite the year, make, and model of the bus it matches, what garage it operates from, and the last route you saw it on
21. You go to store and try to buy beer, and the guy behind the counter asks you for your I.D., instead you show him a Metrocard.
22. You travel long distances just to see certain bus.
23. You change your mind about buying a house, and instead buy a bus and make it your new home.
24. You actually live in a bus depot.
25. Instead of hanging family pictures on the wall, you hang pictures of buses in your bedroom.
26. You make up some lame excuse to your friend, just to ride buses because you don't feel like hanging out with him.
27. You wish buses would appear at the next NYC Auto Show.
28. You go to library hoping to learn the history of buses.
29. People think you're strange because you look at every bus that passes by you.
30. You'd rather spend your last $10.00 riding buses, instead of buying something to eat.
More to come....
Hope you don't my me changing the Subject line but I wanted to be sure you saw this..
Happy New Year!
Ride one and find out.
Michael
Washington, DC
There's another one, too?
... is still closing due to losing their lease which was supposed to expire on December 31st?
That would have been all over the media. It wasn't.
I agree that the PABT is the best place to spot coaches..especially back in the day. Man those Jersey bound buses were colorful.
I loved those ramps that allow direct access towards the Lincoln Tunnel. Nuthin but buses winding up and down those tight narrow and winding ramps...
It was a beautiful thing.
One thing I remember about some of the NJ Old Look GM's was that some had extra lighting, external dual orange lights, I believe there were pairs front and back, adding an extra serious and very cool look to them. I can still remember the feel and sound of those beautiful yet lumbering brutes, albiet the ones I rode in Queens.
It's funny how the technology of the newer buses is so far advanced from the buses of our childhood, yet we still find the old ones to be so much more appealing. I'm fine with that...
Operative words: public sidewalk. If the police tell you to stop, it's harassment. If the police confiscate your film or camera, it's theft. Arm yourself.
Here's how I know..... My company is called upon to take photos of advertisements near the Lincoln Tunnel nearly every week. Our photographers must be very stealthy to get it done quickly, and quite often are told to leave. It actually happened to me once, on the rare occasion that I was out shooting, and this was about 3 years ago, before 9/11. I made it clear that I was working for a very well known company, and showed credentials...they didn't want to hear it. In this post 9/11 world, nothing you can say to them will have any impact. The only way to have authorization to be near any P.A. facility with a camera is by obtaining clearance from the administration. Clearance that the on duty cops are aware of.
It didn't start off promising. I was supposed to get 6:15am F14 to New Carrolton, but about to cross the street to get to the stop, I hear the distinct sound of an Orion VI and low behold comes the 6:15am F14 coming at 6:08am. So I walked up to the former shell of Landover Mall and waited for the first thing that came, which wound up being now called "The Official Bus of W.E.S." The Bus 63038 on the 21 to New Carrolton. I then grabbed orange line Breda 3039 lead car, CAF car 5155 yellow line and then blue line Rohr car 1012 to Van Dorn Street. 5081 had its lights out and was out of service. And why is it whenever I get a CAF car I am standing. I then got to Van Dorn St. and I purposely waited to catch a new DASH Orion V and which I got, 75. Ummm that new bus smell, ohhhh drinking too much liquid the night before, getting four hours of sleep and having to go sort of bad. Then work, work , work, work.
When I left work I got 9311 on the 21B enroute to Pentagon, which came ten minutes late. Got to the Pentagon(with this orange alert the MPs and police are more visible than usual, even some walking the bus depot). I saw 3942 a sign retrofit with an odd sort of THE BUSish, sign. It was running the 22B and had special instead of the destination. So in the front with the numbers cut off, the sign said "B- SPECIAL". I then got 9785 on the 13B, which had bad brakes, saw 3915 with a retrofit and then grabbed 5315 to the convention center. MAN that thing is big, I sense a really good future bus show coming there soon. Also saw Western's 4350 rehabbed.
At the auto show saw some cool cars stayed away from SUVs(hate them), mommy mobiles(ah, naw) and sports cars(I can get in them but can't get out). BTW what the hell is a Scion. It is a new car company which makes some odd looking vehicles took a pic of one which looks like it could be part of a future THE BUS order. I also saw Ric "DOC" Walker and Joe Jacoby retired Redskins, which was odd seeing that earlier Steve Spurrier resigned as heal coach and of course he will be lead away in a FED EX vehicle(or more a THE BUS ODV).
Had my fill of the autoshow and left. I wanted to take some night pics, but 1)no buses showed when I wanted to take them, and 2)my X2 came up which was rehab 8740. I haven't seen this since the Flxible new looks where running. There were only two artics running the X2, those being 5243 and 5230 and the rest where held down by 8740(my bus), 8772 and 8709. I got to Minnesota Avenue and grabbed after some waiting 2325. One this bus, almost everytime someone uses the back door and it closed, a bell would ring. My final bus came about 5 minutes early, 9366, and I almost had a only person bus trip home, but two got on and took a brief ride and another who got on the stop before mine. So that was my fun today I will have more tomorrow.
So many buses so little time.
Looks like WhyMATA and The Bus are in cahoots with each other;-) It's a mutual relationship to send each other's quality down into the crapper.
On my way to Addison Road now for our funfest today!
S76 to Hylan Blvd/New Dorp La
S79 Hylan/New Dorp->SI Mall for a lunchbreak.After lunchbreak,
S59 SI Mall->Victory Blvd
S62 Victory Blvd/Richmond Av->Manor Rd
S54 Manor Rd/Victory->Castleton Av
S53 Castleton Av-> Bay Ridge
Trip ends at Bay Ridge.Wether you leave or stick around afterwards is entirely up to you.Hope to see you then and have a Happy New Year!
Da Hui
Da Hui