Official Bus thread

[RailBus63]

Yet another RTS bus fire:

Boston Globe: 'T bus catches fire in Everett; blaze is 4th in 5 weeks'

According to the ne.transportation Yahoo group, the bus was 0124, a non-rehab assigned to Charlestown.

This is getting serious - maybe they shouldn't be scrapping all those older RTS buses just yet.

JD

[AznSumtinSumtin]

I feel like a lucky piece of poo. I was riding that bus on the 104 route on Monday. Now I am starting to think the MBTA should replace the entire 94/95 RTS fleet. Its a good thing the T doesn't own commercial jetliners for passenger service. The older RTS's they sold should be bought back and recieve a second rehab. At least they didn't catch fire almost every week.

[bn2189]

I happened to ride the 8915 on a Route 87 run today, the first time I had been on a 8900 in years. I don't know how this bus is mechanically, but it's interior was much nicer than most recent 0-series rehabs I've seen lately. The padded seats were nice of course, but all kinds of other little details were in good shape, from window sills to the "stop requested" light. It's too bad this coach isn't slated to stick around for awhile.

Maltby Turn out.

[MBTA1]

Thats because the Bus was an Albany bus, up until about 2 weeks ago. Albany's buses tend to be in better shape than any other garage. Especially compared to Cabot, and Arborway. It's (almost) next door neighbors

[octr202]

T to inspect two older-model buses damaged in recent fires
Blazes originated in AC compressor

[MBTA1]

Aren't the 8000, 8800, and 8900's the oldest in the T's fleet? And wouldn't those "125 buses" replace them?

[AznSumtinSumtin]

Perhaps they're excluding the 80's 88's and 89's because they're gonna be scrapped. Or by model they mean type. As in RTS in general.

[jwhite07]

Despite the MBTA's reports that Neoplan is unable to deliver the remainder of the order for 85 AN440LF buses (only 18 have been delivered at this time, and it is thought that that's all that will be delivered before Neoplan ceases production), the official company word from Neoplan is a Monty-esque "I'm not dead yet!":

http://www.lamardaily.com/Stories/0,141 ... 20,00.html

Okay then, so where's the rest of the order?

"You're not fooling anyone, you know..."

[octr202]

Took some searching but I found the web page on mbta.com that they referenced in the Lamar article.

http://www.mbta.com/insidethet/transitc ... nts.asp#2b

Sounds as if we might end up with some "unusual" buses in the T's fleet if they pursue some of the strategies described.

[MBTA1]

Last night online I found a picture of toasted 0248 after its recent fire.

I don't know how to paste pictures but if someone does know how I can e-mail it to them and they can post it. Or you can just go the website in which I found the picture.

The URL is [url]http://www.firenews.org/weekly2.html[/url] It's close to the bottom of the page, and there is a burnt bus next to it which I believe is 0104.

[MBTA1]

I was down at Albany St. Garage the other day, and I noticed several 8600's and 8700's out of service. On NETransit I could find the numbers of the 8700's but not the numbers of the 8600's does anyone know their numbers?

[octr202]

More on Neoplan:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massac ... _deadline/

The article makes it sound like the Silver Line dual modes are in jeopardy, although the NETransit roster page says the remaining DMA's are in Dorchester just waiting for electrical gear...

[aline1969]

The entire dual mode fleet is here. The T might ask Skoda to finish the orders is Dorchester if neoplan croaks.

[octr202]

That's good that they got them all out of Colorado. A 40' diesel bus is something that a few other companies shouldn't have (too much) trouble producing. One of those dual modes...that's another story.

[RailBus63]

According to Jonathan Belcher's MBTA Vehicle Inventory Page, Millennium Transit outbid NABI and New Flyer for the bid to provide 150 to 155 clean-diesel buses. If the MBTA approves the contract, Millenium would build low-floor RTS buses for the T.

The RTS era continues!

JD