Orion 7

I know for a fact that the CNG tanks were good til 2024-25.

I honestly get the feeling that this service could end up being an entirely new MTA branch, similar to SIR, but independent of the subway. It's too long to be a Light rail or bus rapid transit line, and too short to be an MNRR/LIRR line unless it offshoots from existing trackage from those services that are still active. It would do best in my option as either a full on subway line (with some major upgrades and expansions) or as i mentioned above, an SIR type service.

That makes since as NICE didn't want to spend money on doing that, just to retire them soon after. However with that being said, I do wonder why do NICE even retire these so soon?They could have made it til 2023-2024 in all honesty.

Yeah, that this is the most variety they had since the late 1990s and early 2000s. And you mean XN40, as NICE don't have any XD40s.

I did too. You're not alone.

They are probably really going to go all in with these capital plans as they now have the funds they need to get it done........until it is depleted again.....

So is this a proposed new Subway line? Or will it be like SIR and the MTA Railroads? If tracks already exist then this must have once been used for freight services up until WW1-WW2 era.

Honestly felt that they should have brought more XN60s so WF could have been 100% CNG.

In light of the whole electric bus movement, is there any word if the MTA is officially done with CNG bus purchases? The go all EV by 2028, but they still have a window between now and then for more CNG orders or even Hybrids for that matter besides the current HEVs being delivered.

So are these buses going to be fleet expansion buses or replace anything in NICE's current arsenal?

Seems that nobody has mentioned this, but all the 2008-2009 Orion 7.501 NG CNGs have been retired except for bone uses #1785 and #1797. Can anyone confirm if those buses are still system reserve buses?