East New York

Alright, so, were you able to get pictures?

 

And was this bus really numbered 3801?

Ditto..... DETAILS MAN!!!

What kind of bus is this, and what depot is this at? I never seen this Bus

This was one of the 3 demo buses ran out of Baisley Park a few months ago.

So this whole December thing is now squashed, and we will get needed buses sooner??????

As long as this demo bus passes the street inspection they could start coming in August or sooner. But if it doesn't...............

It'll be interesting to see what the text would read after the MTA logo....

I would assume New York City Bus. Thats where the forst 4 batches are supposed to go.

Let me guess, it's testing at either Yukon or Castleton right?

That's what I'm thinking, but right now it's at Zerega to get registered. It came with only a blue stripe. No numbers, or MTA logos.

Okay, so I have a major update! Things may be getting better for the Orion. It seems that at this time they may have worked out the tech problems, as well as redesigned the rear of the bus so it won't bottom out so easy. They have worked the changes into 2 of the 3 buses that have already been manufactured. Production on further buses will resume on Monday.

The demo is now ready for testing! Oh, and did I mention they delivered it to Zerega today??!!

I don't want to get too excited yet, but I hope it's at the Roadeo.

Yeah it's true. As an operator of Ulmer Park, i talked with the manager he told me the same thing (not the Citaro part). he told me that the MTA wanted the Orion VII NG on the streets of brooklyn, S.I., and queens. they have to change some specs. to meet the MTA standards which is way too much. they do have a few delivered (7 to 8 maybe) but it's gonna stay a Zerega for a long time. it is first going to be tested again now in Brooklyn or (and) S.I.

What do you mean they have a few delivered??

MTA specs = how fast can it fall apart, go bad, and/or break down........

lol

My friend, if New Flyer could supply buses that fast here, I would drop Orion like a bad habit, and go to New Flyer tomorrow. We have them here already, and they are the better buses with the LF (C40LF)...... Just looking at the buses, one could see that the New Flyer is slightly larger. I drove both the Orion VII CNG, and the C40LF (19-A). The Flyer is far roomier. They just need to shrink that steering wheel, cause it is just too huge. Hopefully they did with the updated Flyers. I thought I was turning a small school bus wheel........

They could supply the buses on a short lease, but they would not be built to MTA specs.

So what new Citaro features are to be added to the O7 NG?

 

I really didn't expect MTA to get these buses in the 1st half of the year but these buses are really needed. Let's hope Orion is able to reconfigure the bus for a quicker delivery like October.

Whatever features coming from the Citaro will be minor.

Maybe MTA should start looking at the New Flyer DE40LFR, while testing the D60LF (hopefully R).

I agree, and if nothing else the TA could place an emergency lease order for DE40's and DE60's. The DE40's could be here in 2 weeks and the 60's in 3 or 4.

So here's the update on the progress of the new buses. As previously posted the developement of the NG has been revised. Daimler wants to incorporate some of the Citaro's features into the OVII NG, and New Orion X Artic. They also want to revise the suspension of the NG to better handle NYC streets, especially areas in Staten Island, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. There also seems to be some other design flaws that need to be worked out. If all goes as planned, the OX Artic demo will be produced for testing in the third quarter of 2010. Developement of the Artic is also contributing to the delay of the NG.

Well, as you all know, the 3rd production bus has been completed, and yet again, it's has failed MTA's audit inspection. It's appears to be a technical problem that Orion has yet to get right. This is the worst possible time for for the MTA. This now means that the NG Hybrids will be delivered late, and this bus shortage will continue for the next few months. Buses number 4 and 5 were to roll off the assembly line on June 16. That will now be pushed back, and production of these buses will be haulted indefinitely untill the problem is resolved. Because the 3rd bus did not pass, and the delivery will be late, MTA has the legal right to recieve compensation from Daimler. The TA will be eligable to recieve a discount off this $350 million+ order. If the issue is not fixed by the end of June, the TA will recieve a discount, and a free bus. So hopefully Orion can get it together real soon! I would imagine whatever it is will be fixed by then. This is how the TA got 6905 for free.

I wish some coach looking buses would be used on local bus routes too. Express buses get to use the all-fancy looking buses. The Orion VII's and the New Flyer Articulated buses are great. I wish it was used by MTA bus company for its Queens routes.(NYCT)

Which buses are you talking about MTA Bus using? MCI's on local routes?

Well, there seems to be a pic of said bus on buschat. I'm looking forward to actually riding one of these buses instead of just discussing it. As long as it ends up on a route I take aka KB or QV. http://www.subchat.com/buschat/read.asp?Id=97863

Thats the first pic i've seen of one. It definitely looks blackbacked.

Does anybody know which depot the first O7NG bus will be at?

Rumor has it First 30 go to Yukon, but the 1st Gen O7 didn't do too well in Staten Island.

I don't know if I was clear, but what I was asking was if those 2 buses were repainted a 2nd time? because when they 1st got to KB they were sporting a new coat of paint, went to pieces and now they are missing all ads and look like they got a new paint of coat.

 

I noticed whenever KB starts repainting buses they leave, 8800's got spruced up a little before leaving, the 6000's went whiteback then to CAS, next the 5700's to GH for the BRT. You can always tell if KB is about to lose a bus by how fresh it looks.

 

And thats just messed up sending 6695 to KB to be repainted. Tease the mechanics and drivers about buses they'll never see in that depot. Maybe it's just me hating the 95-96 O5's but do the drivers complain about why KB doesn't have any O7's?

Yeah, lots of buses have been repainted more than once. For example, 6695 is back to being a blackback again.

Progress update: The 3rd production Orion VII for MTA rolls off the assembly line on Monday. Looks as if the second bus off the line passed inspection, but still needs some work according to the MTA. This should be worked into the 3rd bus. These buses are black backed, and will be delivered that way. I will have a more detailed update Monday, when the next bus is complete. Looks like the first 120 could be delivered this year.

Now the million dollar question: Is 6695 going to stay at KB long enough for driver's training?

 

Little off topic but are they re-repainting the 99 O5's? Saw 6249 and 6296 looking like they got a new coat of paint recently.

 

Can't wait to ride the NGO7's.

Good question about the driver training. And yes about 95% of the '99 O5's have already been repainted. About 50% of those are whitebacked.

Speaking of Hybrid, 6695 was in KB paint shop, being painted for the pass few days. Level II it is now. I doubt I need training, since I drove the Orion VII CNG. Same bus different propulsion.....

Yeah, you're good to go. The O7NG is almost identical under the body to the 1st Gen O7.

So the #2 Orion NG bus is complete. We now have to wait and see if it passes tha TA's inspection (which im sure the TA already knows), or if we have to wait again. If this bus does not pass, there will be one more due off the assembly line on May 26. At this time the bus needs to be right, to ensure an on schedule delivery this summer.

You know the 1st Hybrids I'm talking about, will most likely be the 1998 ones. That old crap we will get.

LOL...... Now that does sound about right.

Most likely KB will get the 1st Hybrids. The first ones that came to MTA.

Well when the hell are ya'll gonna start driver training? The NG's will be arriving in less than 4 months.

LOL only at KB. If you get the chance within the next day or 2 check out #674. nice rear lcd, clean windows, no screeching fanbelts. It's perfect except for the pole swinging like a pendulum in the middle of the bus whenever it makes a turn. At this point, all i can pray for is KB getting the 1st NG O7's.

Wishful thinking, because KB won't be getting any NG's any time soon. It would be nice if they did, but it's like a 5% chance that will happen.

So I just talked to my guy at Orion, and he said that even though the first production bus did not pass MTA's audit inspection, they are still on track to begin delivery on time in late summer. In fact he said that the first production bus has never passed an inpection the first time around, so this is normal. The second bus is still set to roll off the assembly line on May 5th, and at that point they will have worked in most if not all modifications that MTA is requiring. There are 16 TA engineers up in Oriskany to oversee the progress of the buses. So for now nothing has really changed, and I will have another update on May 6th.

So here's an update on the progress of the Orion VII NG's. First of all, the first prooduction bus off the line did not pass the MTA's audit inspection, so Daimler will have to work on the changes that need to take place. The next bus is set to be complete on May 5th, but this now depends on Orion getting the first bus right. Also, at this time it looks as if Staten Island will not be getting any NG's any time in the near future. The TA recently tested 2 O7's in Staten Island, and they did not pass the street tests because of bottoming out. I will be calling my guy from Orion tomorrow morning to get more updates.

Does this mean Manhattanville will receive Orion 5 buses and the good RTS buses? I can't wait for them to show up.

That is a good question, but I don't see MAN getting any O5's. I could see MJQ getting some, then sending some of their RTS's to MAN

MTA Casleton Hawk of TS

6845 was at the corner of Bay Street and Victory Blvd, early this morning are 6:00am along with officals from DOT and MTA Planning and a Road Truck, and a observation van from Diamler Chrysler. They were testing the right rear end of the bus relative to the corner where it appears the rear end bottoms out severly and then cannot get up the hill on Victory Blvd. I sat around and watched for about 20 minutes and they did at least 8 or 9 test runs just on the 1 corner, then came along 6666 with something attached to the rear of the bus and it made turn correctly without bottoming out. It appears to be somesort of leveling sensor that keeps the right rear from dropping to far. They were also testing along richmond terrace from Rector St. to Broadway with certain measurements and kneeling functions. One thing of intrest was how severly this bus bottoos out making that turn and after that the bus loses it power. When I came back around their at 8:37 they were gone not sure if they went to another part of the island, or if they were done. These buses had decals for their respective depot ENY/ MHV.

Re-confirmation that SI may be on the list for NG's.