GMC/TMC/Nova RTS Discussion

[RockParkH]

What ever happened to the RTS Hybrids?? I heard 9900 was a demo but 6360 was in service at Manhattanville... Is 6360 still there or did they move it?

[ciboii22]

They been removed it but heres something

 

 

http://www.ttmg.org/pages/nova/nymta-novab.html

 

 

 

 

. .

[SevenEleven]

They were the RTS Hybrid demonstrators which wasn't accepted.

[East New York]

They were the RTS Hybrid demonstrators which wasn't accepted.

 

9900 was a demo that was never accepted because the hybrid system was not powerful enough for immediate production. 6360 however was not a demo. It was the pilot bus for the 6360-6364 order. However the hybrid system suffered many problems. 6361 was also built but never delivered. The bus saw service with MV for a while before it was ultimately returned to Nova, and the order subsequently cancelled. 6360, and 6361 were scrapped. Why they were not converted to diesels and sold will always be a mystery to me, as they were brand new buses.

[RockParkH]

They looked really good, but I guess they had money to waste so they scrapped them.

[R110B]

Well if you liked those then the Ex Command CNG RTS's

Would have done the trick.

[w8Hou]

9900 was a demo that was never accepted because the hybrid system was not powerful enough for immediate production. 6360 however was not a demo. It was the pilot bus for the 6360-6364 order. However the hybrid system suffered many problems. 6361 was also built but never delivered. The bus saw service with MV for a while before it was ultimately returned to Nova, and the order subsequently cancelled. 6360, and 6361 were scrapped. Why they were not converted to diesels and sold will always be a mystery to me, as they were brand new buses.

 

6360 was a demo part of failed 5 RTS hybrid fleet order.

 

MTA kill it due to mechanical and electronic issues. By that time RTS is dead at that moment and the famous memo posted MTA is not buying anymore RTS buses for the future.

[RockParkH]

Well if you liked those then the Ex Command CNG RTS's

Would have done the trick.

 

All of the years I've been seeing the RTS CNGs Downtown Brooklyn running on the B100 I never rode one:cry:

[East New York]

6360 was a demo part of failed 5 RTS hybrid fleet order.

 

MTA kill it due to mechanical and electronic issues. By that time RTS is dead at that moment and the famous memo posted MTA is not buying anymore RTS buses for the future.

 

It was a 1999 model pilot bus, not a demo, and the RTS was not dead yet. They continued to deliver buses for the next 3 years almost.

[w8Hou]

It was a 1999 model pilot bus, not a demo, and the RTS was not dead yet. They continued to deliver buses for the next 3 years almost.

 

No, 6360 is year 2000. It was a demo. MTA demos 1 or 2 buses for new orders. RTS production went down to the bottom when low floor dominated the market, very few orders going in thus Nova kills it.

[East New York]

No, 6360 is year 2000. It was a demo. MTA demos 1 or 2 buses for new orders. RTS production went down to the bottom when low floor dominated the market, very few orders going in thus Nova kills it.

 

That is incorrect sir! The bus was manufactured before the last of the 51, 5200's were completed. I have the entire production run, complete with serial numbers, and production years for the RTS. I as well thought it was a 2000 model for the longest. But once I started to go through the production logs, I learned that there are many years that we all think are one, but are really another. Example. The only 1999 RTS' are 5105-5249, 6360, and the second 9656. And I'm sorry, but the bus was a pilot, not a demo. It's like saying 1200, 1700, and 3800 were demos, when they too were pilots. Similar to how New Flyer will deliver 2 pilot buses. I can tell you exactly when the bus was made when I return home tonight.

[East New York]

Here are the build years for the 1991-1999 TMC and Nova RTS' I didn't feel like going back to the beginning, but if anyone has questions about any pre-1991 buses, I will be more than happy to answer them.

 

'90/'91 8000-8400

'93 8401-8566

'94 8567, 8600-8703, 8750

'95 8751, 8752

'96 8753-9349

'97 9350-9525, 9900

'98 4900-5104, 9626-9699

'99 5105-5249, 6360, 6361, 9656(replacement)

 

Nova built the buses more or less in this order: 5161, 6361, 6360, 5163, 5162. They all have XR VIN/serial numbers. The XR represents 1999 as the year of manufacture. I never knew until I looked at my records last night that 6361 was actually built before 6360! I may not know everything about the RTS off the top of my head, but I do have their life story on file.

[Novabus 5000]

Speaking on 6360, I am planning to make a model of it this coming october. Stay tunning for pics when that comes.

[Fresh Pond]

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They should've repowered and renumbered them...they could've still been running to this day

[error46146]

6360 was a demo part of failed 5 RTS hybrid fleet order.

 

MTA kill it due to mechanical and electronic issues. By that time RTS is dead at that moment and the famous memo posted MTA is not buying anymore RTS buses for the future.

Hybrid vehicle technology was still primitive and developing at the time the RTS Hybrid was considered..imo the RTS is a much better design than the Orion 7 and if the MTA waited and ordered the RTS hybrids now I think it probably would have passed

[East New York]

Does anyone know the progress of the RTS destnation sign upgrades? From what I have seen, it appears that only 5105-5109 have the new signs. What's taking so long??

[Fresh Pond]

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Does anyone know the progress of the RTS destnation sign upgrades? From what I have seen, it appears that only 5105-5109 have the new signs. What's taking so long??

 

Its 5105-5110 that have them...and isn't the plan to retrofit 5105-5249 with them?

[East New York]

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Its 5105-5110 that have them...and isn't the plan to retrofit 5105-5249 with them?

 

Yep. They are all supposed to get them.

[Fresh Pond]

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Yep. They are all supposed to get them.

 

Oooooooo ok

[BJC]

All of the years I've been seeing the RTS CNGs Downtown Brooklyn running on the B100 I never rode one:cry:

 

You mean the 103?

[East New York]

What I really miss about old RTS' are the sound of the air starters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SMfoXsd_mQ

 

The electric starters are ok, but the air starters were classic! I can't find audio of any of our old GMC's with them.

 

[MTARegional Bus]

What I really miss about old RTS' are the sound of the air starters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SMfoXsd_mQ

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Man it use to scare the Hell out of me when it turn on.

 

but never the less the air starters are classic.

[Eric B]

What kind of new signs are these?

I think the green LED/flipdot combo was nice, and even though the amber LED is the next development afyter that, they should just let them stay.

[East New York]

So, it's almost time for the last of my RTS' to have their life extended. Originally MTA had plans to overhaul 5000-5249, and later added in 4900-4999. Looks like this will take place sometime next year, and possibly 2012. I wish they would add in 9525-9699! Hopefully they will be around until at least 2016-2017.

[Eric B]

I was wondering when that stuff was going to start to move over to MTAB. (the 95/9600's first, of course). The 9300's and before, CNG Orions (and the BL second-hands) already over there will probably be ready to go soon. (With some already being sent to the ECH lot).