CT Transit of Connecticut

[Nabinut]

On Friday, I traveled to Connecticut in my annual Black Friday ritual. CT Transit as it's called has multiple divisions spread out over the state. I focused on three of the more common divisions: Hartford, New Haven & Stamford. Here are some photos and videos. Enjoy!

 

Hartford:

751, a 2007 New Flyer D40LF assigned to Route 62 is seen leaving Downtown Hartford near Union Station:

 

In Downtown Hartford, routes are grouped at individual stops. Here, 535 picks up passengers at one such stop:

 

Like many systems on the east coast, CT Transit provides service to local airports. Here is 2003 D40LF #312 in service on Route 30 to Bradley Airport:

 

Route 41, which runs from Hartford to New Britain, another CT Transit division is a 45 minute between the two districts. Here is #740 at the start of the run:

 

In 2002, CT Transit purchased 2 Hybrids as a test. These two are in service for Hartford Division. Here is H301 before a run on Route 56D:

 

This past year, CT Transit ordered D35LFRs for their suburban operations. Here is A7 loading passengers at West Farms Mall:

 

Also ordered this year was 32 MCI D4500CTs of which 12 are in CT Transit express colors. Here is 1016 on layover before a start on the 5 Express:

 

New Haven:

 

New Haven Division operates a Free shuttle from Union Station into Downtown using three 1999 Eldorado EZ Riders. Here is 9902 in front of Union Station:

 

New Haven Division also rosters 26 1996 NovaBus Classics. Here is 9616 seen near the end of Route G1:

 

At New Haven is Shore Line service, a connector line from Metro-North that runs to the outskirts of Connecticut. Here is #1701 laying over on Track 12:

 

Stamford:

 

Stamford, the smallest of the three cities in terms of transit rosters 56 buses, 32 of which are 2001 New Flyer D40LFs. Here is #115 at the Stamford Transportation Center:

 

Atlantic Square, the main drag in stamford also offers decent bus service outside of the transportation center. Here is #105 on Route 44 before leaving to head to the Transportation Center:

 

Another route that serves Atlantic Square is the I-Bus, a express service that runs between Stamford & White Plains in Westchester Co, NY. Besides the new MCIs, the night trips also operate New Flyer D40LFs with suburban seating. Here is #132 shortly before departure:

 

Videos:

 

1996 Novabus Classic #9616: Series 50/Allison B400R

 

 

1999 ElDorado EZ Rider #9902: Cummins ISB/Allison B300R

 

 

2001 New Flyer D40LF #123 with a Series 40 engine:

 

 

2004 New Flyer D40LF #422 with a Series 50 engine:

 

 

2005 New Flyer D40LF #505 with a Cummins ISL engine:

 

 

Lastly, here is footage from my trip:

 

[B35 via Church]

Nice set of photos & clips you got here... I miss riding CT's routes...

 

Hartford is just too much of a hassle to get to from here...

 

I only rode on like 2 of New Haven's routes (don't remember which ones)...

 

Most of Stamford's routes are nice & quick... always a good photo op for you pic takers/movie makers while at Stamford's transcenter... I find that buses almost always arrive there around the same general timeframe... and it's almost never just one bus route only... One time I was waiting for an I-bus back to WP (white plains), and like 5-6 buses came one right behind the other... I was like wtf....

 

norwalk's entire system I almost rode in one day... I like the fact that all their routes loop back to the wheels hub (terminal)....

 

bridgeport's got some good routes to fan out there also... I keep putting my CT trips aside... I will ride that Coastal link bus again...

[Nabinut]

It took me three hours and $38 to get from NYC to Hartford via Metro-North and Greyhound/Peter Pan.

In the video of #123, you can see a slew of buses leaving. We were the last bus to leave on the 7:05pm departure. It was five buses including a classic.

[BZGuy]

Nice CTTransit pics!

 

Gotta love Frank Smith "mean-mugging" the camera in 1016!

[IRT Bronx Express]

Excellent :tup:

[thehartfordboy]

Nice CTTransit pics!

 

Gotta love Frank Smith "mean-mugging" the camera in 1016!

 

I hate that driver. He drove the bx520 which runs the 95-Glastonbury route to 2C-Corbins Express. He was always 20 minutes late and he took a cigarette break in the middle of the trip.

BTW, this is my first post, so hi everyone.

[Nova2588]

Nice shots!

[BZGuy]

I hate that driver. He drove the bx520 which runs the 95-Glastonbury route to 2C-Corbins Express. He was always 20 minutes late and he took a cigarette break in the middle of the trip.

BTW, this is my first post, so hi everyone.

 

I really can't blame Frank for that. BX520 and BX519 are easily two of the toughest "east of the river" runs in the company. The problem is that they come off the 83c from Buckland Mall and MCC and alot of the "BX"s aren't timed right.

 

But at the same time Frank's "winning" attitude doesn't help...although he's alot nicer when he's does express vs local.

 

Welcome aboard here,hartford boy! Nice to have somebody from my hometown on here.

[Luis1985]

ive been wanting to go up to CT to check out their bus fleet, but i havent been able to. are the RTS's still running in Waterbury??

[B35 via Church]

I really can't blame Frank for that. BX520 and BX519 are easily two of the toughest "east of the river" runs in the company. The problem is that they come off the 83c from Buckland Mall and MCC and alot of the "BX"s aren't timed right.

 

But at the same time Frank's "winning" attitude doesn't help...although he's alot nicer when he's does express vs local.

 

Welcome aboard here,hartford boy! Nice to have somebody from my hometown on here.

 

Question...

 

What are the BX519/20 ?

[BZGuy]

Question...

 

What are the BX519/20 ?

 

Those are the "block" numbers or in NYCTA land "run" numbers.

 

They are structured like this:

1xx: A.M Commuter/Trippers

3xx: P.M. Commuter/Trippers

4xx: Special Weekend or Holiday work

5xx: Buses that are out all day that interline local/express

 

Take for example that pic of 740 has block "BX512"

That bus starts out it's day as the 41,

then turns into a 72A,

then back into the 41,

then into the 83C,

then into the 37,

and finally finishing it's day as a 95.

 

This particular bus leaves the garage at 450am and does not pull back in until 1240am, going through 3 drivers in the process.

 

As you can see CTTransit is really into interlining, almost to the point of ridiculous. The interlining was suppose to help improve ontime performance and has actually made this worse on some lines. BX519/520 are good examples of this because they come off a very heavy use line (the 83) late and screwup other lines.

 

But from what I have heard is that pretty soon everything will be a "BX" and their will be no more "pure" lines. I'm sure all the CTTransit drivers are looking forward to that.....NOT!

[R32 3348]

Great pics and vids!

[thehartfordboy]

I really can't blame Frank for that. BX520 and BX519 are easily two of the toughest "east of the river" runs in the company. The problem is that they come off the 83c from Buckland Mall and MCC and alot of the "BX"s aren't timed right.

 

But at the same time Frank's "winning" attitude doesn't help...although he's alot nicer when he's does express vs local.

 

Welcome aboard here,hartford boy! Nice to have somebody from my hometown on here.

 

Thank you so much. And that is true. BX519, poor guy. At least he doesn't have to return to Hartford on the last run to Buckland.

[thehartfordboy]

Those are the "block" numbers or in NYCTA land "run" numbers.

 

They are structured like this:

1xx: A.M Commuter/Trippers

3xx: P.M. Commuter/Trippers

4xx: Special Weekend or Holiday work

5xx: Buses that are out all day that interline local/express

 

Take for example that pic of 740 has block "BX512"

That bus starts out it's day as the 41,

then turns into a 72A,

then back into the 41,

then into the 83C,

then into the 37,

and finally finishing it's day as a 95.

 

This particular bus leaves the garage at 450am and does not pull back in until 1240am, going through 3 drivers in the process.

 

As you can see CTTransit is really into interlining, almost to the point of ridiculous. The interlining was suppose to help improve ontime performance and has actually made this worse on some lines. BX519/520 are good examples of this because they come off a very heavy use line (the 83) late and screwup other lines.

 

But from what I have heard is that pretty soon everything will be a "BX" and their will be no more "pure" lines. I'm sure all the CTTransit drivers are looking forward to that.....NOT!

 

3 things. One, is CT Transit scared to boost runs on the 83? Also, with every other bus line, there's short trips. Is CT Transit scared of doing this too on the 83 and the 95 routes? And lastly, Bx512 turns into 82/84 after the 72A trip. I love riding with Mr. OCD.

[BZGuy]

3 things. One, is CT Transit scared to boost runs on the 83? Is CT Transit scared of doing this too on the 83 and the 95 routes?

 

Honestly I don't know, maybe they feel the 83 has enough service. Personally I would run short trips to Mckee/Center via MCC during the day. Same thing with the 95...in the morning and afternoon peak I would run helper trips as far as Main/Brewer and have the 95s coming from Glastonbury go express from Main/Brewer into Downtown. The 87s are suppose to help but they run too infrequent and there is always that game between the 87/95/83 of who gonna run down Main first. If you take the system as much as I used to you see the amount of holding back on Albany Av/Farmington Av/Franklin Av and Park St lines. It never used to be like that and it's been getting worse as the supervisors seem to be turning a blind eye to it.

 

Thank you so much. And that is true. BX519, poor guy. At least he doesn't have to return to Hartford on the last run to Buckland

Oh boy I could tell some stories about 519. Especially when after you came off the 83c it went out as the 88c. Talk about a bunch of pissy people.

 

Or the Old BX525 that used to do the 410p 33w from downtown, arrive at Westfarms at 444p and had to DH downtown to do a 454p 13 to Windsor Locks...that was a nightmare run.

 

Bx512 turns into 82/84 after the 72A trip. I love riding with Mr. OCD.

 

Thats good...it made no sense for it to come off the 41 for one trip. And leave Mikey alone! I'm glad to see someone else noticing that he has OCD. You gotta see him when he takes over his bus...he moves the mirror SIX times exactly. Mikey is cool people, but he is funny as hell to watch!

[thehartfordboy]

Thats good...it made no sense for it to come off the 41 for one trip. And leave Mikey alone! I'm glad to see someone else noticing that he has OCD. You gotta see him when he takes over his bus...he moves the mirror SIX times exactly. Mikey is cool people, but he is funny as hell to watch!

 

Yes he does. I'll leave him alone. Even though I might be trying to run to Newington for only a minute or two and don't want to miss the bus back.