BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[IAlam]

On 2/15/2019 at 2:23 PM, trainfan22 said:

NYCT side I never been on an Medrith or QV express route.

QV’s buses are probably some of the best considering in the express fleet considering how little usage they get.

Edited February 16, 2019 by IAlam

[trainfan22]

1 hour ago, IAlam said:

QV’s buses are probably some of the best considering in the express fleet considering how little usage they get.

IDK if they still do it but QV use to put up holiday decorations inside their express buses in December. With that being said, I hope they swap fleets with UP someday, Love to see the MCI's make a return to UP. Plus UP Prevosts are older and probably have more mileage than the QV units. Only reason why I never fanned an QV express bus route is because none of their routes have highway running in the PM Rush, only in the AM rush and I don't care enough to get up early to ride QV EXP route in the AM Rush lol. 

 

 

My random thought for today, always nice when you get to ride buses from my three favorite depots in the same day (FLA, SC and JG). 

[Future ENY OP]

19 minutes ago, trainfan22 said:

IDK if they still do it but QV use to put up holiday decorations inside their express buses in December. With that being said, I hope they swap fleets with UP someday, Love to see the MCI's make a return to UP. Plus UP Prevosts are older and probably have more mileage than the QV units. Only reason why I never fanned an QV express bus route is because none of their routes have highway running in the PM Rush, only in the AM rush and I don't care enough to get up early to ride QV EXP route in the AM Rush lol. 

If there is a new EXPRESS bus order than Ulmer Park is definitely on top of the list. I wouldn’t settle with those 22xx buses from Queens Village (keep those there). Just wished that  ordered more D4500CT’s back in 2013/2014 or even last year to make up score with the older buses for retirement. 

[trainfan22]

1 hour ago, Future ENY OP said:

If there is a new EXPRESS bus order than Ulmer Park is definitely on top of the list. I wouldn’t settle with those 22xx buses from Queens Village (keep those there). Just wished that  ordered more D4500CT’s back in 2013/2014 or even last year to make up score with the older buses for retirement. 

I would imagine depots with those old MCI's with the CAT 13 engine will be first in line to get new express buses. While new express bus at UP would be nice, they aren't in dire need of them IMO.

 

 

I agree with your last sentence, same goes for the 08 MCI order. 

Edited February 17, 2019 by trainfan22

[Around the Horn]

3 hours ago, trainfan22 said:

 With that being said, I hope they swap fleets with UP someday, Love to see the MCI's make a return to UP. Plus UP Prevosts are older and probably have more mileage than the QV units.

Queens Village doesn't have enough buses to swap with Ulmer Park, so that's a moot point.

[trainfan22]

37 minutes ago, Around the Horn said:

Queens Village doesn't have enough buses to swap with Ulmer Park, so that's a moot point.

They swapped the 4300 MCI with UP back in the day, even though UP had more buses. They could make UP 100%  2013 MCI if they swapped with CHR as well. Since I doubt the TA would want a mix of MCI and Prevost at UP due to stocking of parts, etc.

 

Edited February 17, 2019 by trainfan22

[Future ENY OP]

1 hour ago, trainfan22 said:

They swapped the 4300 MCI with UP back in the day, even though UP had more buses. They could make UP 100%  2013 MCI if they swapped with CHR as well. Since I doubt the TA would want a mix of MCI and Prevost at UP due to stocking of parts, etc.

 

Definitely maintenance issues would be the sticking point for UP to retain MCI buses again. 

I’ll go back to the previous post and say if MTA didn’t give  those 60+ buses (2008) models we would be in some decent shape. Meanwhile  & private buses (NJ) have a 6 year procurement with the D4500CT’s. They are on year 3. So for NJT MCI is making D4500CT’s for them until 2022 at the earliest or possibly migrating over to the D45CRTLE’s. 

[LGA Link N Train]

Are Local Buses and Artic's allowed to enter underwater tunnels in NYC, just curious to know

[Orion6025]

1 hour ago, LaGuardia Link N Tra said:

Are Local Buses and Artic's allowed to enter underwater tunnels in NYC, just curious to know

yes for at least the 40 foot locals

[Q Broadway Express]

1 hour ago, LaGuardia Link N Tra said:

Are Local Buses and Artic's allowed to enter underwater tunnels in NYC, just curious to know

I think some use the Queens Midtown Tunnel.

[East New York]

On 2/16/2019 at 7:57 PM, Future ENY OP said:

If there is a new EXPRESS bus order than Ulmer Park is definitely on top of the list. I wouldn’t settle with those 22xx buses from Queens Village (keep those there). Just wished that  ordered more D4500CT’s back in 2013/2014 or even last year to make up score with the older buses for retirement. 

The TA express order is only for 50 buses, and UP doesn’t have the oldest ones. It’s likely they will get some, but they could go to SI as well. 

On 2/16/2019 at 11:05 PM, Around the Horn said:

Queens Village doesn't have enough buses to swap with Ulmer Park, so that's a moot point.

Why not? Fleet swaps are never fleet for fleet. It’s bus for bus. 

On 2/17/2019 at 1:28 AM, Future ENY OP said:

Definitely maintenance issues would be the sticking point for UP to retain MCI buses again. 

I’ll go back to the previous post and say if MTA didn’t give  those 60+ buses (2008) models we would be in some decent shape. Meanwhile  & private buses (NJ) have a 6 year procurement with the D4500CT’s. They are on year 3. So for NJT MCI is making D4500CT’s for them until 2022 at the earliest or possibly migrating over to the D45CRTLE’s. 

No maintenance issues of UP were to get MCI’s again. They had them and they will again have them in the future. It’s inevitable at this point. 

Mad far as the rejected CT’s go, I’m not sure what you mean my we would be in decent shape if we had got them. Nothing would have changed except the fact that the Prevost order would not have had as many buses. 

Fleet ops for express are covered. If we were in dire straights the new order would definitely not be for only 50 buses. 

Now as far as MCI and the line goes, they are phasing out the classic D next year. NJT is only taking delivery later due to the fact that the order was put on pause and in jeopardy of being cancelled. 

NFI is trying to get everyone to migrate over to the platform starting now. Similar to what the did when they phased out the LF/LFR for the X. 

 

4 hours ago, LaGuardia Link N Tra said:

Are Local Buses and Artic's allowed to enter underwater tunnels in NYC, just curious to know

Yes they are. Express buses also use the BBT every day. 

[LGA Link N Train]

5 hours ago, East New York said:

Yes they are. Express buses also use the BBT every day. 

 

8 hours ago, Q Broadway Express said:

I think some use the Queens Midtown Tunnel.

 

8 hours ago, Orion6025 said:

yes for at least the 40 foot locals

Ok thanks. I was just wondering cause I don’t think a local bus route ever use the Brooklyn Battery or Queens midtown Tunnels before

[MysteriousBtrain]

1 hour ago, LaGuardia Link N Tra said:

 

 

Ok thanks. I was just wondering cause I don’t think a local bus route ever use the Brooklyn Battery or Queens midtown Tunnels before

All models in NJT, which includes MCIs Neoplans and NABIs use the Lincoln tunnel. I doubt there would be any issues in the queens-midtown.

Edited February 18, 2019 by MysteriousBtrain

[QM1to6Ave]

2 hours ago, LaGuardia Link N Tra said:

 

 

Ok thanks. I was just wondering cause I don’t think a local bus route ever use the Brooklyn Battery or Queens midtown Tunnels before

Back in the PBL days, the Orion Vs and some Suburban RTSs that were on CP's express routes took the Midtown tunnel every day

[QM1to6Ave]

I've noticed the Eagle team that checks tickets on the Q44 by Union Tpke now has an unmarked green van they sit in instead of the marked van that basically screams "BUY YOUR TICKETS"

[N6 Limited]

How do you think Passenger Counters are going to affect NYCT Bus and MTA Bus, in general, or in regards to planning or perceptions of ridership?

[paulrivera]

2 hours ago, N6 Limited said:

How do you think Passenger Counters are going to affect NYCT Bus and MTA Bus, in general, or in regards to planning or perceptions of ridership?

You mean those electronic ones by the doors that they've been talking about?

I think it'll help, but when it becomes time to add the service they'll go into cheap mode be conservative and put short turns and only where the most crowding occurs instead of adding service for the entire route.

ie: SBS Bx12. If they find the busiest points are along Fordham, they would probably just put short runs between the Inwood  (or maybe even Sedgwick) and Pelham Pkwy  stations. Or if they find that the Q44 really carries along Main Street at a certain time, they'd put a short run between Jamaica and Flushing, etc..

[Via Garibaldi 8]

14 hours ago, N6 Limited said:

How do you think Passenger Counters are going to affect NYCT Bus and MTA Bus, in general, or in regards to planning or perceptions of ridership?

They're going to use it limit how much service they provide. With the Metrocard swipes it just told them how many swipes the bus had, but not necessarily how many passengers they had each way. With the counters they should be able to pinpoint where ridership comes from a where and likely average it out. 

[East New York]

I’m trying out some new things on the forums. I started with photo tagging major topic links as seen with these examples below.  

 

[B35 via Church]

On ‎2‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 8:42 PM, N6 Limited said:

How do you think Passenger Counters are going to affect NYCT Bus and MTA Bus, in general, or in regards to planning or perceptions of ridership?

For perceptions of ridership, it won't matter.... They don't care about any of that when it comes to buses.

As far as planning's concerned, well as far as service levels, I think the counters will have little to no effect.... The onus'll be on cutting local services regardless.... More SBS service system-wide is inevitable.... If anything, they may use it as a means to (further justify) getting rid of individual stops all over the place....

 

Edited February 20, 2019 by B35 via Church

[trainfan22]

Yesterday for the first time in many years, I rode an MTA MCI with an DD60!!!😁It was in pretty good shape for an 02 bus, ran really well with a lot of power, unit out of CP.

 

We have an diverse MCI fleet right now, MCIs with three different power trains, DD60, CAT C13 and Cummins ISL. 

Edited February 20, 2019 by trainfan22

[Future ENY OP]

37 minutes ago, trainfan22 said:

Yesterday for the first time in many years, I rode an MTA MCI with an DD60!!!😁It was in pretty good shape for an 02 bus, ran really well with a lot of power, unit out of CP.

 

We have an diverse MCI fleet right now, MCIs with three different power trains, DD60, CAT C13 and Cummins ISL. 

Was it 2202 or 2209? I believe CP has both buses. 

[trainfan22]

20 minutes ago, Future ENY OP said:

Was it 2202 or 2209? I believe CP has both buses. 

Nah, it was an bus numbered in the 2800s.

Edited February 20, 2019 by trainfan22

[Future ENY OP]

Just now, trainfan22 said:

Nah, it was an 28xx bus.

Copy copy. Some of those 28xx buses definitely move. I remember riding some of them when UP had the old x29. Something to that form needs to come back. 

[danielhg121]

So why do some buses have locked wifi? I’m on a n/b XD40 on the Q44 rn and the network name is MTA7390. Lmk the password please lmfao. I’m not entitled to it or anything, is there a universal pw?