BUS - Random Thoughts Thread

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Yeah I said it, I personally think Yukon is better than Castleton. I recall a couple years ago Castleton had almost as much as 30 buses out of service at one time due to accidents, engine/transmission problems, fire damage, etc., Orion 5s, Orion Next Gens and MCIs.

lol.... You can't be serious with that... Prior to Charleston opening, Castleton had no room to repair buses before AND their depot is older than Yukon's so I cut them a little slack for that reason only.  Now however, I'd say they're about the same and actually Yukon may be worse because they generally get newer express bus fleet compared to Castleton.  Mind you Castleton has most of Yukon's hand me down MCI's...

 

 

I said it when those buses were ordered.....The X3 will not take neglect at all. You have to stay on top of those buses.....the MCIs will take the abuse and ask for more. The 2200s have gotten better now that they are at Castleton......the issue is Yukon,not the buses.

Hell the way I see it, the should not be using Prevosts period.  I just don't think the materials that Prevost uses can stand the every day abuse that buses on Staten Island receive... I have to see how Ulmer Park is treating its Prevosts... Gonna take a trip to Bay Ridge eventually since I haven't been in a while.

[R188 7857]

Flashback to the old O5's:

The buses I remember the most were 505, 627, and 666. Seen them and rode them the most out of all of those old V's. I loved the suburbans, like 627. Now it is only the grandma and grandpa (1305/ 1306).. I wonder if they would put the hard seats on the NG's like they did on the OG's..

[GojiMet86]

With the possibility of Quill recieving XD40's, am I the only one who wanted to see a Nova LFS in the city?

 

There's an LFS that's in regular service for New York University.

 

Does anyone know when the CNG Orion Vs are going to be retired? I'll be looking for some older buses when I'm in the city in October and if the buses are still around then, it might be a decent shot in the dark.

 

From what I've gathered, they're probably going to be gone by June/July. But maybe if another delay happens on the C40 order, or if there's more shortages, or if the shuttle is still going on, then maybe they'll be there.

Edited March 16, 2013 by GojiMet86

[ttcsubwayfan]

There's an LFS that's in regular service for New York University.

 

 

From what I've gathered, they're probably going to be gone by June/July. But maybe if another delay happens on the C40 order, or if there's more shortages, or if the shuttle is still going on, then maybe they'll be there.

 

 

Thanks!

 

Looks like I may have to make a journey into NICE land for CNGs.

[youngblaze]

Very Interesting...It seems as though the XD60's are retrofitted with Clever Devices Intelligent Vehicle Network.

[LRG]

lol.... You can't be serious with that... Prior to Charleston opening, Castleton had no room to repair buses before AND their depot is older than Yukon's so I cut them a little slack for that reason only.  Now however, I'd say they're about the same and actually Yukon may be worse because they generally get newer express bus fleet compared to Castleton.  Mind you Castleton has most of Yukon's hand me down MCI's...

 

 

Hell the way I see it, the should not be using Prevosts period.  I just don't think the materials that Prevost uses can stand the every day abuse that buses on Staten Island receive... I have to see how Ulmer Park is treating its Prevosts... Gonna take a trip to Bay Ridge eventually since I haven't been in a while.

 

Yukon had too many express buses...remember before Charleston opened they were storing their buses in the parking lot in the Eltingville Transit Center? The way I see it, Yukon does better with their local buses than Castleton due to the rough neighborhoods they run through. With the express buses, there's no difference.

 

I only rode the Prevosts at Ulmer Park twice, both times during fare-free week after Hurricane Sandy. I can't really say how they're doing over there, but as far as appearance, they're doing okay I suppose. I do have to agree that buses like Prevosts do need to be looked after every now and then just because of the way they are, but I still like them. 

 

There's an LFS that's in regular service for New York University.

 

 

From what I've gathered, they're probably going to be gone by June/July. But maybe if another delay happens on the C40 order, or if there's more shortages, or if the shuttle is still going on, then maybe they'll be there.

 

From what I heard, the Shuttle is supposed to continue until Memorial Day weekend, and they'll do the (A)/© fleet swap again...I could be wrong though.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

@LRG.... Yeah both depots had space issues but still... Yukon isn't great with its fleet in general... They don't have that many local bus routes, so keep that in mind.

 

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On a side note, the detour info given by the was grand as usual... The detour was supposed to be until 44th and via Lex and then the regular route from 42nd on via 5th... Glad I walked to 3rd and 23rd because I would've missed my BM3  bus... 

[LRG]

I personally think tYukon is okay with their locals compared to Castleton...are either depots on the level of maintenance like Eastchester or even MJQ? Not at all! They could certainly do better.

 

Honestly, if my bus (6300) was sent to Eastchester to run on the Bx23 and Q50, I wouldn't mind. At least I'd know it would be in good hands with the maintenance team there. I really hope the MTA saves it in some way, maybe as a training bus or something...a little wishful thinking never hurts lol

 

On another note, I rode 5349 on the B44 this morning. I had to chase after it for one stop because I didn't feel like waiting for the next bus behind it (it was a hybrid). I'm loving these Artics.

Edited March 16, 2013 by LRG

[Acela Express]

Nope, q35 change seems 'permanent'. This was long before this construction at the junction. Then again they keep tweaking the q35 northern route ever since the takeover.

First it stopped at the same nb b41 stop, right up Nostrand, left on glenwood, left on FB and then to the Bergen beach b41 stop stand.

2nd change, left on H, stops right where the b103 short turns ends, right on Nostrand, right down FB.

3rd and current route: left on av I, right on Nostrand, right on av H.

I mean its just crazy these changes, what next left on av J? Lol. IMO, if the b103 seems fine with that turn on the intersection, I don't understand why they had to change the q35. I didn't mind the 2nd change.

That's because you're looking at it from one perspective.

There's one or two reasons they moved the stand - #1. The Q35 stopping where the SB 41s and SB103s was becoming too conflicting with the amount of buses stopping and discharging. It's a damn madhouse during rush hour; #2. The Q35 was constantly being crush loaded leaving the prior stand as it was being used as a supplement for the 41, this depreciating service for most folks going into the Rockaways.

 

Mind you, many folks who are just riding on Flatbush are smart enough to actually check around the corner if a 35 is loading there, but it's farrrrr less crowd that before, keeping service pretty accurate now.

 

I use the 35 myself going to the depot as they run every 10 mins mostly during the day, and 90% on time for the most part. Know the schedule and everything. lol

[Grand Concourse]

Well, I do agree that the current route is probably great and heck I can pretty much expect the bus to leave almost on the dial every 15 min during the middays. I guess I prefer not to run back and forth checking which bus comes first. So I'm still split on the move, but I have to admit that going thru the far less congested areas is the best, though they really need to put a marker on Nostrand to tell drivers to stop short from the traffic light so the bus has enough room to make that turn. Also there's still the issue of drivers double parking south of av h on Nostrand.

 

On an unrelated note, I think they need some left turn signals on av h and Flatbush as its just a nightmare with all the merging.

Edited March 16, 2013 by Grand Concourse

[Orion VII 4 Life]

 

Very Interesting...It seems as though the XD60's are retrofitted with Clever Devices Intelligent Vehicle Network.

Auto announcements? About damn time! Nice work MTA!! Now bring them to Manhattan where they're really needed.

 

BTW I assume you have the touchscreen in front, did they replace tbe Luminator controls or not? And are they programmed?

Edited March 16, 2013 by Orion VII 4 Life

[Cait Sith]

 

Yeah I said it, I personally think Yukon is better than Castleton. I recall a couple years ago Castleton had almost as much as 30 buses out of service at one time due to accidents, engine/transmission problems, fire damage, etc., Orion 5s, Orion Next Gens and MCIs.

2 NG fires, one of them being from the specs. Accidents happen at any depot with any bus and any given time.

 

I mean, I've seen some of the Castleton CTs get into a few fender benders...but nothing like this.

 

 

Still think they are better?

Edited March 16, 2013 by Cait Sith

[LRG]

At least 2445 got fixed, unlike 2226 which got into an accident and has been OOS since November and was sitting in the depot for months before they finally sent it to Zerega to be fixed.

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

At least 2445 got fixed, unlike 2226 which got into an accident and has been OOS since November and was sitting in the depot for months before they finally sent it to Zerega to be fixed.

 

And its still at Zerega...never came back to CAS

[LRG]

And its still at Zerega...never came back to CAS

Yup...I remember early January I was walking to the S53 at the stop by the depot...I passed by the garage and 2226 was sitting there with the font all f**ked up, like a bull or an elephant ran right into the bus !

 

I don't know the details of the accident this bus was involved in, however. I do remember sometime during the fall a CT caught fire while on the bridge approach of the Verrazano.

Edited March 16, 2013 by LRG

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

Yup...I remember early January I was walking to the S53 at the stop by the depot...I passed by the garage and 2226 was sitting there with the font all f**ked up, like a bull or an elephant ran right into the bus !

 

I don't know the details of the accident this bus was involved in, however. I do remember sometime during the fall a CT caught fire while on the bridge approach of the Verrazano.

 

Wow!...smh...

[Cait Sith]

At least 2445 got fixed, unlike 2226 which got into an accident and has been OOS since November and was sitting in the depot for months before they finally sent it to Zerega to be fixed.

 

To add onto that, the bus is 5 years old(damn, I didn't realize that till now lol)

 

Yukon's 2422 is still OOS and the bus is fairly new. Just remember that most of the abuse those CTs got were 99.9% mostly from Yukon. I guess thats one of the reasons why they got 2914 and 2918.

Edited March 16, 2013 by Cait Sith

[LRG]

That is true. I think that Prevost has been out since the middle of the summer.

 

Then again, Yukon has the most express buses and a lot of straight runs runs on their express lines so it shouldn't be surprising that maintenance on the express fleet can be deferred sometimes. The X1 has over 90 straight runs (which include the X2/3/4/5/7/8/9) and those lines rack up a LOT of mileage on the buses.

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

Where is the East New York Base Shop? Where they have those 3 1930s double decker museum buses?

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

.....at the East New York Depot.

 

I knew you was gonna say that...is it in the depot?  

 

Are there any photos of what they look like at ENY?

Edited March 16, 2013 by XcelsiorBoii4888

[Cait Sith]

I knew you was gonna say that...is it in the depot?  

 

Are there any photos of what they look like at ENY?

 

If you knew that, why would you ask?

 

I don't think there are any pictures of them in ENY. There are pictures elsewhere and I believe on TTMG.

[XcelsiorBoii4888]

 

If you knew that, why would you ask?

 

I don't think there are any pictures of them in ENY. There are pictures elsewhere and I believe on TTMG.

 

Because I was thinking if it was a separate building outside the main depot...or in the area about a block away. 

But then when I checked the Depot roster....the address is the same...so silly me...

[S78 via Hylan]

Finally caught an XD60 today. It was 4739 on the Bx1. The bus was ok, but I like the LFSA better.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Finally caught an XD60 today. It was 4739 on the Bx1. The bus was ok, but I like the LFSA better.

lol... Dunno how you can say that...

 

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Anywho, Yonkers must be short on buses.. Caught a BxM1 today back to Riverdale that was out of Baisley Depot of all places...  They've only got a handful of buses since they only do the QM21 but still...

[Fresh Pond]

Because I was thinking if it was a separate building outside the main depot...or in the area about a block away.

But then when I checked the Depot roster....the address is the same...so silly me...

Its in the building...ENY only has one building and it's lot bigger than what you think it is...