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That would suck. The Xcelsiors aren't that great of buses anyway, seeing how they've had the most problems compared to the Orion 7 3Gs and even the Novas. I wish Orion didn't exit the bus industry so soon, the chose to leave at the really wrong time.

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That would suck. The Xcelsiors aren't that great of buses anyway, seeing how they've had the most problems compared to the Orion 7 3Gs and even the Novas. I wish Orion didn't exit the bus industry so soon, the chose to leave at the really wrong time.

 

I mean, wasn't really a choice, more like Daimler decided it wasn't cost-effective and pulled the plug before anybody knew what was happening. As for the XD40s, you're right about all the electrical kinks at first but from what I understand the buses are performing pretty well these days, and there hasn't been any of the issue with space like we've seen on the LFSes... I will say though, those XDs are not aging well. I was on an Ulmer ex-SI bus the other day (maybe the ex-SI part is important...) and the bus was rattling like nuts, tranny was shot, not great.

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I mean, wasn't really a choice, more like Daimler decided it wasn't cost-effective and pulled the plug before anybody knew what was happening. As for the XD40s, you're right about all the electrical kinks at first but from what I understand the buses are performing pretty well these days, and there hasn't been any of the issue with space like we've seen on the LFSes... I will say though, those XDs are not aging well. I was on an Ulmer ex-SI bus the other day (maybe the ex-SI part is important...) and the bus was rattling like nuts, tranny was shot, not great.

 

In all fairness, the minute those Xcelsiors from Staten Island were transferred to Ulmer Park is when they started giving issues, not to mention when Ulmer got their original batch, the buses were breaking down in the middle of the street. I can't really recall having any problems with them personally in Staten Island (e.g. a bus breaking down on me, except for one situation back in September when two XD40s broke down on the S53 back to back due to foam coming from the back of the buses and I was on one of them), but that was a while ago.

Edited by LRG
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What about the 7000s, I heard drivers were trained on them even though they drove NGs...I'd be surprised if they had to because other than the 7000s being diesel, everything in the drivers' area looks the same.

Well on the 7000s, that right side mirror is a whole lot smaller than on the NGs (still don't know why the 3 new buses are like that) so I guess some training would have to take place to get adjusted to it.

 

Other than that, its the same as driving the NGs, everything is in the same exact place.

 

Soon, none of the buses will have Regen switches. Too many drivers forgetting to turn them back on when they leave the depot causing road-calls/break downs.

So is that why the newer LFSAs don't have one?

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Well on the 7000s, that right side mirror is a whole lot smaller than on the NGs (still don't know why the 3 new buses are like that) so I guess some training would have to take place to get adjusted to it.

 

Other than that, its the same as driving the NGs, everything is in the same exact place.

 

 

So is that why the newer LFSAs don't have one?

The OG and NGs are diesel-electric hybrids, hence the regen. Why would the LFSAs have regen switches? Those are straight diesels.

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Yeah, I believe you told me about this via PM a while back.... For me, it's the part past NH that's the deterrent...

 

Done the 61-11-41-CL-O2 about a handful of times or so... The worst part is getting onto the stamford #11 (crowds), the best part is the interlining of the stamford 11/41 @ the transcenter, as well as the ride on the coastal link from end to end itself.... Ride on the O2 is kinda boring though... lol....

 

Yeah, I mentioned the #20, but that only runs rush hours. I came across a question on Yahoo Answers asking about how to get to somewhere in the Hartford area, so it reminded me that I never found any sort of all-day alternative to the #20.

 

With the interlining, I'm not sure if you told me, but does the B/O announce "this is leaving as XX route", and everybody who needs that route just stays on (without using a transfer)?

 

For you and anybody else who's interested, I put the headways and approximate runtimes of the routes (as well as what division of CTT they're run by)

 

For the C1, the runtime is 70-90 minutes, depending on whether it's express or local. Headways are hourly on the weekdays, and roughly every 90 minutes on Saturdays. Run by the New Haven Division.

 

For the "M" (run by Middletown Area Transit), it runs in a loop that takes about an hour to complete, so it's about 25-35 minutes from Meridan to Middletown. Buses run every hour on weekdays and every 2 hours on Saturday (with a 3 hour gap at the end of the day, which is like 3PM)

 

For the #55, the runtime from Middletown-Hartford is about 45-55 minutes, depending on whether it's an express or local. Headways are every hour, except for a little stint in the PM rush when they run every 30 minutes. Run by the Hartford Division. (Weekdays only)

 

For the "AR", it makes a loop in Meriden, so a full trip takes about an hour. From Meriden-New Britain takes about 30 minutes. Headways are hourly. (Monday-Saturday). Run by the New Britain Division.

 

For the #41, the runtime from New Britain-Hartford is about 40-45 minutes, depending on whether it's express or local (there's a super-express that takes about 30 minutes). Headways are every 30 minutes Monday-Saturday. (The schedules are available on both the Hartford & New Britain pages)

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The OG and NGs are diesel-electric hybrids, hence the regen. Why would the LFSAs have regen switches? Those are straight diesels.

That doesn't prove anything...

 

The LFS has a regen system...

 

...so does the 3Gs

...and the 1200s LFSAs

...and the MCI CTs (well the first batch, not sure about the new ones)

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That doesn't prove anything...

 

The LFS has a regen system...

 

...so does the 3Gs

...and the 1200s LFSAs

...and the MCI CTs (well the first batch, not sure about the new ones)

No, I get that, I just assumed the regen systems referred to on the hybrids were specifically electric regenerative breaking to charge the hybrid system batteries.

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Peeling? Was the white paint actually peeling? Cause that's the only paint on that bus; MTA specced black vinyl and blue sticker stripes which come right off. 4899 is the only painted XD40.

 

It looked like it was, or atleast you could see the silver part of the skirt.

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Well since im a XcelsiorBoii...

these are the XD40s i havent rode...

4810-4822, 4824-4826, 4828-4829, 4831, 4833-4836, 4838-4839

 

4850-4852, 4854, 4859

 

4891, 4899....

 

WHAT? How can you even call yourself an XcelsiorBoii?????!?!??!?!

 

Caught slippin ohdee.

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WHAT? How can you even call yourself an XcelsiorBoii?????!?!??!?!

 

Caught slippin ohdee.

Yeahh im a mess...i get the same buses all the damm time...and ENY took most of the buses i havent rode...if UP had all 90 them i would be thw real XcelsiorBoii...right now im a mess...thats about 30/90 buses...

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