Is the Maspeth Depot a Recycling Bin (to You)?

[Micstromme]

Okay, this is an interesting thing I found to bring up. First off, while I think that the Grand Avenue Depot is one of the best depots in the Brooklyn Northern Division, I find that there are very interesting traits about its short history.

 

When the Grand Avenue Depot first opened, it collected some of the trailer trash bus routes in Brooklyn and one crap shooter in Queens (yes the Q59 is (bleep) -I said it) and then the depot began acquiring some of the worst fleets across the city (with the exception of the 8000s and 94/9500s).

 

Now that the depot has come across some bad times, they have traded in some of their better fleets for some trash.

The three TMC's that they originally had (8027, 8252, and 8382) were given back to MTABus. Luckily 8027 returned with the 8311 and they are doing great.

 

The hybrids will be a catch as soon as they start to receive some fresh coatings (yes, whitebacks)

 

But the 8500's are being vastly swapped between Fresh Pond Depot and Ulmer Park Depots, in exchange for the latter's 8700s. Most recently, the East New York Depot gave away their 8890's to the depot for free.

 

Here is what the depot have as of right now (the date of this post):

 

1990-1991 TMC Model T80-206 RTS: 8027 and 8311 (expect more to make the switch in the foreseeable future)

 

1993-1994 TMC Model T80-206 RTS: 8489, 8496, 8503, 8524-8525, 8527,8529, 8532-8534, 8537-8559, 8561

 

1997-98 NovaBUS Model T80-206 RTS: 9430-9488,9508-9515,9575

 

2005 DaimlerChrysler Orion 07.501 Low Floor Hybrid-Electric: 6558-6624

 

1995-96 NovaBUS Model T80-206 RTS: 8776-8785 (8786 is scrapped for parts after having a major accident out of Maspeth Depot), 8788-8789, 8896-8903 (more is expected to make the switch in the upcoming weeks)

 

 

Now I suppose that this is a nice variety and a considerably fair age of fleetage, but it seems more like recycled goods. My question to you is do YOU think that the Maspeth (GRand Avenue) Depot is a recycling bin or is it the real deal?

 

Thank you for riding with MTA NYC Transit.

[UlmerPark B6]

well i like those ex-grand avenue depot 85xx to UP.

[East New York]

LOL.... Just because the Depot is brand new doesn't mean it gets new buses. I'm sure it will eventually. But I think they do a good job maintaining them, since it's a CMF.

[Pablo M 201]

LOL.... Just because the Depot is brand new doesn't mean it gets new buses. I'm sure it will eventually. But I think they do a good job maintaining them, since it's a CMF.

You know, I had the same mindcept when Grand Avenue Depot first opened, I was thinking it was going to get newer equipment.

[Micstromme]

No one said anything about the depot getting new equipment. What I did expect was for a better distribution of fleetage.

 

For example, if the Grand Avenue Depot got instead of hybrids suburbans and the novas from Ulmer Park then that would have been fair.

 

The 8500s could have stayed, Flatbush should have given up their lower 5000s and some of their 5200s and if they must give this great recycle bin hybrids, 6790-6847 from ENY!!!!!!!!!!!

[Q43 Floral Park]

No one said anything about the depot getting new equipment. What I did expect was for a better distribution of fleetage.

 

For example, if the Grand Avenue Depot got instead of hybrids suburbans and the novas from Ulmer Park then that would have been fair.

 

The 8500s could have stayed, Flatbush should have given up their lower 5000s and some of their 5200s and if they must give this great recycle bin hybrids, 6790-6847 from ENY!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Okay, you should be happy they gave Grand Av any hybrids at all, taking the ENY ones would have been jacked up because they just got them. It's been slightly over a year. If FLA gave up there 5000/5200 then would they have? 8500's?

 

That is a very good distribution of fleet age. If you want an example of a bad fleet age distribution look at CAS and YUK their entire 40ft fleet is 1997 RTS's and 1999 O5s. CS and KB alone have all but 35 of the 95-96 O5's still in service. KB that's a recycle bin, nothing good stays there for long.

 

Also at some point in the near future GA will give ENY buses which ones I don't know...

[Micstromme]

Okay, you should be happy they gave Grand Av any hybrids at all, taking the ENY ones would have been jacked up because they just got them. It's been slightly over a year. If FLA gave up there 5000/5200 then would they have? 8500's?

 

Surely if you thinkthat the 2005 hybrids are so great then why can't the Flatbush Depot acquire them? Also pull some off from the streets of Manhattan and/or Queens.Bottom line is that I feel like the Grand Avenue Depot is starting to look like a doormat for old junk, plain and simple. Atleast with the 2007 hybrids that would not have been the case.

 

That is a very good distribution of fleet age. If you want an example of a bad fleet age distribution look at CAS and YUK their entire 40ft fleet is 1997 RTS's and 1999 O5s. CS and KB alone have all but 35 of the 95-96 O5's still in service. KB that's a recycle bin, nothing good stays there for long.

 

Simply put, baloney. KB had good until the Bronx went all hybrid-cellar technology. But I do know what you mean when you say that The Bronx is bad.

Also, one of those horrendous depots are to receive Orion VI's as well as the 1993 TMCs in the future (per subchat). That should help the aging fleet some.

 

Also at some point in the near future GA will get ENY buses which ones I don't know...

 

...most likely the ones they are currently trading in, the 1995 Novas. Perhaps as more hybrids come in, they will give some of their '99 RTS' over to their sister Northern Division Depot.

 

I would like to know what you are thinking about the giving of the 8890s over to Grand Avenue? Does this sound fair or unfair to you?

 

One final note, why is it that Brooklyn is the largest division in the entire city?