Let me start with some photos taken in August since we didn't make a thread for that month.
Now for September. Looks like 6472 is a Montgomery loaner
Also, last 2 pics are from August. 6559 is still in the local scheme here, eventually it will be painted for REX along with 6550-6561
I don't think that's paint on the DE42LFAs. I believe they went back to wrap just like what they did with the Orion VIs. Still, I don't get why Parkway is doing the REX now. What they should of done is leave the REX to FMR and give the 8W,X,S,Z and 9A, and E to Parkway. Also, Make West Ox a weekend depot too. I don't get why they won't open on weekends?
Also, is Parkway currently using any other 8000 series buses besides #8002-8011? I think up to #8050 should be here while #8001 is likely back at the NABI plant in Alabama for spec changes and what not. Also, I wished they changed the doors on these buses, they look awful.
George, great pics as always!
Chargerdodge9-Everybody has an opinion on what they should've done but you don't know what kind of restrictions or reasons why the routes were moved the way they did. Leave it to the experts.
On the why doesn't all the garages not open on weekends, why waste money on operational costs to have all the garages open on the weekend when FMR has enough to run all weekend service in VA and believe me FMR has more than enough to run weekend service and then some. VA doesn't have so much service that it warrants more than one garage to stay open. If more service comes to VA on the weekends that another garage needs to be open then they'll have another garage open on the weekends. If you get into the understanding of why things happen then you'll understand how things happen.
@WES, so in other words, the demand is not there?
To a point no, if there was much patronage on weekends then the service might be there, if the funding was there to make it happen. Mostly all of VA service runs on an hourly basis only REX and a handfull of other routes run more frequent than an hour on weekends and a lot of VA service only runs during rush hour. I think if I'm correct Annex is back to running weekday service only because there's no real need to keep Annex open on the weekends. It happened when Montgomery first opened, they were closed on weekends, service was run by Northern/Western/Bladensburg. WMATA has to keep costs low, as much as they can, since there is no real tax revenue to fund it.
But if WMATA is so under funded, why do they keep buying expensive buses? I mean first they bought the original 2008 NABI BRT-60 CNGs, then it was the DE42LFA family, then the Xcelsiors and BRT Orion VII 3Gs, and now back to the NABI BRTs?
Quote from: Chargerdodge9 on September 12, 2014, 07:05:05 AM
But if WMATA is so under funded, why do they keep buying expensive buses? I mean first they bought the original 2008 NABI BRT-60 CNGs, then it was the DE42LFA family, then the Xcelsiors and BRT Orion VII 3Gs, and now back to the NABI BRTs?
Because in the long run it would be more expensive to maintain older buses than to buy new ones? That's my guess
Quote from: NewFlyer9736BCT on September 12, 2014, 04:34:56 PM
Quote from: Chargerdodge9 on September 12, 2014, 07:05:05 AM
But if WMATA is so under funded, why do they keep buying expensive buses? I mean first they bought the original 2008 NABI BRT-60 CNGs, then it was the DE42LFA family, then the Xcelsiors and BRT Orion VII 3Gs, and now back to the NABI BRTs?
Because in the long run it would be more expensive to maintain older buses than to buy new ones? That's my guess
But back then, WMATA could of just brought more DE40LFRs and/or Orion VII OG hybrids and Orion VII NG hybrids like the MTA. In fact, I remember you guys having a major discussion about this years ago when the DE42LFA buses first started to invade Washington.
Quote from: Chargerdodge9 on September 12, 2014, 05:06:03 PM
But back then, WMATA could of just brought more DE40LFRs and/or Orion VII OG hybrids and Orion VII NG hybrids like the MTA. In fact, I remember you guys having a major discussion about this years ago when the DE42LFA buses first started to invade Washington.
Not exactly sure what you're asking here, but iirc this is a picture thread, and that said...
P.S. Chris the first 2 are for you :P I thought I posted them already but I guess I didn't
Nice shots and I saw #8007 just yesterday ;D.
Some pics from last week.
A few more
Love the pics guys, keep them coming!
George-Was the pic taken before or after I saw you? If it was before, I was parked behind the bus.
I believe that was after you saw me, I was just about to get the shot as you drove by. It wasn't until you drove away that I realized who that was.
So yeah 8007 is the first (and so far only) WMATA NABI 40-BRT that I ever rode
Quote from: NewFlyer9736BCT on September 14, 2014, 10:59:50 PM
I believe that was after you saw me, I was just about to get the shot as you drove by. It wasn't until you drove away that I realized who that was.
So yeah 8007 is the first (and so far only) WMATA NABI 40-BRT that I ever rode
Cool, so far I rode on #8005 and #8011. I almost rode #8007, but I was too lazy to get off the 10B (#2531 just sounded way too good). Anyone know when #8012 and higher are going to be deployed?
Quote from: Chargerdodge9 on September 15, 2014, 03:19:38 AM
Quote from: NewFlyer9736BCT on September 14, 2014, 10:59:50 PM
I believe that was after you saw me, I was just about to get the shot as you drove by. It wasn't until you drove away that I realized who that was.
So yeah 8007 is the first (and so far only) WMATA NABI 40-BRT that I ever rode
Cool, so far I rode on #8005 and #8011. I almost rode #8007, but I was too lazy to get off the 10B (#2531 just sounded way too good). Anyone know when #8012 and higher are going to be deployed?
That is the #1 question that's been asked for the past month or so. I don't know the answer, but we'll see them when we see them. Right now let's enjoy the Orion Vs while we still can.
Quote from: NewFlyer9736BCT on September 15, 2014, 01:53:22 PM
Quote from: Chargerdodge9 on September 15, 2014, 03:19:38 AM
Quote from: NewFlyer9736BCT on September 14, 2014, 10:59:50 PM
I believe that was after you saw me, I was just about to get the shot as you drove by. It wasn't until you drove away that I realized who that was.
So yeah 8007 is the first (and so far only) WMATA NABI 40-BRT that I ever rode
Cool, so far I rode on #8005 and #8011. I almost rode #8007, but I was too lazy to get off the 10B (#2531 just sounded way too good). Anyone know when #8012 and higher are going to be deployed?
That is the #1 question that's been asked for the past month or so. I don't know the answer, but we'll see them when we see them. Right now let's enjoy the Orion Vs while we still can.
lol, easy for you to say. WMATA took all of VA's Orion Vs, so it's going to be much harder for me to track them. Almost caught #2112 at Fort Totten station, but the B/O was OOS. I did see #4299 deadheading somewhere in Annandale last Thursday though. Don't know what that was about. But yeah, when the rest of the BRT 42s start moving, many of Parkways DE42LFAs will be moved elsewhere to Orion V depots. That'll pretty much be the end of the 1997s and the beginning of the end for the 2000s, because I'm sure that many of those are going to go to Storage for the time being. One thing I noticed with WMATA is that whenever a major bus fleet is about to retire, any units that are in VA or in DC get sent to Maryland depots. They did that with the 1992 Orion Vs, the 1990-91 Flexible Metro Bs, and the 1995 Flexible Metro Es.
Quote from: NewFlyer9736BCT on September 15, 2014, 01:53:22 PM
Quote from: Chargerdodge9 on September 15, 2014, 03:19:38 AM
Quote from: NewFlyer9736BCT on September 14, 2014, 10:59:50 PM
I believe that was after you saw me, I was just about to get the shot as you drove by. It wasn't until you drove away that I realized who that was.
So yeah 8007 is the first (and so far only) WMATA NABI 40-BRT that I ever rode
Cool, so far I rode on #8005 and #8011. I almost rode #8007, but I was too lazy to get off the 10B (#2531 just sounded way too good). Anyone know when #8012 and higher are going to be deployed?
That is the #1 question that's been asked for the past month or so. I don't know the answer, but we'll see them when we see them. Right now let's enjoy the Orion Vs while we still can.
And you know what, I think I going to start fanning the C40LFs more. I've been living in the DMV since summer 2005 and I've only rode them twice (including this past Saturday). Man oh man did #2412 sound amazing! :)
Quote from: Chargerdodge9 on September 15, 2014, 05:19:57 PM
And you know what, I think I going to start fanning the C40LFs more. I've been living in the DMV since summer 2005 and I've only rode them twice (including this past Saturday). Man oh man did #2412 sound amazing! :)
The C40LFs are amazing. I heard 2301, 2421, and 2443 drive very nice, but not sure off the top of my head what else drives good. They all sound great though.
Not sure if 2464 is still in service because I haven't seen it in a while, but you DEFINITELY want to ride that one, it's nice and fast and my god that JD bass...
Quote from: NewFlyer9736BCT on September 15, 2014, 07:49:01 PM
Quote from: Chargerdodge9 on September 15, 2014, 05:19:57 PM
And you know what, I think I going to start fanning the C40LFs more. I've been living in the DMV since summer 2005 and I've only rode them twice (including this past Saturday). Man oh man did #2412 sound amazing! :)
The C40LFs are amazing. I heard 2301, 2421, and 2443 drive very nice, but not sure off the top of my head what else drives good. They all sound great though.
Not sure if 2464 is still in service because I haven't seen it in a while, but you DEFINITELY want to ride that one, it's nice and fast and my god that JD bass...
I think #2464 should still be in service. I believe it was reported that #2336, #2407, and #2463 are the ones that were retired. I'll look for those other buses though, thanks.