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How long were the WMATA baby Flxibles used by Ride On about 10 years ago or so?  Those got a repaint and then a second one back into the latest WMATA scheme after they finished their stint as Ride On buses.

From what Tristan tells me, those units were returned to WMATA and rehabbed in third scheme around Fall 2001.  We have 5172 at the CC&T in Roanoke, which is my current avatar for this site.  You can still see remnants of Ride On blue underneath a paint chip on the tailgate.

Ride On is planning to accept 30 ex-WMATA 3900's in the next couple of weeks to remove the troublesome Champion low floor cutaways. They will definitely run them until summer (2013) when Ride On recieves an order for 29 new baby Gilligs and possibly longer until 2014 when the next order comes in. Be on the look out!!

Oh, snap!  This is GREAT news.  So good to hear the 3900s will get a new lease on life! 

ooh, very nice, I definitely want one

Awesome!  Hit me up at www.facebook.com/starcitycustoms for ordering info.  -Fred

Thought I'd share this.  My first attempt at both a C40LF and the new Metro Local paint scheme.  Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=435168809835013&set=a.399742076711020.98972.109248429093721&type=1&theater

According to Bus Talk(whatever number it is), the WMATA's Orion 6s have picked up their last passenger as now are due to be retired and scrapped by the fall, replaced by New Flyers (that's if the 2013 fiscal budget is approved), I would link it but I'm not gonna.   

Though they needed to be retired, in a way it's sad that they are retiring, I liked them.

That is sad news.  Just think- the Flxible and GM New Looks they replaced dated back to as early as 1962, and had much longer service lives!  IIRC, the main reason they were all retired (along with the RTS fleet) was for ADA compliance, which the VIs certainly satisfied, but wow...what a gap in longevity.

I really liked the VIs as well, and felt they had an "old school" feel.  The seats were reminiscent of those found in early Grumman 870s, and the back window gave it a New Look feel.  And yes....their DD50s even had a distinctive retro sound.  I hate to see them go too.

I too liked them but they were plagued with problems. Oh well I guess we have to deal with more Xcelsiors....

"Deal"?  I thought the Xcelsiors were good buses, and I love the way they look.  Is WMATA having problems with them already?

I must say this story both excites me and scares me. It will be neat to see a European-type coach with a New Flyer badge, but hopefully it will be of the same quality as what NFI is already making? Considering the partner, I wonder if the end result will be the next SLF 200. http://newflyer.com/index/news-app/story.103

Great pics!  MAN, I've gotta get up there with 184 one day.  I hope 2013 is just as exciting!

Man, if only I knew!  March 18th was also Valley Metro's birthday.  That was the day in 1975 that it became a publicly-funded transit agency and took over the assets of Roanoke (VA) City Lines.  I "celebrated" the next day by speaking before Roanoke City Council and urging them not to eliminate Peak service (1/2 hour buses during optimum commute times) as such move would have depleted 18 drivers' jobs and immobilized many dependent riders.  I also chatted briefly with a few union drivers, who were out with signs concerning the same cause.  (DISCLAIMER: I am not employed by either Valley Metro or the City of Roanoke, I merely acted on my own free will as a concerned citizen.)

Great pics, Jonesy.  So how does anyone know long the Orion Vs will stay in service at both WMATA and PRTC?

Unless this video is a fleet montage, it looks like 2566 is rehab no. 1478.  http://www.tbd.com/blogs/tbd-on-foot/2012/02/watch-an-old-metrobus-come-back-to-life-video--14491.html

Wow.  And New Flyer agreed to keep building all of them in the older style?  What will these (and the other groups of 90) replace?

Great pics, Wayne.  So how many C40LFs did/will NYC get from that order?

This time it's 7867, and it's being sold by someone in Fredericksburg.  It's a shame FRED won't buy it and oust one or two of their cutaways; at the moment, their SLFs are they only thing they have that resembles a real bus.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1999-Orion-Commuter-Bus-/110810263835?pt=Buses&hash=item19ccce711b

This one is 1:76 scale, which is slightly larger than the 1:87 (HO scale) Orion I model.  I also have a couple of Fishbowls in HO scale that I can custom paint in WMATA colors, and I also have a good supply of Orion Is in stock at the moment.