November 2009 Observation Photos

[C40LF_2464]

Ok im back with more photo's.

[ChristopherF]

METROBUS:
5404 & 5408 still have their respective B blocks, meaning that they were both on loan from Bladensburg.

[79MetroExtraMD]

METROBUS:
5404 & 5408 still have their respective B blocks, meaning that they were both on loan from Bladensburg.

*facepalm*

[OrionFlyer]

I was at BWI during the early morning hours, so I didn't see any. Oh, well. There's always Christmas. Since Christmas is the bigger holiday, the artics should be on the B30 during all parts of the day. What time of day was this?

[Tritransit Area]

According to the article in the forum, they are on "demand response".  Wednesday afternoon is when the real travel starts.  Try again on Sunday - you may see them running then!

[LandoverDivision]

Some pics from last week and this week. The sun was not my friend in some of these pics. Check out 6320. It had a right wheel cover though. Sorry about the sun's reflection in the 6455 picture.

[Tritransit Area]

Hmm...why in the world is there a 37 footer on the S4?!  Is there any rhyme or reason to the 37 footer assignments?

[79MetroExtraMD]

Hmm...why in the world is there a 37 footer on the S4?!  Is there any rhyme or reason to the 37 footer assignments?

Could have been pulled off an H8 to run a trip on the S4.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

took this about 30 minutes ago

[OrionFlyer]

IMO the green signs don't look too bad on the express buses, but probably wouldn't look right on the locals.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

IMO the green signs don't look too bad on the express buses, but probably wouldn't look right on the locals.

the signs on the express buses look great compared to the ones on 2802-2814

[LandoverDivision]

Some photos from Anacostia Station and Addison Road and others from today:

[Tritransit Area]

Metro Bs, Ds, and Es were just so easy to find down there this time.  I may attempt another visit to the area for a photo trip, and try to obtain as many pics as possible.  I need more daylight, though...

Here's a pic of 9491 pulling off, leaving me behind in frustration.  No worries, I later caught 3 different types of Metro Bs afterwards:



I also took a few pictures of Big R Gillig 5315 at one of the most important locations in my history of bus fanning.  This is Quebec Terrace, where I first started riding the Ride On bus system, and it's highly acclaimed route 16:



I used to get off at that corner back in the days when Ride-On ran TMC CITYCRUISERS and the 1989 Gilligs were the newest buses on the road.  Man, how things have changed!





The last picture shows 5749 pulling away from my home stop.  I used this stop all of the time to go to Silver Spring, before it became "Silver Sprung".

It's amazing to see these operators navigate the 40 foot buses along routes designed for 30 footers.  Here are a couple more shots:

[C40LF_2464]

Took this saturday.

[DCT S9Z4Z6]

Ahhh   Driving on the Q.T.

I had a run on Sunday Mornings, that did 3.5 R/T's on the 16, starting at Langley Park. 4-5 min layovers on each end, IF you were lucky.

Back in 89-90, there were 30 min headways on the 16, and early Sunday mornings, you wern't slowed down with the shoppers at Safeway & Kmart in Langley Park, or the grocery store at Piney & Arliss. . .  cause most the people in that neighborhoods were going to/from church.

The pic of 5749   looked to be mid block, almost to end of Q.T.  From the mid block stop, if ppl missed the bus, then could run thru the building & catch the bus at Carol & Piney Branch, before the light.

What I didnt like/care for. .  in the winter time, people would wait in the lobby of the individual apartment buildings & when they see the bus comming, run out & frantically wave & try to get ya to slow down. ("im sorry sir, ma'am. . .  I didnt know you were flagging me down, I thought you were flagging the taxicab behind me. Thats why we have whats called a "BUS STOP". We stop at BUS STOPS!)

Oh the stories I could tell about the 15, 16 & 20's.