A DE62LFA in the Express paint scheme?

[OrionFlyer]

While searching for Landover Division in Google maps I noticed something. Below is a link to an aerial view of Landover Division in google maps.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=3478+Pennsy+Dr,+Hyattsville,+MD+20785&sll=38.937377,-76.875715&sspn=0.001894,0.004823&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Pennsy+Dr,+Hyattsville,+Prince+George%27s,+Maryland&ll=38.936772,-76.874337&spn=0.001894,0.006866&t=h&z=18


If you zoom in you'll see two buses that appear to be in the express scheme. One of those buses appears to be an articulated bus. Could this be a DE62LFA in the express paint? It kind of looks like it to me. There also appears to be a local bus right next to them.

[Tristan]

Technology these days!  I wonder why they don't date stamp the photos.....

But it looks like you're right.

[C40LF_2464]

Yeah last time when i was playing with this google driving simulator thingy (http://geoquake.jp/en/webgame/DrivingSimulatorGM/) I checked it out but i think it was some sort of demo bus because the thing is really out dated. Go to PG Plaza station on the thing and you will see.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

B30 here we come!

[Scrabbleship]

B30 here we come!

Hybrids would be one of the more pointless things to run on the B30. I think an order of 5-10 straight diesel, suburban seated artics purpose built for airport service with luggage racks  overhead and in the bellows (and possibly the right front wheel well) would be better for the B30 and the 5A.

[OrionFlyer]

Yeah last time when i was playing with this google driving simulator thingy (http://geoquake.jp/en/webgame/DrivingSimulatorGM/) I checked it out but i think it was some sort of demo bus because the thing is really out dated. Go to PG Plaza station on the thing and you will see.

Yeah, I noticed it still has PG Plaza under construction. It's possible they could have been demos. I guess we'll have to wait until all of them are delivered.

[Tristan]

Not all of Google Maps' imagery comes from the same source and at the same time.  It might be a *reasonable* assumption that Carmen E. Turner & PG Plaza might have been photoed on the same day, but it's not an absolute eliminator.

[Annex4421]

B30 here we come!

Hybrids would be one of the more pointless things to run on the B30. I think an order of 5-10 straight diesel, suburban seated artics purpose built for airport service with luggage racks  overhead and in the bellows (and possibly the right front wheel well) would be better for the B30 and the 5A.

Pointless? sorry I have to disagree Hybrids or if anything artics would be an improvement for the B30 especially at certain times when it gets super packed not say ALL B30 buses should be artics but just enough to cover the basics.

[Tristan]

Hybrids are pointless, is what he said...not artics.  He even said that getting 5-10 diesel suburban ARTICS would be better for the B30 and 5A.  Reading is fundamental :-)

The fuel efficiency and whatnot of hybrids comes from the battery's use in stop-and-go, local traffic.  They do not really make much difference on the highway where there is no braking and the engine would run the entire time.  Plus, they're just not that fast.

[OrionFlyer]

Artics on the B30 would be perfect, especially the peak hours.

[79MetroExtraMD]

Hybrids are pointless, is what he said...not artics.  He even said that getting 5-10 diesel suburban ARTICS would be better for the B30 and 5A.  Reading is fundamental :-)

The fuel efficiency and whatnot of hybrids comes from the battery's use in stop-and-go, local traffic.  They do not really make much difference on the highway where there is no braking and the engine would run the entire time.  Plus, they're just not that fast.

...thanks to the governing that Metro puts on them. 55mph. Are we stuck in the 70s. I don't think MTA governs their hybrids that slow since the limit on 95 and 695 is 60-65.

Also, motorcoaches would work better (given the dwell times at both BWI/TM and Greenbelt). Since most of the B30 runs aren't interlined with anything (at least I don't think), it would work out for the better.

[Tristan]

Well the limits on highways here is 55, so...

I guess the question here is the capacity of a motorcoach (55?) versus that of a low floor artic (?).  Motorcoaches wouldn't work well on the 5A because there is some interlining.  They could isolate the blocks, however.

[79MetroExtraMD]

Well the limits on highways here is 55, so...

I guess the question here is the capacity of a motorcoach (55?) versus that of a low floor artic (?).  Motorcoaches wouldn't work well on the 5A because there is some interlining.  They could isolate the blocks, however.

What interlines with the 5A?

[Tristan]

I know of at least one run that ends up on the 16 line...one of the runs that does not ever get an artic.

[Annex4421]

Hybrids are pointless, is what he said...not artics.  He even said that getting 5-10 diesel suburban ARTICS would be better for the B30 and 5A.  Reading is fundamental :-)

The fuel efficiency and whatnot of hybrids comes from the battery's use in stop-and-go, local traffic.  They do not really make much difference on the highway where there is no braking and the engine would run the entire time.  Plus, they're just not that fast.

...thanks to the governing that Metro puts on them. 55mph. Are we stuck in the 70s. I don't think MTA governs their hybrids that slow since the limit on 95 and 695 is 60-65.

Also, motorcoaches would work better (given the dwell times at both BWI/TM and Greenbelt). Since most of the B30 runs aren't interlined with anything (at least I don't think), it would work out for the better.

I would love to see motorcoaches in WMATA. Iwonder how would they look in the Express schene.