ALERT: Gillig Trolley Demo in Alexandria

[Tristan]

Folks,

I will be working with a demo unit of a Gillig Advantage trolley in front of Alexandria City Hall tomorrow and Wednesday.  If you want to see one of these machines up close, come by any time from 12 PM to 7 PM (or 5:30 PM on Wednesday).

We're hoping to replace the Gray Line RV-chassis fake-me-out trolleys with these.  I know they are controversial, but I'd rather have a REAL BUS made to look like a trolley...STREETCAR...than have a bread truck made to look like a streetcar.

The attached photo isn't exactly what we'll have tomorrow, but it's an idea.

Image Credit: Shawn Bennear, who used to run the Pittsburgh Transit website, who has moved to Tampa and now runs Tampa Bay Transit History - http://www.tampabaytransit.info.  Used WITHOUT permission.

[79MetroExtraMD]

I don't blame you man. Those KST trolleys are POSes. It'd be worthwhile for them to get REAL buses. Also, would they consider Optima (similar to the Bethesda Circulator trolleys)? BTW, who operates KST and where's their depot?

[Tristan]

Gray Line - Tuxedo, MD.  We have refurbished "Little Red Trolleys" on King St.

Trolley background: City wanted a way to compete and work with (yes, at the same time) the National Harbor - basically, a way to keep people on this side of the river and/or bring them over...so they got Potomac Riverboat to do the Water Taxi service, and they added the free trolley as a direct link from King St Metro to the National Harbor.  Technically speaking, it's the easiest way to get there from anywhere in VA if you're using transit anyway.

Anyway, to do this, they needed a trolley in a hurry.  They decided the summer before the harbor opened (IIRC) that they wanted a trolley the following April when the harbor actually did open, so they came to us...we told them no because A) You can't get a bus that quickly, B) Even if you could, we didn't have the capability in the old building to "host" a new vehicle type (already over capacity in Maintenance with little room to store even current parts, and C) We'd have to find the operators for it.  So, they put out a lowest bidder RFP for one solid year and two option years until we got our new facility together.  Now we're at this point.......a little off-topic KST primer, in case you were wondering.

And 79Metro, Optima trolleys are crap too.  All of these fake-me-out, misnamed "trolleys" are pieces of crap.  Gillig is the only company in the business I know of that makes something that will make it off the lot without getting a service call the same day.

[orionvii2680]

I must have a look at this trolly.
City hall on King Street? Correct.

[Tristan]

301 King btw Fairfax & Royal, on the current trolley line and DASH 2, 3, 4, 3-4, 5, 7, walking distance from 8 and Metrobus 9A, 10A, 10B, 11Y, 29K/N.....so...pretty accessible.

[C40LF_2464]

Can you go inside of it?

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

that's probably the most modern trolley i have ever seen...so new and retro at the same time, it's pretty awesome

[Tritransit Area]

How did this "trolley" thing become so popular.  The wooden seats are horrendous.  Give me some recliners in a sleek body, and I'd be happier.

The ride quality at least would be smoother on this bus...that's made to look like a fake trolley....

Someone should design a PCC bus - yay!

[Tristan]

Can you go inside of it?

Yes, you can go inside, and we were giving short rides at random.

[orionvii2680]

I gotta go Tomorrow.
You Gonna be there Tristan?

[Tritransit Area]

So...how was it?  Where are the pictures?!

[aznboy4305]

At least it doesn't have a three piece windshield...

And the engines in the back...

And the transmission gear selector doesn't require a thumb to operate...

[Tristan]

It was great...I ended up being there only one day because I got sacked with the flu (not swine) -- but it's a great vehicle.  And there was a sales rep from gillig there who talked about a lot of orders - Frederick, Howard, and Annapolis...Annap actually bought one trolley.

All the decision-makers saw it and liked it, but we didn't immediately mention the price tag.  The unit we had on demo was from the Poconos, a 30-foot hybrid that cost $650k.

[aznboy4305]

Thats one hefty price tag, is the "Trolley" treatment that pricey? Our 40 foot Gillig hybrid BRTs costed ~$512,000 a piece.

[Tristan]

The trolliness was about $80k of the price...so I dunno what else about this vehicle cost $570k.