RideOn's Orion Vs - New Transmissions???

[TransitGuru1981X]

Hi,

Is it true that Montgomery County RideOn is replacing some (if not all) of the Voith transmissions with Allison B-400R WTEC-IVs on some of their Orion Vs?

Delonta (Annex4421) wisecracked about this; he claims to have rode on an O5 35' with a new Allison B-400R WTEC-IV transmission (as opposed to the Voith D863 that was the original transmission).

A recap of their Orion Vs:
5546-5547 - 1993, 05.503 (35' x 8'), Detroit Diesel 6V-92TA DDEC to Allison HTB-748 ATEC (#5547 was scrapped after a fire around 2005)
5550-5566 - 1996, 05.503 (35' x 8'), Cummins M11E Plus to Voith D863.2
5567-5569 - 1996, 05.503 (35' x 8'), CNG, Cummins L10G Alpha to ZF Ecomat 5HP-590
5572-5579 - 1998, 05.503 (35' x 8'), Cummins M11E Plus to Voith D863.3
5704-5725 - 1999, 05.501 (40' x 8.5'), Detroit Diesel Series 50 to Voith D863.3
5802-5821 - 1999-2000, 05.501 (40' x 8.5'), CNG, Detroit Diesel Series 50G to Voith D863.3
5580-5624 - 2001, 05.504 (35' x 8.5'), Detroit Diesel Series 50 EGR to Voith D863.3 (only 35' Orion Vs in the RO fleet with Series 50 engines; was the agency's largest order of buses at that time)

A total of 25 Orion Vs in the RO fleet use Cummins M11 engines (as opposed to the ISM that replaced it for 1999). The ISM itself was used for the last Gillig Phantoms the agency ever ordered, coupled to the Allison B-400R transmission.

~Ben

[Scrabbleship]

I thought that 5580-5624 are 102" wide buses. They sure feel wider than 5550-5579 for sure.

[TransitGuru1981X]

I thought that 5580-5624 are 102" wide buses. They sure feel wider than 5550-5579 for sure.

Corrected that part of the entry.

~Ben

[Tritransit Area]

Hmm, I doubt that would be the case.  All of the Orion Vs are past or approaching "retirement age".  Besides, the worst problem with the later models isn't the transmission, but the DD50 engine with the EGR.

[Annex4421]

Yes I rode 5585 its has the Allison Transmission