September 2008 Observations

[Tristan]

I bet even half or more of us wouldn't

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

The 6300s

Thats what they will be numbered.

Yesterday at around 11:20 am I was going south on I-270 and saw WMATA 6301 (BRT Hybrid with new scheme) heading northbound. That bus looks sweet, I can't wait to see more

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

Saw 5501 today at around 11:10 at Montgomery College Germantown on the 55 southbound.

For one thing...the 55 is mostly a 40-ft bus route, rarely 35-ft on weekdays and even rarer (if thats a word, lol) 30-ft.
Plus the fact that based on other's observations, 5501 was recently a Silver Spring bus
Oh and there's more...the signs don't work and on the back of the bus it says "TRAINING" in large yellow letters (this was pretty much the first time I saw this bus up close and personal)

Unforfunately I didn't have my camera and I really should have rode it because the Orion Is are on the verge of extinction and even though it was extremely crowded and was heading the opposite direction of where I wanted to go, I still think I should have rode it.

[Scrabbleship]

I think I have a couple pictures of 5501 on the 26 at White Flint from August somewhere on my camera.

Two oddities from today: 9760 on the 60 at Georgia Avenue-Petworth (this must be one of the Metro-D's that Western is borrowing from Northern) and a 2100 on the D6 at E & 8th NW. Is it normal for Northern (or Western) to do blocks on the D6?

[79MetroExtraMD]

I think I have a couple pictures of 5501 on the 26 at White Flint from August somewhere on my camera.

Two oddities from today: 9760 on the 60 at Georgia Avenue-Petworth (this must be one of the Metro-D's that Western is borrowing from Northern) and a 2100 on the D6 at E & 8th NW. Is it normal for Northern (or Western) to do blocks on the D6?

I haven't heard anything about Western getting some D6 runs. I have seen quite a few Western buses on D6 runs primarily in the evenings when I'm at Union Station.

[rideonrulez]

Saw 5501 today at around 11:10 at Montgomery College Germantown on the 55 southbound.

All remaining Orion I's have been transferred to Gaithersburg except one that is still at Nicholson. I saw 5543 at Lakeforest Transit Center yesterday (9/29/08) on the 61. Good to see the Hammerhead Orion I's back at there original home.

[ChristopherF]

RIDE ON:
085729 on the 20 (Silver Spring)
965394 on the 20 (Hillandale)

METROBUS:
6110 on the NH1
6139 on the NH1
4020 on the NH1
4349 on the 66
9489, still in the old 2nd scheme, on the 26A
9768 remains @ Montgomery.
4206 on the 86 (Calverton)
4261 on the 3B (Falls Church Sta)
4262 remains @ Northern.
4310 remains @ Northern.
4330 remains @ Montgomery.
4396 remains @ Montgomery.
4397 remains @ Montgomery.
2558 is now in the NGV wrap
2610 on the 38B (Farragut Square)
2626 -- 1 of only 2 Bladensburg Orion VIIs WITHOUT the NGV wrap -- on the 86 (Rhode Island Avenue Station)
2394 on the R4 (Brookland Station)
2411 on the 80 (Kennedy Center)
2453 on the 80 (Ft Totten)

[Tristan]

4358 remains @ Royal with the irreplaceable, annoying, ugly Nationwide insurance ad...the orange one with the back that is completely white sans for a blue square.

[ChristopherF]

4271 & 4378 had the same exact Nationwide ad wraps removed earlier this year.  And 4358 could be next...

[Tristan]

I was joking about "irreplaceable" - of course they will eventually remove it, it's just been there so long that it's starting continuing to look really bad, yet it's still there.  I wonder if it is even under contract anymore.  Knowing WMATA, anything's possible.

Wait, is saying that WMATA is capable of anything giving them too much credit?

[rideonrulez]

I saw a cutaway (5290) on the 16 to Takoma this evening  There were actually two blocks with cutaways that were suppose to be regular buses this evening. We managed to switch one out (9/30/08) around 7pm.

[Scrabbleship]

I saw a cutaway (5290) on the 16 to Takoma this evening  There were actually two blocks with cutaways that were suppose to be regular buses this evening. We managed to switch one out (9/30/08) around 7pm.

Would that be related in any way to the cutaway I saw on the 5 on Connecticut in Kensington yesterday during rush hour?

[rideonrulez]

I saw a cutaway (5290) on the 16 to Takoma this evening  There were actually two blocks with cutaways that were suppose to be regular buses this evening. We managed to switch one out (9/30/08) around 7pm.

Would that be related in any way to the cutaway I saw on the 5 on Connecticut in Kensington yesterday during rush hour?

LOL Yea, That was the one we replaced when he got back to Silver Spring. Unfortunately I had to drive the cutaway he had back to base after I gave him 5623.

[Tristan]

Aagh you've been tainted!!!

[Perry]

Chris was tainted YEARS ago. LOL

It looks like PRTC is going to get some new buses again soon.  The Orion V's are going out for mid-life rehab and now the first batch of the 300-series MCI's are getting ready.  Hard to believe they're that old already.  I don't know what they're going to do when the Orions are retired.  I wish they'd go to a double-door bus which I suggested while there but they want the extra seating capacity.  It would make the dwell time at Franconia Springfield so much shorter if they did that though.