MD MTA New Flyer Reliability (04000/05000)

[mrpete]

An article in the current issue of Mass Transit focuses on Maryland MTA's adoption of new cooling system technology; the 8 mini-fan system spec'd on the new 09000's. However, the MTA's spokesperson, who wrote the piece exposed significant reliability issues with critical systems on all of the 04000/05000 Flyers. For example due to failures the radiators, alternators/voltage regulators and hydraulic systems of each of the 04000/05000's have been replaced at least twice.

See pages 20-21: http://masstransitmag.epubxpress.com/mass1

The new cooling system is being retrofitted to all 04000/05000's at a cost of $3million.

Any similar issues with NFI at WMATA & Ride-On?

[Tristan]

I wonder how "tolerant" that system is if one fan out of the array of 8 were to fail...

[Sand Box John]

Tristan link
I wonder how "tolerant" that system is if one fan out of the array of 8 were to fail...

One of the likely reasons the system uses multiple fans is for just such a circumstance. My roller skate has 2 fans, rarely do both them turn on.

[MetroLinerXLZ]

Something tells me that they had to undergo such replacements due to the excessive shock damage. With all of them rickety, runk streets in Baltimore.......

The 8-fan system would work better for those buses. At least if one of em' gets jarred out of place after the bus hits a pothole, the other 7 can still spin for a little while longer.