June 2010 Observations

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

according to nextbus, all of the 6490s are up and running except for 6498 and 6499 (6498 is at CET, 6499 is at Bladensburg)
as for the 6500s: 6500, 6501, and 6505 are in service at Northern. 6509 is at Bladensburg (in service?), the rest are at CET.

what about 6510 and up? well for now it seems that 6510-6514, 6519, 6521, and 6523 are sitting at CET. the rest are probably there or on delivery, but they're not accounted for on nextbus yet

[ChristopherF]

RIDE ON:
095342 on the 10 (Twinbrook)
095333 on the 10 (Hillandale)

METROBUS:
6107 on the NH1
4020 on the NH1
4349 on the 28A (Tysons Corner)
4073 on the C4 (PG Plaza Station)
4321 on the K6 (Ft Totten)
4331 on the C8 (College Park Station)
4336 on the C8 (White Flint Station)
4337 on the 28A (King Street Station)
2053 on the 31 (Friendship Heights Station)
2123 on the S4 (Federal Triangle)
2158 on the S2 (Silver Spring Station)
2170 on the 86 (Calverton)
2184 on the 42 (Metro Center)
2200 on the 32 & is no longer wrapped in the PNC ad
6019 on the K6 (Ft Totten)
6025 on the K6 (White Oak)
6123 on the A2
6190 on the C2 (Greenbelt Center)
6193 on the C4 (Twinbrook Station)
6201 on the K6 (White Oak)
6205 on the C4 (PG Plaza Station)
6345 on the S2 (Federal Triangle)
6346 on the 32 (Naylor Road Station)
6357 on the 31 (Friendship Heights Station)
6366 on the C8 (White Flint Station)
6368 on the C4 (Twinbrook Station)
6378 on the Z8 (Silver Spring Station)
2509 on the 23A & is no longer wrapped in the NGV ad
2609 on the 38B (Ballston Station)
2614 on the 38B (Farragut Square)
2333 on the 86 (Rhode Island Avenue Station)
2349 on the 83 (Cherry Hill)
2631 on the 83 (Rhode Island Avenue Station)
2338 on the R2 (Ft Totten)

[WMATAGMOAGH]

5422 on the 29 (Ride On).  I'm still not used to seeing full sized buses on the Nicholson routes.  Keep in mind it has been about 10 years or so since a route like the 29 had some trips from Silver Spring.

[ChristopherF]

RIDE ON:
095348 on the 10 (Twinbrook)
025610 on the 10 (Hillandale)

METROBUS (*asterisk indicates unrehabbed 2001-02 New Flyer C40LF buses):
6107 on the NH1
4020 on the NH1
4349 on the 28A (King Street Station)
9496 on the F8 (Langley Park)
4096 on the J2 (Montgomery Mall)
4273 on the S2 (Federal Triangle)
4314 on the J2 (Montgomery Mall)
4322 on the J4 (Bethesda Station)
4336 on the C8 (College Park Station)
4337 on the 28A (Tysons Corner)
2028 on the F6 (Silver Spring Station)
2096 on the J2 (Silver Spring Station)
2218 on the 36 (Friendship Heights Station)
6161 on the F4 (New Carrollton Station)
6200 on the K6 (Ft Totten)
6206 on the J9 (Lakeforest)
6345 on the 54 (14th & Colorado)
6346 on the 32 (Friendship Heights Station)
6367 on the C8 (White Flint Station)
6409 on the 1A (Ballston Station)
6410 on the F6 (New Carrollton Station)
6456 on the J4 (College Park Station)
6470 on the 52 (L'Enfant Plaza Station)
2610 on the 7A (Pentagon)
2326* on the 83 (Cherry Hill)
2413* on the 86 (Calverton)
2350 on the 83 (Rhode Island Avenue Station)
2450 on the 86 (Rhode Island Avenue Station)
2318 on the R2 (Calverton)
2338 on the R2 (Ft Totten)
5401 on the R2 (Ft Totten)
2322 on the R1, freshly rehabbed & repainted in silver/red

[WMATAGMOAGH]

I got my first D42LFA ride today on the N4 from near Farragut Square up to Friendship Heights.  The bus never had the chance to get much speed, and unlike in Jerusalem, bus drivers here actually follow speed limits, so I never got a sense of what the bus's acceleration actually is like.  Is it really necessary to have both the CleverDevice display and the regular Stop Requested display show the same message simultaneously?  I found the seats to be more uncomfortable than others in the WMATA fleet.  Anyone know why the area by the rear door is marked for no standees?

Saw a C40LF that was on the D6 (I forget the number) that came all the way up the Dalecarlia Parkway to Westmoreland to turn around.  Rare sight, no photo unfortunately.

[WayneNYC]

I got my first D42LFA ride today on the N4 from near Farragut Square up to Friendship Heights.  The bus never had the chance to get much speed, and unlike in Jerusalem, bus drivers here actually follow speed limits, so I never got a sense of what the bus's acceleration actually is like.  Is it really necessary to have both the CleverDevice display and the regular Stop Requested display show the same message simultaneously?  I found the seats to be more uncomfortable than others in the WMATA fleet.  Anyone know why the area by the rear door is marked for no standees?

Saw a C40LF that was on the D6 (I forget the number) that came all the way up the Dalecarlia Parkway to Westmoreland to turn around.  Rare sight, no photo unfortunately.

They do (even the DE62LFA) have pretty good acceleration.  I wouldn't say they're quite as fast as the DE40LF/R when they first hit the streets, but in terms of the acceleration, I have no complaints.

I've noticed that the area near the back door on pretty much any low floor bus (WMATA and other agencies) does seem to attract standees when the bus is crowded.  I'm not defending the practice, but I suspect many just don't want to go up those steps, especially when they may be getting off soon

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Thanks Wayne.  I'll just have to get one under speedier conditions next time.

[79MetroExtraMD]

I got my first D42LFA ride today on the N4 from near Farragut Square up to Friendship Heights.  The bus never had the chance to get much speed, and unlike in Jerusalem, bus drivers here actually follow speed limits, so I never got a sense of what the bus's acceleration actually is like.  Is it really necessary to have both the CleverDevice display and the regular Stop Requested display show the same message simultaneously?  I found the seats to be more uncomfortable than others in the WMATA fleet.  Anyone know why the area by the rear door is marked for no standees?

Saw a C40LF that was on the D6 (I forget the number) that came all the way up the Dalecarlia Parkway to Westmoreland to turn around.  Rare sight, no photo unfortunately.

The stop requested on the interior sign is a programmed feature so I doubt it can be turned off.

Do the seats really need to be like butter. It's a transit bus not a commuter coach.

As for the D6, there is construction around Sibley Hospital so that turn around is blocked off. They have to go all the way up Dalecarlia to Westmoreland to turn back around.

The rear door is marked for no standees is just obvious. People blocking the doors impedes people that are exiting the bus (plus it avoids that incessant rear door warning that people don't seem to hear).

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

2171 on the H1
2173 on the P2
4206 on the G8
4209 on the 80
4317 on the Q6
2113 on the 10B
2163 on the E4 (rush hour Bladensburg run, I have a shot of it)
2162 remains at Northern (seen on H8 with N block)
6500 on the K1 (first 6500 I've ever seen in service, I got a shot of it as well)
2228 has an awesome rehab number, it is 1114 which is exactly half of 2228.

5529 on the 81 (I rode this one finally, might have been my last ride on a Ride-On Orion I )
Plenty of Ride On's signs were not working today. 5918's front sign wasn't working, neither was 5617 (I don't remember if the side and rear signs were working), and 5596 had no signs working at all. Pretty rare for Ride On if you ask me

[LandoverDivision]

6505 is also in service George saw it on the S4 some days ago.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

Thanks Wayne.  I'll just have to get one under speedier conditions next time.

I suggest riding a Montgomery DE42LFA (in Montgomery County not one of the DC routes like N4), with routes that have some parts with long stretches between stops like the Q line and Y line (and maybe Z line), you'll get to truly see how fast these things can go.

and Brandon, I don't remember ever seeing 6505 on the S4, from what I saw in Nextbus, it is in service though.

[ChristopherF]

RIDE ON:
085730 on the 55 (Germantown Trans Cntr)
085734 on the 55 (Rockville)
085735 remains @ Silver Spring.
085745 on the 20 (Silver Spring)
025611 on the 20 (Hillandale)

FAIRFAX CONNECTOR:
9734 on the 505 (Reston Town Ctr via Reston East)
9735 on the 574 (Reston Town Ctr)
9749 on the 950 (Reston Town Ctr via Herndon- Monroe P&R)
7829 on the 505 (West Falls Church Metro)

PRTC OMNIRIDE:
308 (Manassas)
323 (West Falls Church Metro)
338 (West Falls Church Metro)
146 (Gainesville/ Linton Hall Road)

METROBUS:
6107 on the NH1
4020 on the NH1
4349 on the 28A (Tysons Corner)
4336 on the C8 (College Park Station)
4337 on the 28A (King Street Station)
2081 on the C2 (Wheaton Station)
2089 on the C8 (White Flint Station)
6001 on the F6 (New Carrollton Station)
6002 on the F6 (Silver Spring Station)
6028 on the J2 (Montgomery Mall)
6036 on the J2 (Silver Spring Station)
6190 on the C2 (Greenbelt Center)
6200 on the K6 (White Oak)
6303 on the R12 (New Carrollton Station)
6367 on the C8 (College Park Station)
6409 on the 1A (Vienna Station)
6410 on the R12 (Deanwood Station)
6476 on the S2 (Federal Triangle)
6496 on the S4 (Silver Spring Station)
6505 on the S2 (Silver Spring Station)
5446 on the Y8 (Silver Spring Station)
5447 on the 70 (Silver Spring Station)
2611 on the 38B (Ballston Station)
2701 on the 9A (Huntington Station N)
2610 on the 9A (Pentagon)
2612 on the 38B (Farragut Square)
2622 on the R4 (Brookland Station)
2621 remains @ FMR.
2822 on the 83 (Cherry Hill)
2408 on the 83 (Rhode Island Avenue Station)
2440 on the 86 (Rhode Island Avenue Station)
2443 on the 86 (Rhode Island Avenue Station)
2394 on the R2 (Calverton)
2333 on the R2 (Ft Totten)
2813 on the 80 (Kennedy Center)
2323 on the 80 (Ft Totten)

[79MetroExtraMD]

2169 X2 BX16
6506 S2/S4 NS05
6501 54/52 N510
6304 B30 LG10
- <predictions agencyTitle="WMATA Washington" routeTitle="B30 GREENBELT-BWI" routeTag="B30" stopTitle="Bwi Business District Light Rail St" stopTag="14837">      - <direction title="South to Greenbelt Station">      <prediction seconds="770" minutes="12" epochTime="1276373700000" isDeparture="true" dirTag="B30_B30_1" vehicle="6304" block="LG10" />

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Thanks Wayne.  I'll just have to get one under speedier conditions next time.

I suggest riding a Montgomery DE42LFA (in Montgomery County not one of the DC routes like N4), with routes that have some parts with long stretches between stops like the Q line and Y line (and maybe Z line), you'll get to truly see how fast these things can go.

and Brandon, I don't remember ever seeing 6505 on the S4, from what I saw in Nextbus, it is in service though.

I haven't been in the states for a full week yet, let's give it some time here.  I wasn't expecting a super fast ride on either the N4 or 36, but there are some sections that are potentially fast, yet neither driver really took advantage of them.  (I rode a 3700 on the G2 yesterday, and 6360 on the 36 tonight.) Speaking of which, the driver on the 36 announced at Jenifer and 44th that it was the last stop and that everyone had to get off.  Needless to say, I was not happy about being discharged from the bus at a location that isn't a stop short of the end of the line so the driver could have his layover where he wanted it to be.  Here is a copy of what I just emailed WMATA:

On Saturday evening/Sunday morning, I was on bus 6360 on the Route 36, coming from Washington Circle toawrds Friendship Heights.  After turning left on Jenifer Street due to the construction at the Friendship Heights terminal, the bus driver stopped at the intersection with 44th Street and announced that this was the last stop and everyone had to get off.  When I asked him if he would continue to the signed terminal point on Willard Avenue, he said "yes, but not right now" and that I had to get off.  The location where we were forced to alight is NOT a posted bus stop, and when I took an N4 bus on Friday, that bus took us all the way to the corner of Willard Avenue and Wisconsin Avenue. 

After making everyone get off, the bus driver of bus 6360 pulled up a bit and took a break before the intersection with Western Avenue.  By the time I walked to the corner of Willard and Wisconsin, he had come around and started his next trip as a Route 32.  It is unclear to me why we were all made to get off nearly 2 blocks before the actual end of the line, which meant I had to walk that much further home. 

Thank you for your attention into this matter.  I look forward to receiving your response. 

I got my first D42LFA ride today on the N4 from near Farragut Square up to Friendship Heights.  The bus never had the chance to get much speed, and unlike in Jerusalem, bus drivers here actually follow speed limits, so I never got a sense of what the bus's acceleration actually is like.  Is it really necessary to have both the CleverDevice display and the regular Stop Requested display show the same message simultaneously?  I found the seats to be more uncomfortable than others in the WMATA fleet.  Anyone know why the area by the rear door is marked for no standees?

Saw a C40LF that was on the D6 (I forget the number) that came all the way up the Dalecarlia Parkway to Westmoreland to turn around.  Rare sight, no photo unfortunately.

The stop requested on the interior sign is a programmed feature so I doubt it can be turned off.

Do the seats really need to be like butter. It's a transit bus not a commuter coach.

As for the D6, there is construction around Sibley Hospital so that turn around is blocked off. They have to go all the way up Dalecarlia to Westmoreland to turn back around.

The rear door is marked for no standees is just obvious. People blocking the doors impedes people that are exiting the bus (plus it avoids that incessant rear door warning that people don't seem to hear).

I just saw the D6 detour info on the WMATA site.  There isn't anything about Friendship Heights on there however though.  Anyone know what the deal is there?

[79MetroExtraMD]

As for the Friendship Heights construction, I still have no clear idea what's going on there or whats going to happen there (even the bus operators don't know themselves).