WMATA & MTA Maryland to get Xcelsiors in 2011

[Flxible]

Great additional pictures!  Thanks for the original picture, rideonrulez.  It's really a handsome transit bus...tastefully stylish, not so "hey look at me I'm trying to be an LRV" like the LFAs.  I can't wait to ride them!

LOL @ TTA- I agree about the LRV comment, especially when those and the 5400s came in with those hideous wheel covers.  Just looked at my copy of the Bus Ride Magazine 2007 Buyer's Guide earlier this week, and the NABI ad for those featured both 42-BRT and 60-BRT demos with fender skirts over the front wheels too, which meant the latter was suggested to come with the wheels covered up on ALL THREE AXLES.  Fugly-tastic! 

[OrionFlyer]

Nice pics man. I tell you, that's one fine lookin' bus. Can't wait to ride those. I'm even more excited about MTA's now. 4 more months to go.

[Flxible]

That looks awesome!!! But it could do without the red under the windshield.

I agree.  IDK why WMATA has decided to do this- it's tacky, and doesn't take away the silver monotony up front quite the way it should.  A red and blue stripe of some sort would get the job done, a la second scheme.

[Tritransit Area]

I think they are trying to "improve" on their Express/Local scheme by adding something to the front to let people know if they are about to board a "local" or "express" bus.  Personally, I think the blue looks better, and without this stripe, buses like the 40LFs and Orion VIIs look bland.

[C40LF_2464]

More pics,

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

I must say, that is rather sexy

[Scrabbleship]

Interesting to see New Flyer going back to the future with each wheelchair position knocking out 3 seats (vs. 5) and the "wall" between those seats and the regular seats. I also noticed that there forward-facing seats facing the rear door aren't there, to see a New Flyer set up that way is a bit odd.

Overall, this is a knockout that balances styling and sensibility. I wonder who will get them first...

[Tritransit Area]

Wait, do the C40LFs have the 3 seats that face the rear door?  I know that MTA New York's buses (from way back in the late 90's) have the typical seating set up.

I'm very excited about the Xcelsiors.  The local kingdom of New Flyers is sticking with LFRs, so I'm glad that I'll at least have an opportunity to catch these buses in MD...but where are these WMATA units destined to go?

Is that a no standees area in the back?

[WayneNYC]

Wait, do the C40LFs have the 3 seats that face the rear door?  I know that MTA New York's buses (from way back in the late 90's) have the typical seating set up.

NYCTA had spec'd the side facing seating arrangement opposite the exit door because all of the RTS and Orion Vs they purchased had the lift in the rear doorway.

[Scrabbleship]

Wait, do the C40LFs have the 3 seats that face the rear door?  I know that MTA New York's buses (from way back in the late 90's) have the typical seating set up.

Yes. Isn't that the standard setup for 40LF(R/A)'s? The number of agencies that don't do it (Ride On, MBTA's 6000's) I can think of is less than those that do.

Is that a no standees area in the back?

Yes, and the LFA's have the same.

[Tritransit Area]

Wait, do the C40LFs have the 3 seats that face the rear door?  I know that MTA New York's buses (from way back in the late 90's) have the typical seating set up.

Yes. Isn't that the standard setup for 40LF(R/A)'s? The number of agencies that don't do it (Ride On, MBTA's 6000's) I can think of is less than those that do.

Wow, I didn't realize that Ride-On's C40LFs didn't have the 3 seats facing the rear door.  For some reason, I thought the WMATA C40LFs were different as well...yeah, I need to ride these systems again.  I've avoided the New Flyers like the plague down there since, well, there are over 1,000 New Flyers to enjoy on SEPTA's turf.