Metrobus to ground all Orion VI's after fire

[Scrabbleship]

http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=4641

There was an Orion VI in flames on 495 near Springfield this morning with one of West Ox's Orion VI's. As a result, the 2000's get a temporary break with no real effect on operations.

[79MetroExtraMD]

You're kidding me. They had another incident a couple years back where something with the brakes caused one to catch fire. It's not looking too good for the Orion 6 but with more LFAs coming in, I doubt the impact of the sidelining will be that severe.

[OrionFlyer]

Reserve buses? I wonder if they mean the Flxibles.

[LandoverDivision]

That may explain why they put 9359 back into service. Saw it deadheading to Addison Road Station yesterday with an L block.

[Scrabbleship]

Reserve buses? I wonder if they mean the Flxibles.

Bingo. That and possibly pressing some just-arrived LFA's into service a few days sooner than anticipated. All of the 99 remaining Orion VI's are having their hydraulic pumps checked, I say they're back in service by next week.

Didn't the last incident lead to the pre-rehab relocation of the tailpipe?

[Antozilla]

Orion VI best designed low floor buses EVER!

[Scrabbleship]

Orion VI best designed low floor buses EVER!

You never took a rode on the earliest ones made, the ones with the bonded roofs and the back door at the rear. Nothing more fun than a 40' bus with only 32 seats and 1/3 of those seats get zonked out when it rains because the roof's a sieve. Those would change anyone's opinion.

For the record, WMATA's 2000's are not that bad. Far better than CDTA's 2000's (first US built Orion VI's, second overall) which I described above. Were Ride On's 2 ex-TTC demo Orion VI's that bad?

[WES]

Actually some of WMATA's Orion 6s do that also.  One I rode on a few yearss ago looked like Niagara Falls water was pouring down so bad.  One I was on a few weeks ago, was leaking a lot.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

Yeah I also noticed that with the Orion VIs. I usually sit on the side-facing seat in the back, and a lot of times I feel water dripping down from the ceiling.
And I do remember the last time they pulled all the Orion VIs out of service, I believe that was when 2044 caught on fire, and that was around the time they were going through rehab and orange crushing. I remember when 2044 returned to service, it was very nicely painted but with the original green signs.

[Antozilla]

Minus the leaking problem.  Sure it looks like a shoe box but you still can't deny best designed LF bus.  No hump over the rear wheels.  Sure beats the Orion VII which is the WORST bus.   

[SchuminWeb]

Has anyone seen the number of the bus that burned?  Want to see if I have a photo of it...

[WMATAGMOAGH]

WMATA has posted a press release on its website saying the Orion VIs will be back in service tomorrow (Monday, September 13), but the wheelchair ramps will have to be deployed manually as a result of the temporary fix installed on the buses.  The Orion VIs will be assigned to routes that have low numbers of wheelchair passengers to minimize delays.

[Antozilla]

Lets hope they get back to FMR

[79MetroExtraMD]

Lets hope they get back to FMR

That won't happen trust me.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

Lets hope they get back to FMR

That won't happen trust me.

Bladensburg has some non-CNGs, why can't FMR?