March 2012 Observations

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

2464 Route G8

I got a picture of that. and if that isn't enough, I also saw (and snapped a pic of) 7098 on the P2


In other news, it looks like Royal took some more of Bladensburg's 2100s. I saw 2182 on the 28A. A few more have also moved according to Nextbus, I'll post it in the Nextbus Obs thread

also in other news, I saw 4388 on driver training on Penn Ave NW near Fed Triangle, its GPS has been offline for a while so it's been thought to have retired. maybe it's just being used exclusively for training, or the GPS just doesn't work, or maybe it has a replacement GPS (like 9742's GPS on 3766, 4042's GPS on 7016, etc)

[RideOn5905]

Ride On 5900 doing Driver Training at Germantown today, then it left, supposedly on the 83. I say "supposedly" because it left around 12:50, then 10 minutes later, 5030 left Germantown on the 83 as well.

Speaking of 5900, it seems like the only thing that bus has been used for lately is D.T., much like 5705 (who I haven't seen for months).

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

Speaking of 5900, it seems like the only thing that bus has been used for lately is D.T., much like 5705 (who I haven't seen for months).

Yeah 5900, 5705, and 5580 are exclusively training buses. if 5574 is still around, it's most likely a training bus as well

Within the past month or so I saw 5705 twice. One of those times was at Silver Spring and the other was at Friendship Heights (trying to make that very tight turn at the 1/11 bus stop)

[WES]

3/21- 62650 on the 11

3/22-62639 on the 17
        62641 on the 13
        62630 on the 12

So Far:
62617-19, 62629-30 29ft Gillig Advantages
62323-26, 62628, 62633-62641, 62645-51 35 ft Gillig Advantages
Left is at least one 29ft Gillig Advantage unsure of the fleet number and at least 6, 35 foot Advantages if 651 is the highest number of this order.  62620-22, 62627, 62642-44 are have not been spotted in service yet.  There were several rumors of the size of this order.........all were lower than what has been spotted so far.  Other than slight cosmetic differences they are the same as the last order.

[RideOn5905]

I saw 4338 being towed while I was eating lunch near Montgomery Division; NextBus last showed this bus on the C2, so it must've broken down in the middle of a run.

As I was walking past Montgomery, I saw a bunch of 4300s with their numbers blacked out and scratched off; except 4328, whose numbers were somehow still intact. I also saw 2082, which of course, still has a tarp covering the front.

[Super G]

Here's a list of sightings I had today, in order of appearance:

I was riding 5824 on the 71, going to Shady Grove, and 5708 is front of us, on the 79. 5708 is slowing down and pulls onto the shoulder, and we do the same. Apparently, 5708 was having engine problems, and the driver volunteered to take in the passengers from 5708, since both buses were going to S.G. Just like that, 5824 went from half-full to standing room only.

At Bowie, I was surprised to see 3024 out and about, with a few people inside.

Later on, I'm on the F4, heading west to P.G. Plaza, and I guess we were in the middle of a detour; instead of crossing the MARC tracks like normal, we got around it using East-West Hwy. I don't get it.

6390 broken down on the C2 on University Blvd., fortunately, there was another C2 right behind it.

Lastly, I saw 4258 still running around at Wheaton; I think it was on the Q4.

Ride-On 5412 had it's dest. sign stuck on "34 ASPEN" in small letters.

[Super G]

Yeah the regular route for the F4 is East West Hwy now. Also very soon the F6 will be going to Ft Totten. Was 3024 from WMATA? I wanted to share that 1 week ago today on BW Pkwy I saw WMATA 3028 and it looked to be a 30 ft Orion. I will try to get a pic next time.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

Yeah the regular route for the F4 is East West Hwy now. Also very soon the F6 will be going to Ft Totten. Was 3024 from WMATA? I wanted to share that 1 week ago today on BW Pkwy I saw WMATA 3028 and it looked to be a 30 ft Orion. I will try to get a pic next time.

I thought they rejected the rerouting of the F6 to Ft Totten?

[Super G]

According to Mr Glick from planning the R3 will be discontinued and the F6 will reroute to service a part of the R3 from Riggs Rd & Md. 410 into Ft. Totten beginning in late June or early July of this year.

[WayneNYC]

Lastly, I saw 4258 still running around at Wheaton; I think it was on the Q4.

I've been seeing 4258 recently too and it made me think... Why is this bus a bit extra familiar to me.   Here's the reason.

This pic was taken at Landover when 4258 was freshly rehabbed.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

About 5-10 minutes ago I saw 5834 on the 55 headed to Rockville at 355 and Gude Dr, I was heading northbound and waiting at the stop light. All of a sudden, 2 cop cars come and one of the passengers (looks like Montgomery College student, I'll bet that bus was full of them) waved them down. I couldn't check it out long enough to see what was going on as the light eventually turned green and I had to go, but being the curious person I am, I wonder what happened

ALSO...I just saw MTA bus 169C on the 201, nothing unusual but the green ICC wrap is gone. Idk about the others, but don't be surprised if you see the 170s in white

[WMAveteran]

Megabus: on 03/30/2012 I paced double-deck coach DD501 (Van Hool TD925) operating route M36 service (Pittsburgh - Washington DC) southbound on Interstate 270 between Shady Grove Road and Montrose Road at speeds up to 70mph.  It was quite literally passing everything on the road. 

[Super G]

Yeah the regular route for the F4 is East West Hwy now. Also very soon the F6 will be going to Ft Totten. Was 3024 from WMATA? I wanted to share that 1 week ago today on BW Pkwy I saw WMATA 3028 and it looked to be a 30 ft Orion. I will try to get a pic next time.

The brand new 30 ft Orion that I saw a few weeks ago was probably not marked 3028.

[Super G]

2464 Route G8

I got a picture of that. and if that isn't enough, I also saw (and snapped a pic of) 7098 on the P2


In other news, it looks like Royal took some more of Bladensburg's 2100s. I saw 2182 on the 28A. A few more have also moved according to Nextbus, I'll post it in the Nextbus Obs thread

also in other news, I saw 4388 on driver training on Penn Ave NW near Fed Triangle, its GPS has been offline for a while so it's been thought to have retired. maybe it's just being used exclusively for training, or the GPS just doesn't work, or maybe it has a replacement GPS (like 9742's GPS on 3766, 4042's GPS on 7016, etc)  I noticed 4388 along with several other 4200 and 4300's had their fareboxes removed. Seems like a waste.

[WayneNYC]

Yeah the regular route for the F4 is East West Hwy now. Also very soon the F6 will be going to Ft Totten. Was 3024 from WMATA? I wanted to share that 1 week ago today on BW Pkwy I saw WMATA 3028 and it looked to be a 30 ft Orion. I will try to get a pic next time.

The brand new 30 ft Orion that I saw a few weeks ago was probably not marked 3028.

WMATA's 3001-3035 are 2005 30-foot Orion VII CNG