April 2013 Observations

[WMAveteran]

Fairfax Connector on Friday, April 19, 2013 at about 7:15pm on North Shore Dr. near Temporary Rd: an increasingly rare but always beautiful RTS,  destination sign NORTH SHORE, operating route 552 rush hour only service from West Falls Church Metro to Reston/North Shore. 

[Chargerdodge9]

What was the #?

[Chargerdodge9]

PRTC 1002 Not in service heading south on I-395 on Friday.

[WMAveteran]

What was the #?

I tried to record the number but I was a passenger in an automobile traveling in the opposite direction at dusk in heavy rain so I couldn't get the number. 

[rideonrulez]

WMATA Neoplan #5308 looking fresh out the paint shop this morning on 7th St NW.

[Chargerdodge9]

Why is it taken them so long to rehab the Neoplan artics? There are only 21 of them.

[RideOn5905]

Why is it taken them so long to rehab the Neoplan artics? There are only 21 of them.

Neoplan is no longer in business, so spare parts are nigh impossible to find these days. In fact, only five have successfully undergone rehab; 5301, 5306, 5309, 5320, and 5321. The rest of them are simply being repainted.

[Chargerdodge9]

Good thing those Orion VIIs are basically done then. The AN460s won't be here for much longer anyway. Those buses are due to retire in 2015. The New Flyer C40LFs and the Orion Vs might outlast them.

[Chargerdodge9]

29K 2174
10A 2172
29C 2729
7Y 2127
29N 6606
8W 2149
ART 42 5048 (Have not seen a Designline in a while).
ART 87 5252
Manassas PRTC 194
Manassas PRTC 195
Dumfries/Triangle PRTC 1001
SR1 PRTC 321
LR PRTC 392
DASH AT8 303
DASH AT3 96
DASH AT3 98
DASH AT3 61
DASH AT4 97
FFX 7757 (brand new XD40) NIS.

[Chargerdodge9]

Also, #2536 and #3030 now has LED head lights.

[Chargerdodge9]

#2634 Broke down on I-395 today.
29C 2561
29C 2146
16X 2592
DASH AT3 60
PRTC RS1 321.

[Chargerdodge9]

Alot of stuff today:
42 7146
42 2212
36 7111
32 7143
G2 3770
38B 2522.
38B 2658
18G 6583
10B 2147
10B 2155
H2 2339
H4 2338
G8 2420
42 2203
90 6478?
16J 2578
22A 2589
29K 2102
29C 2707
9A 2708
16D 2705
29N 7045.
18H 6372?
92 7203
92 7215
X1 5401
N2 7125
38B 2553
28X 6436
1B 6600?
7B 2664
REX 2592
29G 2595
7Y 2594
H4 2414
10B 2156
29H 3027
1A 6391
More later.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

6324 was on the 84 today (or yesterday rather) with an L block

2531, 2535, 2543, 2636, and 2701 have the new LED lights

Ride On 5920 is missing the fleet number on the front

Also, I saw at least 3 RTS's at West Falls Church, plus 9749 on the 555 (looks like Herndon has 9700s again)

[WMAveteran]

Atlantic Coast Charters: on Thursday 4/25/2013 at 9:15am I saw a caravan of 5 Atlantic Coast Charter coaches traveling southbound on I-270 at I-370 packed with passengers.  We normally speak about Atlantic Coast Charters because it has the contract to operate the MTA Route 201 ICC Express.  I rarely observe its "other side."  Anyway, the 5 coaches I saw on Thursday demonstrated the variety of bus manufacturers' products in the ACC inventory:  there were 3 MCI 102 DL3s of various vintages, one Van Hool C2045-L and the catch of the day - a spanking brand new Prevost H3/45 with sparkling stainless steel wheels and glistening paint. 

[Chargerdodge9]

I forgot to say that there was a convey of atleast 8 or 9 Peter Pan MCI J4500s (a couple of new ones too) around Annandale yesterday. I guess it was for charter services. @ NewFlyer9736BCT, really? 3 RTS's?!?!? I think I'm going to take a trip on the Orange line soon....