60-BRT Hunting

[Scrabbleship]

I'm trying to plan a trip for sometime next week to try to get a 60-BRT ride and I have a few questions about what to expect (not of the buses, of catching them).

Is every U8 run taken by the 60-BRT's at this point? If I was to take the Metro to Minnesota Avenue or Benning Road and just waited would it be not long until one showed up?
Is the area that the U8 runs through safe after dark, especially with the return to standard time?
Is there anything along the route of note or is the U8 a route to ride mainly for the sake that they got the fancy buses first?
Would the 5A be a better bet when the 60-BRT's begin there next week.

I love those buses, but finding a reason to go to the far reaches of SE (and southern NE) to see them seems to be hard. See why I wanted them on the 79 or 80 or D6 first 

[LandoverDivision]

I'm trying to plan a trip for sometime next week to try to get a 60-BRT ride and I have a few questions about what to expect (not of the buses, of catching them).

Is every U8 run taken by the 60-BRT's at this point? If I was to take the Metro to Minnesota Avenue or Benning Road and just waited would it be not long until one showed up?
Is the area that the U8 runs through safe after dark, especially with the return to standard time?
Is there anything along the route of note or is the U8 a route to ride mainly for the sake that they got the fancy buses first?
Would the 5A be a better bet when the 60-BRT's begin there next week.

I love those buses, but finding a reason to go to the far reaches of SE (and southern NE) to see them seems to be hard. See why I wanted them on the 79 or 80 or D6 first 

Yes they will come quick.
It is NOT safe after dark. I lived around there before believe me when I say this. I lived in the roughest parts of town. Yes, it's definitly better to catch them on the 5A. The 79 maybe. The 80 and D6 no.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

I'm trying to plan a trip for sometime next week to try to get a 60-BRT ride and I have a few questions about what to expect (not of the buses, of catching them).

Is every U8 run taken by the 60-BRT's at this point? If I was to take the Metro to Minnesota Avenue or Benning Road and just waited would it be not long until one showed up?
Is the area that the U8 runs through safe after dark, especially with the return to standard time?
Is there anything along the route of note or is the U8 a route to ride mainly for the sake that they got the fancy buses first?
Would the 5A be a better bet when the 60-BRT's begin there next week.

I love those buses, but finding a reason to go to the far reaches of SE (and southern NE) to see them seems to be hard. See why I wanted them on the 79 or 80 or D6 first 

Yes they will come quick.
It is NOT safe after dark. I lived around there before believe me when I say this. I lived in the roughest parts of town. Yes, it's definitly better to catch them on the 5A. The 79 maybe. The 80 and D6 no.

The only routes that are going to be running the new artics for the forseeable future are the U8 and 5A.  They aren't really needed on the 79.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

Plus when H Street is completely repaved, they will go on the X2. The U8 is just a temporary placement for these buses and the 5A is just being tested for artics.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Plus when H Street is completely repaved, they will go on the X2. The U8 is just a temporary placement for these buses and the 5A is just being tested for artics.

The 5A doesn't require that many buses.  I think there would be enough for both the X2 and 5A to have fully articulated fleets if the 5A test works well. 

The U8 is most likely temporary, I do agree.  Are NABIs even running on the X2 now during the current construction project?

[Scrabbleship]

I saw a 5200 on the X2 this afternoon at around 2:15 coming into Minnesota Avenue. I've seen a lot more C40LF's on there than usual though.

Why would I be at Minnesota Avenue? Because right head of that NABI came 5406 on the U8! My observations:

There seems to be some rattling in the articulation bellows, otherwise the buses run great.
The floor of 5406 already has some small stains only 5 days in service.
The door opening and door closing chimes are a nice touch, is this an NABI thing or something new?
Clever Devices announcements working, but neither LED sign was working alongside it. With no regular "Stop Requested" sign, this could be trouble as it probably would violate ADA.
Far eastern DC seems like an inhospitable place and reminded me of blight from any small-to-medium Northeastern city. Who knows if it'd ever turn the corner a la 14th or H.
The U8 still had a fair amount of C40LF's.
The U8's roundabout routing seems crazy and it could still do well as two separate routes.

Verdict: The 60BRT's are the only thing that will get me to visit the eastern Blue/Orange Line stations in those places where there's no there there. They're good buses and I can't wait to ride them on the 5A. Where they'd put luggage racks seems interesting, the area next to the seats on the bellows SCREAMS for them.

[LandoverDivision]

I saw an NABI on the X2 this afternoon at around 2:15 coming into Minnesota Avenue. I've seen a lot more C40LF's on there than usual though.

Why would I be at Minnesota Avenue? Because right head of that NABI came 5406 on the U8! My observations:

There seems to be some rattling in the articulation bellows, otherwise the buses run great.
The floor of 5406 already has some small stains only 5 days in service.
The door opening and door closing chimes are a nice touch, is this an NABI thing or something new?
Clever Devices announcements working, but neither LED sign was working alongside it. With no regular "Stop Requested" sign, this could be trouble as it probably would violate ADA.
Far eastern DC seems like an inhospitable place and reminded me of blight from any small-to-medium Northeastern city. Who knows if it'd ever turn the corner a la 14th or H.
The U8 still had a fair amount of C40LF's.
The U8's roundabout routing seems crazy and it could still do well as two separate routes.

Verdict: The 60BRT's are the only thing that will get me to visit the eastern Blue/Orange Line stations in those places where there's no there there. They're good buses and I can't wait to ride them on the 5A. Where they'd put luggage racks seems interesting, the area next to the seats on the bellows SCREAMS for them.

HAHA Awesome. When I seen those babys on the U8 Monday, there were no other buses on that route but the 60-BRTs. BTW that NABI you claim to have seen on the X2, was it a BRT or the other one?

[rideonrulez]

I'm trying to plan a trip for sometime next week to try to get a 60-BRT ride and I have a few questions about what to expect (not of the buses, of catching them).

Is every U8 run taken by the 60-BRT's at this point? If I was to take the Metro to Minnesota Avenue or Benning Road and just waited would it be not long until one showed up?
Is the area that the U8 runs through safe after dark, especially with the return to standard time?
Is there anything along the route of note or is the U8 a route to ride mainly for the sake that they got the fancy buses first?
Would the 5A be a better bet when the 60-BRT's begin there next week.

I love those buses, but finding a reason to go to the far reaches of SE (and southern NE) to see them seems to be hard. See why I wanted them on the 79 or 80 or D6 first 

Yes they will come quick.
It is NOT safe after dark. I lived around there before believe me when I say this. I lived in the roughest parts of town. Yes, it's definitly better to catch them on the 5A. The 79 maybe. The 80 and D6 no.

Someone got shot at 3 in the afternoon the other day on Nannie Helen Burroughs. See you got to read in between the lines when it comes to the name of the street 

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

I saw an NABI on the X2 this afternoon at around 2:15 coming into Minnesota Avenue. I've seen a lot more C40LF's on there than usual though.

Why would I be at Minnesota Avenue? Because right head of that NABI came 5406 on the U8! My observations:

There seems to be some rattling in the articulation bellows, otherwise the buses run great.
The floor of 5406 already has some small stains only 5 days in service.
The door opening and door closing chimes are a nice touch, is this an NABI thing or something new?
Clever Devices announcements working, but neither LED sign was working alongside it. With no regular "Stop Requested" sign, this could be trouble as it probably would violate ADA.
Far eastern DC seems like an inhospitable place and reminded me of blight from any small-to-medium Northeastern city. Who knows if it'd ever turn the corner a la 14th or H.
The U8 still had a fair amount of C40LF's.
The U8's roundabout routing seems crazy and it could still do well as two separate routes.

Verdict: The 60BRT's are the only thing that will get me to visit the eastern Blue/Orange Line stations in those places where there's no there there. They're good buses and I can't wait to ride them on the 5A. Where they'd put luggage racks seems interesting, the area next to the seats on the bellows SCREAMS for them.

HAHA Awesome. When I seen those babys on the U8 Monday, there were no other buses on that route but the 60-BRTs. BTW that NABI you claim to have seen on the X2, was it a BRT or the other one?

WMATA has only one type of NABI, those are the artics, so yeah, that's what he saw

and lol at the Nannie Helen Burroughs thing, I hope the person who got shot is OK though

[OrionFlyer]

I saw an NABI on the X2 this afternoon at around 2:15 coming into Minnesota Avenue. I've seen a lot more C40LF's on there than usual though.

Why would I be at Minnesota Avenue? Because right head of that NABI came 5406 on the U8! My observations:

There seems to be some rattling in the articulation bellows, otherwise the buses run great.
The floor of 5406 already has some small stains only 5 days in service.
The door opening and door closing chimes are a nice touch, is this an NABI thing or something new?
Clever Devices announcements working, but neither LED sign was working alongside it. With no regular "Stop Requested" sign, this could be trouble as it probably would violate ADA.
Far eastern DC seems like an inhospitable place and reminded me of blight from any small-to-medium Northeastern city. Who knows if it'd ever turn the corner a la 14th or H.
The U8 still had a fair amount of C40LF's.
The U8's roundabout routing seems crazy and it could still do well as two separate routes.

Verdict: The 60BRT's are the only thing that will get me to visit the eastern Blue/Orange Line stations in those places where there's no there there. They're good buses and I can't wait to ride them on the 5A. Where they'd put luggage racks seems interesting, the area next to the seats on the bellows SCREAMS for them.

HAHA Awesome. When I seen those babys on the U8 Monday, there were no other buses on that route but the 60-BRTs. BTW that NABI you claim to have seen on the X2, was it a BRT or the other one?

WMATA has only one type of NABI, those are the artics, so yeah, that's what he saw

and lol at the Nannie Helen Burroughs thing, I hope the person who got shot is OK though

He was talking about either the BRTs or the old NABI's

[Scrabbleship]

I saw an NABI on the X2 this afternoon at around 2:15 coming into Minnesota Avenue. I've seen a lot more C40LF's on there than usual though.

Why would I be at Minnesota Avenue? Because right head of that NABI came 5406 on the U8! My observations:

There seems to be some rattling in the articulation bellows, otherwise the buses run great.
The floor of 5406 already has some small stains only 5 days in service.
The door opening and door closing chimes are a nice touch, is this an NABI thing or something new?
Clever Devices announcements working, but neither LED sign was working alongside it. With no regular "Stop Requested" sign, this could be trouble as it probably would violate ADA.
Far eastern DC seems like an inhospitable place and reminded me of blight from any small-to-medium Northeastern city. Who knows if it'd ever turn the corner a la 14th or H.
The U8 still had a fair amount of C40LF's.
The U8's roundabout routing seems crazy and it could still do well as two separate routes.

Verdict: The 60BRT's are the only thing that will get me to visit the eastern Blue/Orange Line stations in those places where there's no there there. They're good buses and I can't wait to ride them on the 5A. Where they'd put luggage racks seems interesting, the area next to the seats on the bellows SCREAMS for them.

HAHA Awesome. When I seen those babys on the U8 Monday, there were no other buses on that route but the 60-BRTs. BTW that NABI you claim to have seen on the X2, was it a BRT or the other one?

WMATA has only one type of NABI, those are the artics, so yeah, that's what he saw

and lol at the Nannie Helen Burroughs thing, I hope the person who got shot is OK though

He was talking about either the BRTs or the old NABI's

Modified the post, but the X2 I saw had a 5200 on it as would be expected.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

I saw an NABI on the X2 this afternoon at around 2:15 coming into Minnesota Avenue. I've seen a lot more C40LF's on there than usual though.

Why would I be at Minnesota Avenue? Because right head of that NABI came 5406 on the U8! My observations:

There seems to be some rattling in the articulation bellows, otherwise the buses run great.
The floor of 5406 already has some small stains only 5 days in service.
The door opening and door closing chimes are a nice touch, is this an NABI thing or something new?
Clever Devices announcements working, but neither LED sign was working alongside it. With no regular "Stop Requested" sign, this could be trouble as it probably would violate ADA.
Far eastern DC seems like an inhospitable place and reminded me of blight from any small-to-medium Northeastern city. Who knows if it'd ever turn the corner a la 14th or H.
The U8 still had a fair amount of C40LF's.
The U8's roundabout routing seems crazy and it could still do well as two separate routes.

Verdict: The 60BRT's are the only thing that will get me to visit the eastern Blue/Orange Line stations in those places where there's no there there. They're good buses and I can't wait to ride them on the 5A. Where they'd put luggage racks seems interesting, the area next to the seats on the bellows SCREAMS for them.

HAHA Awesome. When I seen those babys on the U8 Monday, there were no other buses on that route but the 60-BRTs. BTW that NABI you claim to have seen on the X2, was it a BRT or the other one?

WMATA has only one type of NABI, those are the artics, so yeah, that's what he saw

and lol at the Nannie Helen Burroughs thing, I hope the person who got shot is OK though

He was talking about either the BRTs or the old NABI's

Oh wait, for some reason I thought the new artics were New Flyer...my bad...

[Scrabbleship]

I saw an NABI on the X2 this afternoon at around 2:15 coming into Minnesota Avenue. I've seen a lot more C40LF's on there than usual though.

Why would I be at Minnesota Avenue? Because right head of that NABI came 5406 on the U8! My observations:

There seems to be some rattling in the articulation bellows, otherwise the buses run great.
The floor of 5406 already has some small stains only 5 days in service.
The door opening and door closing chimes are a nice touch, is this an NABI thing or something new?
Clever Devices announcements working, but neither LED sign was working alongside it. With no regular "Stop Requested" sign, this could be trouble as it probably would violate ADA.
Far eastern DC seems like an inhospitable place and reminded me of blight from any small-to-medium Northeastern city. Who knows if it'd ever turn the corner a la 14th or H.
The U8 still had a fair amount of C40LF's.
The U8's roundabout routing seems crazy and it could still do well as two separate routes.

Verdict: The 60BRT's are the only thing that will get me to visit the eastern Blue/Orange Line stations in those places where there's no there there. They're good buses and I can't wait to ride them on the 5A. Where they'd put luggage racks seems interesting, the area next to the seats on the bellows SCREAMS for them.

HAHA Awesome. When I seen those babys on the U8 Monday, there were no other buses on that route but the 60-BRTs. BTW that NABI you claim to have seen on the X2, was it a BRT or the other one?

WMATA has only one type of NABI, those are the artics, so yeah, that's what he saw

and lol at the Nannie Helen Burroughs thing, I hope the person who got shot is OK though

He was talking about either the BRTs or the old NABI's

Oh wait, for some reason I thought the new artics were New Flyer...my bad...

The artics that Northern and Montgomery are getting early next year that would have replaced their 5200's will be New Flyers. The 60-BRT's would have replaced Bladensburg's 5200's had Catoe not wisely put in the do-not-retire order.

[WMAveteran]

I'm trying to plan a trip for sometime next week to try to get a 60-BRT ride and I have a few questions about what to expect (not of the buses, of catching them).

Is every U8 run taken by the 60-BRT's at this point? If I was to take the Metro to Minnesota Avenue or Benning Road and just waited would it be not long until one showed up?
Is the area that the U8 runs through safe after dark, especially with the return to standard time?
Is there anything along the route of note or is the U8 a route to ride mainly for the sake that they got the fancy buses first?
Would the 5A be a better bet when the 60-BRT's begin there next week.

I love those buses, but finding a reason to go to the far reaches of SE (and southern NE) to see them seems to be hard. See why I wanted them on the 79 or 80 or D6 first 

I have occasion to drive through the "U8" service area when attending to a sick relative and I have ridden the "U8" NABIs during the day.  The NABIs are NOT assigned to every run, in fact there may be 2 or more regular 40 footers between NABIs.  During the day the "U8" runs every 13 minutes so you could have to wait as long as 30 minutes to encounter a NABI.  I suggest you catch the bus at either the Capitol Heights or Minnesota Avenue METRORAIL stations and ride between the stations.  The stations themselves are very heaviliy patrolled by METRO TRANSIT POLICE and relatively safe.

[MetroLinerXLZ]

When I rode those buses, they ran within a few minutes of each other, but still on time. I saw about maybe 5 or six on my two rides on 5407 and 5410.

Also, I've ridden on the U8 at night as well. I would advise that you don't get off the bus untill you get back to Minnesota Ave. station (where an X2 will take you back into a much tamer area of D.C.).

MY VERDICT:
These buses are worth riding. The engine pushing it (the ISL-G) is a solid pusher, the door chimes are funny to hear, and the HVAC has a nice, fresh rainwater smell to it. Most of all, I LOOOOOOVE hearing it from the outside....it almost tops the "singing" you'll hear on LACMTA's NABI 60-BRT's.