Favorite Worst Metro Buses

[Tritransit Area]

Maybe it is just you because I have gone well beyond that (in anything but a WMATA Orion VII).  The point is, WMATA's VIIs are slow RELATIVE TO OTHER BUSES.  Drivers complain all the time about them. 

And piggybacking on Antonzilla (who lives in VA and is similarly subjected to them and only them on a daily basis, depending on which routes he rides), they ride rough, you can't see out of the bus in the lower level, they aren't holding up well (WMATA had to machine a white bracket at the bottom of all the vertical support columns where the stop request bell cords are mounted because, before, if you pulled the cord, the whole plastic cover would come out from the wall - there is VELCRO, yes VELCRO behind them, I have photos! What STUPID A$$ bus manufacturer would use VELCRO to secure surfaces that are CONSTANTLY BEING PULLED ON?!!!!!), and they're boring - you know what's coming when you hear the noise - although I kinda like that sound.

Brandon, to answer your question as to my first reactions, I thought they sounded like Ride On's Cummins-Voith VIIs when they first came in (as they broke in, they began to sound different)...I have a recording of an early trip on one of these units and it sounds closer to a WMATA VII than anything Ride On has today...and I thought that after a few months, they'd start to sound less boring.  That hasn't happened.

Look at this video and tell me this doesn't sound like garbage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGFsRCYLKJM&feature=channel_page

I think that's the air compressor, actually.  I know on my recording of R-O 5933, a ZF Orion VII, the engine started off with that t-t-t-t-t noise, but then went the chst and the engine sounded smooth afterwards.

[Tristan]

I was wondering what he was saying is wrong with the bus.  All CNG Orions seem to have loud air compressors, including your beloved WMATA units.

[LandoverDivision]

I was wondering what he was saying is wrong with the bus.  All CNG Orions seem to have loud air compressors, including your beloved WMATA units.

Not that. I mean it has an odd sound probably because of the ZF transmission. ZFs make buses sound like ass. And you say "beloved" like I married the damn things. I just like the way they sound. I don't see anything wrong with them. I can see you don't like them very much because you ride them everyday, but luckily for me, I don't have to, so everytime I go to VA, it feels kinda new.

[MetroLinerXLZ]

My favorites:
The GMC RTS's (will always miss 'em)
The OLD fleet of Metro B's (especially bus #8854)
The Metro D's and E's (so smooth running, and most have their own unique sound)
C40LFs (all of them, those are the strongest running buses in D.C. IMO)
Orion VI (and they're speedy)
Orion VII's (the 30-footers and the John Deere set)
All them Neoplan artics, and the NABI 60-BRTs

The Least liked:
Orion V's (the 2100s SUCK, except #2198)
Orion VII's (the Cummins set, except the 30's)
ANY of the C/D/DE-40LFR models (because of the "European" styling; I'm SICK of it!!)
ICK-arus Model 436's (I wish they didn't lose their ZF's, or at least got a B500R instead)
The CURRENT fleet of Metro B's

What I WISH they had/kept:
The OLD fleet of Metro B's
NEWER NABI Model 436's or perhaps some 416's (original front end)
TMC or NovaBus RTS's
Orion VII CNG's with Allison B400R transmission
Orion VII Diesels
Orion VI's with Cummins ISM engines

1. What's wrong with the current fleet of Bs?
2. Cummins Orion VII (2500-2600s) DO NOT suck.
3. The 2100 series DO NOT suck.
4.  Deisel Orion VIIs are HORRIBLE!
5. The NABI 60-SFW is one of the best older buses they have.
6. ZFs SUCK!

1.  The current fleet of B's run quite stellar; but I strongly dislike the fact that they still get to run around D.C. without their 9200-series counterparts.

2. I would agree if they had Allison transmissions (like MARTA); then you'd have something fast enough to pass fully loaded tractor-trailer trucks. As for the 30s, the powertrain works magnificantly.

3. Only #2198 didn't smell like one of my farts, and I rode that bus in 2006.

4. No they don't. Just ask the TTC.

5. Because of the transmission they have, the Model 436s are severly underpowered. I know you've ridden the X2 a few times.

6. NO! THEY! DON'T!!! Matter of fact, those happen to be the most fuel-efficient transmissions nowadays. Why do you think Ride On runs the high 59s (5933-5957) like clockwork???

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

WMATA's C40LFs are FAST (they're not as fast as they once were, but still fast)

I rode a couple C40LFs the other day, and I agree with you, these things are a lot faster than I thought. Sorry C40LF's!

I don't know about the regular-painted C40LFRs but the MetroExtra C40LFRs are slow IIRC.

[Tristan]

That, George, I can agree with -- and I don't think there would really be a difference between the two.  But I have noticed that they aren't rockets.

[Tritransit Area]

I can confirm that the regularly painted ones are as slow as the Metro Extra buses.  I rode one on the B2, and with the stop-and-go aspect of the route from Anacostia, it was a slow ride!  With the drone of the C Gas Plus, it's easy to fall asleep though!

[Annex4421]

MY Favortite
WMATA- C/D40LFRs (I don't care about no stupid styling its just a bus)
C40LF- Because they brought on the New Flyer legacy in WMATA
Orion VII- JD, becuase they sound better (Only the Cummins when they whine)
NABI/IKARUS- I glad they took the ZF's out because they suck.
Neo-plans AN460- DDS60 ALL DAY!!!!!
Orion V (2100 series) Well does it make a difference all the Vs are the same
Orion VI Like they were 1st Low Floor buses in WMATA
All the LFAs Especially the DE62LFA I love the EP50
The Flxible Es, Ds and A's

Most hated
the NABI 60 BRT Although I like the engine sound in them they are the most fragile buses in wmata yet people hype them like they're all that ugh

Orion II Are you serious?? What was WMATA Thinking they were better off getting NABI 30 SFWs or something

[aznboy4305]

That, George, I can agree with -- and I don't think there would really be a difference between the two.  But I have noticed that they aren't rockets.

The C40LFs have Allisons, the C40LFRs have Voiths.

[Annex4421]

That, George, I can agree with -- and I don't think there would really be a difference between the two.  But I have noticed that they aren't rockets.

The C40LFs have Allisons, the C40LFRs have Voiths.

And the C40LFRs are not slow, they can pick up some speed I've been on some fast C40LFRs. Not to mention they're LFRs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ir0cq09]

That, George, I can agree with -- and I don't think there would really be a difference between the two.  But I have noticed that they aren't rockets.

The C40LFs have Allisons, the C40LFRs have Voiths.

And the C40LFRs are not slow, they can pick up some speed I've been on some fast C40LFRs. Not to mention they're LFRs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HA! There slow! i was once on the 79 and that stop @ Kennedy street going towards silver spring we were stopped at a red light once it hit green it took us at least 4 mins to get up that little hill...The engine was making some sweet noise though.

[DCT S9Z4Z6]

Its not a METRObus, but. . .

Once, when I was deadheading from Montgomery Mall, I was directly behind a brand new 5300 series Gillig Phantom, as we both got on 270 @ Old Georgetown Rd on a Saturday afternoon.

I was driving a TMC

The TMC I was driving, didn't have a governor, and I had it wide open.
By the time I hit 270 & the inner loop, that Gillig Phantom was well in my rear view mirrors.

I had that bus parked, and had walked up the hill, to the drivers parking lot, when that bus finally arrived at Brookville. That driver could only smile. He later told me, he was struggling to get that Gillig to maintain 50MPH.

I made it a point, to ask for that particular TMC if ever I saw it unassigned on the board.
It also had an A/C so cold, you needed a sweater.

This bus looked like a dog on the outside.
Inside, it ran like a hungry greyhound chasing after a squirrel.

[WayneNYC]

That, George, I can agree with -- and I don't think there would really be a difference between the two.  But I have noticed that they aren't rockets.

The C40LFs have Allisons, the C40LFRs have Voiths.

And the C40LFRs are not slow, they can pick up some speed I've been on some fast C40LFRs. Not to mention they're LFRs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not that they're incapable of reaching high speeds, but more that they accelerate slowly.

[Tritransit Area]

Its not a METRObus, but. . .

Once, when I was deadheading from Montgomery Mall, I was directly behind a brand new 5300 series Gillig Phantom, as we both got on 270 @ Old Georgetown Rd on a Saturday afternoon.

I was driving a TMC

The TMC I was driving, didn't have a governor, and I had it wide open.
By the time I hit 270 & the inner loop, that Gillig Phantom was well in my rear view mirrors.

I had that bus parked, and had walked up the hill, to the drivers parking lot, when that bus finally arrived at Brookville. That driver could only smile. He later told me, he was struggling to get that Gillig to maintain 50MPH.

I made it a point, to ask for that particular TMC if ever I saw it unassigned on the board.
It also had an A/C so cold, you needed a sweater.

This bus looked like a dog on the outside.
Inside, it ran like a hungry greyhound chasing after a squirrel.

If only I could go back in time....I never got to have a final ride on one of my beloved TMC buses.

[Annex4421]

That, George, I can agree with -- and I don't think there would really be a difference between the two.  But I have noticed that they aren't rockets.

The C40LFs have Allisons, the C40LFRs have Voiths.

And the C40LFRs are not slow, they can pick up some speed I've been on some fast C40LFRs. Not to mention they're LFRs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HA! There slow! i was once on the 79 and that stop @ Kennedy street going towards silver spring we were stopped at a red light once it hit green it took us at least 4 mins to get up that little hill...The engine was making some sweet noise though.

Yeah I highly doubt that they have Voiths and Voiths are hill climbers look at the D40LFRs(My favorite in the fleet can't nobody tell me nothing about them so try me lol) the do well going up hills. You might be talking about the Orion VIIs