Favorite Worst Metro Buses

[Tristan]

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.

[WayneNYC]

Hater. -_- Anyways, there isn't anything wrong with Orion VIIs I don't get why you all hate them. Ok so they're a bit slow. Most buses are slow due to the fact that they are BUSES.

Just because they are buses doesn't mean they are slow. It all on how the buses are governed (especially with electronic controls). You'd be lucky to get a bus that can get above 55. Why have the speedometer go up to 90 when most of them just top off around 55 or 59.

Knowlegde me a little. Name me a 40ft/60ft bus that can go 55-59. Which is fast for a bus but still slow.

Uhhh!  I've ridden and paced many WMATA buses at speeds over 60 MPH.  The D40LFR certainly go past 60 with little effort and I see this daily when driving next to a J9 on I-270.   

[LandoverDivision]

Hater. -_- Anyways, there isn't anything wrong with Orion VIIs I don't get why you all hate them. Ok so they're a bit slow. Most buses are slow due to the fact that they are BUSES.

Just because they are buses doesn't mean they are slow. It all on how the buses are governed (especially with electronic controls). You'd be lucky to get a bus that can get above 55. Why have the speedometer go up to 90 when most of them just top off around 55 or 59.

Knowlegde me a little. Name me a 40ft/60ft bus that can go 55-59. Which is fast for a bus but still slow.

Uhhh!  I've ridden and paced many WMATA buses at speeds over 60 MPH.  The D40LFR certainly go past 60 with little effort and I see this daily when driving next to a J9 on I-270.   

I know, I know. The Hybrids are also pretty fast buses. The hybrids start off fast then keeps going fast!! DE40LFR and DE40LF.

[LandoverDivision]

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

[Antozilla]

YUp VIIs and only VIIs

16 line especially the 16Y

Occasionally a V on the 10B

Alas my beloved VIs have left me 

[orionvii2680]

Man you people make me sick...Downin my bus like that.What in heavens name is wrong with the Orion Vii?The John deere is beast!!!!

[Tristan]

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

Um.  All 20 seconds of it sound fine to me, including the 10 seconds during which it was actually accelerating...your point?

[WES]

Hater. -_- Anyways, there isn't anything wrong with Orion VIIs I don't get why you all hate them. Ok so they're a bit slow. Most buses are slow due to the fact that they are BUSES.

Just because they are buses doesn't mean they are slow. It all on how the buses are governed (especially with electronic controls). You'd be lucky to get a bus that can get above 55. Why have the speedometer go up to 90 when most of them just top off around 55 or 59.

Knowlegde me a little. Name me a 40ft/60ft bus that can go 55-59. Which is fast for a bus but still slow.

When the C40LFs first came in, I followed one doing 70 mph.

Is that fast or what?

[LandoverDivision]

Hater. -_- Anyways, there isn't anything wrong with Orion VIIs I don't get why you all hate them. Ok so they're a bit slow. Most buses are slow due to the fact that they are BUSES.

Just because they are buses doesn't mean they are slow. It all on how the buses are governed (especially with electronic controls). You'd be lucky to get a bus that can get above 55. Why have the speedometer go up to 90 when most of them just top off around 55 or 59.

Knowlegde me a little. Name me a 40ft/60ft bus that can go 55-59. Which is fast for a bus but still slow.

When the C40LFs first came in, I followed one doing 70 mph.

Is that fast or what?

Good enough for me.

[LandoverDivision]

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

Um.  All 20 seconds of it sound fine to me, including the 10 seconds during which it was actually accelerating...your point?

What do you mean "your point"? That thing sounds like it needs to be in a junkyard somewhere. And you think THAT sounds better than WMATA's Orion VIIs? Then you must be smokin' somethin'.

[aznboy4305]

I like the Orion VII, built quality and speed doesnt define everything. If thats the case, then Gillig makes some bomb ass buses.

They have GREAT ride, leans and floats nice, sounds great, and they're one of my favorite buses to work on.  Yes CERTAIN orders lack a lot of power, and the built quality is sub-standard. They're not perfect buses, but they aren't shitty or monotonous as New Flyers.

And 55-59 is NOT fast for a bus, outside of Ride On and New York MTA, most transit buses are governed to anywhere between 65-70mph, which is STILL not fast for a bus. There are VERY few places where you'll find ungoverned transit buses. I've been on plenty of ungoverned Vanhools that were pushing 80+ and thats with the needle resting on the maximum point, and it wasnt struggling at all. You'll be amazing at what a bus can do if money, insurance, and safety wasn't a factor.

[aznboy4305]

With that said...

Favorite WMATA buses
Orion VII 30' and JD
New Flyer C40LFR
NABI 416s
Flxible B > E > D
9600s

Worst
New Flyer D40LFR
Orion V 4200-2200s
Orion VI


Speed don't mean a THING...unless you're working.

[LandoverDivision]

With that said...

Favorite WMATA buses
Orion VII 30' and JD
New Flyer C40LFR
NABI 416s
Flxible B > E > D
9600s

Worst
New Flyer D40LFR
Orion V 4200-2200s
Orion VI


Speed don't mean a THING

I agree with you on the VIIs and the Flxs, but the D40LFR and the VI are awesome. The 9600s-pssssshhhh.

[aznboy4305]

Knowlegde me a little. Name me a 40ft/60ft bus that can go 55-59. Which is fast for a bus but still slow.

The D40LFRs surely can. I've ridden them plenty of times where they reach up to 57. Ride Ons C40LFs have gotten around there. I took a couple on the 55, 70, and the 100. Even some of their Orion 7s can.

You sure about the D40LFRs? Hmm. I haven't been on a single D40LFR that went that fast or maybe it's just me.

Lack of evidence isnt evidence in itself.

[aznboy4305]

I hate D40LFR, it isn't aesthetically streamline at all. You have a 21st century front and back with a 1980s body in between with WTF doors, plus they are bland. But I'll admit they are very functional buses. Thats why I like the sluggish but proper looking C40LFRs over the fast but wtf looking D40LFRs.


Same with the Orion VI, very bland and monotonous but its a functional bus.

And the 9600s are just plain pimp