August 2008 Observations

[79MetroExtraMD]

George, buses 45-58 are NextBus equipped, so they tend to stick to the 3, 4, 3/4, 6, and 7 -- our NextBus routes.  Interlining might cause a run to stray away from those five routes, however...it's a regular occurrance because, while the 3, 4, and 3/4 are generally blocked alone (no interlining), the 6 and 7 mix around a bit with other routes at shared terminals.

It's on the 6 and the 7? I thought it was just on the 3, 3/4, and 4. Any chance all of the lines will come online let alone if there will be anymore buses equipped with the MDTs?

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

George, buses 45-58 are NextBus equipped, so they tend to stick to the 3, 4, 3/4, 6, and 7 -- our NextBus routes.  Interlining might cause a run to stray away from those five routes, however...it's a regular occurrance because, while the 3, 4, and 3/4 are generally blocked alone (no interlining), the 6 and 7 mix around a bit with other routes at shared terminals.

It's on the 6 and the 7? I thought it was just on the 3, 3/4, and 4.

Yeah I was gonna say, I NEVER saw one on the 6 and until yesterday I never saw one on the 7. (of course, I'm talking about 45-58)

[Tristan]

George, buses 45-58 are NextBus equipped, so they tend to stick to the 3, 4, 3/4, 6, and 7 -- our NextBus routes.  Interlining might cause a run to stray away from those five routes, however...it's a regular occurrance because, while the 3, 4, and 3/4 are generally blocked alone (no interlining), the 6 and 7 mix around a bit with other routes at shared terminals.

It's on the 6 and the 7? I thought it was just on the 3, 3/4, and 4. Any chance all of the lines will come online let alone if there will be anymore buses equipped with the MDTs?

Trust me on this one.

Anyway, we have an RFP out now for real time bus information systems, so we'll see what happens.

[ChristopherF]

METROBUS:
9302 on the B27, block unknown
9333 on the 84 (Rhode Island Avenue Station) with an "L" block
9361 remains @ Landover.
9362 on the R2 (Calverton) with a "B" block
9765 remains @ Montgomery.
9770 remains @ Montgomery.
4330 remains @ Montgomery.
2012 on the F4 (Silver Spring Station), remains unrehabbed
2092 on the C8 (College Park Station), remains unrehabbed
2602, still WITHOUT the 38B banner, on the 38B (Farragut Square)
2622 on the 38B (Ballston Station), remains @ FMR
2624 on the R2 (Calverton)
6147 is now rear-wrapped in the PGCC ad

[79MetroExtraMD]

METROBUS:
9302 on the B27, block unknown
9333 on the 84 (Rhode Island Avenue Station) with an "L" block
9361 remains @ Landover.
9362 on the R2 (Calverton) with a "B" block
9765 remains @ Montgomery.
9770 remains @ Montgomery.
4330 remains @ Montgomery.
2012 on the F4 (Silver Spring Station), remains unrehabbed
2092 on the C8 (College Park Station), remains unrehabbed
2602, still WITHOUT the 38B banner, on the 38B (Farragut Square)
2622 on the 38B (Ballston Station), remains @ FMR
2624 on the R2 (Calverton)
6147 is now rear-wrapped in the PGCC ad

The B27 is out of Landover.
Bladensburg does have a few 9300s, mostly being used during rush hour.

As for the 38B banners, alot of those buses get shuttled around on alot of different routes. There are some PikeRide buses that get shuttled around onto other routes. The REX buses primarily will stay on the REX route unless something drastic happens.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Saw a Metro-D on the L2 at Chevy Chase Circle this afternoon and also 9832 on the N3.

Also, I rode the Metro down to Dupont Circle to see a friend of mine on a 6 car Rohr set operated in manual mode that pulled to the front of each station.  I think I saw one other train going the other way do similar that was not 8 cars long.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

9362 on the R2 (Calverton) with a "B" block

Bladensburg got some non-CNG buses as part of the last shifts, I think that fact has been established.  I saw a 4200 on the "H" as its front sign said at Tenleytown this afternoon.

[Tristan]

As for the 38B banners, alot of those buses get shuttled around on alot of different routes. There are some PikeRide buses that get shuttled around onto other routes. The REX buses primarily will stay on the REX route unless something drastic happens.

A lot of it has to do with interlining; REX blocks are isolated from the rest of the system (which means if you do REX, you're doing all REX and nothing but REX!) whereas 38Bs and 16s are not...so a bus could start out in the right place on the 16 (or 38B or even 9S, for that matter, though those are more isolated than others) and then end up on other routes throughout the day...this, in tandem with equipment problems and dispatch priority going to getting the block started (vs. marketing) leads to the apparent "mixups".

[ChristopherF]

METROBUS:
2086 on the C2 (Greenbelt Center), freshly rehabbed
2093 on the C2 (Wheaton Station), remains unrehabbed

[79MetroExtraMD]

A lot of it has to do with interlining; REX blocks are isolated from the rest of the system (which means if you do REX, you're doing all REX and nothing but REX!) whereas 38Bs and 16s are not...so a bus could start out in the right place on the 16 (or 38B or even 9S, for that matter, though those are more isolated than others) and then end up on other routes throughout the day...this, in tandem with equipment problems and dispatch priority going to getting the block started (vs. marketing) leads to the apparent "mixups".

That's true. Makes for some interesting sightings as well as marketing elsewhere. Also, I would like for once to see a REX bus put on another line, just for kicks.

[Perry]

Before they received the Orion VII, I used to see them on the 16 and the 23.

[LandoverDivision]

My observations today (8/23/08):

2368 on route 80
23XX on route 80
2408 on route X2
2630 on route X2
6041 on route V12
6153 on route P12.

[ChristopherF]

4231 is no longer wrapped in the Hersheypark ad.

[LandoverDivision]

6152 is now wrapped in the PGCC ad.

[Scrabbleship]

This is from a couple days back, but I saw a 601x on the J4 back on Friday. First time I've seen a hybrid (or any sort of New Flyer) on the route given how Flxible heavy (with a dash of Orion and artic) it is.