March 2009 Observations

[LandoverDivision]

From Yesterday:

First off, why were there so many Metro Supervisors at Cheverly Station yesterday? Metro vehicles everywhere! 4041 was sitting at Cheverly Station (Don't know why).

3907 on the 24P BALLSTON STATION.
4227 on the 18H (I think).  Wasn't 4227 a Montgomery bus?
9410 at Pentagon Station. Wasn't this also a Montgomery bus?
4202 on the 28A (King Street Station)

[ChristopherF]

RIDE ON:
975409, stuck in silver 4ever, on the 20 (Silver Spring)
995410, stuck in silver 4ever, on the 5 (Silver Spring)
065752 on the 10 (Twinbrook)
025594 on the 10 (Hillandale)

FAIRFAX CONNECTOR:
7867 on the 401 (Franconia/ Springfield Metro)
7873 on the 401 (Tysons West Park Transit Center)
7870 on the 171
7770 on the 950 (Reston Town Center via Herndon-Monroe P&R)
9758 on the 109
7868 on the 401 (Franconia/ Springfield Metro)
9768 on the 401 (Tysons West Park Transit Center)

METROBUS:
6139 on the NH1
4020 on the NH1
4349 on the 32
9765 remains @ Montgomery.
9768 remains @ Montgomery.
9811 on the C4 (PG Plaza Station)
9815 on the Z8 (Silver Spring Station)
9821 on the Z6 (Silver Spring Station)
4083 on the J2 (Montgomery Mall)
4084 on the Q2 (Shady Grove Station)
4086 on the Y8 (Montgomery Gen Hospital)
4089 on the Y8 (Silver Spring Station)
4321 on the C8 & is no longer wrapped in the Chevron ad
2068 on the J1 (Silver Spring Station)
2150 on the S2 (Federal Triangle)
6150 on the F4 (New Carrollton)
2352 on the R2 (Calverton & then to Ft Totten)

[rb8888]

Saw 2045 on the 42 (Metro Center) yesterday afternoon.

[ChristopherF]

RIDE ON:
055957 on the 54 (Lakeforest)
055952 on the 54 (Rockville)
055834 on the 48 (Wheaton)
055939 on the 48 (Rockville)
975401 on the 45 (Fallsgrove)
975402 on the 5 (Silver Spring)
025594 on the 10 (Twinbrook)
015590 on the 10 (Hillandale)

FAIRFAX CONNECTOR:
7868 on the 401 (Franconia/ Springfield Metro)
9710 on the 401 (Tysons West Park Transit Center)
9768 on the 171
9765 on the 109

METROBUS:
6110 on the NH1
4020 on the NH1
4349 on the 32
9320 on the 86 (Calverton)
9400 on the 28A (Tysons Corner)
9765 remains @ Montgomery.
9768 remains @ Montgomery.
9780 remains @ Northern.
4075 on the 3B (Falls Church Sta)
4085 on the Y8 (Silver Spring Station)
4087 on the Q2 (Shady Grove Station)
4091 on the C8 (White Flint Station)
4209 on the 3T with an A block
4226 on the 3B (Rosslyn Station) with an A block
4227 on the 3B (Rosslyn Station) with an A block
4231 on the 3B (Falls Church Sta) with an A block
4234 on the 28T (Tysons Corner Westpark) with an A block
4238 on the Z2 (Silver Spring Station)
4281 on the 70 (Silver Spring Station)
4310 remains @ Northern.
4313 on the Y8 (Silver Spring Station)
4321 on the Z2 & is no longer wrapped in the Chevron ad
4366 on the 28B & is no longer wrapped in the Chevron ad
4379 on the 28A & is no longer wrapped in the Chevron ad
2028 on the 3B (Rosslyn Station) with an A block
2081 on the Q2 (Silver Spring Station)
2166 on the 64
2100-2165: NORTHERN
2166-2231: WESTERN
6139 on the W4
6140-6178: LANDOVER
6179-6217: MONTGOMERY
2445 on the R2 (Calverton)
2321 on the R2 (Calverton)

METROBUS NOTES:
And, to follow up on a question that I asked about 9374 earlier this week, that very bus, which used to operate out of Montgomery for most of its lifespan, now operates out of Royal.  9374 is now a Royal bus.

[WayneNYC]

4311 on the J7 this afternoon.

[C40LF_2464]

 saw 5417 on the R1 then anothe BRT on the R2

[Tritransit Area]

Hmm...do the R1 & 2 really need articulateds nowadays?

[C40LF_2464]

Really i dont think they need them i think WMATA is just thinking of another route that they can put the artics on without causing harm to them. I was suprided when i just got out of the store i saw a BRT pulled up saying "R1 ALDELPHI".

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

In this case, some might end up on routes like the 30s (rush hour Bladensburg trips), 79, 80, D6, G8, H2/H4, or P6...now those would be interesting sightings!

[Scrabbleship]

In this case, some might end up on routes like the 30s (rush hour Bladensburg trips), 79, 80, D6, G8, H2/H4, or P6...now those would be interesting sightings!

Now who thinks I was nuts for wanting to burn them off on the 79, 80 and D6 rather than exposing them to the hell known as the U8? 

[WMATAGMOAGH]

I think they are being put on busy Bladensburg routes and routes with large bus stop zones already in place.  They aren't going to show up on the H lines, they aren't that busy and they wouldn't be able to pull in to many stops. The D6 doesn't get all that busy either.  The Rs are busy but not artic worthy under most circumstances, although artics on those routes would be a good way to provide more capacity without running more trips on that route.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

I think they are being put on busy Bladensburg routes and routes with large bus stop zones already in place.  They aren't going to show up on the H lines, they aren't that busy and they wouldn't be able to pull in to many stops. The D6 doesn't get all that busy either.  The Rs are busy but not artic worthy under most circumstances, although artics on those routes would be a good way to provide more capacity without running more trips on that route.

Speaking of running more trips on that line, since thats a Bladensburg route would PG county gov fund more trips?

Funding isn't related to where the trips operate from.  The Rs are a PG route, so either PG or Maryland would be responsible for increasing the subsidy if they wanted more trips on that line.  Metro can then figure out for itself how to operate the route in the most efficient manner.

[79MetroExtraMD]

In this case, some might end up on routes like the 30s (rush hour Bladensburg trips), 79, 80, D6, G8, H2/H4, or P6...now those would be interesting sightings!

79 might pull one off
80 doesn't need tics
D6 has very tight turns (especially on Q Street)
G8 isn't that busy
H line could be a possibility
P6 (just hell no)

[Perry]

I think the R's are a DC route, which is why they come out of Bladensburg.  Other MoCo routes such as the C2 and 4 that operate in PG County are Montgomery routes. 

Back in the 80's, artics were routinely operated on the R8, now R2.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

In this case, some might end up on routes like the 30s (rush hour Bladensburg trips), 79, 80, D6, G8, H2/H4, or P6...now those would be interesting sightings!

79 might pull one off
80 doesn't need tics
D6 has very tight turns (especially on Q Street)
G8 isn't that busy
H line could be a possibility
P6 (just hell no)

For the umpteenth time, artics have a smaller turning radius than regular buses.  If a 40 footer can handle the tight turns on Q Street, so can an artic.

I think the R's are a DC route, which is why they come out of Bladensburg.  Other MoCo routes such as the C2 and 4 that operate in PG County are Montgomery routes. 

Back in the 80's, artics were routinely operated on the R8, now R2.

So DC is paying to operate those routes deep into Maryland and PG County?  What do they gain from funding routes that appear to be primarily feeding PG residents into the Fort Totten Station if they are in fact providing that funding?