March 2009 Observations

[ChristopherF]

RIDE ON:
995410, stuck in silver 4ever, on the 10 (Twinbrook)
055952 on the 46 (Montgomery College Rockville)
055954 on the 54 (Lakeforest)
055956 on the 56 (Lakeforest)
055951 on the 56 (Rockville)
965562 on the 54 (Rockville)
055943 on the 46 (Medical Center)
965379 on the 10 (Hillandale)

FAIRFAX CONNECTOR:
9765 on the 401 (Franconia/ Springfield Metro)
9712 on the 401 (Tysons West Park Transit Center)
7863 on the 171
9743 on the 950 (Reston Town Center via Herndon-Monroe P&R)
7770 on the 950 (West Falls Church Metro)
9721 on the 505 (Reston Town Center via Reston East P&R)
7771 on the 505 (West Falls Church Metro); bus is now in the 2nd scheme

METROBUS:
6110 on the NH1
4020 on the C12
4205 on the 3B (Rosslyn Station)
9765 remains @ Montgomery.
9771 remains @ Montgomery.
9782 remains @ Northern.
4052 is now @ Bladensburg!
4087 on the K6 (White Oak)
4092 on the C8 (White Flint Station)
4305 on the 70 (Silver Spring Station)
4310 remains @ Northern.
4379 on the 10A & is no longer wrapped in the Chevron ad
2379 on the R2 (Calverton & then to Ft Totten)
2310 on the R2 (Calverton)

[Transport]

2062 on the 24P yesterday.  Get your Metro bus shots on this route as by summer it will be run by ART.  Good to see the Orion Vis back in Arlington.  I may get to ride my beloved "bus of vision" once more.

I saw 2062 on the 24P as well near Clarendon Station.

[79MetroExtraMD]

4076 is at Montgomery. Spotted on strategic duty at Silver Spring. Alot of 4000s were out today.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

4076 is at Montgomery. Spotted on strategic duty at Silver Spring. Alot of 4000s were out today.

heh...I didn't see any other than 4094, 4097, and 4102 in Montgomery territory today...but then again I was in VA and DC for the most part.

To add to that...I saw 4378 on the 36 southeast-bound...looks like another set of buses are moving in this crazy bussian roulette.

Other stuff:
4261 is back at Northern...seen on the 70
2063 @ Arlington...seen on the 1B
2033 and 2038 remain @ Western
4200 at Arlington...seen @ Rosslyn on the 3...and it still has the Ikea wrap (no picture though =( )
4209 at Arlington...rode it on the 4A to Rosslyn then it became the 4B
4211 at Arlington...seen on the 24P
4235 and 4239 @ Arlington...both seen @ Ballston
9346 at Bladensburg...seen on the P2 with a non-working sign

oh, and one more interesting little thing...Ride-On's 5417 on the 81...never thought I'd see that even though I know 5417 and more Gilligs are at Nicholson. Too bad I was on the 54 going home when I saw it as I left Rockville...

ALSO...the programming for the route 47 on 5763 (which used to say Parkside/Grosvenor) is fixed and now says Bethesda via Mont. Mall

I'll post pics in the observation pics thread when I can

[Transport]

Observations - Weds., March 11

METROBUS:
4387 on the 20F (Franklin Farm)
4214 on the 2W (Oakton)
4211 on the 12F (Centreville)
5401 on the 5A (Dulles Airport)

4214 on the 2W was dressed in the IKEA wrap.

[WES]

This might have been mentioned earlier, didn't see it so here it goes.  I saw this morning 2819 dressed in the new "Express" scheme.  Now if there was to be a bus done like this, it should have been a D41LFR and not a C40LFR. This bus was parking in the Bladensburg lot.

Someone mentioned that an Orion VII in the new scheme, that might have been 2627, as a few weeks ago this bus was spotted with practically no engine at Bladensburg, the whole back bottom gone and the engine on the ground.

Also at Bladensburg saw 4042 repainted *in the old paint scheme BTW*.

Notable sightings include seeing 4238 on the 2A and 4237 on the 22A.

[79MetroExtraMD]

This might have been mentioned earlier, didn't see it so here it goes.  I saw this morning 2819 dressed in the new "Express" scheme.  Now if there was to be a bus done like this, it should have been a D41LFR and not a C40LFR. This bus was parking in the Bladensburg lot.

Someone mentioned that an Orion VII in the new scheme, that might have been 2627, as a few weeks ago this bus was spotted with practically no engine at Bladensburg, the whole back bottom gone and the engine on the ground.

Also at Bladensburg saw 4042 repainted *in the old paint scheme BTW*.

Notable sightings include seeing 4238 on the 2A and 4237 on the 22A.

Is the Express scheme similar to the Metro Extra scheme?
Ah. So I get the number. As for 2627, it was parked on the side in the back the other day but today there was a Flx Metro B there. As for the no engine, that is kinda odd. I don't think those JDs aren't breaking down really so far for being only 3 years old. I'd love to see one of these repowered to ISL G.

[WES]

The "Express" scheme is like the "Local" scheme but where the red is, it's blue.  The current "MetroExtra" scheme has the blue front and the silver rear.  Whether WMATA is going to modify the "MetroExtra" scheme remains to be seen.

[OrionFlyer]

The "Express" scheme is like the "Local" scheme but where the red is, it's blue.  The current "MetroExtra" scheme has the blue front and the silver rear.  Whether WMATA is going to modify the "MetroExtra" scheme remains to be seen.

What about where the curved stripes are? Are those blue and white or red and white?


I know the first 14 C40lfrs are branded for Metro Extra. Since 2819 is in the express theme what can it be used for? What Express routes does Bladensburg operate? Or will WMATA change Metro Extra scheme to Express? Somehow I think that's going to happen because WMATA keeps calling the 79 Express and not Limited.

Or Bladensburg will recieve the new Hybrids in the Express theme and operate the S9 with C40lfrs in the Express theme as well on that route.

[ChristopherF]

RIDE ON:
015590 on the 10 (Hillandale)

METROBUS:
4020 on the NH1
4349 on the 32
9302 on the 86 (Rhode Island Avenue Station)
9305 on the 80 (Kennedy Center)
9351 remains @ Montgomery.
9749 on the 80 (Kennedy Center)
9755 remains @ Northern.
9757 remains @ Northern.
9765 remains @ Montgomery.
9769 remains @ Montgomery.
9779 remains @ Northern.
4052 on the X2 (Lafayette Square)
4072 on the R4 (Brookland Station)
4075 on the C4 (Twinbrook Station)
4084 on the C8 (White Flint Station)
4311 on the C2 (Greenbelt Center)
4310 remains @ Northern.
2007, 2017 remain @ Landover.
2082 on the Z8, freshly rehabbed
2100-2165: NORTHERN
2166-2231: WESTERN
6139 on the W4
6140-6178: LANDOVER
6179-6217: MONTGOMERY
2320 on the R2, freshly rehabbed & now in the 4th scheme (silver/red)
2815 on the R4, bus is now repainted in the 4th scheme (silver/red) with "express" in blue letters
2634 on the 80 (Kennedy Center)
2301 on the 80 (Ft Totten)

[OrionFlyer]

METROBUS:
2815 on the R4, bus is now repainted in the 4th scheme (silver/red) with "express" in blue letters

Aren't the Express painted buses supposed to be in silver/blue?

[WES]

I might have to take a different look at the buses at Carmen E Turner to be sure they aren't in a new MetroExtra scheme and not express.  I thought when I saw 2819 in the blue back scheme that I saw express.  But if buses are going to be branded, why wouldn't WMATA paint them in different colors, like LA.

Then again this is WhyMATA.

[wmata employee]

While going to a meeting at Arlington I saw 4054,4055,4056 going in the direction of bladensburg

[Transport]

Thursday, March 12

METROBUS:
2029 on the 1B (Dunn Loring)
4247 on the 10B (Hunting Towers)
4244 on the 2B (Ballston Station)
4210 on the 12S (Vienna Station)

2059 on the 20F (Franklin Farm)
4250 on the 12R (Vienna Station)
2060 on the 12S (Westfields)
4240 on the 20X (Chantilly)
2032 on the 24P (Pentagon) [ destination sign not working, paper sign in ft. window]
2030 pulling out of Arlington Div. on to Quincy St. after a bath

[79MetroExtraMD]

Today's sightings

9489 F6 (New Carrollton) @ UMD