WMATA Had these?

[Annex4421]

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[rideonrulez]

I sure do!

RTS-Hated them!! The seat springs would stick out and the windows would barely open. I rode them ALL the time since I grew up in Montgomery County which at the time the whole fleet was there. The only thing I did like about them was the noise it would make when it was going fast.

MAN Articulated-Love them though they were slow as hell and the AC did'nt work for squat.

Gillig Phantoms-I did'nt care for these because the longitude seating. But I loved the HUGE destination roll signs.

9600 Orion V's-I LOVED these when they first came in. Shiny seats and a 6V92 engine, they were AWESOME!! Then they rehabbed them and had no love for them anymore....

[Antozilla]

I don't think that last one is an Orion V.  Heck Metro even had Twin Coach Mini buses on the first incarnation of the Circulator.  Called the downtowner as I recall

[LandoverDivision]

Yeah the last one is an 9600 Orion V before they were rehabbed/repowered. Remembered riding those on the 30 line once. Man that 6V92TA was something else.

[uncle_shawn]

I had never seen the 9600 series Orions in the second paint scheme (had to do a double take at first). In my travels to DC, I did remember seeing the RTS and the 5000 and 5100 series MANs. I didn't recall seeing the Phantoms.

[WES]

The Phantoms mainly ran in SE.  When first delievered, some were delieved to Bladensburg, if not all and they had those curtain signs, which BTW were the last WMATA buses with those signs.  The RTSs and the first group of MANs also had roll signs before all were replaced with electronic signs.  The one funny thing about the first group of MANs where that they had a rear roll destination sign, and in everyone said the word "BYE".  Also the first group of MANs had silver front and rear bumpers, most had tilt in windows, except for 5011 had sealed windows and of course the roll signs.  Mostly all of them had the windows changed to sliding sash, got electronic signs, mostly black bumpers (most if not all kept their silver rear bumpers) but kept like I said the rear route roll signs.  The MANs used to dominate the X2 when first delievered, but was split to serve the 70 later in their lifes.  One thing I liked about the MANs was their front doors when they made a loud SHHHHHHHH! sound and if I am correct the front doors could open independently of each other.

I thought the RTSs were cool, since all of them were at Montgomery and none ran on any of the old ANNEX routes and I rarely got to ride one unless I was in Montgomery County or rode the F6.  They were fast, but the seats (like in all buses) were too small to fit me.

The Orions, with the 6Vs were actually pretty fast and 9652, with it's DD50 was even faster.  It was a shame they switched out the 6Vs to DD50s, that's when they started to suck, couldn't get a hill worth a damned.

I only rode one of WMATA's Gilligs once and that was before they were retired.  They were ok and one funny moment was when I was at Minnesota Avenue waiting to pick up my mother and one had stopped on the old U6.  Some woman not paying attention ran into the back of the bus and apparently the bus driver didn't know he was hit and just drove off.  Meanwhile the woman's car was crumpled and I guess she couldn't move it, it had to be towed away.

[79MetroExtraMD]

I remember the MANs although I didn't have a chance to ride them. I remember the 9600s but after rehab though.

[Perry]

MAN artics used to run on the old R8 from Calverton to Fort Totten.  It was fun to get one on there.  Not fun to get one on the Q2 as they crawled up the big hills on Viers Mill Road.

The 9600's at first I didn't care for, but after they repowered them I realized I missed them the old way.  When I first saw them in '92 I had no idea what it was since it looked so different than what WMATA had been getting, so it was nice to see a little variety.

[DCT S9Z4Z6]

I remember driving the RTS's when I worked for "The House of Mouse" when the EX & I lived in Winter Park Florida in 87-88-89. Thats where I started driving buses professionally.

I didn't like rear door wheelchair access.  =(

[Annex4421]

Do you wish WMATA kept them longer?

[LandoverDivision]

I remember the phantoms in SE. I think I rode one at one point probably when I was young and didn't know squat. Also does anybody remember the one Orion V with a dark blue LED? Spotted one of those on the 94 back in '01 or '02.

[Annex4421]

Not really that was when Southeastern had Metro D's, Orion V's and VI's

[WayneNYC]

I was happy to have seen and rode most of those WMATA buses from the past.  I always liked MAN artics because of the rear section steering.  That's where it all ended because they were oh so slow.  I've ridden many a slow bus, but I recall numerous times when cresting a hill they were barely moving.  No joking!  Then on level roads they weren't fast at all.  I do recall three fast MAN artic rides I had.  Two were Westcherster County, Bee Line units going downhill on I-95.  The other was a WMATA bus.  It was a S/B Q2 that had just left Wheaton and, the B/O was able to get some nice speed going on GA Ave as the lights were green and we didn't stop until Forest Glen.

The RTS were OK.  I used to pass them up often as I was just RTSed-out after just moving here from NYC.  Anyone who doesn't know...Back in the mid 90's NYCTA's had over 3000 RTS.  WMATA's were quited tired at the end and rattled like crazy.  As Chris said though.... Their DD 6V92/Allison made some sweet music at speed.   

Never rode their Gillig Phantoms, but I remember seeing them in their last years.

I remember when the 9600s were new in '92.  I didn't live here yet, but I remember visiting and was suprised when I saw one in DC.  They were pretty cool back them, but I avoided them like the plague after they were repowered.  I was happy to see them go.  These were the only buses I disliked more than the '00 Orion V 2100/2200s.

[Perry]

MAN artics used to run on the old R8 from Calverton to Fort Totten.  It was fun to get one on there.  Not fun to get one on the Q2 as they crawled up the big hills on Viers Mill Road.

The 9600's at first I didn't care for, but after they repowered them I realized I missed them the old way.  When I first saw them in '92 I had no idea what it was since it looked so different than what WMATA had been getting, so it was nice to see a little variety.

What about these

What about them? 

[Annex4421]

Why don't you like the 21/2200s they're the Orion V's unless you'd prefer WMATA getting one similar to the one Ride-On has