Favorite WMATA New Flyer Buses

[Perry]

The LFA's are just an abomination of a bus.  I don't like that styling at all and it just looks way too heavy for a normal transit bus.  I would like to see the New Flyer Excelsior in action, that looks like a combo of a D40LFR and an Orion VII New Generation.

[WayneNYC]

Yup - The extra materials which I'm sure costs more has no functional use.  Yes, I'm sure it's more aerodynamic, but this is a city bus, not an over-the-road coach that would be cruising the highways at high speeds for hours at a time.

[Scrabbleship]

I love how WMATA can put so many different spins on what pretty much is the same type of bus. It's hard to pick a favorite, but each has their pluses.

C40LF: The fact that they're, well, average in a fleet which looks more and more like New Flyer's showroom-in-action and that the buses were an order where WMATA's specs were in transition (first buses with LED signs, first "normal" low floor buses, their seat specs are unique to the fleet) which makes them stand out. That and get a driver on the H2 flooring it down Porter with the windows down.

DE40LF: The blue front cap looks better than the white cap deal on the C40LF's.

D40LFR: The rear window and the fact that the doors might up and break someone's hand. I always thought that those doors would have worked better as plug doors, problem is I head it'd be impossible to do anything besides slide glide on an XXLF body.

DE40LFR/C40LFR: The overall rareness of both fleets and the really comfy seats. The Metro Extra C40LFR's (and the Express converts) and their multicolor signs also are a big plus though the Mountain Dew'd signs sometimes seem, well, off.

LFA's: They seem a lot more open than their predecessors and the styling is okay though a little redundant. The too-low-to-be-a-headrests and the lite brite "Stop Requested" sign are weird touches that are growing on me. Can't wait to see them in artic form!!

[aznboy4305]

I like the C40LFRs and DE42LFAs. I HATE the D40LFRs

No you can't hate the D40LFR's. Why?

I like consistency in styling in that the bus looks and flows right from front to back. The D40LFR is two modern and streamline 21st century front and end caps slapped onto a 1980s boxy body. Without the aid of frameless windows, it just doesnt flow, thus it doesn't look right to me. That is why I like the C40LFs and C40LFRs, they are consistent and flow from bumper to bumper. The same goes for systems with WTF Gilligs (Charlotte's and RGRTA for example), you need to have all or nothing.

From the driver's seat, New Flyer LF series are Cadillacs to drive.

[aznboy4305]

Yup - The extra materials which I'm sure costs more has no functional use.  Yes, I'm sure it's more aerodynamic, but this is a city bus, not an over-the-road coach that would be cruising the highways at high speeds for hours at a time.

I agree, it has no functional use. Its pretty much all about public relations and appealing to the choice-users. Its for advertising the agency and snatching riders. They're expensive to spec, and expensive to maintain.  If anything they actually lose a bit of operational practicality, such as Gillig BRTs where you have to maintain not only your front windshield but also your side windshields cause you have to look through them to see your mirrors. Thus needing 4 wipers, thus messing up the already ergonomic conventional Advantage dashboard layout.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

I don't like any WMATA New Flyer in terms of leg room, but besides that factor, my favorites are pretty much all of them (C40LFs, DE40LFs, DE40LFRs, D40LFRs, DE42LFAs, and the artics (DE60LFAs?). I don't like the C40LFRs (the 2800s) because they're too damn slow, and I personally don't like the MetroExtra theme (and those horrific signs).

If I had to choose one out of all those buses, what would it be? hmm...probably the C40LFs because they are completely diesel-free CNGs and they're pretty fast as well, I love them. A close second would be the DE42LFAs.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

The LFA's are just an abomination of a bus.  I don't like that styling at all and it just looks way too heavy for a normal transit bus.  I would like to see the New Flyer Excelsior in action, that looks like a combo of a D40LFR and an Orion VII New Generation.

yeah I've always wanted to see an Excelsior in WMATA's fleet, that would be pretty interesting.

[LandoverDivision]

I don't like any WMATA New Flyer in terms of leg room, but besides that factor, my favorites are pretty much all of them (C40LFs, DE40LFs, DE40LFRs, D40LFRs, DE42LFAs, and the artics (DE60LFAs?). I don't like the C40LFRs (the 2800s) because they're too damn slow, and I personally don't like the MetroExtra theme (and those horrific signs).

If I had to choose one out of all those buses, what would it be? hmm...probably the C40LFs because they are completely diesel-free CNGs and they're pretty fast as well, I love them. A close second would be the DE42LFAs.

That Voith transmission is what causes the problem for the C40LFRs to be slow. They're called DE62LFAs by the way.

[Tritransit Area]

What is this "white" or "blue" cap that you guys speak of? Are you talking about the paint on the destination sign area?

[Tritransit Area]

LFA's: They seem a lot more open than their predecessors and the styling is okay though a little redundant. The too-low-to-be-a-headrests and the lite brite "Stop Requested" sign are weird touches that are growing on me. Can't wait to see them in artic form!!

Are you serious?  Those buses have headrests on those seats?  Geez, y'all have money to just throw wherever!

[WayneNYC]

Yup!

What is this "white" or "blue" cap that you guys speak of? Are you talking about the paint on the destination sign area?

[Scrabbleship]

LFA's: They seem a lot more open than their predecessors and the styling is okay though a little redundant. The too-low-to-be-a-headrests and the lite brite "Stop Requested" sign are weird touches that are growing on me. Can't wait to see them in artic form!!

Are you serious?  Those buses have headrests on those seats?  Geez, y'all have money to just throw wherever!

They're not really headrests , they're a padded add-on to the seat that goes up to the handle of the seat which seems to be an option as one of the 5400's were retrofitted with it.

[Annex4421]

I like the Cadilac comparison to the New Flyer LF's.And I like the C40LF's becasue for some reason they used to remind me of the WMATA Gilligs because of the break from the DDS50 Engines Plus without them WMATA would have nerver fell in love with New Flyer in the 1st place. Look out for Favorite WMATA Orion's and Flexible's topic in two weeks.

[LandoverDivision]

The C40LF and the DE40LF are two of my favorites.  I don't mind the D40LFR or the DE40LFR they're ok.  Not really a fan of the LFA though, it was a waste of money to bring those humpbacks here.

HAHA liar! For someone who doesn't like the LFAs, you sure were talking about the orders a lot. I would think that someone who isn't a big fan of them wouldn't be so concerned about the orders. Not a fan? HA that's funny.

I don't really see a problem with them though. Smoothest riding bus in the entire fleet, comfortable seats, not to mention their sexiness. I only know 2 people who don't like 'em. other than that, they are some pretty kickass buses.

[BladensburgB2]

Quick question is WMATA suppose to get a order of New Flyer Hybird tics and if so what happen to them ?