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Similar to the GM fleet reminiscing, I created this thread to share the memories and photos of your experience with the TTC's non-GM Fishbowl fleet prior to 2002 such as Classics, Flyers, New Flyers, Orions (I, II, III, V, VI and pre-refurbished VII), and NovaBUS RTS. If anyone has photos prior to December 31, 2016, feel free to post your old photos from old shoe boxes, slides, even library microfiche or whatever is there. Just don't claim that they are your own if they are not. The following photos are sampled below from my collection: Thanks to @Grapejuice for this inspiration for this thread.

http://www.angelfire.com/ca/TORONTO/builders/orion1.html I'm hoping we can create a database of complete serial numbers for the 1982-84 Orion I deliveries. These serial numbers have the line sequence number representing characters 12-14 in the VIN number, which started at serial no. 457 (C5356457 goes to Markham Transit #2016, delivered 5/1982) and ended at serial no. 999 (E5563999 goes to Whitehorse Transit #14, delivered 7/1984). The first U.S.-built Orion I carried the serial number C6001449 (goes to Pacific Transit System #D10, delivered 7/1982). However, the 1982 Orion Is delivered to Toronto Transit Commission (8730-8739) may not have had the line sequencing in their serial numbers. You can see, when you read the info in the link above, that it gets rather messy when you read the serial numbers for the Grey Goose Bus Lines deliveries... even the line sequencing in these serial numbers is out of order in places. Confirmed serial numbers are listed for units 125 (D5493730) and 160 (D6702732, possibly one of the few U.S.-built Orion Is to go to Canada) among these deliveries, both delivered to said agency in September/October 1983. For example, let's figure out if these University of Virginia bus serial numbers are correct: 5139 - D6659661 5239 - D6669674 5337 - D6670675 ~Ben

Apparently Clallam Transit got some new Hybrid mini buses according to this article and I wonder if #629 is one of them in the attached image....: http://www.clallamtransit.com/news.html . I would guess 629 is one of them as there are photos of #624 in the above link. Also, during my recently visit to Port Angeles last month, I found some Gillig Low Floors numbered 611 up to 615 which are not listed on the Wiki. I visited Port Angeles back in September of 2012 as well and did not see any Gilligs numbered higher than #608 which is also the highest listed on the Wiki page. So if anyone has any more information, it would be greatly appreciated. http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Clallam_Transit

I have a question: were there any U.S. transit agencies who ran their Orion I's, V's and/or New Flyers with the Detroit Diesel 6V92TA engine and Voith transmission? This was the powertrain of choice in Canada for the following: YORK REGION TRANSIT (MARKHAM TRANSIT) (MARKHAM, ON) 2033-2036 - 1988 Orion I 01.508 2044-2047 - 1989 MCI Classic TC40-102N 2048-2052 - 1990 MCI Classic TC40-102A 2053-2054 - 1991 Orion V 05.501 YORK REGION TRANSIT (RICHMOND HILL TRANSIT) (RICHMOND HILL, ON) 511-524 - 1989 New Flyer D40 (T-drive) (renumbered 8911-8924 by YRT) YORK REGION TRANSIT (EX-GO TRANSIT) 1130-1132 - 1987 Orion I 01.508 (renumbered 8710-8712 by YRT) BRAMPTON TRANSIT (BRAMPTON, ON) 8894-8899 - 1988 Orion I 01.508 8901-8909 - 1989 Orion I 01.508 9014-9028 - 1990 Orion I 01.508 9129-9137 - 1991 Orion V 05.501 9176-9180 - 1991 New Flyer S40HF (ex-GO Transit) CALGARY TRANSIT (CALGARY, AB) 7001-7010 - 1992 New Flyer D40HF (V-drive) MISSISSAUGA TRANSIT (MISSISSAUGA, ON) 9020 - 1990 Orion V 05.501 OAKVILLE TRANSIT (OAKVILLE, ON) 901-907 - 1990 Orion V 05.501 928-929 - 1992 Orion V 05.501 DURHAM REGION TRANSIT (OSHAWA TRANSIT) 8121-8123 - 1987 Orion I 01.508 (Oshawa 121-123) 8124-8128 - 1989 MCI Classic TC40-102N (Oshawa 124-128) 8129-8132 - 1990 Orion V 05.501 (Oshawa 129-132) 8133-8136 - 1991 Orion V 05.501 (Oshawa 133-136) 8137-8141 - 1992 Orion V 05.501 (Oshawa 137-141) 8142-8145 - 1994 Orion V 05.501 (Oshawa 142-145) DURHAM REGION TRANSIT (WHITBY TRANSIT) 8311-8315 - 1990 Orion V 05.501 (Whitby 9011-9015) 8316 - 1991 Orion V 05.501 (Whitby 9116) 8317 - 1992 MCI Classic TC40-102A (Whitby 9217) 8318 - 1994 Orion V 05.501 (Whitby 9418) 8319 - 1988 MCI Classic TC40-102A (Whitby 8819, originally to Queens Surface Transportation, NY 943) But here (in the U.S.), this same powertrain could be found on the following buses: BEE-LINE (WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY) 760-874 - 1990 Flxible Metro "B" 40102-6T MIAMI-DADE COUNTY TRANSIT AUTHORITY (MIAMI, FL) 9067-9073 - 1990 Flxible Metro "B" 40102-6T GREATER PORTLAND TRANSIT DISTRICT (PORTLAND, ME) 9005-9021 - 1990 Flxible Metro "B" 35102-6T FRESNO AREA EXPRESS (FAX) (FRESNO, CA) 9001-9023 - 1990 Flxible Metro "B" 40102-6T 9101-9112 - 1991 Gillig Phantom 40/102TB/6V92TAC ALAMEDA-CONTRA COSTA (AC) TRANSIT (OAKLAND, CA) 1469-1483 - 1984 Gillig Phantom 40TB/96/6V92 2601-2652 - 1990 Gillig Phantom 40/102TB/6V92TAC 2701-2731 - 1991 Gillig Phantom 30/102TB/6V92TAC 2732-2761 - 1992 Gillig Phantom 30/102TB/6V92TAC 2801-2860 - 1993 Gillig Phantom 40/102TB/6V92TAC SACRAMENTO REGIONAL TRANSIT DISTRICT (SACRAMENTO, CA) 9001-9045 - 1990 Gillig Phantom 40/102TB/6V92TAC QUEENS SURFACE TRANSPORTATION (QUEENS, NY) 943 - 1988 MCI Classic TC40-102A (to Whitby Transit 2005, renumbered there as 8819) LEHIGH AND NORTHAMPTON TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LANTA) (LEHIGH, PA) 8721-8730 - 1987 Orion I 01.502 (30 ft) 8931-8935 - 1989 Orion I 01.502 (30 ft) 8936-8950 - 1989 Orion I 01.507 (35 ft) BROOME COUNTY TRANSIT (BINGHAMTON, NY) 601-617 - 1987 Orion I 01.508 (40 ft) Getting back to my original question, does anyone here know whether or not there were any U.S. transit companies (other than LANTA in PA) that had at one time ran any of Orion I's, Orion V's and/or New Flyer D40HF's or D40LF's with the Detroit Diesel 6V92TA/Voith (D863 or D864) powertrain? I know BC (British Columbia) Transit in Vancouver (BC) ran many 1991-93 New Flyer D40LF's (1st generation) which used the 6V92TA/Voith as the powertrain... but did any U.S. agencies order the same for their D40LF's? Thank you, Ben

Could you please verify all five of these VIN numbers for these Orion I's that were operated by Clallam Transit (Port Angeles, WA)? 581 (1984 Orion I 01.504): 2B1129277E6894990 (if 6V71N engine) or 2B1129776E6894990 (if 6V92TA engine) 582 (1984 Orion I 01.504): 2B1129273E6895991 (if 6V71N engine) or 2B1129772E6895991 (if 6V92TA engine) 583 (1990 Orion I 01.507): 2B1139779L6002595 584 (1992 Orion I 01.508): 2B1169777N6003125 585 (1992 Orion I 01.508): 2B1169779N6003126 Thank you, Ben

Is it true that the CyRide 1983 Orion I 01.506 numbered 1408 (later 908) had the Detroit Diesel 6V71TA engine and Allison HT740 transmission? According to the engine code in its VIN number (1) that you have here, it did. All other Orion I's in the CyRide fleet had the naturally-aspirated 6V71N (rather than the 6V92TA), even through as late as 1988. 1=Detroit Diesel 6V71TA 2=Detroit Diesel 6V71N 7=Detroit Diesel 6V92TA ~Ben

This will be a tough question to answer, and here it goes: were there any Orion I's built in 1984 and 1985 that used the Voith D863 transmission behind the Detroit Diesel 6V92TA engine (a la AC Transit's 1984 Gillig Phantoms numbered 1469 to 1483)? They can be model 01.502 (30 ft), 01.507 (35 ft) or 01.508 (40 ft). ~Ben

Does anyone know of any Orion I 01.502 (30 foot) buses with the Cat 3208 diesel engine in them? I know the 1989 version of the Orion I 30-foot brochure does catalog that in the options list. ~Ben

Although Zack Willhoite's website says that the transmission used on Intercity Transit's (of Olympia, WA) 1986 Orion I's is the Renk-Doromat (MAN Group) 874B automatic transmission (the same kind used in MAN articulated buses), somehow because it sounds uncannily like a Voith transmission, then I wonder how many other Olympians who rode those buses back in the day say the transmission is instead a Voith DIWA D863? The engine is a Detroit Diesel 6V92TA MUI. The buses are numbered 501-510. To get the idea what they would sound like, just listen to an Orion I that was operated by the likes of Brampton Transit, Oshawa Transit, Pickering Transit or Markham Transit. ~Ben

Were there any Orion I's produced from 1982 to 1986 (when specified with the Detroit Diesel 6V92TA engine and the Allison MT644, HT740 or HT747 transmission) that sounded closer to a Gillig Phantom built in those same years mentioned? They can be of any length (30' for 01.502 or 01.503, 35' for 01.506 or 01.507, and 40' for 01.508 or 01.509). ~Ben

http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Kingston_Transit_8382 When I entered that VIN for this 1983 Orion I, as typed (2B1129573D5509770), the VIN Decoder website says the check digit is incorrect. Therefore, I must now submit to you whether or not which of these two VINs is actually the correct one. Is it either 2B1129273D5509770, or 2B1129579D5509770? As the 6V53 was not used in the Orion I after 1982 save for the last OC Transpo 30-foot models (8371 to 8392), then I can only guess at whether or not Kingston's 8382 had the 6V53 (according to the typed VIN there) or if it had the 6V71N like many '83 Orions did. The engine code, which is the 7th digit in the VIN, would mean: 2 = Detroit Diesel 6V71N 5 = Detroit Diesel 6V53N (C40 injectors) ~Ben

This question is for the experts of the GATRA bus fleet: is it true that the 1982 and 1983 Orion I's they ran (8217-8219 from 1982, 8320-8322 from 1983) came with Detroit Diesel 6V92TA engines? If yes, then the transmission behind them would be the Allison HT740 (8217-8219) or the HT747 (8320-8322). ~Ben

I am wondering if Nolan (Stalwart23) or anyone else might be able to clue me in about the GATRA Orion I VIN numbers? They are listed below for you to see. 8217 01.504 2B1129774C6000532 8218 01.504 2B1129776C6000533 8219 01.504 2B112977XC6000535 8320 01.506 2B1129771D6000750 8321 01.506 2B1129775D6000752 8322 01.506 2B1129779D6000754 8923 01.502 2B1119772K6002264 8924 01.502 2B1119774K6002265 8925 01.502 2B1119776K6002266 8926 01.502 2B1119778K6002267 9127 01.507 2B1139770M6002910 9128 01.507 2B1139772M6002911 9129 01.507 2B1139774M6002912 9130 01.507 2B1139770M6002955 9131 01.507 2B1139772M6002956 Thank you, Ben (ClassicBusFan81)

Here's some Orion I VIN numbers from this link: http://notes.brandon.ca/tenders.nsf/0965fee38275b21186256ab0006ab633/2a3410cb38be0308862575080075ff51/$FILE/For%20Sale%20by%20Tender%20-%20Transit%20Buses.pdf #34 - 2B1129274C5414536 Model: 01.504 (35 foot) Year: 1982 Delivered: 11/1982 Engine: Detroit Diesel 6V71N Transmission: Allison MT644 #35 - 2B1169K74K5001955 Model: 01.508 (40 foot) Year: 1989 Delivered: 7/1989 Engine: Detroit Diesel 6V92TA Transmission: Allison HTB748 Other: Initially delivered to Toronto Transit Commission as #9360 with Cummins L10G CNG engine and ZF ECOMAT 4HP500 transmission; initially resold to GO Transit as #1713 with original ZF transmission replaced by Allison HTB748 transmission (and also sent to Calgary Transit where it was demonstrated as #8510); when re-resold to Brandon Transit in 1998 as #35, the L10G engine was replaced by the 6V92TA engine. #39 - 2B1169275H5001665 Model: 01.508 (40 foot) Year: 1987 Delivered: 8/1987 Engine: Detroit Diesel 6V71N Transmission: Allison HT747 #41 - 2B1139775K5002257 Model: 01.507 (36 foot) Year: 1989 Delivered: 9/1989 Engine: Detroit Diesel 6V92TA Transmission: Allison HTB748 #43 - 2B1139777M5002957 Model: 01.507 (36 foot) Year: 1991 Delivered: 11/1991 Engine: Detroit Diesel 6V92TA Transmission: Allison HTB748 ~Ben

Did any of the Fairfax Connector 1985 Orion I's (the agency's first buses ever) get saved in the years past 2007? These are units 7700-7732, with a 36-foot length. The powertrain on these 33 buses is a Detroit Diesel 6V92TA DDEC engine (they originally came with 6V71N engines) mated to the Allison MT644 transmission. The last of these buses to have an audio recording was of 7703 (inside) and 7732 (outside), both recorded by Trevor Logan, Jr. in 2007 on the eve of these buses being retired. But did anyone record and/or film videos of these buses besides unit 7701 (which Chris Der made an audio of ca. 2004 that I don't want) and the two other units I mentioned earlier? Thank you, Ben Edge (ClassicBusFan81)

ALEXANDRIA TRANSIT COMPANY (VA) DASH ORION I VINs Units: 1-17 Model: 01.502 Delivered: 1/1984 Engine: Detroit Diesel 6V71N Transmission: Allison MT644 1: 2B1119273D6756817 2: 2B111927XD6757818 3: 2B1119274E6758819 4: 2B1119275E6759820 5: 2B1119273E6760822 6: 2B111927XE6761823 7: 2B1119276E6762824 8: 2B1119272E6763825 9: 2B1119279E6764826 10: 2B1119277E6765828 11: 2B1119273E6766829 12: 2B1119274E6767830 13: 2B1119270E6768831 14: 2B1119277E6769832 15: 2B1119273E6770833 16: 2B1119271E6771835 17: 2B1119278E6772836 For pages: http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Orion_Bus_Industries_I_%27D_VINs%27 (units 1-2) http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Orion_Bus_Industries_I_%27E_VINs%27 (units 3-17) Units: 18-19 Model: 01.507 Delivered: 4/1986 Engine: Detroit Diesel 6V92TA MUI Transmission: Allison HT747 18: 2B1139776G6001328 19: 2B1139778G6001329 For page: http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Orion_Bus_Industries_I_%27G_VINs%27 Units: 20-33 Model: 01.507 Delivered: 2-3/1991 (20-28), 10/1991 (29-33) Engine: Cummins LTA10-270B (diesel) Transmission: Voith D863.2 20: 2B1139E74M6002752 21: 2B1139E76M6002753 22: 2B1139E78M6002754 23: 2B1139E7XM6002755 24: 2B1139E71M6002756 25: 2B1139E73M6002757 26: 2B1139E75M6002758 27: 2B1139E77M6002759 28: 2B1139E73M6002760 29: 2B1139E70M6002926 30: 2B1139E74M6002928 31: 2B1139E76M6002929 32: 2B1139E72M6002930 33: 2B1139E76M6002932 For page: http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Orion_Bus_Industries_I_%27M_VINs%27 Thank you, Ben

FAIRFAX CONNECTOR ORION I VINs LIST 7700-7732 Delivered: 7/1985 Engine: Detroit Diesel 6V71N (later changed to 6V92TA DDEC) Transmission: Allison MT644 7700: 2B1139270F6001167 7701: 2B1139272F6001168 7702: 2B1139274F6001169 7703: 2B1139270F6001170 7704: 2B1139272F6001171 7705: 2B1139274F6001172 7706: 2B1139276F6001173 7707: 2B1139278F6001174 7708: 2B113927XF6001175 7709: 2B1139271F6001176 7710: 2B1139273F6001177 7711: 2B1139275F6001178 7712: 2B1139277F6001179 7713: 2B1139273F6001180 7714: 2B1139275F6001181 7715: 2B1139277F6001182 7716: 2B1139279F6001183 7717: 2B1139270F6001184 7718: 2B1139279F6001197 7719: 2B1139272F6001199 7720: 2B1139275F6001200 7721: 2B1139277F6001201 7722: 2B1139279F6001202 7723: 2B1139270F6001203 7724: 2B1139274F6001205 7725: 2B1139276F6001206 7726: 2B1139278F6001207 7727: 2B113927XF6001208 7728: 2B1139271F6001209 7729: 2B113927XF6001211 7730: 2B1139271F6001212 7731: 2B1139273F6001213 7732: 2B1139275F6001214 For page: http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Orion_Bus_Industries_I_%27F_VINs%27 7733-7739 Delivered: 1/1988 Engine: Detroit Diesel 6V92TA MUI Transmission: Allison HT747 7735: 2B1139778H6001770 7736: 2B113977XH6001771 7737: 2B1139774J6001772 7738: 2B1139776J6001773 7739: 2B1139778J6001774 7733: 2B113977XJ6001775 7734: 2B1139771J6001776 For pages: http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Orion_Bus_Industries_I_%27H_VINs%27'>http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Orion_Bus_Industries_I_%27H_VINs%27 (7735-7736) http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Orion_Bus_Industries_I_%27J_VINs%27 (7733-7734, 7737-7739) 7800-7809 Delivered: 12/1987-1/1988 Engine: Detroit Diesel 6V71N (later changed to 6V92TA DDEC) Transmission: Allison MT647 7800: 2B1119279H6001760 7801: 2B1119270H6001761 7802: 2B1119272H6001762 7803: 2B1119274H6001763 7804: 2B1119276H6001764 7805: 2B1119278H6001765 7806: 2B111927XH6001766 7807: 2B1119271H6001767 7808: 2B1119273H6001768 7809: 2B1119275H6001769 For page: http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Orion_Bus_Industries_I_%27H_VINs%27 7740-7744 Delivered: 3/1989 Engine: Detroit Diesel 6V92TA DDEC Transmission: Allison HT748 ATEC 7740: 2B1139770K6002130 7741: 2B1139772K6002131 7742: 2B1139774K6002132 7743: 2B1139776K6002133 7744: 2B1139778K6002134 For page: http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Orion_Bus_Industries_I_%27K_VINs%27 7745-7754 Delivered: 12/1990 Engine: Detroit Diesel 6V92TA DDEC Transmission: Allison HT748 ATEC 7750: 2B1139775L6002691 7751: 2B1139777L6002692 7752: 2B1139779L6002693 7753: 2B1139770L6002694 7754: 2B1139772L6002695 7745: 2B1139774L6002696 7746: 2B1139776L6002697 7747: 2B1139778L6002698 7748: 2B113977XL6002699 7749: 2B1139772L6002700 For page: http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Orion_Bus_Industries_I_%27L_VINs%27 7755-7761 Delivered: 5/1991 Engine: Detroit Diesel 6V92TA DDEC Transmission: Allison HT748 ATEC 7755: 2B1139773M6002819 7756: 2B113977XM6002820 7757: 2B1139771M6002821 7758: 2B1139773M6002822 7759: 2B1139775M6002823 7760: 2B1139777M6002824 7761: 2B1139779M6002825 For page: http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Orion_Bus_Industries_I_%27M_VINs%27 Please verify all of these. Thank you, Ben Edge (ClassicBusFan81)

Can anyone identify if this 1983 Orion I 01.502 owned by Roy McCullough is an ex-Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Transportation bus? It sounds like it has a Detroit Diesel 6V92TA engine and Allison HT740 transmission. Thank you, Ben