Border City Transit Posted February 25, 2022 Report Share Posted February 25, 2022 13 hours ago, Phoenix Bus Channel said: A little throwback to last year when I found what would end up being the last 2007 New Flyer D40LF on route, 6560 on the 27 South at Metrocenter. I love that bus for being so ugly. Ugly fab... if ya know what I mean. 1. I will -never- understand why PHX saw the need for that "forward" rear door. How did (nearly) -every- other system with D40LFs make it work with the regular position? Yet somehow Valley Metro just couldn't figure that out. 2. I miss the green/purple colors -- but they weren't the same without the mid 90s "Big V". 6560 looks extra-ugly fab with the "economy version" of the old Valley Metro paint scheme -- also shown by 6437 here. A side-by-side comparison, with OG D40LF (4005?) wearing the full version: And really, who are we kidding: the Big V was clearly designed for -- and looked best on -- an RTS. Even a somewhat tired-looking 4427 can turn heads: The Big V was ahead of its time. Happy, bold, original -- and a landmark of circa 1999 Phoenix. The new/current scheme is nice enough -- but hard to claim it exudes half as much charisma as the Big V... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Bus Channel Posted February 25, 2022 Report Share Posted February 25, 2022 29 minutes ago, Border City Transit said: I love that bus for being so ugly. Ugly fab... if ya know what I mean. 1. I will -never- understand why PHX saw the need for that "forward" rear door. How did (nearly) -every- other system with D40LFs make it work with the regular position? Yet somehow Valley Metro just couldn't figure that out. 2. I miss the green/purple colors -- but they weren't the same without the mid 90s "Big V". 6560 looks extra-ugly fab with the "economy version" of the old Valley Metro paint scheme -- also shown by 6437 here. A side-by-side comparison, with OG D40LF (4005?) wearing the full version: And really, who are we kidding: the Big V was clearly designed for -- and looked best on -- an RTS. Even a somewhat tired-looking 4427 can turn heads: The Big V was ahead of its time. Happy, bold, original -- and a landmark of circa 1999 Phoenix. The new/current scheme is nice enough -- but hard to claim it exudes half as much charisma as the Big V... Clearly an unpopular opinion from me but I'm actually a big fan of the way the 2007s looked, probably part of that being because I often look at them through rose-tinted glasses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doglover44 Posted February 26, 2022 Report Share Posted February 26, 2022 Are there any New Flyers left ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3we Posted February 26, 2022 Report Share Posted February 26, 2022 18 hours ago, Border City Transit said: 1. I will -never- understand why PHX saw the need for that "forward" rear door. How did (nearly) -every- other system with D40LFs make it work with the regular position? Yet somehow Valley Metro just couldn't figure that out. Because the RTS had the wheelchair ramp at the rear door, and the City wanted to keep that configuration on future buses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Bus Channel Posted February 26, 2022 Report Share Posted February 26, 2022 13 hours ago, doglover44 said: Are there any New Flyers left ? Yes! In fact, some of the newest Valley Metro buses (5662-5691 and 6874-6898) are New Flyers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XDE60 Posted February 26, 2022 Report Share Posted February 26, 2022 Today's small auction: *7123- $2,000 *6654, 6660- $5,000 *6657- $4,600 *6662- $4,200 All 2009 C40LFR's are in the sunset. Expect 2008 D60LFA's (8511 to 8520) to be start being sold soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Bus Channel Posted February 27, 2022 Report Share Posted February 27, 2022 11 hours ago, The XDE60 said: Today's small auction: *7123- $2,000 *6654, 6660- $5,000 *6657- $4,600 *6662- $4,200 All 2009 C40LFR's are in the sunset. Expect 2008 D60LFA's (8511 to 8520) to be start being sold soon. Wouldn't it make more sense for 6491-6500 to be auctioned first? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ztonyg Posted March 1, 2022 Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 On 2/25/2022 at 12:27 PM, Phoenix Bus Channel said: Clearly an unpopular opinion from me but I'm actually a big fan of the way the 2007s looked, probably part of that being because I often look at them through rose-tinted glasses. I actually thought that the all green "economy" livery worked on the D40LFs, C40LFRs and 60BRTs very nicely but didn't ever look as good on the D40LFs or D60LFs. The NABI 60BRTs were great looking buses in my opinion. To this day they are tied with the MAN SG-310 (which looked great in the 1990s livery) as my favorite Valley Metro buses that I have ridden on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Bus Channel Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 I'm currently working on "trip logs" for 6491-6500 and 8511-8520 by month if anyone is interested. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3we Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 On 2/26/2022 at 10:33 PM, Phoenix Bus Channel said: Wouldn't it make more sense for 6491-6500 to be auctioned first? We'll need more MCIs or XD40s to replace the west buses. The D60LFAs weren't scheduled to be replaced in the Capital Plan, probably since Link was discontinued. However one of the "selling points" for the acquisition of the MCIs was replacing articulated buses with commuter coaches in Express services. Having said that, it appears that RPTA took delivery of 7014 in January. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Bus Channel Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 47 minutes ago, 3we said: We'll need more MCIs or XD40s to replace the west buses. The D60LFAs weren't scheduled to be replaced in the Capital Plan, probably since Link was discontinued. However one of the "selling points" for the acquisition of the MCIs was replacing articulated buses with commuter coaches in Express services. Having said that, it appears that RPTA took delivery of 7014 in January. Would that mean 6491-6500 would outlive 8511-8520? And will 7014 be going west? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3we Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 41 minutes ago, Phoenix Bus Channel said: Would that mean 6491-6500 would outlive 8511-8520? And will 7014 be going west? Depends what the miles are. 6491 et al were pretty much locked into Express for most of their lives, so they might have 300,000+ miles on them. The D60s were Link, then a combo of 41/61/77/112/Express so they may have more miles. And they are looking run down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XDE60 Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 1 hour ago, 3we said: Depends what the miles are. 6491 et al were pretty much locked into Express for most of their lives, so they might have 300,000+ miles on them. The D60s were Link, then a combo of 41/61/77/112/Express so they may have more miles. And they are looking run down. You mean 45? 41 is Indian School, a Phoenix route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Bus Channel Posted March 4, 2022 Report Share Posted March 4, 2022 Today's trip logs for 6491-6500 and 8511-8520 Note that "assume retired X/XX" is referring to 3 weeks after the bus was last tracked by TransSee, except for 8513. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Yorker 2001 Posted March 5, 2022 Report Share Posted March 5, 2022 On 2/25/2022 at 1:49 PM, Border City Transit said: I love that bus for being so ugly. Ugly fab... if ya know what I mean. 1. I will -never- understand why PHX saw the need for that "forward" rear door. How did (nearly) -every- other system with D40LFs make it work with the regular position? Yet somehow Valley Metro just couldn't figure that out. 2. I miss the green/purple colors -- but they weren't the same without the mid 90s "Big V". 6560 looks extra-ugly fab with the "economy version" of the old Valley Metro paint scheme -- also shown by 6437 here. A side-by-side comparison, with OG D40LF (4005?) wearing the full version: And really, who are we kidding: the Big V was clearly designed for -- and looked best on -- an RTS. Even a somewhat tired-looking 4427 can turn heads: The Big V was ahead of its time. Happy, bold, original -- and a landmark of circa 1999 Phoenix. The new/current scheme is nice enough -- but hard to claim it exudes half as much charisma as the Big V... Are the 2003-2004 Compo LNGs still around? Please say yes.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XDE60 Posted March 5, 2022 Report Share Posted March 5, 2022 29 minutes ago, New Yorker 2001 said: Are the 2003-2004 Compo LNGs still around? Please say yes.... Per TransSee, the 2003 NABI RAPID buses are all retired. All NABI 45C-LFW LNG's were 2003 models, except for 7101- which was a 2002 model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3we Posted March 5, 2022 Report Share Posted March 5, 2022 Meanwhile, an interesting use for retired RPTA buses: Mobile Produce Market Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Bus Channel Posted March 6, 2022 Report Share Posted March 6, 2022 5 hours ago, The XDE60 said: Per TransSee, the 2003 NABI RAPID buses are all retired. All NABI 45C-LFW LNG's were 2003 models, except for 7101- which was a 2002 model. Even the 2004s were retired. They were last on route in April 2020. 1 hour ago, 3we said: Meanwhile, an interesting use for retired RPTA buses: Mobile Produce Market That must've been where 6601 or 6622 went, since neither of those were auctioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3we Posted March 6, 2022 Report Share Posted March 6, 2022 46 minutes ago, Phoenix Bus Channel said: Even the 2004s were retired. They were last on route in April 2020. The newest Phoenix unit was 7156, with VIN 1N945C0163A140095. Position 10 is the model year; 3 indicates 2003. The Tempe units were newer, still 2003. They may have been manufactured in 2004. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Bus Channel Posted March 6, 2022 Report Share Posted March 6, 2022 Here's a throwback to May 7, 2021 when I filmed 6585 on 122 East passing I-17. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Bus Channel Posted March 8, 2022 Report Share Posted March 8, 2022 Does anyone here know how to access past auction catalogs from Sierra Auction on Proxibid? They had them publicly viewable for a few weeks in January before them appearing to be closed again, and I was in the middle of archiving some old auctions. Also if anyone asks, I'd be more than happy to throw some of the auctions I have archived here for the Wiki page. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Bus Channel Posted March 12, 2022 Report Share Posted March 12, 2022 I'm currently working on a more detailed roster of legacy Valley Metro buses. For the 1998 and 1999 NABI 40-LFWs (6001-6180 and 6211-6255), does anyone here know which of these were rehabbed and which were not (because not all of them were)? For the 1998 Phoenix units out of these (6001-6156), which of these were eventually transferred to the First Transit west facility, and which of these stayed at the Transdev south facility? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Bus Channel Posted March 16, 2022 Report Share Posted March 16, 2022 I went fanning today on the ZOOM circulator and observed the following: 1) Rode 1647 going Uptown. These new ARBOC Equess buses are very fast for their size and having only a Cummins B6.7 2) Rode 6495 going Downtown 3) Found 6499 going Uptown while riding 6495 4) Rode 6497 going Uptown 5) Found 1621, 1645, and 1648 going Downtown while riding 6497 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Bus Channel Posted March 18, 2022 Report Share Posted March 18, 2022 According to TransSee, it looks like 5088 and 5089 have been spending at least a day at the south yard instead of the north yard where they have been assigned to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XDE60 Posted March 24, 2022 Report Share Posted March 24, 2022 Per TransSee, bus 8105 was last found on February 15, 2022 near 35th Ave and Van Buren. Does anybody know what happened to that bus as it hasn't been on routes since? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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