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Portland TriMet


Nabinut

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  • 2 weeks later...

Pardon? What makes you say that about the Gillig Low Floors? I have not personally heard of any major troubles with the Gillig Low Floor from any system yet.

Well, we did know they did have trouble with a few units upon first entering revenue service last October. Of course, those early issues had since been rectified.

And for the record, yesterday I just saw one of their four new hybrid buses in action (3052, 3053, 3054 or 3055) working the 72 line, while my parents and I were going to Clackamas Town Center to pick up a few bites from Hot Dog on a Stick.

~Ben

Edited by Benjamin
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And for the record, yesterday I just saw one of their four new hybrid buses in action (3052, 3053, 3054 or 3055) working the 72 line, while my parents and I were going to Clackamas Town Center to pick up a few bites from Hot Dog on a Stick.

~Ben

BAE Super-hybrid!

Do these buses have a special livery?

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  • 3 weeks later...

New Transit-Only Bridge Taking Shape Over Willamette River

With two towers, each 180 ft high, and five total spans, the bridge and its 78 concrete bridge deck segments, each 16 ft long and 75 ft wide and weighing 200 tons, will carry only light rail, TriMet buses and pedestrians and cyclists. The pedestrian/cyclist corridor features two 14-ft-wide paths.

When opened in 2015, the new bridge will serve as the first new span over the bridge-heavy Willamette River in 35 years, also making the final connection for the $1.49 billion Portland-Milwaukie light rail route. Three bus lines currently using the Ross Island Bridge will likely move to the new bridge and TriMet officials hope to eventually add a Portland Streetcar extension to the bridge.

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I just saw today #2557 (a 2000 New Flyer D40LF), repainted into the current livery. I saw it at the Oregon City Transit Center, while my parents stopped at KFC for fast food.

I'm wondering if the slew of New Flyer D40LFs might explain the high floor bus shortage caused by the dinosaur Flxible Metros' void (the 1700/1800 series) and the 1990 Gillig Phantoms (1400 series)? Haven't seen any 2100s there, either (not even on Line 35). I guess TriMet's push to a full low floor fleet seems to be working, because more of those 1700/1800s are being auctioned off (Richard Sullivan, an avid Flxible enthusiast, recently sent an email to TriMet about their "dinosaurs" and said they were indeed being auctioned).

For those of you wanting more rides on Flxibles, better come down here quickly!

~Ben

Edited by Benjamin
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  • 2 weeks later...

Took a trip to Portland last week and this is the result...

While I didn't ride any Flxibles, I did see quite a few around - especially in the downtown core and around PSU. Most of this was filmed on a weekend so I didn't get as many Flxibles as I'd have liked, or any Gillig Phantoms. On Monday though the Gilligs came out to play too, and I caught one near Union Station when I was preparing to leave.

IMG_3435.JPG IMG_3423.JPG

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Took a trip to Portland last week and this is the result...

While I didn't ride any Flxibles, I did see quite a few around - especially in the downtown core and around PSU. Most of this was filmed on a weekend so I didn't get as many Flxibles as I'd have liked, or any Gillig Phantoms. On Monday though the Gilligs came out to play too, and I caught one near Union Station when I was preparing to leave.

IMG_3435.JPG IMG_3423.JPG

Nice video, esp. that Portland PDX airport on Eldorado CNG.

if you really want to see Flxible, unfortunately the best to find is at Beaverton TC. Found it during weekdays but not too sure if they run it on weekends.

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Nice video, esp. that Portland PDX airport on Eldorado CNG.

if you really want to see Flxible, unfortunately the best to find is at Beaverton TC. Found it during weekdays but not too sure if they run it on weekends.

Already TriMet is making good on its promise to auction these dinosaurs (which also include the 1990-91 Gillig Phantoms) off. Meaning, they already have done so or are going to be.

They are currently on tap to roll out 70 more Gillig Advantages, to be put into service this fall.

~Ben

Edited by Benjamin
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Already TriMet is making good on its promise to auction these dinosaurs (which also include the 1990-91 Gillig Phantoms) off. Meaning, they already have done so or are going to be.

They are currently on tap to roll out 70 more Gillig Advantages, to be put into service this fall.

~Ben

Until the delivery of the Gillig LF comes in, auction will be sold in the summer time.

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Jared,

I had checked out the "Vehicle Locations" icon on TriMet's interactive system map, and from the resulting list I saw below the map, on Line 70 all the buses they have out are in the 2100s (and all those that I see listed use Voith transmissions; units 2101-2160 do while 2161-2165 have Allison transmissions).

However, I do acknowledge today is Memorial Day and that Sunday scheduling is used on holidays such as this. Therefore, I'm wondering if TM usually only puts out the 21xx's on this line on the weekends, since I know on weekdays they usually use New Flyer low floor buses (in series 2600, 2700 and 2800 as well as a few 2000 series)?

I've also noticed that, regarding the same feature of that map, I've noticed there are no 1700 series to be had on any route, not even those that usually come out of Merlo Garage. Therefore, I'm wondering if all west side route assignments, on Sundays and holidays, are handled by Center Garage as well?

~Ben

Edited by Benjamin
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Just today, I was checking out the vehicle locations for Route 70 on TriMet's system map, and I spotted 3008 (the new 2012 Gillig Advantage BRT) working one run. There was also one 2500 (2503) working another, as well as one 2100 (2146), both of which have the 3-speed Voith D863 transmission. Most runs have the 2600s, 2700s or 2800s (all with the Cummins ISL and the Voith D864 4-speed), yet that will change again with the June shake-up as well as when the 3100s enter service this fall to displace the dinosaur 1990-91 Gillig Phantoms and the 1992/'94 Flxible Metros.

~Ben

Edited by Benjamin
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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

The 3100s are here! More Gillig BRT 42 footers.

Read all about it, plus video of the reporter trying his hand behind the wheel:

http://www.oregonliv...ch_old_sto.html

"Beyond that new bus smell (and sound), here are a few other features that riders of the new 3100 buses should expect:

  • Foldable arm rests for sideways-facing seats near the front of the bus. (Sorry, no cup holders).
  • A matching floor and interior side wall design that one TriMet official referred to as "funkadelic." Despite appearances, it's not shag carpet. The wall is a durable, light weight composite plastic.
  • Seats with adjustable cushions for drivers for varying degrees of thigh support and comfort.
  • A load-based shifting transmission program that detects when the bus is on a hill and heavy with riders, and shifts accordingly. "Of all the buses we've had," said Ken Jenson, a TriMet driver trainer of 31 years, "this model drives as close to a car as anything."
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No, at least not now... the Columbia River Crossing has been defeated by both Congresses.

But... TriMet has now deployed up to six of their newest Gillig BRTs. More will be deployed during the coming weeks leading up to the fall season.

~Ben

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