CTran - Vancouver, Washington

[BCT-3122-D800-10240]

I have been curious as to exactly how many Gillig BRT low floors CTran received.

A year ago when I was there with a couple of other board members, we found 3 different sizes of the Gillig BRT units. The 30 and 35 foot versions were diesels and the 40 footers were Hybrids.

Here are a few images:

[Nabinut]

It could not have been that many as I photograph #2249, a Gillig Phantom. So for argument's sake, let's say 20 tops

[BCT-3122-D800-10240]

It could not have been that many as I photograph #2249, a Gillig Phantom. So for argument's sake, let's say 20 tops

Did you get any photos of the smaller 30 and 35 foot units? They start at the least, #2262. #2261 is an Optima according to the WIKI:

http://www.cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=C..._Area_Authority

Edited June 19, 2010 by MBTA9244-9640b

[Nabinut]

I didn't see any of the smaller Gilligs, I was surprised just to see 2276

[BCT-3122-D800-10240]

I didn't see any of the smaller Gilligs, I was surprised just to see 2276

To see the smaller CTran Gilligs, you would have had to go out to see their local service.

[George L.]

Those Gillig Low Floor BRT's look really wicked with the silver/dark gray livery

[BCT-3122-D800-10240]

Those Gillig Low Floor BRT's look really wicked with the silver/dark gray livery

Yep not bad! But I think the Phantoms look even better in that livery:

[George L.]

Yep not bad! But I think the Phantoms look even better in that livery:

Oh wow, even better

[kevlo86]

So I am in the works of planning a Washington and Portland trip in early July. If I were to visit Vancouver, WA on a Saturday, would I be seeing just about the same buses as the weekday. Does C-Tran send out pretty much anything on the weekends? Or would I be missing a bunch of older equipment?

What is the oldest equipment they still running?

Thanks!

[Benjamin]

Prior to 1977, service was provided to Portland by the Vancouver-Portland Bus Company.

In late 1976, the city of Vancouver, WA formed its own transit system and its first new buses were 35-foot GMC New Looks, an order of 10 (ID #90-99, renumbered #2190-2199 during the 1980s) that they bought during the spring of that year. The name "C-TRAN" was adopted in 1981, and that year they signed a deal with GMC to deliver 34 RTS buses (model T8J604, 6V92TA engine and 40 feet long/8 feet wide, ID #2001-2034), which were placed in service in the summer of 1982.

TriMet also began providing service between Portland and Vancouver in 1977, creating the #5-Portland-Vancouver (later #5-Interstate, discontinued fall 2004 in favor of the MAX Yellow Line Light Rail) line, providing service between downtown Portland and C-TRAN's 7th Street transit terminal via East Delta Park and Jantzen Beach Shopping Center.

Around 1984, C-TRAN agreed to provide service to/from downtown Portland (mainly during peak hours) with fixed-route service from these areas: 7th Street Transit Center (Line 5-Express via I-5, renamed Line 105), Vancouver Mall (Line 76, the line terminated in the Gateway area during non-peak hours), Fisher's Landing-Camas-Washougal (Line 79, discontinued 1986) and Salmon Creek Park & Ride (Line 134-Salmon Creek). Lines 76 and 79 served the Mill Plain Park & Ride.

In 2004, TriMet discontinued the #5-Interstate line (after the MAX Yellow Line Light Rail had opened) and then extended its Line 6-M. L. King, Jr.Blvd. (formerly Union Avenue) service north to the C-TRAN 7th St. Terminal via Jantzen Beach, and thus handing over service to Vancouver & Middlefield to Line 8-NE 15th Ave.

In 2007, C-TRAN then began providing service to/from the Delta Park/Vanport MAX terminal by bringing one all-day line (4-Fourth Plain) and three limited-service (41-Camas-Washougal Limited, 44-Fourth Plain Limited and 47-Battle Ground Limited) lines into the Portland area, thus eliminating TriMet's need to bring Line 6 up into Vancouver. C-TRAN continued to operate mainly limited service to downtown Portland with Lines 105 and 134 (only 105 of the two is all-day, except weekends), to Rose Quarter (Line 157) and to Parkrose/Sumner Transit Center (Line 65).

As to the question regarding their older equipment: they preserve one 1976 GMC New Look T6H-4523A bus (#2192, originally #92), and they may or may not still be running their 1990 Gillig Phantoms.

~Ben

Edited May 7, 2012 by Benjamin

[coordinator47]

So I am in the works of planning a Washington and Portland trip in early July. If I were to visit Vancouver, WA on a Saturday, would I be seeing just about the same buses as the weekday. Does C-Tran send out pretty much anything on the weekends? Or would I be missing a bunch of older equipment?

What is the oldest equipment they still running?

Thanks!

In March I saw 2065 running on a midday weekday. I saw 2070 running on a Saturday last September. During my four days of running around in Vancouver over that period I saw no 1990 vintage Phantoms and no 30' or 40' 1995 vintage Phantoms running.

There were about a dozen coaches sitting in the vacant lot south of the C-Tran yard last September which appeared to be retired. There were GIlligs of various sizes (2048 is the only number I remember) and the preserved fishbowl 2192.

They have received more Gillig BRT HEV 40's; I have seen 2291 - 2294. Given that the C-Tran Fiscal Year 2010 Report stated that there were only 105 coaches in service and that C-Tran is in retrenchment mode, there can't be more than a handful of 1995 vintage coaches in service. I doubt there are any older coaches running.

Update: 2401 - 2404 are BRT HEV 35s. 2097 runs. 2068, 2094 and 2098 appear to be operable. Advantages 2083 & 2084 have been set aside (according to the Wiki roster they have C8.3 engines). I didn't see any 2201 - 2214 Phantoms (also C8.3 engines) running either, but I didn't see any Portland commute service.

Edited July 2, 2012 by coordinator47

[Benjamin]

http://en.wikipedia....AN_(Washington)

Looks like someone added some history here on C-TRAN lines through the years, but it is not yet formatted as a table. I wonder if it would be permissible to reformat this list as one on the main page, or else, include that table in the "List of C-TRAN Bus Routes" sub-page.

Among the lines listed that pique my interest:

4 - Fourth Plain (VPBC-present) (VPBC=Vancouver-Portland Bus Co., an entity that ceased to exist in January 1977 after the City of Vancouver, WA, began establishing its own bus system, which changed its name to C-TRAN in 1981)

5 - Express via I-5 (1983-1996) (replaced by 105)

37 - Mill Plain (1983-present)

75 - Evergreen Express (1990-1996) (replaced by 175-Evergreen Express)

76 - Van Mall Express (1982-1983) (replaced by 76-Van Mall Ltd.)

76 - Van Mall Limited (1983-1986) (replaced by 76-Van Mall-Gateway)

76 - Van Mall-Gateway (1986-1988) (replaced by 76-Van Mall-Portland Express)

76 - Van Mall-Portland Express (1988-1990) (service between Gateway and Portland assigned to new 75-Evergreen Express)

77 - I-205 Bridge (1982-1983) (replaced by 76-Van Mall Ltd.)

78 - Evergreen Express (1981-1982) (replaced by 79-Evergreen Express)

79 - Evergreen Express (1982-c. 1996) (replaced later by 14-Camas-Washougal Express; no longer served the Portland area from 1986)

105 - Express via I-5 (1996-present)

114 - Camas-Washougal Express (1996-1999) (replaced by 114-Camas-Washougal Ltd.)

114 - Camas-Washougal Limited (1999-2007) (replaced by 41-Camas-Washougal Ltd.)

134 - Salmon Creek Express (1985-present)

176 - Van Mall Limited (1996-1999)

~Ben

Edited November 2, 2012 by Benjamin

[kevlo86]

Added my first set of C-TRAN Photos to my website, a total of 20 photos. Here is a preview, rest of the photos can be found-- > http://www.kevinsbusrail.com/ctran.html

[MAX BRT]

Cool.

Whats with the hump front and back on the Gillig BRT? It looks pretty slick, I'm guessing its for looks and not actually functional but maybe there is HVAC under there. . .Looks too small for batteries or CNG tanks.

[MVTArider]

Interesting that they put the white stripe wrap on the door glass, I thought that wasn't allowed. I guess since it's a small part though it's okay.

Cool.

Whats with the hump front and back on the Gillig BRT? It looks pretty slick, I'm guessing its for looks and not actually functional but maybe there is HVAC under there. . .Looks too small for batteries or CNG tanks.

You got it, that's just cosmetic, basically a hat to dress it up.

[kevlo86]

Added some more CTRAN photos to my website. http://www.kevinsbusrail.com/ctran.html

Here are a few previews

This one is not on the wiki, also photographed 2294. Not sure how many there are. But I am guessing they are either 2011 or 2012 models

[kevlo86]

Uploaded the last handful of CTRAN photos from my trip in July 2012.

http://www.kevinsbusrail.com/ctran.html

Gillig Phantoms and Gillig LF BRT

[Blue Bus Fan]

One Gilling 40 ft HEV at Delta Park/ Vanport on the an instate route.

2293 by Awesome cheese, on Flickr

[MAX BRT]

That livery makes for the best looking Gilligs I've ever seen.

[A. Wong]

http://www.metro-magazine.com/news/story/2014/01/vancouver-paratransit-saw-record-ridership-in-2013.aspx

[Blue Bus Fan]

They may have another option to get around Vancouver, WA which would be Bus rapid Transit.

http://www.brt.c-tra...mplates/brt.php

[Blue Bus Fan]

C-Tran has approve a Bus Rapid Transit line to Fourth Plain.

The new release is located here: http://www.c-tran.com/about-c-tran/news/news-releases/204-c-tran-board-gives-green-light-to-fourth-plain-brt

[118 Vashon via EXPRESS]

Ex C-Tran #2008 operating as a shuttle during the 2006 Seattle Boat Show.

C-Tran #2008 RTS von planet_lb auf Flickr

C-Tran #2008 RTS von planet_lb auf Flickr

C-Tran #2008 RTS von planet_lb auf Flickr

[Benjamin]

C-TRAN has recently parted with its historical bus, number 2192, a 1976 GMC T6H-4523N. It was one of the last U.S.-built New Looks, being powered by the run-of-the-mill Detroit Diesel 6V71N engine and the Allison V730 transmission. Whoever's interested in it please buy!

It was originally delivered as number 92 when the city of Vancouver, WA began its own citywide bus service, when the old Vancouver-Portland Bus Company ended in 1976.

~Ben

[Blue Bus Fan]

C-TRAN has order from New Flyer 60 ft buses but I do not understand were they are going to operated them. Does anyone know where they are going to operate? Are they going to do trips to Portland and trips to Delta Park/ Vanport MAX Station?

http://c-tran.com/about-c-tran/business/procurement/bid-and-proposal-opportunities/item/227-post-delivery-buy-america-audit-and-vehicle-inspection-services-new-flyer-brt-60-articulated-bus