Jump to content

Houston METRO

Orion VIII

By Orion VIII
in Central US

 Share

Recommended Posts

HoustonMETROFan

HoustonMETROFan

Posted
Posted (edited)
I can't find a general discussion thread so I've created this one.

Yesterday afternoon I passed METRO 4648 on delivery on I-90 in Dunkirk, NY.

That's one of I think 20 that's going to one of our six Bus Operating Facilities here---Fallbrook Garage. They're getting 4632-4650. They also have 4614.

The rest of the Orions (4651-4680) are here but only several are in service with the West Garage. They're the last garage to get the 46xx series NGs.

Edited by HoustonMETROFan
Link to comment
Share on other sites
HoustonMETROFan

HoustonMETROFan

Posted
Posted

The 2nd one is sort of old news but the first one I can say something about. That was caused by the PREVIOUS administration so you can't fault the current administration who has to unfortunately "clean up" the mess that got METRO into this in the first place.

Just my two cents, is all. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...
HoustonMETROFan

HoustonMETROFan

Posted
Posted
Saw bus 4001 on the 73 line a few days ago. It is currently the oldest bus in the fleet unless 4000 is still out there. Anyway, they affixed one of the LED "stop" signs to the back of the bus. Maybe it will stay around a little longer.

4000 is no longer in active service so that officially makes 4001 the oldest D40LF out there. My reason for buses like that to stay around a little longer is because there's not enough new buses coming in to replace the old buses that are still going strong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Metro4050

Metro4050

Posted
Posted
4000 is no longer in active service so that officially makes 4001 the oldest D40LF out there. My reason for buses like that to stay around a little longer is because there's not enough new buses coming in to replace the old buses that are still going strong.

The 4000s are good buses, if only a bit slow. What other 4000s are out of action.

I'm assuming 4000, 4004, 4007, 4011, 4013, 4017, 4018, 4019, 4020, 4021, 4022, and 4024.

I've seen 4002, 4003, 4005, 4006, 4008, 4009, 4012, 4014, 4015, 4016, and 4023 all fairly recently.

I saw 4010 at West but I don't know if it's been out recently.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HoustonMETROFan

HoustonMETROFan

Posted
Posted
The 4000s are good buses, if only a bit slow. What other 4000s are out of action.

I'm assuming 4000, 4004, 4007, 4011, 4013, 4017, 4018, 4019, 4020, 4021, 4022, and 4024.

I've seen 4002, 4003, 4005, 4006, 4008, 4009, 4012, 4014, 4015, 4016, and 4023 all fairly recently.

I saw 4010 at West but I don't know if it's been out recently.

The only 4xxx series D40LF buses that are left (by Bus Operating Facility) are:

Kashmere: 4050; 4054-4057; 4059; 4061-4063; 4065-4072; 4074-4079; 4083; 4092

Polk: 4001; 4023; 4084; 4111-4112; 4115-4116; 4121; 4129-4131; 4133-4136; 4138-4140; 4143-4147

Hiram Clarke: 4002-4005; 4016; 4018

West: 4006; 4008-4009; 4012; 4015; 4026-4034; 4036; 4038-4046; 4049; 4148-4151; 4153-4156

Fallbrook: 4080-4081 (both these buses are TRAINING BUSES and will no longer see any passenger service); 4087-4089; 4091; 4093-4096; 4107-4110; 4113-4114, 4117-4120; 4122-4123; 4125; 4127

Northwest: NO 4xxx series D40LFs in their fleet.

Hope that helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Metro4050

Metro4050

Posted
Posted

Good grief, I didn't know they got some of the 1997 and 98 Flyers as well. :-(

Alot of these must have been somewhat recent. I've seen 4025, 4035, 4037, 4051, 4104-4106, 4132, 4137, 4142, and 4152 in the past month or so. 4152 was in terrible shape though. One of the slowest buses in the fleet.

I would say that 4087 would be the next on the list, but I'm guessing it's going to be around for a bit. It was on the 56 everyday, disappeared for a week, and returned dented and smoky as ever. Hopefully some of those buses are reactivated with the proposed service increases and the continued retirement of the decrepit 4500 series artics.

I also saw bus 3319 recently and I distinctly remember seeing that bus burned to a crisp on McCarty Street over a year ago. I guess they fixed it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HoustonMETROFan

HoustonMETROFan

Posted
Posted
Good grief, I didn't know they got some of the 1997 and 98 Flyers as well. :-(

Alot of these must have been somewhat recent. I've seen 4025, 4035, 4037, 4051, 4104-4106, 4132, 4137, 4142, and 4152 in the past month or so. 4152 was in terrible shape though. One of the slowest buses in the fleet.

I would say that 4087 would be the next on the list, but I'm guessing it's going to be around for a bit. It was on the 56 everyday, disappeared for a week, and returned dented and smoky as ever. Hopefully some of those buses are reactivated with the proposed service increases and the continued retirement of the decrepit 4500 series artics.

I also saw bus 3319 recently and I distinctly remember seeing that bus burned to a crisp on McCarty Street over a year ago. I guess they fixed it.

Yes, they did fully repair 3319 (Polk BOF) and it's now back in service.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Metro4050

Metro4050

Posted
Posted
Yes, they did fully repair 3319 (Polk BOF) and it's now back in service.

Odd then they didn't fix 3287 after it crashed a few years back. Guess the frame was finished.

I looked at your wiki. I didn't know Metro kept reserve buses anymore. I remember when they retired the 22-23xx Flxibles they kept several dozen as "reserves" even though they sat at McCarty with their paint and numbers missing. I wonder if Metro's reserve fleet is more in line with Boston's contingency fleet they had several years back made up of 15-17 year old RTS buses. The fleet stayed at their respective garages and made service when needed. I'll be on the lookout for some of the 40-41xx buses that are in reserve.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HoustonMETROFan

HoustonMETROFan

Posted
Posted
4662 is in. :-(

Saw it on Richmond Ave. just now. Hopefully it replaces a 4500.

Yup---it's now West BOF's turn to get the last group of the 46xx series Orions. They're getting 4651-4680.

Odd then they didn't fix 3287 after it crashed a few years back. Guess the frame was finished.

I looked at your wiki. I didn't know Metro kept reserve buses anymore. I remember when they retired the 22-23xx Flxibles they kept several dozen as "reserves" even though they sat at McCarty with their paint and numbers missing. I wonder if Metro's reserve fleet is more in line with Boston's contingency fleet they had several years back made up of 15-17 year old RTS buses. The fleet stayed at their respective garages and made service when needed. I'll be on the lookout for some of the 40-41xx buses that are in reserve.

That's probably why METRO didn't repair 3287---frame went kaput. I believe it was the bus that was T-boned by Neoplan AN460 bus 4536---as that driver ran the red light.

Yeah---METRO does keep the buses like that until the buses' final fates are determined. Maybe they'll seek a 2nd lease on life somewhere else, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...
HoustonMETROFan

HoustonMETROFan

Posted
Posted

Just FYI about the 46xx series Orion VII NG hybrids:

All of them are now at METRO with the remaining 16 being prepared to enter service (at the West Bus Operating Facility). This particuler garage is getting the LAST batch - fleet #s 4651-4680.

As for when will the EPA 2010 Orion VII NG hybrids come in:

From METRO:

Production of the next 100 Orion hybrid buses will begin in the first quarter of 2011. Delivery of these units to Houston will commence in June and be completed in September of 2011.

I'll try to figure out (out of the six BOFs METRO has) who is getting what and how many they'll get.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HoustonMETROFan

HoustonMETROFan

Posted
Posted
I've seen as high as 4676 in service. Bus 4156 is at Fallbrook now so that means the 40xx/41xx buses at West are being displaced or retired. Sad. Those crappy artics and minis should go before any of the 4000s.

I hate to add insult to your injury but according to an e-mail I have received, there should be 33 total artics remaining and whatever BOFs they're assigned to, they'll stay longer than you want them to---even after the remaining 16 Orions for West are being prepared to enter service.

No matter what anybody say, I think the artic era should remain alive in Houston but if METRO decides not to go that route, oh well. At least go with other manufacturers besides Orion and New Flyer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Metro4050

Metro4050

Posted
Posted

The artics are in TERRIBLE shape. I can't wait until the last one is hauled off. And ever since you posted the 40xx fleet listing I've seen less and less of them. West only seems to use them during peak hours and only Polk uses them on weekends. Only a few will make beyond this next order of buses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HoustonMETROFan

HoustonMETROFan

Posted
Posted
The artics are in TERRIBLE shape. I can't wait until the last one is hauled off. And ever since you posted the 40xx fleet listing I've seen less and less of them. West only seems to use them during peak hours and only Polk uses them on weekends. Only a few will make beyond this next order of buses.

Sorry but I'm not at all concerned about the ones we have now. You're right---they're in terrible shape and need to go but I still think certain routes could use artic buses---especially the P&R routes. They can hold more even one 45' coach. Too bad that era will be lost once the remaining ones we have are gone. Sad indeed.

FYI, METRO IS thinking about using vehicles such as the METROLift vans we currently have for the 38 - Manchester and 39 - Parker. Look here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HoustonMETROFan

HoustonMETROFan

Posted
Posted
4006 still active even with 4676 in service. Oldest D40LF I've seen in service in the past month.

Unless Hiram Clarke has already gotten rid of their 4000 series D40LF buses (either gave them to some other garage or has retired them), 4002 still retains the title as the oldest D40LF bus in the entire 40' diesel fleet. 4006 is the oldest bus that West has in their fleet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Metro4050

Metro4050

Posted
Posted
Unless Hiram Clarke has already gotten rid of their 4000 series D40LF buses (either gave them to some other garage or has retired them), 4002 still retains the title as the oldest D40LF bus in the entire 40' diesel fleet. 4006 is the oldest bus that West has in their fleet.

So 4001 is gone. :-( Just saw it not even a month ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HoustonMETROFan

HoustonMETROFan

Posted
Posted (edited)
Neoplan Atrics - Which routes?

I'll be in Houston in late February / early March - where is the best place to find the Neoplan Artics?

For starters, we only have 42 artics left active (26 suburban; 16 transit). You can try to go to the Texas Medical Center Transit Center (TMC Transit Center) via METRORail because I have seen artics there. The 2 - Bellaire sees those buses. I'm currently asking some friends of mine for any assistance for ya in regards to where exactly you need to be at (especially in Downtown Houston) to see those buses. Look out for that.

EDIT: You may can be either on Congress street or maybe even Milam or Smith street. Another route that may still have artics on it is the 163 - Fondren Limited. Artic pullouts here at Houston METRO are being reduced thanks to the Orions coming in.

Edited by HoustonMETROFan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...