Jump to content

New Flyer D40LF Retirement / Storage watch


Enviro 500

Recommended Posts

While Calgary Transit in our neighboring province is still in the process of refurbishing their 1996 New Flyer D40LF fleet, CMBC is already in the process of retiring some, or at least deactivating and putting them in storage! I drove by OTC today by chance, and honestly was stunned by the D40LF line-up inside OTC. Based on my quick glance, I saw at least a dozen D40LFs parked alongside with the "Green Machines" 7244 and 7246...........and so I did a little research online, and found a bunch of RTC D40LFs had their last day of revenue service on June 15th, or last Friday. While I wouldn't jump to conclusion and declare them "clinically dead" right away, I would like to make a thread to keep track of the ones that are no longer in revenue service, at least for the meantime when this post is made.

So far, here is a list of early 1996 D40LFs that have not seen the road since June 15th (Friday)........while there is a good chance that some of these buses may simply have been BOed since June 15th and are currently awaiting for maintenance work, I don't think it's a coincidence that such a large amount of buses would just so happened to have broken down on the same day, while S7248-S7260 were migrated to RTC and began serving on Richmond routes on June 18th (Monday). My theory is that a good amount of D40LFs from this list were deactivated by the end of the night last Friday, which allowed 13 buses to be transferred from STC to RTC over the weekend, without any disruptions to reduced bus service over the weekend.

R7102

R7105

R7106

R7107

R7110

R7114

R7116

R7118

R7120

R7122

R7126

R7128

R7130

R7131

R7159

Buses in this list have not been assigned to revenue service at all within the recent weeks:

R7112 (Compass bus)

R7119

R7139

R7141 (stored in OTC)

R7156 (Stored in OTC)

I do believe some of these buses are simply trapped somewhere in Fleet Overhaul / BTC South maintenance, or inside the maintenance shop / BO track in RTC.........purely based on statistics, 13 buses replacing 20 buses in RTC isn't possible IMO, considering how strapped they are for buses to feed the bookout sheets during rush hours.

If you have any further information to share, be sure to enlighten us with your knowledge! :)

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While Calgary Transit in our neighboring province is still in the process of refurbishing their 1996 New Flyer D40LF fleet, CMBC is already in the process of retiring some, or at least deactivating and putting them in storage! I drove by OTC today by chance, and honestly was stunned by the D40LF line-up inside OTC. Based on my quick glance, I saw at least a dozen D40LFs parked alongside with the "Green Machines" 7244 and 7246...........and so I did a little research online, and found a bunch of RTC D40LFs had their last day of revenue service on June 15th, or last Friday. While I wouldn't jump to conclusion and declare them "clinically dead" right away, I would like to make a thread to keep track of the ones that are no longer in revenue service, at least for the meantime when this post is made.

I can see the high mileage and the everyday use on the road have done enough, next year it will be 18 years on the road. Emission do count as well!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While Calgary Transit in our neighboring province is still in the process of refurbishing their 1996 New Flyer D40LF fleet, CMBC is already in the process of retiring some, or at least deactivating and putting them in storage!

Actually, CT finished refurbishing the 1996 D40LF's at the end of 2010. One more was completed in early 2011. One 1999 D40LF was also refurbished in 2010 and now they have begun refurbishing more of the 1999 D40LF's over the past 4 to 5 months.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

if 1995 d40lf are beginning to retire this year, why they got LED headlight installed? It would be not economical to do this

Allan hit the nail right on the head when he mentioned the Crilly Report. These buses are simply being "hidden" at OTC to take them off the books, which will follow the report.

The Orions there are waiting to be refurbished. No idea why they'd send them to OTC to wait though.

Chris Cassidy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are they actually being hidden or are they surplus to need? It makes no sense to keep them at Depots, which on the whol;e are short on space, and to maintain fleet insurance on them. Buses at OTC stay insured but carry lower liability. Due to the nature of CMBC's fleet they've always been allowed to self regulated by ICBC.

Despite popular opinion on CPTDB, which to any other observer is wrong, retiring a fifteen year old bus fleet makes complete sense. In fact TL budgets for about a 15 year fleet life. Funny, anyone but a bus fan would be happier with a newer fleet - and anyone with access to maintence costs would tell you keeping old buses is manifestly illogical after a certain point - around the 15-18 year mark.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Allan hit the nail right on the head when he mentioned the Crilly Report. These buses are simply being "hidden" at OTC to take them off the books, which will follow the report.

The Orions there are waiting to be refurbished. No idea why they'd send them to OTC to wait though.

Chris Cassidy

At least me and Ernest got every single bus in OTC about a few weeks or a month ago. Somehow... ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Also, PoCo's Cummins (7392-7394, and 7397-7399) are in Richmond to replace 1995 Flyers as well

PoCo's Cummins are running a lot on shorter routes now, such as the 402/407 (i mean runs terminating at Brighouse) and sometimes 404/430. S50 buses mainly run on longer routes. And we are hoping to have the artics run on 410 also as the new artics come in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

At OTC right now and only 2 D40LF's are left... N7186 and R7144. Time to say our final goodbyes as these will likely be gone within the next 48 hours I assume :'( RIP these most unlucky 43 D40LF's that have gone for scrap!!

The rest of the group probably won't last much longer... The frequency of 320 and 321 is going to decrease to every 15min after the 96 B-Line go online (Apr? June?). This will free up lots of 40ft buses. And then the cut for 2/22 and 314, cancellation of 177, and the conversion of 227 and C28 to shuttle before Sept is going to free up some more...

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
×
×
  • Create New...