BlueBirdVision Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 Back In 2006 I got to ride my first bus. GRT 9200 a '92 D40LF. Later into 2011 I started looking at the wiki. I managed to find some cool stuff. Then i wanted to ride the refurbished LRT in Edmonton. until 1023 had 1010 in a consist. then came the D60LFR's I decided to ride 4928 which the seats made me feel odd. Then in 2012 I finally found out who made the XD40. Spring 2013 I joined CPDTB to see what is going on in other cities. I never knew I would talk to other members. I'm like "Man Its been like 3 months and maybe i should ask a member to meetup" I do have a few members on my Facebook. Thats all for now. Sent from my GT-I9100M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick B Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 I was into transit since Summer 2010 when I first got into transit buses when I found and played some transit bus driving simulation PC games. I soon got into trains in Fall 2010 when I found some subway train driving games. I spent from that time all the way until Spring 2012 observing Calgary Transit buses every now and then, and I noticed all the D40LF's and MCI Classics in my area and wanted to ride them. So on April 26, 2012, I decided to take transit for the first time by myself, and I got bus #7602, a 1996 D40LF, on Route 14. Then I started taking transit more and more often and I eventually got into photography of transit vehicles, which brought me to where I am in the enthusiast community now (with over 3500 transit photos on my Flickr now). I joined CPTDB on March 12, 2013, because that was the day that the Calgary Transit XN40's went into service and I noticed there was a thread for them on the board so I wanted to share my photos of the XN40's on here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexLy Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 Since I was little, I always used to ride Montreal buses and metro trains with my mother. It became very fast one of my interests. I remember asking my mom very frequently that I wanted to ride a GM New Look (of course I did not know the name back then), but it was a dying breed. I have ridden many Classics and 1st gen LFSes on one of my home route during my childhood. In 2004, I discovered the CPTDB while Google-ing random transit related stuffs, especially a fully completed 2002 STM Nova Bus LFS paperbus posted by a member here. But it was only in 2006, at the age of 9, when I finally joined the board (I messed up a few things here unconsciously, and still apologize)... In 2007, I started making my own drawings, and today I enjoy Transit Photography, Drawing and Filming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ttc9426 Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 O_o wow you guys joined this board young. I didn't join this board until I was 16 back in 2009. Anyway, I was interested in transit since I was around 3 years old way back in 1996-1997 or so. I grew up riding Queensways D901s, D40s and also Wilson's CNG 1996 Orion Vs. I remember in the summers of 2002, 2003, and 2004, my older brother would take me transit fanning with him which was nice because there was way more variety back then. I started transit fanning by myself in 2008, but didn't start taking photos until October 2009, which I regret. The hobby kind of died for me, because of lack of variety, though. I haven't been fanning since July and have no desire to go either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaintrolley Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 I was about 8 or 9 (1967-1968) when I became interested in Transit. Not being into a lot of 'girlie' stuff ( I was a Tom Boy), I often boarded the bus that went through the neighborhood just to go riding. I would talk to drivers and quench my thirst for transit knowledge. It just grew from there. I forget when I joined the board, maybe 2005 ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja Bus Fan Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 For me I got into transit when I was in pre-school. Those days, I would have to ride the bus everyday to school and back and just enjoyed the ride every time. I would remember waiting for a D40 or a Classic and just booking it up those steps when I rode them. I remember when I was at home I would always draw buses and they were horrible looking but yea ( ill try finding that note book ) As the years progresses, I was riding the transit not as often as before but pretty often. Also, I remember in the summer or 2006 ( or 2007 ) my mom had this job in Coquitlam and I remember riding the test of the power of tomorrow buses and it was nice riding buses that look like colourful zebras. Also, during this time is when I fell in love with the C40L's. I went to Japan for 2 years and just missed the transit here in Vancouver so I would spend most of my days just looking at videos of buses here in Vancouver. When I got back I quickly had to ride a bus and rode one the next day. Then, after awhile being back I knew it was time to ride a bus by me self so on March 20th 2011 I rode S7253 on the 319 to Scott Rd Stn and rode the skytrain and rode P7401 on the 154 to Brain Stn and somehow I was lucky enough to get P3288 on the 177 to Coquitlam Stn to go to the place where my mom worked. But yea then on January 2nd 2012 I created this account. And now I'm riding the bus everyday of the month ( not sure how many times per day ) but its about 150 times per month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greatcoinz Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 I'll bite. So here's how it started: In 2009 / 2010 I was fascinated by the old abandoned New York Subway Stations. Especially the old City Station. How history led to present day.. But I didn't care about the transit System here in Calgary. Realizing that the old CTrain Stations / Platforms were being demolished and being replaced by new ones, it started go give me an interest in Calgary Transit. On September, 4,, 2010, one of the first days of me riding transit alone, I didn't realize that I was riding one of the new Nova Buses. The sound and interior just made me more fasinated. But I never photograhed any buses or trains until Early 2011. Learning that the new Series 9 SD-160s were entering service, I went nuts. Sometimes in April 2011, CTrain service was running late. I waited with the crowd and one of the series 9 SD-160s pulled up. I was exthastic with joy. I boarded 2309 and I photographed it once I got off, thats how the photography started. The one thing I regret was not photographing the Fishbowls. With less than 100 Fishbowls in service, I didnt care since there was so many. Now, theres none left in service. I photographed Buses and Trains only afterschool while I was waiting for the bus home until, January 2013, where I explored the West LRT and that set me up, with me up with my brand new DSLR camera. I was once and an mature photographer to now this transit enthusiast that loves to photograph transit. I joined the board in late 2012 to see what its like. I am very happy to be on the board and to meet other people with the same interests as me. At first, I thought I was the only one with this hobby!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Express691 Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 Mine just started when I was 3 and I was waiting endlessly for a D40 on the 332/335 at Gateway and all we kept getting were '90 classics and D40LF's. When I was 5 I discovered barp.ca and all my bus info started from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaintrolley Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 At first, I thought I was the only one with this hobby!! I thought I was too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusRider Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 I thought I was too. Pretty much. I can't really pick a date when I can remember I had an interest in the hobby. I just know my mother always took me out on the bus to ride (I wonder where my username comes from?) when I was little. There was so many times that the bus driver would ask if we were lost because we just rode the 2 hour route end to end and we would always say we were just riding around. I just know that it's a thing I've always found interesting, but it was in 2008 when I really gained some insight into the different models of buses and trains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaintrolley Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 ^ Must be nice having a mother that took you for bus rides. !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downsview 108 Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 O_o wow you guys joined this board young. I didn't join this board until I was 16 back in 2009. Anyway, I was interested in transit since I was around 3 years old way back in 1996-1997 or so. I grew up riding Queensways D901s, D40s and also Wilson's CNG 1996 Orion Vs. I remember in the summers of 2002, 2003, and 2004, my older brother would take me transit fanning with him which was nice because there was way more variety back then. I started transit fanning by myself in 2008, but didn't start taking photos until October 2009, which I regret. The hobby kind of died for me, because of lack of variety, though. I haven't been fanning since July and have no desire to go either. Don't do that bro. I stopped taking pics in 2002 for the same reason! Always photograph the new stuff. As they will (obviously) become old. Anyway I got into transit about 1987. Really enjoyed the G trains, flyer trolleys and the buses in the old colours. Didnt start fanning alone until 1997. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Girardin71 Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 I started in 2005 as my co-op was with Transit Windsor and my start transit route was the central 3. Before that i liked School Buses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T3G Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 It started after my family immigrated from Slovakia to Canada in 2000. We were poor, so we had to take the TTC a lot. I eventually developed a fondness for various classes of vehicle, most notably the H-series cars, but also the GM Fishbowls. In 2004, we moved back to Slovakia. We bought an apartment not far from an important streetcar loop, where 3 routes terminated, and later actually bought an apartment overlooking the loop in question. We were here for 2 years and that firmly cemented transit's place in my life. There were several streetcars running around in iconic advertising liveries (or their colorful remains), and I would frequently go ride these in the evening, once my dad returned from work. Here are the three pairs which particularly stood out in my mind: 7725+7726, 7837+7838 and 7841+7842. My one regret is not getting photos of any of these (except for some mediocre quality cell phone photos of 7837+7838) so I will be heading back there in September 2015 to photo what I still can. 7725 is a goner, I already have a photo of 7726 from 2008, I have another mediocre photo of 7837, and I have good photos of 7841+7842. That means that 7837+7838 is the big focus for that trip. While many of the iconic T3 cars are scheduled for the chopping block in the near future, I have learned that 7837+7838 are not among them, so that's good. In 2006, we moved back to Canada again. I took the occasional batch of photos, but it wasn't until September 2008 that I became a hardcore transit fan once more, following a vacation to Slovakia in the summer of that year. I joined the site in October 2008, at the age of 10. Except for a period of declined interest from roughly the middle of 2010 to September 2011, I have actively pursued the hobby and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. I think this is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life... it's kind of become "hardwired" into me, as it were. As a result, I get quite defensive of my hobby and those who choose to bash on it incessantly. An interest in Thomas the Tank Engine also manifested itself during the course of my life, and that was also a contributing factor to my interest in transportation, but I'd be hard pressed to identify a particular date at which this began. It was probably in 2000-2004. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.A Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 Where do I start. I do remember it was 1995 and I just started collecting Matchbox school buses, Hot Wheels RTS's, the Majorette Neoplan Jet Liner and some other shorter bus model by Majorette. Right now I have a small collection of double decks and a single deck along with a few paper buses. I started the photography part Summer of 2003. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueBirdVision Posted February 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 Seeing these posts make me proud of you guys. I have Thomas & Friends Trackmaster stuff I left in Fort McMurray. Sent from my GT-I9100M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doglover44 Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 I been I to transit since 1996 When I was a kid my aunt was and still is a driver for Dayton RTA and she would take me down to the garage and ride on the buses with her I was so fascinated about all the buses and trolleys and ever since then I have been a bus transit fan. I have seen every vehicle RTA has had in service my favorite is the Rts's we had that retired in 2010. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ttc9426 Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Don't do that bro. I stopped taking pics in 2002 for the same reason! Always photograph the new stuff. As they will (obviously) become old. Anyway I got into transit about 1987. Really enjoyed the G trains, flyer trolleys and the buses in the old colours. Didnt start fanning alone until 1997. Yet, there was so much variety in 2002. I would do anything to get a time machine and go back in time to the early 2000's. I can't photograph anything anyway since I don't even have an actual camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GM artic 5001 Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 I broke my cherry on a bus, a GM artic to be exact! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMC T6H-5307N Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 I got into transit in 2009, and my first bus ride was back in 2005ish. I now have over 5000 bus pictures (no joke), and I ride the bus almost every day. The reason I got into transit in '09 was because I was at a hard time in my life, and I think riding & seeing buses helped me cope. I found sites like busdrawings, Barp, and Kevin's Bus and rail to be very interesting, and ever since then I try to get lots of pictures of our older buses. My story isn't very extraordinary, but it's how I got into transit, the best hobby I have ever had! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyer_e901 Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 It all started when I was around 3-4 years old. My immigrant parents didn't drive, so we rode public transit almost everywhere. I was fascinated by all the bus designs & liveries. The SeaBus was still relatively new at the time, Brill trolley buses were running along with Flyer D700A's, Flyer D800's/E800's, & lots of GM Fishbowls. Brill diesels were providing free rides for downtown Vancouver shoppers. As the years went by, I couldn't count how many liveries our transit system was going through: yellow-brown stripes, yellow-orange stripes, black front-orange stripe, red-blue stripe... SkyTrain then came along and I loved how fast we hovered over traffic compared to riding buses. I enjoyed listening to the humming of the Flyer E901A/E902 trolleys buses. I started to collect transfers, bus passes, & timetables. My Dad used to pick up the Buzzer (bi-weekly, now monthly publication you pick up on board bus & SkyTrain) for me and told me all about old BC Electric streetcars and the fact that all the Vancouver area buses had red totem poles painted on the front. As I got older there were times when I lost interest in the hobby as I got distracted by Transformers, LEGO, Nintendo, stamps, coins, & postcards. The 1990 transit centennial celebration got me back into the hobby. It was great seeing buses that I never had a chance to ride (Fageol Twin Coach & Hayes Teardrop). I was getting fascinated by the system map and started exploring Metro Vancouver by transit with my parents & siblings. When I was studying urban transportation in university I was aware of TRAMS (Transit Museum Society of Vancouver), but too shy to join as I didn't know anyone in the club. Fastforward to my post-university years, I corresponded with a couple of transit fans on a Yahoo Group and eventually we met in person at the grand opening of the SkyTrain Millennium Line. Everything snowballed from there. I started meeting fans from all over the world, joined TRAMS, learned how to operate streetcars, attended fan trips & Trans-Expo trade fair shows. Finally a friend recommended that I join CPTDB in 2009. So that's my life story on how I go into transit. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuck600 Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Not into transit but I got into highway buses via my high school bus driver who was a former Pacific Stage Lines driver, also sort of grew up around buses because my dad was a driver in the Canadian Air Force for the first 3 years of my life, but it was the ex PSL driver who was the biggest influence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcooknell Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Meh.... Might as well chime in on this conversation.... I grew up riding public transit in Victoria. I had all the route names and numbers memorized. Growing up, myself and my mother were on a first name basis with a lot of the operators. Sometimes we would ride the routes that some of our "friends" were driving at the time, just for a visit. For me, the most exciting day of the year would be when the new bus schedule would come out, as that's usually when the transit system would make changes, new sign displays, new route names and numbers, etc. I was usually giddy with anticipation just to see what the new signs looked like. Some of the operators would let me change the signs for them at the end of their routes, and I think that's where my love for transit/buses began. I was always excited when they asked me to change the sign on the old GMs. Then when the Classics came out, the first time I changed the sign using the Luminator keypad, I was in my glory. I still remember the day I told my mom that I wanted to be a mechanic because I wanted to know "how they fix buses". I was about 12 years old and we were at the corner of Catherine and Esquimalt roads where we had just gotten off a 25 Munro bus. I grew my love a buses into my career. I decided to enter the Heavy Duty/Commercial Transport mechanics trade, and my first job out of college was with Gray Line in Victoria. Working there was a dream come true, as I got to work on the old Daimler and Leyland double deckers. Picture getting paid to work on a classic car, that's what I likened it to. I love the trade due to the fact that every day is different and opening my toolbox beats opening a briefcase any day! Sadly though, I have yet to be stalked by any bus fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaintrolley Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 Some of the operators would let me change the signs for them at the end of their routes, and I think that's where my love for transit/buses began. I was always excited when they asked me to change the sign on the old GMs. Same here. That was so much fun. The electronic signs may be a god send to the drivers, but took away 'our' fun.Sadly though, I have yet to be stalked by any bus fans. That would be a bit awkward... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueBirdVision Posted February 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 Few things that made me feel bad. 1. Not meaning to break ETS 1015's door and making it have problems closing UGH! I FELT SO BAD!. 2. Cursing the F*** word at a 1994 D40LF cause the rear door didnt open until i knew how to. Sent from my GT-I9100M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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