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COTA Central Ohio Transit Authority - Update?


MCTAbus

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Update:

Bus 1611 has a special wrap on the side to honor veterans for veterans day.

Several 27xx Gilligs have been given wifi and put back into service according to a couple of drivers.

2721, 2727, 2718, 2724, 2706, 2711, and 2716 are active again. 2704 and 2730 are active as training buses.

Random CNG buses (13xx - 17xx) currently have new fair boxes. All active buses will have new fair boxes by the end of the year.

Buses branded for the Cmax will go into service januaray 2018

Cota has placed orders for new buses starting in 2018 to 20??

 

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I just rode these ex-COTA New Flyer D40LFs twice on November 22nd and again on the 27th while I was at Ohio for 10 days. I also went to TARTA's Central Garage through special permission by a mechanic on November 20th to see those buses along with the Gilligs, Nova Buses, SLFs, cutaways, and other New Flyer buses such as the ex-GDRTA D40LFs renumbered to the 3900s. TARTA units 1912-1918 are built in September 2001.

The 2100s have 39 American Seating 6468 seats, Luminator Horizon LED signs, and they are assumed to have Detroit Diesel Series 40 engines with Allison Transmission B400R 5-speed powertrains. These buses never have the Cummins ISL engine because when they take off, they sound similar to a Series 40 engine particularly with TTMG's recording of a CT Transit New Flyer D40LF with the exact same powertrain, the only difference has to be the Meritor axles on the 2100s compared to MAN axles found on their D40LFs. These buses retain COTA's paint scheme with the red decals replaced with yellow ones and the logo being replaced by the TARTA one as well. The Digital Recorders AVA system, ATMS system, the Luminator rear and run box signs don't work since TARTA reprogrammed the buses to their specifications. And these buses run on biodiesel like all other TARTA buses due to the large red sticker on the middle of the driver's dashboard.

TARTA 1912.JPG

IMG_1057.JPG

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22 hours ago, MCTAbus said:

Small tidbit of info to add:

all 12XX units have new Fairboxes, Random CNG buses from 13XX-17XX have the new fairbox from what I have been told but I can only confirm the 12xx Units having them at this time.

I've only put that on the 12xx ones for now.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 12/7/2017 at 7:29 PM, Kevin L said:

I've only put that on the 12xx ones for now.

UPDATE: All 28xx to 17xx have the new fairboxes. Don't know about the 27xx units yet. 

 

Also got a Bus load of info from user CotaBus in the form of a link to COTA on Public Surplus and now I can dump a lot of info about select units and when they were auctioned off as well as some additional info for some units after 2 hours of digging through closed auctions.

 

COTA's Auction policy states that if a winning bidder doesn't pick up the item they won by the deadline, said item remains the property of COTA. (Hence why several buses are auctioned mutiple times by COTA)

 

1981 Grummans

8128 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003.

8137 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003 but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re-auctioned and sold on 12/5/2003.

8128 & 8137 were repainted to the Livery the newer flxibles had at an unknown time.

 

1984 Flxible Metro (40ft)

8409 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003 but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 12/5/2003 but again the buyer didn't pickup the bus. The bus was finally auctioned off on 3/12/2004 as a non driver-able unit

8410 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003 but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004 as a non driver-able unit

8418 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003.

8421 was retired in November 2001 and sat parked at the COTA facility until it was auctioned off on 12/5/2003. It is mislabeled on Public Surplus as a 1991 flxible.

 

1986 GMC RTS (40ft)

8513 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003 but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004.

8515 was retired in January 2002 ans sat at the COTA yard until it was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on  3/12/2004.

8522 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003 but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004 as a non driver-able unit

 

1986 GMC RTS (35ft)

8610 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003

8611 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003

8612 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003

8617 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003

8622 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003

 

1991 Flxible Metro

9101 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 with a bad transmission but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004. "Engine smokes" was also noted in the first auction

9104 was retired in June 2003 and auctioned off on 12/5/2003 but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004.. "Coolant in oil" was noted in the first auction

9105 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 with a bad engine but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004.

9106 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004.

9107 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 with a transmission leak but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004."No Power, runs slow" was also noted in the first auction.

9110 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 in poor condition but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004.. "Low power, Engine smokes" was also noted on the first auction.

9111 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004.

9112 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004

9114 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 in poor condition but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004.. "Low power, Engine smokes" was also noted in the first auction.

9115 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 with a bad transmission but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004. "engine smokes" was also noted in the first auction.

9118 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004.

9119 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004.

9121 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 with a bad transmission but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004.

9123 was retired in may 2003 and auctioned off on 12/5/2003 in good condition (compared to all the other 1991 units auctioned off) but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004 in fair condition

9122 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 as a non running unit with a Bad Engine blower

9127 became a parts bus and was stripped of most parts before being auctinoed off on 3/12/2004

9131 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004

9134 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004

9138 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 with a bad engine  but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004.

9139 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004

9140 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004

 

1993 Flxible Metro (35ft)

9303 was auctioned off on 7/10/2009. Vin: 1GF5CCUK3PD104398

9307 was auctioned off on 7/10/2009. VIN: 1GF5CCUK1PD104402

9312 was auctioned off on 7/10/2009. VIN 1GF5CCUK0PD104407

9313 became a parts bus before being auctioned off on 7/10/2009. VIN 1GF5CCUK2PD104408 

9319 became a parts bus before being auctioned off on 7/10/2009. VIN 1GF5CCUK8PD104414

 

1993 Flxible metro (40ft)

9329 was auctioned off on 7/10/2009 VIN: 1GF5ACUK3PD104357

9330 was auctioned off on 7/10/1009 VIN: 1GF5ACUK5PD104358

9353 was auctioned off on 7/10/1009 VIN: 1GF5ACUK0PD104381 

 

1995 Flxible metro (35ft)

9515 & 1 other unit became parts buses. What was left of both buses was auctioned off on 2/25/2008 as scrap. VINS were listed on this auction as 1GF5CCVK6SD106556 & 1GF5CCVKXSD106561 but I have no way to determine which VIN was 9515's.

 

1995 Flxible Metro (40ft)

9528 Caught fire and was destroyed. the remains were auctioned off on 3/12/2004

9536 was auctioned off on 7/10/2009. VIN for 9536: 1GF5CCUK1PD104402

9541 became a parts bus and was auctioned off on 7/10/2009 with no engine & transmission. VIN for 9541: 1GF5ACUK6SD106127

 

COTA Mainstream

1994 Ford Cutaway 1xx. Known unit: 163 - auctioned off on 10/27/2003

1996 Ford Cutaway 1xx. Known units: 173, 175 - auctioned off on 10/27/2003

1997 Ford Cutaway 1xx. Known unit: 177 - auctioned off on 10/27/2003

1998 Ford Cutaway 1xx. Known Unit: 195 - auctioned off on 7/10/2009. VIN for 195: 1FDWE3OF7WHA95048

1999 Ford Cutaway 1xx. Known units: 196 - auctioned off on 12/5/2003

2002 Ford Cutaway 2xx-3xx. Known units: 228, 311 - 228 and one non running unknown unit were auctioned off on 6/27/2008. 228's VIN: 1FDXE45F62HA04803, Non runner's VIN 1FDXE45F62HA04803. 311 was Auctioned off on 7/10/2009. 311's VIN: 1FDXE45F72HB75365

 

Wow! That was a lot of info.

 

EDIT: forgot the link, OOPS!

https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/list/past?orgid=12617

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On 12/16/2017 at 8:08 PM, MCTAbus said:

UPDATE: All 28xx to 17xx have the new fairboxes. Don't know about the 27xx units yet. 

 

Also got a Bus load of info from user CotaBus in the form of a link to COTA on Public Surplus and now I can dump a lot of info about select units and when they were auctioned off as well as some additional info for some units after 2 hours of digging through closed auctions.

 

COTA's Auction policy states that if a winning bidder doesn't pick up the item they won by the deadline, said item remains the property of COTA. (Hence why several buses are auctioned mutiple times by COTA)

 

1981 Grummans

8128 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003.

8137 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003 but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re-auctioned and sold on 12/5/2003.

8128 & 8137 were repainted to the Livery the newer flxibles had at an unknown time.

 

1984 Flxible Metro (40ft)

8409 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003 but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 12/5/2003 but again the buyer didn't pickup the bus. The bus was finally auctioned off on 3/12/2004 as a non driver-able unit

8410 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003 but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004 as a non driver-able unit

8418 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003.

8421 was retired in November 2001 and sat parked at the COTA facility until it was auctioned off on 12/5/2003. It is mislabeled on Public Surplus as a 1991 flxible.

 

1986 GMC RTS (40ft)

8513 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003 but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004.

8515 was retired in January 2002 ans sat at the COTA yard until it was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on  3/12/2004.

8522 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003 but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004 as a non driver-able unit

 

1986 GMC RTS (35ft)

8610 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003

8611 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003

8612 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003

8617 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003

8622 was auctioned off on 10/27/2003

 

1991 Flxible Metro

9101 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 with a bad transmission but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004. "Engine smokes" was also noted in the first auction

9104 was retired in June 2003 and auctioned off on 12/5/2003 but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004.. "Coolant in oil" was noted in the first auction

9105 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 with a bad engine but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004.

9106 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004.

9107 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 with a transmission leak but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004."No Power, runs slow" was also noted in the first auction.

9110 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 in poor condition but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004.. "Low power, Engine smokes" was also noted on the first auction.

9111 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004.

9112 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004

9114 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 in poor condition but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004.. "Low power, Engine smokes" was also noted in the first auction.

9115 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 with a bad transmission but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004. "engine smokes" was also noted in the first auction.

9118 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004.

9119 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004.

9121 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 with a bad transmission but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004.

9123 was retired in may 2003 and auctioned off on 12/5/2003 in good condition (compared to all the other 1991 units auctioned off) but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004 in fair condition

9122 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 as a non running unit with a Bad Engine blower

9127 became a parts bus and was stripped of most parts before being auctinoed off on 3/12/2004

9131 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004

9134 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004

9138 was auctioned off on 12/5/2003 with a bad engine  but the buyer didn't pick up the bus. The bus was re auctioned and sold again on 3/12/2004.

9139 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004

9140 was auctioned off on 3/12/2004

 

1993 Flxible Metro (35ft)

9303 was auctioned off on 7/10/2009. Vin: 1GF5CCUK3PD104398

9307 was auctioned off on 7/10/2009. VIN: 1GF5CCUK1PD104402

9312 was auctioned off on 7/10/2009. VIN 1GF5CCUK0PD104407

9313 became a parts bus before being auctioned off on 7/10/2009. VIN 1GF5CCUK2PD104408 

9319 became a parts bus before being auctioned off on 7/10/2009. VIN 1GF5CCUK8PD104414

 

1993 Flxible metro (40ft)

9329 was auctioned off on 7/10/2009 VIN: 1GF5ACUK3PD104357

9330 was auctioned off on 7/10/1009 VIN: 1GF5ACUK5PD104358

9353 was auctioned off on 7/10/1009 VIN: 1GF5ACUK0PD104381 

 

1995 Flxible metro (35ft)

9515 & 1 other unit became parts buses. What was left of both buses was auctioned off on 2/25/2008 as scrap. VINS were listed on this auction as 1GF5CCVK6SD106556 & 1GF5CCVKXSD106561 but I have no way to determine which VIN was 9515's.

 

1995 Flxible Metro (40ft)

9528 Caught fire and was destroyed. the remains were auctioned off on 3/12/2004

9536 was auctioned off on 7/10/2009. VIN for 9536: 1GF5CCUK1PD104402

9541 became a parts bus and was auctioned off on 7/10/2009 with no engine & transmission. VIN for 9541: 1GF5ACUK6SD106127

 

COTA Mainstream

1994 Ford Cutaway 1xx. Known unit: 163 - auctioned off on 10/27/2003

1996 Ford Cutaway 1xx. Known units: 173, 175 - auctioned off on 10/27/2003

1997 Ford Cutaway 1xx. Known unit: 177 - auctioned off on 10/27/2003

1998 Ford Cutaway 1xx. Known Unit: 195 - auctioned off on 7/10/2009. VIN for 195: 1FDWE3OF7WHA95048

1999 Ford Cutaway 1xx. Known units: 196 - auctioned off on 12/5/2003

2002 Ford Cutaway 2xx-3xx. Known units: 228, 311 - 228 and one non running unknown unit were auctioned off on 6/27/2008. 228's VIN: 1FDXE45F62HA04803, Non runner's VIN 1FDXE45F62HA04803. 311 was Auctioned off on 7/10/2009. 311's VIN: 1FDXE45F72HB75365

 

Wow! That was a lot of info.

 

EDIT: forgot the link, OOPS!

https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/list/past?orgid=12617

a good amount of the 1991 flxible auctioned in 2003 had problems matter of fact most busses sold before 2004 were in bad condition

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  • 3 weeks later...

January Discovery/Update on CMAX

 

All Cmax Busses are Gillig BRT+ CNG and their fleet numbers are 1714 - 1726. 1719 has all ready had a minor mishap (which I caught part of it on my phone)

 

Grumman 870: in 1995 10 units were sold to Kirov Russia and they were active over there from 12/1995 - 2003. They were put in service with the COTA Logo, livery and fleet numbers intact and surprisingly were never removed while they were active in Russia. They were retired in 2003 and sat in a bus graveyard until 2008. One May still exist over there if the translations are correct...

Known units that were sold (and their Russian Number), VIN (not too sure if this is correct) and a link to the photo(if there is one) You will have to translate them if further info is needed

8142 Became P 401 AB 43 VIN: 1GF4AA1K8BD093434, Link: http://fotobus.msk.ru/vehicle/57346/

8140 became P 402 AB 43, VIN: 1GF4AA1K4BD093432, link: http://fotobus.msk.ru/photo/1535580/  - This bus was still in existence as late as 2011 but only the body was left. Unknown if it still exists today.

8176 became P 403 AB 43, VIN: 1GF4AA1K3BD093468, Link: http://fotobus.msk.ru/photo/34961/

???? Became P 404 AB 43, retired in 1998 due to electrical problems? , Link: http://fotobus.msk.ru/vehicle/57352/

8133 Became P 405 AB 43, VIN: 1GF4AA1K4BD093706, Link: http://fotobus.msk.ru/vehicle/57355/

8170 Became P 406 AB 43, VIN: 1GF4AA1K2BD093462, Link: http://fotobus.msk.ru/vehicle/57359/

8150 became P 407 AB 43, VIN: 1GF4AA1K7BD093442, l.ink: http://fotobus.msk.ru/vehicle/57362/

8127 became P 408 AB 43, VIN: 1GF4AA1K3BD093700, Link: http://fotobus.msk.ru/vehicle/57367/

8108 Became P 409 AB 43, VIN: 1GF4AA1K3BD093681, Link: http://fotobus.msk.ru/photo/34962/

8196 Became P 410 AB 43, VIN: 1GF4AA1K9BD093488, Link: http://fotobus.msk.ru/vehicle/57370/

Aditional links:

http://fotobus.msk.ru/list.php?grid=66&mid=1073 (Bus roster)

There were also buses acquired in 1997 but I cant confirm if those buses were from COTA or from Other operators, some links sent me to Portland and VTA. Also the buses acquired in 1997 were retired by late 1999 and early 2000 which means the COTA buses sent over there outlasted the ones acquired in 1997.

Originally I was researching the Gumman 870 in general for a future YouTube video and accidentally stumbled upon this discovery.

https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Grumman_870 (about half way down the page mentioned in breif, see citation note 9 as well)

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  • 2 weeks later...

a few tidbits of info passed to me from user cotabus as well as some bits of info from some bus drivers.

2004 & 2005 New Flyers: I'm now getting conflicting reports from some drivers about the 2400s & some 2500s having never left the cota property while other drivers say they are gone from COTA property completely. I'm even more confused after getting some info on some 25XX units and when some retired. Maybe the buses were moved from one bus barn to the other??? Going to contact cota to get to the bottom of this.

2005 New Flyer D40LF: 2523 was retired in January of 2017 and became a parts bus for 2520 and 2522.

2522 was being repaired but never was put back into service.

Flxible metro 9512 and Novabus 9928 are preserved but I don't know who is preserving them and form what I could look up it doesn't seem to be COTA. Also one 21xx new flyer is being preserved as well but again not by COTA and I'm not sure if the number is correct seeing as 2101 was sold to tarta.

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  • 1 month later...

March update

GMC RTS

Most or all units were repainted into the same livery the newer flxibles had at an unknown time after finding this picture on an ebay auction for a Kodachrome slide of the pictured bus and comparing it to pictures I had found through google and public surplus

Edit: The auction closed so I can't link to the auction but i had saved a copy of the water marked image in case i found any other photos.

 

Also I read in the local news paper that

28 new CNG Buses are coming this year (the paper didn't specify brand and model but I assume its the Gillig advantage) and in 2019 cota will be launching a pilot program to test electric buses but the paper didn't specify which manufacturer COTA would be testing. there was a photo of a proterra demo in the article.

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180311/battery-powered-buses-could-propel-cota-into-future 

s-l1600 (2).jpg

ColumbusGMC-RTS85.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
1 minute ago, Buzz2kb said:

So why is COTA switching to New Flyer?  Are any particular batches of Gillig Low Floor CNG's lemon buses?

not sure may be because at one point 65% of cotas fleet was new flyer. but now there are over 300 active gilligs  but not really sure but came across article thought i would relay it here. personally getting a little tired of 100% gillig on active roster but apparently up to 154 xcelsiors with about 28 buses each year

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8 hours ago, Cotabus said:

not sure may be because at one point 65% of cotas fleet was new flyer. but now there are over 300 active gilligs  but not really sure but came across article thought i would relay it here. personally getting a little tired of 100% gillig on active roster but apparently up to 154 xcelsiors with about 28 buses each year

So is it more about dual-sourcing the fleet?

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13 hours ago, Buzz2kb said:

 

So is it more about dual-sourcing the fleet?

Actually not sure about that maybe because they are cheaper maybe because Cota use to buy New flyers or maybe because multiple people including me emailed Cota about buying new flyers.  But it must be one of those reasons 

4 hours ago, Gilligman2010 said:

COTA Columbus Ohio 

Getting an order of 154 XN40 

 

https://www.newflyer.com/2018/03/columbus-expands-low-emission-fleet-154-cng-buses-new-flyer/

 

 

Lol already said that yesterday but do you know why.  I'm not sure 

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  • 1 month later...

Just a quicky bit of info:

Bus 2520 was spotted back on the road as a training bus, the bus has no bike rack and was quite dirty on the outside as if it had sat for a long time. First time in over a year a D40LF has been on the road. this info was passed to me by the user COTAbus.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Update on inactive buses (passed to me from COTAbus)

2520 is missing its bike rack

2524 is inactive but surprisingly got a new bike rack.

2722, 2717, 2718 are confirmed to be inactive either as reserve or retired and awaiting auction, other 2700s are also there but no idea which ones

2820 is inactive

 

Photo evidence (By User COTABus)

20180531_173621.jpg.de1f21b2d27da1d0d6e1ef5907ee2d2d.thumb.jpg.706f615b2e7b8f04a029a9b98e1733be.jpg20180531_173624.jpg.f1f347148cc406cfe0c10cdff2ce8611.thumb.jpg.3599455ace362312f06e63963a7133dc.jpg20180531_173642.jpg.f4632e3832b2480bbbb776cbb9541934.thumb.jpg.3f6847cec8fa73309e3ff134b0c31387.jpg20180531_173650.jpg.34c1f0b438596e2905f855dd011d17a4.thumb.jpg.e01ed7d6f47fb16544f9f03dfd06c9e6.jpg20180531_173609.jpg.fcce16c92d8b3371b6130771d5dd8b3f.thumb.jpg.73481adc7ab550264eb405a85dc74688.jpg20180531_173750.jpg.b45867a35f91c4ace20e37dcc4e71253.thumb.jpg.f7831a1252694824bd15cda8f886ce07.jpg

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