Transit Windsor

[kishkizzle]

Eh, FWIW, I've seen em use full size buses to transport 'flocks' of drivers, then the bus goes in service once it gets to its destination. That's probably only in special circumstances though.

[MaT]

It must be then cuz I see 2601 going back and forth every day out my window. I saw 604 on the 1C the other day too.

[MaT]

I saw 603 on the 2 and 604 on the 1C. Also saw 617 outside the office at the garage.

[Girardin71]

Today i saw 601 arriving to St Clair College on the Dominion 5

[kishkizzle]

I just saw 604 stuck...the driver couldn't get the brakes to release after making a stop. Took a minute or two to figure it out then off it went. I'd attribute that to operator error but perhaps a sign of an equipment problem?

[newflyerinvero]

More then likely the brake release was still on or, the rear door was still unlocked. Usually when the back door's open or the light's on, I think there's a brake that doesn't allow the bus to move forward at all. It's pretty much the same to many New Flyers.

[newflyerinvero]

Any information regarding the service changes? Related, wondering how many buses would be required?

If the number is anything higher then 90 + or so, then some of the hybrids (although I doubt this), would become expansion buses.

So Classics, take a breath as well as you two, fishies.

[kishkizzle]

No 'official' news but I've seen GMDD and MCI Classics go by today on the Crosstown (I live on a corner serviced by the route) despite the Crosstown supposedly being 100% low floors now.

Something tells me they've miscalculated something (this frequency of them seems a bit high for typical breakdowns to be causing it) and will need at least some older buses to stick around for the time being, I've seen Classics on the 2 almost every day since the hybrids arrived. Seems to only be one bus per day, but they're definitely out and about. Haven't seen either 907 or 912 though, and they were on the 2 all the time before the schedule change.

Correction: 912 just went by (5:30) eastbound on the 2. I identified the "GMDD Classic" by sound earlier (it went by before I looked outside) so I'm guessing it was actually 912 instead.

Also just saw 553 (old nova)...wasn't that bus out for a while? Looks to me like it has a brand new paintjob (or was washed very, very thoroughly) and the "553" digits on the front look...big.

[Bernie]

No 'official' news but I've seen GMDD and MCI Classics go by today on the Crosstown (I live on a corner serviced by the route) despite the Crosstown supposedly being 100% low floors now.

Something tells me they've miscalculated something (this frequency of them seems a bit high for typical breakdowns to be causing it) and will need at least some older buses to stick around for the time being, I've seen Classics on the 2 almost every day since the hybrids arrived. Seems to only be one bus per day, but they're definitely out and about. Haven't seen either 907 or 912 though, and they were on the 2 all the time before the schedule change.

Correction: 912 just went by (5:30) eastbound on the 2. I identified the "GMDD Classic" by sound earlier (it went by before I looked outside) so I'm guessing it was actually 912 instead.

Also just saw 553 (old nova)...wasn't that bus out for a while? Looks to me like it has a brand new paintjob (or was washed very, very thoroughly) and the "553" digits on the front look...big.

Six more Hybrid's (#607 - 612) went into service July 09/09. Also #907 was retired this week along with 14 classic's, #912 is to be preserved. The last Nova #551 is now being having its refur done.

[newflyerinvero]

No 'official' news but I've seen GMDD and MCI Classics go by today on the Crosstown (I live on a corner serviced by the route) despite the Crosstown supposedly being 100% low floors now.

Something tells me they've miscalculated something (this frequency of them seems a bit high for typical breakdowns to be causing it) and will need at least some older buses to stick around for the time being, I've seen Classics on the 2 almost every day since the hybrids arrived. Seems to only be one bus per day, but they're definitely out and about. Haven't seen either 907 or 912 though, and they were on the 2 all the time before the schedule change.

That route may have a few highfloors come September. It may be speculative on my part, depending on how the service levels are by that time.

Six more Hybrid's (#607 - 612) went into service July 09/09. Also #907 was retired this week along with 14 classic's, #912 is to be preserved. The last Nova #551 is now being having its refur done.

So 912 is going to be remaining in service or has it been retired, but preserved as a historical bus for SW&A?

Additionally, the 14 Classics. What are the fleet numbers? My guesses are from 505-510, 512, 513, 516, 517, 520, 521, 523-526.

[Girardin71]

515 and 523 are not on the chopping block. these might be the 14 classics 505-510 512,513,516,517,520,521,524,525,526

[kishkizzle]

From a rider's perspective exclusively, not an enthusiast or driver:

The Classics you've listed off are the least pleasant buses to ride on...in fact I'd say they are absolutely unpleasant. Very noisy, lots of rattles, jerky transmissions, and while it might be just my perception based on how noisy they are, they seem awfully slow compared to newer Classics also (I know nothing about the drivetrains or if they are any different in real performance, they just feel different). Plus, many of those have 'vent' windows (small tiny little flip-in things at the top) which are OK on an air conditioned bus but on a Classic it's actually dangerous, because they heat up too much....our summers are dangerously hot outside as it is, which is still nothing compared to being stuck in a poorly ventilated metal box with the engine running sitting at a transfer point.

I would really like to see 515 and 523 go...they're pretty awful as it is, but at least they have tinted windows (or one of them does at least).

567, 568, and 569 just piss me off...I'd rather see service slowdowns because of fewer buses than have them put more non-A/C vehicles on the road (and I think all 3 of those have vent windows too).

[902]

From a rider's perspective exclusively, not an enthusiast or driver:

The Classics you've listed off are the least pleasant buses to ride on...in fact I'd say they are absolutely unpleasant. Very noisy, lots of rattles, jerky transmissions, and while it might be just my perception based on how noisy they are, they seem awfully slow compared to newer Classics also (I know nothing about the drivetrains or if they are any different in real performance, they just feel different). Plus, many of those have 'vent' windows (small tiny little flip-in things at the top) which are OK on an air conditioned bus but on a Classic it's actually dangerous, because they heat up too much....our summers are dangerously hot outside as it is, which is still nothing compared to being stuck in a poorly ventilated metal box with the engine running sitting at a transfer point.

I would really like to see 515 and 523 go...they're pretty awful as it is, but at least they have tinted windows (or one of them does at least).

567, 568, and 569 just piss me off...I'd rather see service slowdowns because of fewer buses than have them put more non-A/C vehicles on the road (and I think all 3 of those have vent windows too).

From a drivers perspective:(not a TW driver)

You think the classics with the tip in windows are sweat boxes, wait until you get on one of those brand new hybrids, or any other low floor with tip in windows for that matter, without the A/C working on it....at least the classics get some ventilation going through them. The low floors are just awful if the A/C doesn't work. I'd take a high floor over that any day.

[general682002]

From a drivers perspective:(not a TW driver)

You think the classics with the tip in windows are sweat boxes, wait until you get on one of those brand new hybrids, or any other low floor with tip in windows for that matter, without the A/C working on it....at least the classics get some ventilation going through them. The low floors are just awful if the A/C doesn't work. I'd take a high floor over that any day.

Bingo!

[kishkizzle]

To clarify, I'm referring to those specific Classics in Windsor's fleet that have the tip-in windows (is there an official name for these things?), not the other Classics with "normal" windows.

Agreed on the low floor w/broken A/C issue. Most of them seem to 'crap out' by the end of the summer seemingly every year. Our older Novas have normal windows, newer ones have the tip-in style, and all the Orion low floors have normal ones as far as I know, but they've been restricted to opening only a couple of inches (compared to the New Looks...or I guess New Look...which has very wide opening windows, around 1ft I believe). The New Flyer hybrids have tip-in ones but if you look closely they are screwed shut with a set screw, so unless you break them open or bring a hex key with you, you're screwed if you want fresh air. This is obviously done to keep in the cool air when the A/C is on but when I was on one a few days ago with the air off I did notice it and felt kind of closed-in.

On a completely unrelated side note, the hybrids' interior light-dimming feature could possibly set off an epileptic seizure in someone with that condition, since instead of just gently fading there is a bright flash involved also.

[Bernie]

515 and 523 are not on the chopping block. these might be the 14 classics 505-510 512,513,516,517,520,521,524,525,526

At this time the following numbers are retired or to be retired, 505, 510, 512, 516, 517, 520, 525, 536, 538, 540, 546, 907 and 912 ( Heritage Bus), plus an few more to come. Some are still in service and will be retired shortly.

[Girardin71]

why isn't 508 being retired? I'm glad that 546 is retired last time i rode it, it smelled like rotting wet wood.

[MaT]

I've been seeing the hybrids a lot since they've gone into service. Most recently that I can remember I saw 607, 609 and 611 on the 1C. I seen like 3 others but I cant remember which ones lol.

[Girardin71]

last Saturday i rode 608 to my buddy places along the Crosstown 2. The weekends is the only time i get to ride the hybrids

[MaT]

I just saw 603 on the 3 today. So now that's hybrids on the 1A, 1C, 2 , 3, 5, and the 14!

[Girardin71]

well that's cool. maybe the dougall 6 or walkerville 8 will be next to run the hybrids

[MaT]

I think it's just driver requests(I know it's happened at least once) for the sightings of hybrids on the 3,5 and 14, because they're supposed to be used only on the Transways and the Crosstown.

[MaT]

Just wanted to say that I think that it's safe to say that all 18 hybrids are in service now, since I saw 615 yesterday on the 1A at Debonshire Mall.

[MaT]

I updated the wiki with the new fleet list and all the buses that are retired now. There's still a few in service that didn't retire yet, but it won't be long at all until they do, those being 512 and 538 if I remember right. And I put on the top of the wiki about the Rosa Parks Transit Center i nthe intro paragraph.

[Windy]

To clarify, I'm referring to those specific Classics in Windsor's fleet that have the tip-in windows (is there an official name for these things?), not the other Classics with "normal" windows.

Agreed on the low floor w/broken A/C issue. Most of them seem to 'crap out' by the end of the summer seemingly every year. Our older Novas have normal windows, newer ones have the tip-in style, and all the Orion low floors have normal ones as far as I know, but they've been restricted to opening only a couple of inches (compared to the New Looks...or I guess New Look...which has very wide opening windows, around 1ft I believe). The New Flyer hybrids have tip-in ones but if you look closely they are screwed shut with a set screw, so unless you break them open or bring a hex key with you, you're screwed if you want fresh air. This is obviously done to keep in the cool air when the A/C is on but when I was on one a few days ago with the air off I did notice it and felt kind of closed-in.

On a completely unrelated side note, the hybrids' interior light-dimming feature could possibly set off an epileptic seizure in someone with that condition, since instead of just gently fading there is a bright flash involved also.

They are also known as hopper windows. Appreciate your old buses while you can! It's one of the things I'm after on my trip to Canada! I'm annoyed that these buses are getting withdrawn...