Girardin71 Posted August 2, 2009 Report Share Posted August 2, 2009 907 will be scrapped and 912 will be kept. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCT-3122-D800-10240 Posted August 2, 2009 Report Share Posted August 2, 2009 So glad I got to Windsor last October and got to see the last two remaining Fishbowls in service. RIP TW Fishbowls. Glad to hear #912 is being kept as a historical unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroDetroiter_WindsorVisitor Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Here is a much Special treat for the Transit Windsor Fans (Since my old msn website went ka-poot some time back) Here are some vintage photos taken over the past decade (wow time flies) of The Orion 1s, Orion V, New Look, and GMD Classics... you know when I started this, there were no web forums, no groups of people interested in this (that I knew) and I sometimes felt like it was kind of goofy taking bus pictures, but i just remember how much I appreciate the old and vintage images we have of American and Canadian streetcars and realize that if someone doesn't take photos, well then there just wouldn't be any and thats a shame, so in conclusion any photo taken in 2009 of a low floor... well your documenting and era and eventually those will be 12 and 20 year old / gone / retired vehicles part of the transit history. So keep on taking photos, and enjoy, here are some of my favorite old shots. Starting with the newer Buses and going back: Classic 548 working an EXTRA: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838189141/ Classic 544 on 14 Parent: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838189139/ Classic 518 on Transway 1A: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838189137/ Classic 504 on Ottawa 4: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838189135/ Classic 502 on Dougall 6: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838189131/ Orion V 412 on Crosstown 2: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838189129/ Fishbowl 920 on Central 3: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838174229/ Fishbowls passing in the night: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838174219/ Fishbowl 917 on Transway 1C: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838174217/ Fishbowl 912 on the Crosstown 2 SW&A colours: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838174205/ Fishbowl 907 on an EXTRA: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838174197/ Fishbowl 906 on Transway 1C: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838174193/ Orion 1 402 Transway (Express section) : http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838953700/ Orion 1 402 Transway Express section: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838953694/ Orion 1 410 working the Crosstown 2: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838953652/ Orion 1 410 working Crosstown 2: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838953646/ Orion 1 408 on the Central 3 (Nice timing on the RR warning lights activating): http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838953642/ and ol 407 on the Ottawa 4, this is one of the few Orion 1s that I actually rode, I spent much time taking pictures and riding fishbowls: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organistmike/3838953638/ I hope you all enjoy the photos! Cheers, Mike in Detroit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaT Posted August 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 Ahhh, brings back great memories... Thanks a lot Mike! Great to hear from you again, it's been a while so give me a shout sometime! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Girardin71 Posted August 27, 2009 Report Share Posted August 27, 2009 Transit Windsor is offering free rides on weeknights and weekends to bring ridership to the South Windsor 7. http://www.windsorstar.com/life/Transit+Wi...6004/story.html If Transit Windsor really wants more ridership on evenings and weekends stop running the bus every hour and then you will see higher ridership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newflyerinvero Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 Transit Windsor is offering free rides on weeknights and weekends to bring ridership to the South Windsor 7. http://www.windsorstar.com/life/Transit+Wi...6004/story.html If Transit Windsor really wants more ridership on evenings and weekends stop running the bus every hour and then you will see higher ridership. It's the ever-constant "Ride it or lose it." Perhaps during the summer is the 7's deadest of service levels when it comes to ridership. Mind you, I think next summer, the schedules that are being used for the rest of the year will be used for the summer, too. Speaking of which, any news on the September changes, if any? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaT Posted August 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 No changes for september. the deal for the 7 is to advertise its services more and get more people to try it. Its a really good route when you think of it. It should have a lot more people taking it then it does now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaT Posted August 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 I just saw 614 on the 10. So that's yet another route using hybrids! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kishkizzle Posted September 6, 2009 Report Share Posted September 6, 2009 Just as an update from a rider... 613 is making horrible grinding noises, 609 a high pitched whine (might have those two backwards), one of the higher number ones (I forget) had the seatbelt mount bar (up in air above handicap seats) broken off, and one or two of them have nonfunctional rear destination signs. Nobody is using the stroller spot, and additionally drivers seem to be extremely disrespectful to handicapped people...I was on a bus where a person with a walker was sitting in one of the spots at the front generally reserved for handicapped riders, a stroller was in the other handicap spot. Another stroller got on and the person with the walker was forced to STAND for the rest of the ride! The driver watched this happen and did nothing. Edit, for clarification: Transit Windsor policy, as they'll tell you if you call or most drivers will tell you if you ask, is to not allow unfolded strollers on the bus, and "exceptions" are made for people with strollers if space exists. The person with the stroller then has to either fold it and hold child, or leave the bus, if a handicapped person is waiting at any following stop. These "exceptions" as they've been referred to by TW staff happen, from my experience, daily if not hourly on the major routes. At least two have interior vandalism, and at least one sounds like it's running on diesel only (and feels highly anemic, helping confirm this). And 618 was making weird whooshing noises as if it had a leaking air line for most of the day one day recently (caught same bus several times during trips back and forth through city, noticed problem during all). Passengers are visibly and audibly (read: making loud, obvious verbal complaints to each other) displeased with the inward-facing seats, and I agree entirely...I hope the next buses TW gets have a majority of forwards-facing seats (and real, proper-opening windows!). Edit, looking back on this and realizing an issue with clarity - the entire post refers to the New Flyer hybrids brought into service fairly recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general682002 Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 Just as an update from a rider...613 is making horrible grinding noises, 609 a high pitched whine (might have those two backwards), one of the higher number ones (I forget) had the seatbelt mount bar (up in air above handicap seats) broken off, and one or two of them have nonfunctional rear destination signs. Nobody is using the stroller spot, and additionally drivers seem to be extremely disrespectful to handicapped people...I was on a bus where a person with a walker was sitting in one of the spots at the front generally reserved for handicapped riders, a stroller was in the other handicap spot. Another stroller got on and the person with the walker was forced to STAND for the rest of the ride! The driver watched this happen and did nothing. At least two have interior vandalism, and at least one sounds like it's running on diesel only (and feels highly anemic, helping confirm this). And 618 was making weird whooshing noises as if it had a leaking air line for most of the day one day recently (caught same bus several times during trips back and forth through city, noticed problem during all). Passengers are visibly and audibly (read: making loud, obvious verbal complaints to each other) displeased with the inward-facing seats, and I agree entirely...I hope the next buses TW gets have a majority of forwards-facing seats (and real, proper-opening windows!). How about a different bus! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaT Posted September 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 I found 603 on the 4 today, so that's another route for the hybrids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kishkizzle Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 How about a different bus! With regards to what I should ride, or with regards to what TW should buy? It certainly SEEMS like some of the hybrids are experiencing issues...at least from my perspective. If that's the case I would be very doubtful they would buy more of the same. That said, the majority of them (New Flyer hybrids) (I've rode on all 18 now, been keeping a mental checklist) are very pleasant, smooth riding, quiet, have ice-cold air and seemingly quality workmanship (as evidenced by screws being tight, parts lined up properly, and a low number of rattles). My statements about the 'bad' ones do still stand however...lol. I hope there's some kind of 'warranty' in the transit bus world, because they're way too young to be having significant problems. Edit a few days later: 618 is still hissing/whooshing everywhere...it's very noticeable and none of the other (same) buses are doing it. Obviously if it was a particularly serious air leak, the brakes wouldn't release properly and there would probably be a notification on the dash, but still...something is not right. I've seen 912 in service a few times lately...kinda nice to see it around. The low number Classics, such as 506, 519, 523...not so much (and this of course includes the ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE 567-569!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kishkizzle Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 559 (a newer Nova) was broken down in the Villages this morning. The colour of the (giant!) cloud coming from it was white which in most vehicles would be coolant (I'd guess a melted or somehow blown coolant line)... They tried to crank it and it sounded like there may have been some broken connecting rods (or some extreme valve chatter, one or the other or both), knowing from what a car engine sounds like with broken rods. Funny, I was on that bus recently and thought it had that "air in the coolant lines" sound going on. After reporting to one hybrid driver that his rear sign was dead and letting another know that the air conditioner was making sounds like a popcorn maker (and getting "not my problem" replies from both) it would seem drivers don't care until the bus won't go anymore, costing the taxpayer quite a bit in repair costs. Hope the damage isn't too expensive, but it sounded like it could easily be in the couple thousand dollar range if my assumptions are correct. I apologize for the bad photo quality. Note that's about 20 minutes after the cloud had started clearing. There was a sizable puddle under the engine as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaT Posted October 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 Well I saw 912 today going WB down Tecumseh Road East near Partsource with high school students on it. So I'm assuming it was on the 1C or a high school special. I almost died when I saw it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kishkizzle Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 Well I saw 912 today going WB down Tecumseh Road East near Partsource with high school students on it. So I'm assuming it was on the 1C or a high school special. I almost died when I saw it! I've seen it both doing Extras and in regular service all the time. My understanding was it was going to be taken off the road...apparently not. I still can't get over the fact there were much nicer New Looks they could have saved...like whatever one had blue padded seats last (it was not that long ago, I've mentioned that bus to you MaT, think it was 909?). 912 is noisy and rides quite rough compared to my memories of a lot of other New Looks...plus it shifts rough too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Girardin71 Posted October 11, 2009 Report Share Posted October 11, 2009 are 411,412,499 only used on School Specials, i never see these on the south windsor 7 since last winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kishkizzle Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 are 411,412,499 only used on School Specials, i never see these on the south windsor 7 since last winter. I saw them with decent regularity on the Dougall 6 weekday mornings for a while (last month). They seem to have been moved to some other task since though. I thought 499 got a new transmission at some point? Whatever they put in it is a pile of garbage, endlessly hunting for gears and jerking around... And 559 is back on the road; whatever damage was done must have been fixed. Edit: I knew I noticed something different about 567! They replaced the ugly "home made" rear louvre thing (where a back window should be) with the normal one, probably from a retired Classic. How it used to be: http://www.cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php/Image:T...Windsor_567.JPG It now has a normal matte black grate thing instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kishkizzle Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 I try to avoid double posting but with the thread so...dead...it's hard not to. I was on 541 and 548 today (among a couple others). 541s transmission is disengaging during shifts and it results in the engine revving up then oozing into the next gear...the slips are pretty serious. 548 caught fire (the brakes apparently were not fully released and the curb side rear drum was completely in flames. it did not spread beyond the brake assembly). It didn't help that the guy driving was seemingly TRYING to damage the bus, the way he was waiting until the last second to brake and then slamming the pedal down. That one has transmission issues too...it was fine until you got to somewhere around 60 (yeah, on Wyandotte, with a limit of 50) at which point it would upshift and just not engage any gear (basically freewheeling until it downshifted again). Meanwhile the older, far less pleasant ones soldier on with no perceivable mechanical issues. Except 506...the colour of that exhaust cloud tells me something is wrong with that engine (it's way too dark and thick). I'm definitely not a bus expert or even a diesel expert but I know when an engine's running rich (509, which is basically its twin, has almost invisible exhaust). Is TW just really lax about fleet maintenance or is this a common trend everywhere? Oh and what the heck is up with drivers angling their interior mirrors at the ceiling?!?! That's a serious safety concern when they're closing doors on people and can't monitor what's going on behind them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newflyerinvero Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 Does that mean 548 is finished? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kishkizzle Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 Does that mean 548 is finished? My opinion isn't worth a whole lot but I'd say not. The fire damage (appeared to be) contained to inside the rim where the brake drum is...it's not like the floor caught fire or something like that. As far as the tranny goes, there was a rubber hose visibly torn and leaking something (tranny fluid anyone?) just below the rear bumper (it's a '91 classic). I suspect the mis-shifting was due to lack of fluid or low fluid pressure (basing that on my knowledge of car auto transmissions, I imagine it's a similar concept if not the same for a bus). All the other shifts were clean and smooth except when it dropped off and let the engine rev endlessly until it downshifted again. (the serious slips I mentioned were on 541, not 548) I hope 548 isn't gone for good, I like those buses. I'd like to see the low-number Classics go away and never come back but the 530s and 540s are pretty nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kishkizzle Posted November 26, 2009 Report Share Posted November 26, 2009 Just to confirm, 548 is not gone for good. It was on the road today. That torn hose is still dangling under the bumper dripping though... I get the impression nobody at the garage cares about doing their job properly. They only have roughly 100 buses (I don't know the exact figure), it's not like they have an excuse for lacking maintenance as a larger system like TTC would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaT Posted November 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 I would bet anything that it's only water that was dripping considering it rained today. As for the rubber hanging it isn't even a minor thing wrong(like something to do with the engine or something would). Transit Windsor mechanics are very good at what they do. If there was a problem with any part of a bus, they would find it and fix it immediately. That rubber hanging shouldn't have any effect on how the bus performs or the comfort of the passengers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kishkizzle Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 I would bet anything that it's only water that was dripping considering it rained today. As for the rubber hanging it isn't even a minor thing wrong(like something to do with the engine or something would). Transit Windsor mechanics are very good at what they do. If there was a problem with any part of a bus, they would find it and fix it immediately. That rubber hanging shouldn't have any effect on how the bus performs or the comfort of the passengers. But like I mentioned previously (post 897 of this thread), after the bus had to be taken out of service when the brakes caught fire... The rubber hose was and is leaking something dark and thick (plus it wasn't raining that day). There should still be puddles on Lauzon near Riverside Tavern from where they were dripping since the driver left it running, continuing to drip, as we waited outside watching the flames through the wheel rim with the driver laughing and busy texting away on his cell phone. As for finding and fixing... Obviously they know something I don't (I mean that literally...obviously they do, I don't know anything about the engine layout in that vehicle), because if they're responsible they put the bus on a lift after getting it back to the garage and replaced the entire brake assemblies on all four corners. Even bad car technicians would do that because they know a brake failure is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Point being, if they put it on a lift like they should have, they would have seen the (obviously torn) rubber hosing in the engine area that hangs low enough to be below the bumper... Maybe it was a quick fix for something and the other ends of the tubing are tied in knots where they can't be seen from outside the engine bay. Doesn't change the fact the hose is torn and whatever function it's supposed to do is not being done, and doesn't change the fact that something is steadily leaking from it. Edit: I was on 548 today. The braking was much smoother than it had been on the day of the fire so it would appear they did replace at least the critical parts. Oh, and though I was exaggerating, I was correct...there are stains on Lauzon Road from where it was leaking. They can be seen near the first house on the right heading towards the river. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newflyerinvero Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 Is 618, I believe it was with mechanical issues back in service yet? What about that VI which got crushed by a tree? Is it being refurbished/repaired? Plus, if these buses are back on the road, has fishbowl 912 been retired? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.A Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 Is 618, I believe it was with mechanical issues back in service yet? What about that VI which got crushed by a tree? Is it being refurbished/repaired?Plus, if these buses are back on the road, has fishbowl 912 been retired? 912 I think is kept for Charters and as a Historic bus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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