RTS_04 Posted July 17, 2008 Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 I was trying to avoid traffic caused by the Ann Arbor street art festival, and what should I see run past my vision but an AATA D35LF in service! I gave chase and was able to photograph 374 and 371. The latter looks close to death, and at one point, actually stalled on the operator. He was able to successfully restart the coach. The vast majority of these things haven't been in service for a good 3-4 months. Some of them have been sold to West Lafayette, Indiana; another sits as a shuttle bus for the Ann Arbor community center. Still, trying to accomodate for the large downtown crowds, AATA pulled these two - possibly the last two - D35LFs away from the disposal line and sent 'em right out. Now, if only they'd do this with the TMC RTS' and Orion IIs they used to have... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board Admin A. Wong Posted July 17, 2008 Board Admin Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 Great shots, thanks for posting those photos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2822 Posted July 17, 2008 Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 How old are those buses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board Admin A. Wong Posted July 17, 2008 Board Admin Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 I would say maybe around 1997? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTS_04 Posted July 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2008 I would say maybe around 1997? I think that's about right; maybe a little earlier. Don't have me camera at hand, but 372's parked right beneath my window right now ahead of 371. 372 looks a little better than 371, but there's quite a few scrapes on the rocker panels and the lower sides of the bus. I'm also noticing some rust on the top of the roof next to the A/C unit. I'm just glad to see 'em out in service, really... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general682002 Posted July 18, 2008 Report Share Posted July 18, 2008 I would say maybe around 1997? More like 1995-96 to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTS_04 Posted July 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2008 Friday update: 373 and 374 just whizzed by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailBus63 Posted July 18, 2008 Report Share Posted July 18, 2008 How old are those buses? AATA #360-374 were built in 1995. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTS_04 Posted July 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2008 AATA #360-374 were built in 1995. Thanks, Jim. Know any good sources for NFI production information? Just curious; the one site I knew of didn't have AATA's D35LFs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board Admin A. Wong Posted July 18, 2008 Board Admin Report Share Posted July 18, 2008 http://www.angelfire.com/ca/TORONTO/builders/nfilist.html Ann Arbor Transit Authority 360-374 1995 D40LF 15810-15824 Ann Arbor MI Aren't they D35LF though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aemoreira81 Posted July 19, 2008 Report Share Posted July 19, 2008 Nice...it seems as though they're retiring buses right around 12 or 13; where I have still has 19-year old Flxible Metro-Bs and 18-year old RTS buses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
323 Surrey Ctrl Stn Posted July 20, 2008 Report Share Posted July 20, 2008 Those things look really beat up. Any other systems down south with D35LF's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTS_04 Posted July 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2008 Those things look really beat up.Any other systems down south with D35LF's? Plenty, I'm sure...Dayton, Ohio has some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailBus63 Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 In Connecticut, SEAT in New London/Norwich and GBTA in Bridgeport both operate D35LF's. LANTA in Allentown PA also has several orders of D35LF's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTS_04 Posted September 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 Hate to dig up a very old thread, but here's an update on the D35LFs... Last summer was the last time I saw the buses in service, but I found four - along with two D40LFs - for sale at a surplus auction out in Lansing, MI this weekend. D35LF #373 D35LF #374 D35LF #372 D35LF #371 Interiors weren't too bad, but fair amount of corrosion on the D35LFs - although no more than the last time I saw 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. McConnell Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 In Connecticut, SEAT in New London/Norwich and GBTA in Bridgeport both operate D35LF's.LANTA in Allentown PA also has several orders of D35LF's. Fargo-Moorhead Metro Area Transit (Fargo, ND and Moorhead, MN) has a good number of D35LFs also, along with D35LFRs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CR SD40-2 Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 In Connecticut, SEAT in New London/Norwich and GBTA in Bridgeport both operate D35LF's.LANTA in Allentown PA also has several orders of D35LF's. 9801-9815 0131-0140 0246-0250 0461-0465 to be exact and i got a pic of evey one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusMaxx Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 Hate to dig up a very old thread, but here's an update on the D35LFs...Last summer was the last time I saw the buses in service, but I found four - along with two D40LFs - for sale at a surplus auction out in Lansing, MI this weekend. Interiors weren't too bad, but fair amount of corrosion on the D35LFs - although no more than the last time I saw 'em. did you catch the price tag??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ripta42 Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Know any good sources for NFI production information? Just curious; the one site I knew of didn't have AATA's D35LFs... http://community-2.webtv.net/ajkristopans/FLYER/page2.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTS_04 Posted September 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 http://community-2.webtv.net/ajkristopans/FLYER/page2.html Yeah, the list calls these D35LFs as D40LFs...as did the list we already found. did you catch the price tag??? I didn't have a chance to stick around for the entire auction, sadly... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUS 374 Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Yeah, the list calls these D35LFs as D40LFs...as did the list we already found.I didn't have a chance to stick around for the entire auction, sadly... Buses 373 and 374 went for $2300. Bus 375 went for $2400. I didn't get a chance to stick around long enough to see how much the remaining three went for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTS_04 Posted October 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Buses 373 and 374 went for $2300. Bus 375 went for $2400. I didn't get a chance to stick around long enough to see how much the remaining three went for. Did you pick up 374? I saw 3 of the D35LFs up at Midwest Bus this past weekend...not too surprised they picked 'em up; after a re-build, they'll likely find another home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUS 374 Posted October 19, 2009 Report Share Posted October 19, 2009 Did you pick up 374? I saw 3 of the D35LFs up at Midwest Bus this past weekend...not too surprised they picked 'em up; after a re-build, they'll likely find another home I wish I could, but I was not prepared for this auction. To be perfectly honest, I don't know who bought Bus 374. I was on the opposite side of the auctioneer's truck. That was my stupid fault. You say Midwest Bus? Who are they? Where are they situated? I am rather curious because I am trying to find old 374. I go back 4 years with that bus, and 374 saved my life back in 2007. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTS_04 Posted October 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2009 I wish I could, but I was not prepared for this auction. To be perfectly honest, I don't know who bought Bus 374. I was on the opposite side of the auctioneer's truck. That was my stupid fault. You say Midwest Bus? Who are they? Where are they situated? I am rather curious because I am trying to find old 374. I go back 4 years with that bus, and 374 saved my life back in 2007. Needs moar info...weren't prepared for the $$$ involved, or were you working the auction? How'd 374 save your life? And are you here in A2 (look me up sometime)? As for Midwest, they specialize in rebuilding and selling transit buses. Like a few other AATA D35LFs, these will find new homes after they're reconditioned -- I wouldn't be too surprised if these also went to Lafayette, IN... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUS 374 Posted October 19, 2009 Report Share Posted October 19, 2009 Needs moar info...weren't prepared for the $$$ involved, or were you working the auction? How'd 374 save your life? And are you here in A2 (look me up sometime)?As for Midwest, they specialize in rebuilding and selling transit buses. Like a few other AATA D35LFs, these will find new homes after they're reconditioned -- I wouldn't be too surprised if these also went to Lafayette, IN... I had enough money to buy the bus, but it wasn't in the right spot. I went to the auction just to see who would buy 374. If I had the money in the right spot, like in my checking account, I would have registered to bid and I would have bought 374. Bus 374 has always been my favorite bus in the AATA system. I made more trips on 374 than any other bus, and yes, 374 saved my life one day. Back in October of 2007, I was trying to get from one side of town to the other in time to attend a Discover Scuba Diving session at Slauson Middle School. I was riding one of the AATA's new hybrid buses and it was late. I decided to hop off and ride my bike all the way to the Blake Transit Center. Seeing that time was against me, I decided to get to the bus stop outside the Courthouse on Huron Street. When I got within one city block of the Courthouse, my transfer bus--Route 9--was pulling away. I thought the day was ruined. I was stuck in Ann Arbor, in the cold, 7 miles from home and there was a lot of traffic out there. A minute later, another bus pulled to the stop. I looked up, and it was 374! Bus 374 saved the day! Saved me from the cold; saved me the long trip home, and 374 even saved the dive! If it had not been for 374, I wouldn't be scuba diving. That bus has also been an inspiration for my success in school. I can also state that if it hadn't been for 374, I would not have earned the 2 Associates' Degrees and the 2 Advanced Certificates from Washtenaw Community College. As you can see, Bus 374 has played a major part in my life. I could not stand to not know where she was, and out of all the times my friends, including the bus drivers, have asked me if I wanted to buy the bus, I gave it some serious thought, and I saw the potential in owning a bus. I've lived in Ann Arbor my whole life--all 21 years--and even though I've used the transit system for four and a half years, I have earned the reputation of a bus aficionado from the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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