Atomic Taco Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 is the lack of transverse (aisle facing) seating in the rear and middle sections is normal Xcelsior buses, or was that something special for these trolleybuses? Either way I like the change, riding sideways on steep hills can make for some awkward situations with the person in the next seat.The way they worded it made it sound more like it was a ploy to get people to cram in the back. Compared to an Orion or a D40LF, there are definitely more seats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aznichiro115 Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Great post Tim. Question for everyone... is the lack of transverse (aisle facing) seating in the rear and middle sections is normal Xcelsior buses, or was that something special for these trolleybuses? Either way I like the change, riding sideways on steep hills can make for some awkward situations with the person in the next seat. Normal for xcelsiors, CT has the same seating arrangement in the back on theirs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Werner Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Great post Tim. Question for everyone... is the lack of transverse (aisle facing) seating in the rear and middle sections is normal Xcelsior buses, or was that something special for these trolleybuses? Either way I like the change, riding sideways on steep hills can make for some awkward situations with the person in the next seat. Only diff between the Xcelsior ETBs and the hybrid equivalents (seating layout wise) is the removal of the two seats near the rear door as ETB bus trips are usually shorter and have more people exiting more frequently. The 35' hybrids are the same as the 40' ones except they lose the second to last row of 2x2 seating --- Inferred from the ether. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Bus Fan Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Great post Tim. Question for everyone... is the lack of transverse (aisle facing) seating in the rear and middle sections is normal Xcelsior buses, or was that something special for these trolleybuses? Either way I like the change, riding sideways on steep hills can make for some awkward situations with the person in the next seat. I don't think the back seat has to face forward on Xcelsior buses because on TransLink XDE60 the read seats are transverse. Maybe that is reason why they choosed the forward facing seats on the trolleys buses because of the steep hills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Taco Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 Just for kicks and giggles, here's a DE60LF (2717) doing service on RapidRide B Line in 2012 https://flic.kr/p/dtAY63 Not something that regularly happens, probably just a last minute swap due to mechanical issues or whatever 6970 is out on the B Line right now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roamer Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 So is 6814 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Bus Fan Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 6970 is out on the B Line right now This is what could happen with C and D lines broken up for few month using some unbranded coaches as last ditch buses for the routes. This when change when the three door branded RapidRide XDE60 are in service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolDuc Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 Got 3707 out on the 246 tonight, it was quite late (probably due to traffic and several traffic lights out in the area) but every minute of me waiting in the cold was worth it. KCM New Flyer XDE35 #3707 by SolDuc Photography, on Flickr Also, it looks like OBA can't find any trace of 3703 and 3704 anymore. But all 3702, 3705 and 3707 were out operating today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roamer Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 This is the first time I've noticed that both units on the 246 have an XDE35, 3702 and 3705 ...images on the tracker taken just before 11:00 am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolDuc Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 This is the first time I've noticed that both units on the 246 have an XDE35, 3702 and 3705 ...images on the tracker taken just before 11:00 am. Indeed! I saw 3705 on my commute this morning, and when I checked I realized that both of the buses were XDE35s. Needless to say I got some pictures tonight, which means that I've now seen and taken a picture of each XDE35 that has been in service. OBA seems to be getting some weird data from the XDE35s so far. It showed 3702 as ridiculously late (25+ minutes) while it was actually on time. So all those late 269s the other day must've been on time (or close to it) but not according to OBA. 3702 panned: KCM New Flyer XDE35 #3705 by SolDuc Photography, on Flickr 3705 stopped with Mount Baker out in the distance - you still have to point it out to see it. KCM New Flyer XDE35 #3705 by SolDuc Photography, on Flickr Another one of 3705: KCM New Flyer XDE35 #3705 by SolDuc Photography, on Flickr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAX BRT Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 That shot with Mt. Baker is very cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East Van Fan Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 3714 had a demo at Vancouver International Airport this afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kainoa3 Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 Saw 7222 heading north on I-5 in Tacoma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puget Sound Rider Posted November 21, 2014 Report Share Posted November 21, 2014 3710 3709 is in service on route 200. Saw 4301 yesterday at the KCM office on S. Jackson St. The signs were not easy to see close up with all the glare though. [url=https://flic.kr/p/q6YgNf] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickycourtney Posted November 22, 2014 Report Share Posted November 22, 2014 3710 3709 is in service on route 200. Saw 4301 yesterday at the KCM office on S. Jackson St. The signs were not easy to see close up with all the glare though. It was out there for a report on KING 5 News: Seattle's new ride: the electric trolley prototype Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymous guy Posted November 22, 2014 Report Share Posted November 22, 2014 It was out there for a report on KING 5 News: Seattle's new ride: the electric trolley prototype In the test, they appear to be using catchers similar to the ones at Convention Place when the trolley uses the automatic pole raise system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Taco Posted November 22, 2014 Report Share Posted November 22, 2014 In the test, they appear to be using catchers similar to the ones at Convention Place when the trolley uses the automatic pole raise system. They're at Atlantic Base and look very old and worn and are probably leftover training pans from the Breda dual mode days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Werner Posted November 23, 2014 Report Share Posted November 23, 2014 Great post Tim. Question for everyone... is the lack of transverse (aisle facing) seating in the rear and middle sections is normal Xcelsior buses, or was that something special for these trolleybuses? Either way I like the change, riding sideways on steep hills can make for some awkward situations with the person in the next seat. It's only due to where the rear axel and rear door are located. In the Xcelsiors (40') it just so happens that the space around the rear axel allows for more forward facing seats than older/alternative bus models --- Inferred from the ether. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northwesterner Posted November 23, 2014 Report Share Posted November 23, 2014 It's only due to where the rear axel and rear door are located. In the Xcelsiors (40') it just so happens that the space around the rear axel allows for more forward facing seats than older/alternative bus models --- Inferred from the ether. Uhhhhh.... no. The previous generation of New Flyer low floors could be spec'd with two rows of forward facing seats + 2 longitudinal seats over the rear axle. Nothing has changed in this regard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
translink fan Posted November 23, 2014 Report Share Posted November 23, 2014 Took a trip into Seattle for the first time yesterday to do some shopping. Damn nice city you guys got. Certainly a breath of fresh air to see just articulated buses and Orions (Tired of the sight of translink haha). I also noticed you guys have rails in the road but no tram? I started shopping with my mother around the china town area (S King and S 12th ave area) then made our way to down town. I also assume no trolleys on the weekends as well? Was hoping to see some gilligs and bredas. All in all I would love to come back again. Such a nice atmosphere down town too. Much more quieter on a weekend than Vancouver. Here's a couple shots off the phone of 2641 making a right off Jackson onto 12th. King County New Flyer DE60LF #2641 by Translink fan, on Flickr King County New Flyer DE60LF #2641 by Translink fan, on Flickr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
118 Vashon via EXPRESS Posted November 24, 2014 Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 I also noticed you guys have rails in the road but no tram? There's some for the former Waterfront Streetcar (service ended in late 2005 and no indication as to when or even if it will be restored) and the First Hill Streetcar (service won't begin until early next year). I also assume no trolleys on the weekends as well? Occasionally there is trolleybus service on weekends, but much of the time there isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erubisu Posted November 24, 2014 Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 Occasionally there is trolleybus service on weekends, but much of the time there isn't. In fact, trolley buses are motorized due to maintenance during weekends: http://metro.kingcounty.gov/up/rr/m-trolley.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickycourtney Posted November 24, 2014 Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 In the test, they appear to be using catchers similar to the ones at Convention Place when the trolley uses the automatic pole raise system.Metro kept referring to those catchers as "pie pans." They mentioned that they are considering installing them on the wire during construction projects and possibly near areas known for dewirements. (They have a good supply of them still up on the wire at Convention Place!)They're at Atlantic Base and look very old and worn and are probably leftover training pans from the Breda dual mode days.They were actually so old and worn that each time the poles were deployed into them and the driver pulled away, the poles came off the wire.I was impressed with was just how fast and how gently those poles get pulled down during a dewirement. It takes just about a second for the poles to come halfway down and another second or so for the poles to be rotated back to center. Kiepe seems to have put a lot of thought into how to avoid poles tearing down the overhead wires. Also when the operator stows the poles it's all automatic, the poles are pulled down between those red guides you see in Tim's pictures, the black hooks pop out of those red guides and the lines slack allowing the poles to float up into the hooks. The same process happens in reverse when the poles are automatically deployed up into the "pie pans." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northwesterner Posted November 24, 2014 Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 They were actually so old and worn that each time the poles were deployed into them and the driver pulled away, the poles came off the wire. All the wire in Atlantic Base is currently active. If those pans were so old and worn that they were causing the poles to come off the wire, every bus that drove through the pans would lose their poles. Logically, this is not the case. It may be that the shoes on the ends of the poles are not swiveling into position inside the pans and notching (or seated) properly onto the wire. If the are just making contact but in there cockeyed, the poles will come off once the pans are gone. This happened, on occasion, with the old Ohio Brass poles on the Bredas in the tunnel. Bus would get power, start to pull forward, and poles would fly off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roamer Posted November 26, 2014 Report Share Posted November 26, 2014 <snip> This happened, on occasion, with the old Ohio Brass poles on the Bredas in the tunnel. Bus would get power, start to pull forward, and poles would fly off. I remember that happening to me more than "on occasion" hah! I always thought it was something I was doing wrong as I was working the board at the time and didn't go through the tunnel on a regular basis. Re: XDE35 Noticed this afternoon that they're putting the 3700 's on trippers that normally have 40-footers ...a tripper on 271 and another on 277. Last week they had one on an "early-quit" relief run (night run) on the 208. Yesterday there was one on an early-quit on the 236/238 that did trips later in the evening on 226/241. I guess they're wanting to spread them around for all to see and experience before assigning them to just replace the 1100 's. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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