Orion Bus Industries 'Orion III'

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OBI - Orion III
Orion III
OBI - Orion III
Years of manufacture 1984-1989
Length 60 feet
Width ? inches
Power/Fuel Diesel, Fuel Cell

History

The Orion III was manufactured through the joint partnership between Orion Bus Industries, Ikarus and Coach Buidling Works of Budapest, Hungry. Ikarus was responsible for building the body shell (without doors, windows and seats) while Orion was responsible for finally assembly of the bus. The bus engine was located in the front portion of the bus. Based on this fact, it was safe to conclude this bus was a puller bus rather than a pusher bus. This bus was unsuccessful in the marketplace because of sub-standard work by Ikarus while building the frames of the bus. As such, the buses had heavy corrosion problems, and had to be retired when the buses were no longer safe to operate. Orion discontinued this model in 1989.

Operators

Toronto Transit Commission

Orion III was one of the short lived buses in the TTC fleet. It entered revenue service sometime between 1987 and 1989. Initially, the TTC slated to retire their entire Orion III fleet before Labour Day in 2000. However, due to bus shortage in the TTC fleet, the TTC rebuilt 6377,85,88,89,99, 6403,05,09,11,13,14,19, 6531,37,40,43,47,53. The last Orion III in the TTC fleet was retired on June 20, 2003. All the Orion III's were scraped sometime within that year.

OC Transpo

OC Transpo's Orion III faced the same fate as the TTC's Orion III.

Due to unknown reason OC Transpo acquired 6381, 6364, 6407, 6371, 6549, 6376, 6365, 6559, 6370, 6536, 6363, 6412, 6402, 6418, 6379, 6386, 6417, 6393, 6398, 6535, 6533, 6384, 6404, 6369, & 6361 from the TTC. The TTC sold a number of its Orion III buses to OC transpo after the TTC discovered the defects in the Orion III. OC Transpo refurbished them and renumbered them 8755-8899. These vehicles re-entered revenue service for a short period of time and were finally retired in January 2003.

St.Catharines Transit

St.Catharines Transit operated a single Orion III. This bus had the OBI demo and was numbered 8441 by St.Catharines Transit. It was eventually sold to OC Transpo to be used as spare parts and was soon scrapped.

Sources Consulted


Orion Bus Industries / Orion International
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