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| PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08 (117265) | |
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Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08 |
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Posted by CentrolinerDD on Tue Sep 30 00:12:51 2008, in response to PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08, posted by PHXTUSbusfan on Mon Sep 29 02:56:20 2008. You must really be bored.How easy was it to get around the Valley, considering it was Sunday? |
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Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08 |
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Posted by transitbusfan on Tue Sep 30 00:31:31 2008, in response to PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08, posted by PHXTUSbusfan on Mon Sep 29 02:56:20 2008. Thank you for the nice pictures Phxtusbusfan, Please take picture of GUS bus in Downtown Glendale, 3700's series and 6500's New Flyer on Route 59- 59th Avenue and Route 67- 67th Avenue this week.Arrowhead Towne Center might be a good place to take pictures of Valley Metro buses. |
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Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08 |
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Posted by PHXTUSbusfan on Tue Sep 30 00:35:27 2008, in response to Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08, posted by CentrolinerDD on Tue Sep 30 00:12:51 2008. Yeah. On Sunday I rode:NABI 35-LFW #6204 (Veolia-Tempe) on the Red Line from University / Mill to Central Station NABI 40-LFW #6307 (Veolia-Phoenix) on the Blue Line from Central Station to Camelback / 24th St. NABI 40-LFW #6110 (Veolia-Phoenix) on the 70 from Camelback/24th St. to 24th St. / Buckeye NABI 40-LFW #6254 (Veolia-Tempe) on the Red Line from 24th St. / Buckeye to University / Priest New Flyer C40LFR #6627 (Veolia-RPTA) on the 30 from University / Priest to University / College (the reason I switched to 6627 is because it was RIGHT behind 6254 and, quite honestly, 6254 is DISGUSTING inside and out. It is by far the worst of the above buses by a MILE). When I got on 6627 it was just me and the bus operator for a stop or two. Man, those 2008 C40LFRs have GREAT A/C though. |
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Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08 |
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Posted by PHXTUSbusfan on Tue Sep 30 00:38:49 2008, in response to Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08, posted by transitbusfan on Tue Sep 30 00:31:31 2008. It is indeed. These are OLD (early January) but here are some Arrowhead Towne Center Photos I have taken:      
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Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08 |
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Posted by PHXTUSbusfan on Tue Sep 30 00:42:04 2008, in response to Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08, posted by CentrolinerDD on Tue Sep 30 00:12:51 2008. To answer your question. I drove to the parking garage over at University and College Ave (it's FREE on weekends), parked there, and walked down to the Red line. All of the routes I was on operated at 30 min Sunday headways so it wasn't awful. Saturdays are nice because most things are 30 minutes (which isn't horrible if the weather isn't horrible). To get all of those shots took about 3 hours. |
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| (117337) | |
Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08 |
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Posted by transitbusfan on Tue Sep 30 00:52:50 2008, in response to Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08, posted by PHXTUSbusfan on Tue Sep 30 00:38:49 2008. Phxtusfan, You are planning to visit Arrowhead Towne Center this weekend to update the pictures with Veolia-Phoenix operated 6500's series 2007 New Flyer D40LF and 6200's series 1999 NABI 40-LFW on Route 170 and 186 and First Transit operated 3700's series 1996 New Flyer D40LF and sometimes 6000's series 1998 NABI 40-LFW after the changes nine months ago?There is a new six department store at Arrowhead Towne Center already open called Dick's Sporting Goods, they sell Arizona Diamondbacks stuff including the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Cardinals and Phoenix Coyotes hockey team. Nice pictures before the changes of Route 170 and 186 from First Transit to Veolia-Phoenix in late January. |
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| (117690) | |
Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08 |
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Posted by roscoman1986 on Fri Oct 3 00:31:23 2008, in response to PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08, posted by PHXTUSbusfan on Mon Sep 29 02:56:20 2008. Nice pics!3. Typical Tempe LEDot sign-broken for over 3 months. At least this one has the route visible unlike the others that have the sign completely out. 4. I really like the shot of 8021. Too bad that they don't run the 60-BRTs on the weekends. 5. Nice catch of a 35-LFW in downtown Phoenix, a nice break from all the 40-LFWs down there. Too bad they will no longer come down there on weekends starting in December. 7-8. 4401 looks nice. Note the "This Bus Drove for the Gold" sticker on the windshield by the driver's side. 4401-4415 ran in Utah for the 2002 Winter Olympics after retirement. The APTA website used to have photos of all of the buses that were sent over to Salt Lake City in 2002. What was most notable was seeing these buses with snowcapped mountains in the background (especially the San Diego and Phoenix buses!) Unfortunately, these pictures were taken down sometime in 2003. 11. By the way, there are now 2008 ElDorado Axess buses in service on the Phoenix Sky Harbor Rental Car Shuttle (numbered 563 and higher), and there are more stored in a lot just east of the Rental Car Bus Maintenance Facility at the west end of the airport, including all-silver ones that will be used starting in December for the Light Rail Shuttle (from 44th/Washington Station to the airport terminals). I have not ridden on these new buses or have seen if they have LED interior lighting. I would imagine that they are identical to the 2005 models. Also, note that all of the airport buses have similar "Owner/Operator" stickers to the Valley Metro buses. They are still operated by Veolia Transportation, but are owned by "City of Phoenix Aviation". 12. Sometimes, they will send the red Employee Shuttle C40LFs to Tempe for driver training. I saw one a few weeks back while I was waiting for the FLASH. That was an interesting sight (although the bus was not very far from home)! 14. I also saw that broken pull cord a few days ago from the outside (apparently it still has not been fixed). It was not broken when I rode that bus a few weeks ago but regardless that bus is in bad shape (although there is no tagging on the rear right side wall like the Phoenix buses used to have). Also, notice outside the top part of the window the State of Qatar Boeing 747SP aircraft (a rare aircraft in the world nowadays, and ESPECIALLY in Phoenix), which was also there three weeks ago when I took the Red Line. Apparently someone from the royal family has been visiting Phoenix. I saw a Saudi Arabian Boeing 747SP back in early May at LAX as well. 15-16. Apparently Tempe does not want to fix LEDot side signs on their buses. |
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Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08 |
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Posted by PHXTUSbusfan on Fri Oct 3 01:00:57 2008, in response to Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08, posted by roscoman1986 on Fri Oct 3 00:31:23 2008. 3. Is it because Tempe doesn't own these buses (4150-4154 are owned by Scottsdale, 6254 is owned by the RPTA, and 6255 is owned by Scottsdale)? Maybe Tempe figures that the RPTA and Scottsdale should pay to fix the destination signs.4. I wasted a bunch of time on Saturday on the 61 hoping to find a 60-BRT. If the 3, 17, 19, Green Line, and 41 can operate artics on the weekends (and I've seen artics on all of the above mentioned routes) why can't the 45 or 61 get them? It seems like a waste of perfectly good artics to not have them in service on the weekends. 5. I rode that 35-LFW from Mill/University to that spot. That bus is in INCREDIBLY good shape (maybe the best NABI 35-LFW I've seen in a while). 7-8. It would be nice if there was some Phoenix area busfan trip where 4401 was taken out for a ride. I don't know if it even runs anymore but I'd LOVE to ride on it. 11. If we're talking about the lot just south of where that photo was taken (on 24th St. South of Buckeye) I did see some other ElDorado Axess. I've never been on one of those (but I will when I do my Light Rail / Main Street BRT / Airport Shuttle bus/railfanning trip in December. 12. That has got to be interesting. 14. I HIGHLY doubt that the RPTA would want that bus back from Tempe with the way it is trashed. The electrical boxes for both the pull cords on the right and left side of that bus were open (and wires exposed). The air conditioner also didn't seem to work in that bus (at least not well). 15-16. I think it's more that Tempe does not want to fix the LEDot side signs on The RPTA's buses. |
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Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08 |
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Posted by CentrolinerDD on Fri Oct 3 02:39:59 2008, in response to Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08, posted by PHXTUSbusfan on Fri Oct 3 01:00:57 2008. I've never been on one of those (but I will when I do my Light Rail / Main Street BRT / Airport Shuttle bus/railfanning trip in December.Cool! Will you be in Phoenix for the grand opening (27 December) and/or the first day of revenue service (29 December)? I myself cannot wait for the opening of METRO Light Rail. I have been anticipating this event for several years (I consider myself more of a public transportation fan than either a bus or rail fan). But, sadly something else came up and I will be leaving Phoenix that very day (even before the system starts up). But when I get back I hope to see the anti-light rail crowd defeated! |
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Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08 |
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Posted by roscoman1986 on Fri Oct 3 11:28:44 2008, in response to Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08, posted by PHXTUSbusfan on Fri Oct 3 01:00:57 2008. 3. For the Scottsdale buses I just think that Tempe has not gotten around to replacing the LEDot signs. Remember that 4153-4154 are owned by Scottsdale but have Luminator Horizons that were retrofitted by Tempe. Also Tempe-owned buses used to have LEDot sign problems (although the RPTA hand-me-downs had the worst ones). By the way, in a twist of irony, I remember a bus operator telling me how bad the maintenance on the 1999 E-Z Riders that were transferred from the RPTA in 2006 were, given the fact that Tempe has the worst maintenance in the entire system.4. I have always found it unfortunate that the 60-BRTs do not come out on weekends. However, remember that the ridership is much lower on weekends on RPTA routes than on Phoenix routes due to a variety of factors. Also, the 45 and 61 are managed by the RPTA, which unlike Phoenix wants to park their artics during the weekends. (Although the Red Line, which normally uses 50% artics on weekdays, has the greatest size difference in the system, with some trips being run by Tempe 35-LFWs on weekends, and E-Z Riders in very rare circumstances). 7-8. As of 2005, 4401 still runs. The reason why is that 4401 was put on display back in 2005 for the "Sunday on Central" bus festival (the first, and last, bus festival that the City of Phoenix put on display). The bus was driven up to Central and Thomas, along with the Twin Coach. However, you could not go into the bus (although you could peek in). The Twin Coach has absolutely nothing inside, while 4401 has a standard RTS interior. There was another RTS (a 1982 model that I forgot the number of) on display as well (the Phoenix Family Museum bus). This bus you could go inside but it had most of its seats ripped out and replaced with children's exhibits. 11. I have been on the ElDorado Axess a few times (the first was the day the Rental Car Center opened, the second was on another trip, and the third was when I was returning a car with some people). It is pretty nice inside, but lacks such things as stop request cords. 14. As I stated before, the irony is that Tempe thinks that the RPTA has bad maintenance (at least on the E-Z Riders). However, 6254 and 6255 have been essentially run into the ground. If there is any positive thing about Tempe's maintenance practices, it is that the replacement windows that they are putting on the buses are not heavily tinted. Still, Tempe needs to improve its maintenance substantially and turn the lights on their buses (except for the E-Z Riders during the daytime) so that they don't look like a foreboding dungeon. 15-16. Also don't forget the driver side sign on 6254 which is probably broken as well. |
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Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08 |
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Posted by T8H5307N on Sat Oct 4 18:54:15 2008, in response to Re: PHOTOS More Phoenix Area Action 09.28.08, posted by roscoman1986 on Fri Oct 3 00:31:23 2008. >>By the way, there are now 2008 ElDorado Axess buses in service on the Phoenix Sky Harbor Rental Car Shuttle (numbered 563 and higher), and there are more stored in a lot just east of the Rental Car Bus Maintenance Facility at the west end of the airport, including all-silver ones that will be used starting in December for the Light Rail Shuttle (from 44th/Washington Station to the airport terminals).<<I have seen 563-572 in service. Rode on 8006 today - looks like the front ends of several of the green C40LFs buses have been recently been repainted. |
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