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| Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24 (306218) | |
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| (306218) | |
Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24 |
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Posted by Scrabbleship on Tue Jun 30 05:39:45 2015 That's precisely what the MBTA will be doing, punting an option to retire their last RTS's up to three years down the line so all of the barely retirement age NABI CNG's can be retired.Seriously, someone justify the decision to retire buses that got rehabbed not that long ago but keep buses long past retirement age on the road. This reeks of "fuck the suburbs". |
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| (306219) | |
Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24 |
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Posted by WayneJay on Tue Jun 30 11:07:07 2015, in response to Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24, posted by Scrabbleship on Tue Jun 30 05:39:45 2015. My understanding is that the tanks of a CNG bus is what forces them into retirement as they're not to be used beyond their certified lifecycle. |
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| (306220) | |
Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24 |
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Posted by pragmatist on Tue Jun 30 11:42:43 2015, in response to Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24, posted by WayneJay on Tue Jun 30 11:07:07 2015. We saw that right here in NYC. The Orion V CNGs had to go before they hit 15 years, some of the diesels are still with us. Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the newer CNGs come with 20 year tanks now? |
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| (306221) | |
Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24 |
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Posted by brightonr68 on Tue Jun 30 11:49:41 2015, in response to Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24, posted by pragmatist on Tue Jun 30 11:42:43 2015. Yes they do. Their has been great advancements in CNG technolgy in the last 10 years. Private sector trucking has led the growth. |
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| (306222) | |
Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24 |
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Posted by pragmatist on Tue Jun 30 12:10:54 2015, in response to Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24, posted by brightonr68 on Tue Jun 30 11:49:41 2015. 20 is certainly a big jump over 15. The value of a bus retiring at 12-13 years old with a 15 year tank is very low, despite some of them being in decent shape. Some of the "Foothill" buses Nassau is using as a bridge until their new units arrive are pretty good. If they were good for an additional 5 years over what is left on them, they could have fetched a much better price. |
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| (306223) | |
Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24 |
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Posted by RailBus63 on Tue Jun 30 12:55:28 2015, in response to Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24, posted by Scrabbleship on Tue Jun 30 05:39:45 2015. The justification is that the 19 to 21-year-old RTS buses are still more reliable than the 12 to 13-year-old LFW's. |
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| (306236) | |
Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24 |
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Posted by Flxible4life on Wed Jul 1 00:48:18 2015, in response to Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24, posted by pragmatist on Tue Jun 30 12:10:54 2015. You gotta factor the west coast climate for some or all of those "Foothill" CNG Orions of being in good operable condition |
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| (306237) | |
Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24 |
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Posted by pragmatist on Wed Jul 1 07:08:34 2015, in response to Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24, posted by Flxible4life on Wed Jul 1 00:48:18 2015. Very true, coming from an area where they would rarely if ever encounter road salt probably makes a big difference. In our neck of the woods, stainless steel frames and fiberglass body panels overcome their higher initial cost and last longer. |
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| (306239) | |
Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24 |
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Posted by Scrabbleship on Wed Jul 1 08:26:00 2015, in response to Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24, posted by RailBus63 on Tue Jun 30 12:55:28 2015. The problem is that running any buses ovee 20 on the road is playing with fire in this day and age especially since replacement parts may be in short supply. Never mind that the MDBF numbers may plummet.That somehow keeping frankenbuses on the road (who else in the US runs buses that old?) is somehow an easier solution than buying some 12 year old D40LF's or AN440LF's or even diesel 40LFW's amazes me. I'd rather ride a secondhand bus than a bus forced to stay in service years longer than intended. |
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| (306240) | |
Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24 |
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Posted by RailBus63 on Wed Jul 1 08:54:34 2015, in response to Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24, posted by Scrabbleship on Wed Jul 1 08:26:00 2015. Spare parts are plentiful since they once had 400 of these buses, plus they are all concentrated now at the Charlestown garage where this fleet has been operating since 1994. Neoplans and NABI's have a bad reputation in Boston, so I can't see the T getting those. Second-hand D40LF's would make sense in many ways but would also involve some new spare parts and possibly differences from the MBTA's own D40's that mechanics would need to be trained on.The RTS's are used primarily in rush hours now, aside from a midday bus or two and the occasional subway shuttle. These buses were rebuilt by Midwest Bus in the mid 2000's and are receiving engine overhauls and body work now. They are also keeping about 25 extra spare buses (the 60 Xcelsiors delivered in 2014 only replaced about 35 RTS's). The T should be set until the option order of Xcelsiors arrive. |
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| (306241) | |
Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24 |
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Posted by HART BUS on Wed Jul 1 14:36:34 2015, in response to Re: Let's retire some buses at 13 but keep others running to 24, posted by pragmatist on Wed Jul 1 07:08:34 2015. Foothill Transit operates in an area about 40 miles east of LA. I have been to Covina and West Covina which is part of their operating territory. The roads are wide and in good shape. The only bumper to bumper traffic is on the freeways, not on the streets. Less stress on the transmissions as well as no potholes or road salt. |
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