Buses ordered with two different engine types

[sw4400]

Anyone know why certain series of buses were ordered with two different engine types?

In 1983, all but one Flyer D901A had the Detroit Diesel 6v92TA engine. 9844 was equipped with a Cummins engine.

In 1991, the Flxible Metro 5300-Series buses had the Detroit Diesel 6v92TA engine(5300-5744 and 5766-5769), but 5745-5765 had the Cummins L-10 engine

In 1995, the second set of Flxibles(6000-Series) had the Detroit Series-50 engine(6000-6304), but 6305-6329 had the Cummins C8.3 engine.

Was it just experimentation on the CTA's part(i.e is Cummins more reliable than Detroit or more fuel economical), or was there a reason why a certain number of these buses had a different engine from their series counterparts?

[Busjack]

Krambles said (on page 54) that with regard to the 5300s, "The 470 Flxible "Metros" of 1991 incorporate three engine types for comparative performance evaluation. The bulk of the order uses Detroit Diesel 6V92T turbocharged engines (first introduced on rebuilt GMC us 9532), 20 were equipped with Cummins L-10 power and five with DD 6V91 equipment."

He didn't say anything about the rest (and, of course, the book, ©1992 couldn't deal with the 1995s).

[Guest]

Krambles said (on page 54) that with regard to the 5300s, "The 470 Flxible "Metros" of 1991 incorporate three engine types for comparative performance evaluation. The bulk of the order uses Detroit Diesel 6V92T turbocharged engines (first introduced on rebuilt GMC us 9532), 20 were equipped with Cummins L-10 power and five with DD 6V91 equipment."

He didn't say anything about the rest (and, of course, the book, ©1992 couldn't deal with the 1995s).

I know that most of the 5300s were Detroit 6V92, the 5745s were Cummins. But which ones were the 6V91s?

[Guest]

Anyone know why certain series of buses were ordered with two different engine types?

In 1983, all but one Flyer D901A had the Detroit Diesel 6v92TA engine. 9844 was equipped with a Cummins engine.

In 1991, the Flxible Metro 5300-Series buses had the Detroit Diesel 6v92TA engine(5300-5744 and 5766-5769), but 5745-5765 had the Cummins L-10 engine

In 1995, the second set of Flxibles(6000-Series) had the Detroit Series-50 engine(6000-6304), but 6305-6329 had the Cummins C8.3 engine.

Was it just experimentation on the CTA's part(i.e is Cummins more reliable than Detroit or more fuel economical), or was there a reason why a certain number of these buses had a different engine from their series counterparts?

I still remember Flyer #9844. It had a heavy, firetruck sounding diesel engine. It sounded very similar to the Milwaukee 3700 series Orions. My dad had driven that bus out of FG in the mid 80s. The bus first went to Beverly Garage, then along with the North Ave Flyers (9850-9929) in 1986, #9844 was transferred to FGlen. The "B" garage sticker was not removed, the "F" was placed just above it. I wondered what the "B" sticker was. At that time as a 16 yr old sophomore, I didnt know Beverly garage had existed. I thought that 77th had operated everything south. As a lifelong NW sider, I had never taken a trip south of the city until one weekday, just out of curiousity I took the then Lake/Dan Ryan train, now the Howard Red Line to 95th. When I arrived I saw the terminal full of Flyer D901s along with GMCs. I saw numbers like #9829, #9837, #9802, #9815 and so on. I didnt know the Flyers below #9850, it was so very curious to me, I had to take a trip. I remember riding #9844 with my dad on the 76 Diversey route. It had an unbelieveable accleration, It was fast!

The Flyers D901s were definitely used for some concepts, some notables...

#9822 Large destination sign

#9844-Cummins Diesel Engine

#9898 #9973 #9974 Electronic Destination signs.

#9919 had a loud sounding diesel, dunno if it had a different engine.

#9853 #9861 I believe were the first Flyers to be repainted in the new CTA livery.

[BusHunter]

I still remember Flyer #9844. It had a heavy, firetruck sounding diesel engine. It sounded very similar to the Milwaukee 3700 series Orions. My dad had driven that bus out of FG in the mid 80s. The bus first went to Beverly Garage, then along with the North Ave Flyers (9850-9929) in 1986, #9844 was transferred to FGlen. The "B" garage sticker was not removed, the "F" was placed just above it. I wondered what the "B" sticker was. At that time as a 16 yr old sophomore, I didnt know Beverly garage had existed. I thought that 77th had operated everything south. As a lifelong NW sider, I had never taken a trip south of the city until one weekday, just out of curiousity I took the then Lake/Dan Ryan train, now the Howard Red Line to 95th. When I arrived I saw the terminal full of Flyer D901s along with GMCs. I saw numbers like #9829, #9837, #9802, #9815 and so on. I didnt know the Flyers below #9850, it was so very curious to me, I had to take a trip. I remember riding #9844 with my dad on the 76 Diversey route. It had an unbelieveable accleration, It was fast!

The Flyers D901s were definitely used for some concepts, some notables...

#9822 Large destination sign

#9844-Cummins Diesel Engine

#9898 #9973 #9974 Electronic Destination signs.

#9919 had a loud sounding diesel, dunno if it had a different engine.

#9853 #9861 I believe were the first Flyers to be repainted in the new CTA livery.

Some other notables #9800 - #9889, #9891 - #9899 had the old fashioned GM styled hand railings on the backs of the seats. These were silver. Also #9890, #9900 - #9974 had the newer type hand railings on the seats backs like what's on the #7500's or any bus previous to the purchase of the newer seats (#500's, #1000's higher than #1304, #4000's). I have pictures of both hand railing styles one on #9891 and one on a #9900. It's good to take interior pictures of buses before there gone. It's almost like you can go out and ride one today. Also to your question above it sounds like #5765 - #5769 is the 6V91's.