Whats is left for 1993 Orion 1s from Pace

[Busjack]

Late 2006. I caught 2204 and 2211 on the 699 a number of times in October and November 2006.

About then. It was the interim between the Highland Park buses over there (2080s) falling apart and some of Aurora's 6600s being shifted over there.

[Guest]

Late 2006. I caught 2204 and 2211 on the 699 a number of times in October and November 2006.

I was curious, I began at Academy in April of 2007. By then they were using mainly the 6600s on that route.

[Busjack]

I was curious, I began at Academy in April of 2007. By then they were using mainly the 6600s on that route.

That might have still been when Cook County Schoolbus had the contract.

[busfan2847]

That might have still been when Cook County Schoolbus had the contract.

It was at the changeover time. Cook County was using Ikarus before the changeover, Academy took over operation (and vehicles) from Cook County Schoolbus on 9/25/2006. Looking back 2206 and 2256 were also used in addition to 2204 and 2211. The Ikarus were soon replaced by 6600 from Aurora. The first 6600 I saw at Academy was 6611 on the 699 on 11th Dec 2006 and they also had 6604/5/10/12 at that time.

Interestingly 2211 had also spent some time at Pace South in early 2006 and was loaded with spares at West and sent to New Orleans after Katrina in Sep 2005.

[i8itall4u]

That's interesting. I don't doubt your word. I've been here in South territory since '01 and have never seen an Ikarus on the street.

[busfan2847]

That's interesting. I don't doubt your word. I've been here in South territory since '01 and have never seen an Ikarus on the street.

see

[rotjohns]

2337 showed up on WebBotch, err, WebWatch, a couple days ago. Was over at a friends house helping with her computer issue. As long as I wanted to test out if it could go online properly now, as I had just removed a difficult malware program, I showed her WebWatch. Her grand daughter was on a Pace bus, and I explained to my friend that as long as she has the unit number and route, she can see where exactly her grand daughter's bus is.

The kid was on bus 2337, which did show up on WebWatch.

It is heresay right now, but one of my friends that drives at North Division told me recently that a mechanic was saying the 2400s will go before the Orions. The 2400s are 13 years old, with 2423 and a couple others being 14 now. While the Orions turn 20 in January 2013, the 2400s are easier to replace. The 6600s we are getting moved up here are pretty much a direct replacement for a 2400, while a standard floor 40' Orion is harder to directly replace.

I suppose time will tell, but I have a feeling we'll only have a couple Orions when the 2400s are gone anyway, unless some surprise moves to North happen.

Maybe I'm late in this, but with Ravinia over or just about over, why can't Pace utilize the Ravinia Orions on strictly the school trippers? I know the object is to get rid of the Orions, but if they are more difficult to replace than the 2400s, maybe, just maybe it makes sense. Plus kids like to stand up anyway because they feel more powerful rather than sitting down on a school bus. So not enough seats probably isn't the issue than maybe the fact it's 40 feet vs. 35 feet. Several 2300s are around.

As far as the 6600s, I'm not a huge fan of riding them either. I rode 6637 on 322 about 2 weeks ago to the Pink Line and the brakes on this bus was so touchy, I honestly thought I was on a roller coaster at it's ending point at Six Flags. But I agree with everyone else, South Division doesn't need 6600s so they'll be the first to get moved. I'm wondering how drivers feel about the 2600 El Dorados and if they would like driving them better than the Nabis.

[Guest]

The trick about the brakes on the 6600s is turning off the retarder. When you switch off the retarder which is located on the left panel near the door control handle. Once its turned off the bus brakes much smoother and better.

[Railwaymodeler]

The retarder switch works different on the 6600s than the 2400s. It stays off in idle on the 2400s, resets back to on on the 6600s. Many drivers at North forget this still sometimes.

With my back condition, I get nervous on the 6600s. Only takes one jolt, even minor, to put me in the ER. I try to avoid those buses if possible.

[Busjack]

The trick about the brakes on the 6600s is turning off the retarder. When you switch off the retarder which is located on the left panel near the door control handle. Once its turned off the bus brakes much smoother and better.

If I understand things correctly, the "retarder" is a downshift of the transmission to try to save the brakes.* Buses in the 80s made sort of a "wubba wubba wubbbbba" sound when decelerating.

Hence, while this may be necessary for a smooth stop, it is sort of like turning off the regenerative braking on the 5000s because they were originally stopping short of the station, or on a hybrid bus.

__________

*There is this Voith article that claims that they are separate but work together, but theirs has a smooth stop.

[2200SeriesFan]

Mostly on school runs at this point. Webwatch indicates a few in Waukegan about 3:15 p.m., and BusExpert tracked one 422 run where they still show up. But it is more far and few between than it used to be.

Good to know. Maybe the school trips are the trick to catching them in service, the rare times they run besides for Ravinia shuttle service?

[Railwaymodeler]

According to a good friend who work at North Divsion (Actually, a few of them now have told me this), all but two Orions are gone. Most went to Highland Park for Ravinia service (Some may be parts only, according to one of my friends), and they think one or two went to South Holland.

2368 was retained; Not surprising as it came to North about two or three years ago. I think it is an ex-Northwest Divsion bus. Runs better than any other Orion, and better than most of the NABIs. 2332 was also kept.

Anyone at Highland Park able to confirm if some ex-North Divison buses are down there? I'm not sure if they are there yet, though.

Got a feeling that what I've been told is true. One of my friends called and told me to get my last rides in on the Orions, as there's only 2 left. Another driver called me, and I don't think the two of them talk much to each other, due to work times, and a third one as well.

Perhaps we will be getting some "new" (To North Divison, anyway) buses. Wonder if any 40' 2400 series buses will be making their way here. Lot of school trippers will be impossible with a 35' low floor of any variety. a 40' low floor is plausible, but generally packed nose to tail. A 40' high floor works best. Plus, as they look different from the low floors, a lot of passengers and students can guess with reasonable accuracy which buses are school trippers.

[Busjack]

...

Anyone at Highland Park able to confirm if some ex-North Divison buses are down there? I'm not sure if they are there yet, though....

The Ravinia season is over, so none would be on the street. It is possible that some might be in storage at South Holland or McHenry for next year, but it would be impossible to distinguish any for storage at South Holland for the annual March sales as opposed for next year.

From what you said previously, it doesn't appear that most of those that were at North were worth saving.

[Railwaymodeler]

That brings a good point: Why move the Orions now, if indeed for Ravinia? Ravnia's season doesn't start till around the end of the school year, and in the meantime, those Orions are very handy for North Division school trippers. Does seem odd.

One of my friends at the garage told me flat out: If he has to take a 35' low floor, then when the bus becomes full to the white line, he'll close the doors, send the "Bus Full" message through the IBS, and whoever is left behind is left behind. He's encouraging other drivers to do the same, as enough kids left without transportation, then the school and parents calling Pace, they will get the message that the NABIs just can't do the job same as an Orion. Really, no low floor could do it as well as a high floor, unless one were to remove all the seats, and make it a standee-only bus (Not sure if that would even be legal, as I've never seen a bus built that way!).

[Busjack]

That brings a good point: Why move the Orions now, if indeed for Ravinia? Ravnia's season doesn't start till around the end of the school year, and in the meantime, those Orions are very handy for North Division school trippers. Does seem odd.

...

Wouldn't make sense at this point. They might have moved some Memorial Day 2012, but the ones I saw on the street this summer were the same ones as the previous year (i.e. some 8900s, 2100s, 2272, 2274 and the like).

They may have been moved to South Holland for the purpose of junk, although often Pace just advertises them where they are. About the only recent case when they didn't was the 2300s retired from NW, presumably because that garage doesn't have the room.

[Railwaymodeler]

Scratch 2368. Engine died in it last week. Already painted over, I'm told. 2338 is taking its place now. So this leaves 2332 and 2338. Friend of mine who drives a morning school tripper said that a lot of drivers are badgering the people who assign out buses, to get a 40' Orion. This leaves only four 40-foot buses at North Division, with 2401 and 2421.

Sad about 2368. Was a very good bus, quick acceleration and heat/AC worked well to boot! At least it sounds like it went suddenly, and without much suffering.

I often got the feeling that 2368 was fairly close to how the Orions performed when new.

[jesi2282]

Here's a pic I snapped of 2368 this past September working a Ravinia Shuttle, it still had a farebox on it. Too bad its dead now.

[Guest]

Here's a pic I snapped of 2368 this past September working a Ravinia Shuttle, it still had a farebox on it. Too bad its dead now.

These were nice buses to drive! I enjoyed getting to operate them while working at Academy.

[Railwaymodeler]

Got word today from a friend that is a North Division driver and has an inside track with the mechanics:

2332 and 2338 will be here through December, then are to be sent to Highland Park.

2013 Pace North will have no more Orions. Sending them out just short of their 20th birthday (From a January 1993 order).

Get your rides on an Orions soon if you want one. That is, if you can bear being around high schoolers, especially in the afternoon when they're wound up like clocks!

[twyztdmynd]

Highland Park ???!! Yuck. Why ?

[Railwaymodeler]

Ravinia. Going to be used for Ravinia park shuttles.

[twyztdmynd]

I dunno... be awful crowded there. Highland Park utilizes public works garage on Half Day (east of 41) and is crowded now with 2 Hybrids and 2630's. I don't think HP would appreciate additional dead storage. Make more sense to keep 'em at north shore... after all I do think they (NS) still have a few Orion I's and parking space to match.

[Busjack]

I dunno... be awful crowded there. Highland Park utilizes public works garage on Half Day (east of 41) and is crowded now with 2 Hybrids and 2630's. I don't think HP would appreciate additional dead storage. Make more sense to keep 'em at north shore... after all I do think they (NS) still have a few Orion I's and parking space to match.

I have the feeling that some driver telling one of our members "Ravinia" means nothing. Off season, Ravinia buses are stored either at South Holland or McHenry. For instance, 2274 is at South Holland now. There sure isn't any reason for a Ravinia bus in January.

Of course, where HP keeps them during the season is another matter, and apparently (and jesi's reports) that means behind the public works garage.

[Railwaymodeler]

Expanding on what I was told, the buses are going to end up at Ravinia and Highland Park. I assume that means they're going from Waukegan to HP, but this could also mean via South Holland until they are needed. I'll have to do some asking around. Either way, today, I had lunch with a couple friends from the garage, they told me that they heard the same thing, except that the two remaining Orions me be already pulled off the road now. Time, and webwatch, will tell if any are out there anymore.

Either way, looks like 2012 is the last year Orions will be used at North.

[Busjack]

Just opinion, but with at least 62, maybe 69 new buses coming in by the end of the year according to Pace, I don't see much need to be holding onto 20 year old stuff, unless, perhaps HP drivers can't figure out an Orion VI. Even then, they can handle a 6600, as they once did.

But I guess we won't know for sure until the March 2013 sales list comes out.