MetroShadow Posted September 13, 2014 Report Share Posted September 13, 2014 Are these the new I 90 and art buses? No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted September 13, 2014 Report Share Posted September 13, 2014 Note to self: make better use of uploading pictures here from my phone. Incredible shots indeeds! I assume this bus is a 45-footer because of the left side of the bus have 7 windows (excluding the driver's window). Normally, 40-footers have 6 windows on the left side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 Note to self: make better use of uploading pictures here from my phone. OMG, don't tell me Pace is going to have five digit bus numbers!! Nice bus though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
west towns Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 Is this the Altoona test bus ? Is this a 40 ft? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 OMG, don't tell me Pace is going to have five digit bus numbers!! Nice bus though!!I thought of the same thing! If that's the scenario then why not start them at 6400??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 Incredible shots indeeds! I assume this bus is a 45-footer because of the left side of the bus have 7 windows (excluding the driver's window). Normally, 40-footers have 6 windows on the left side. Keen eye. Usually there are 3 windows ahead of the wedge one. Probably would have to see the right side, though. But maybe they think that South is so overcrowded that they needed a bigger bus. In that case, the announced $480K a bus was real cheap. OMG, don't tell me Pace is going to have five digit bus numbers!! Nice bus though!! I thought of the same thing! If that's the scenario then why not start them at 6400??? It probably wouldn't be 6400 because this bus is certainly distinguishable from 6399 and below, one because of fuel it is not interchangeable (as compared to running a hybrid with diesels), and two, because of your observation that it probably is not the same length as the 40 foot buses, and buses have been numbered by length (6000s, 6600s, 6900s and 2600s) since 2001. The 5 digits was foreshadowed by the paratransits being 14000s, but I'm somewhat surprised with regard to full size buses (I would have guessed 7000s). There is also the chance, based on 2010, that this isn't the real number, but given the minutes I quoted above indicating that Pace had to pay for this bus, I'm not putting money on that chance. EDIT: If one wants to play numerology, maybe the paratransits are YY000, if NW ever gets more diesel buses YY300, CNG buses YY500 and MCIs YY900 (YY indicating the year).. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 I had to edit the above after looking at Altoona: Incredible shots indeeds! I assume this bus is a 45-footer because of the left side of the bus have 7 windows (excluding the driver's window). Normally, 40-footers have 6 windows on the left side. Is this the Altoona test bus ? Is this a 40 ft? It probably is not the Altoona test bus, because Altoona indicates that an Axess CNG was tested in 2003 (test report). I don't think it makes any difference that the bus now has a BRT front. Also, note in that report that while that bus has 3 full windows right of the wedge on the right side of the bus, it has 4 on the left on the left side. Hence, the feds say it is a 40 foot bus. However, adding confusion is that there is a 2013 test of an Axess diesel, and while it looks like Pace 6392-99 (including the full size rear destination sign), that would have been a year too late for 6322-6391.Maybe they were just testing a bus with the ISL9. Note, that both test buses are white. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 Keen eye. Usually there are 3 windows ahead of the wedge one. Probably would have to see the right side, though. But maybe they think that South is so overcrowded that they needed a bigger bus. In that case, the announced $480K a bus was real cheap. It probably wouldn't be 6400 because this bus is certainly distinguishable from 6399 and below, one because of fuel it is not interchangeable (as compared to running a hybrid with diesels), and two, because of your observation that it probably is not the same length as the 40 foot buses, and buses have been numbered by length (6000s, 6600s, 6900s and 2600s) since 2001. The 5 digits was foreshadowed by the paratransits being 14000s, but I'm somewhat surprised with regard to full size buses (I would have guessed 7000s). There is also the chance, based on 2010, that this isn't the real number, but given the minutes I quoted above indicating that Pace had to pay for this bus, I'm not putting money on that chance. EDIT: If one wants to play numerology, maybe the paratransits are YY000, if NW ever gets more diesel buses YY300, CNG buses YY500 and MCIs YY900 (YY indicating the year)..Well, it's unofficial for the time being about the numbering but let's not forget about the prototype Eldorado (40-footer) number was #2010 before officially started at #6323. Wouldn't that be confusing with the paratransit buses if the CNG's did start with 5 digits??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 Well, it's unofficial for the time being about the numbering but let's not forget about the prototype Eldorado (40-footer) number was #2010 before officially started at #6323. Wouldn't that be confusing with the paratransit buses if the CNG's did start with 5 digits??? If you read my last paragraph, no. What might be more confusing is that a 16500 isn't much different than a 15591 (assuming that Pace exercises some options for more CNG buses). It is sort of like if 6000-6087 were 00300-00387 and 6088-6144 were 01300-01356, even though the split between the base order and option for those buses was not clear, in practical terms.However, it would be clear to someone that a --3-- is a 40 foot diesel bus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 If you read my last paragraph, no. What might be more confusing is that a 16500 isn't much different than a 15591 (assuming that Pace exercises some options for more CNG buses). It is sort of like if 6000-6087 were 00300-00387 and 6088-6144 were 01300-01356, even though the split between the base order and option for those buses was not clear, in practical terms.However, it would be clear to someone that a --3-- is a 40 foot diesel bus. That also would assume that Pace would arbitrarily decide "Ok lets take the 2nd digit of the lateset models we acquired as 40 ft diesels and OTRs and permanently make those the 3rd digits for similar type buses in a new 5 digit numbering system in which the first two digits are that models year of acquisition." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 That also would assume that Pace would arbitrarily decide "Ok lets take the 2nd digit of the lateset models we acquired as 40 ft diesels and OTRs and permanently make those the 3rd digits for similar type buses in a new 5 digit numbering system in which the first two digits are that models year of acquisition." As I said, I was engaged in speculative numerology. However, my speculation was based on why this was 5 after the 15 instead of 0. For that matter, if this really started with the 11100 paratransits, whether the third 1 meant something like hybrid. At the time, I thought maybe that IDOT (the grantee) was using its numbering system, but now I don't know. I also suppose that if one wanted to go out on a limb, the vanpool vans would have to enter into this somehow. Update: More association got me back to the Montreal roster. There are also 5 digit fleet numbers, 00-000 and someone said that the first two are based on years after 1980. If you get to the newer ones (29-001), the 000s seem 40 foot diesel buses, and 800s are artics. 400s appear to be cutaways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctrabs74 Posted September 15, 2014 Report Share Posted September 15, 2014 Note to self: make better use of uploading pictures here from my phone. I would hope that those are not the destination signs PACE is going with. I've never been a fan of TwinVision signs, but that's just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted September 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 OMG, don't tell me Pace is going to have five digit bus numbers!! Nice bus though!! Generally speaking, buses that have five digit numbers follow along the formula of the last 5 digits of the VIN of the bus. There are times that either the first or first two digits could allude to the year of the bus. For example. in the case of demo 15500, 15 could be the model year 2015 I certainly hope that Pace doesn't venture from its current numbering scheme, and if so, I would rather it follow the model year scenario as opposed to the VIN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted September 22, 2014 Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 Note to self: make better use of uploading pictures here from my phone. As those are environmentally friendly buses shouldn't they have a green livery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 22, 2014 Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 As those are environmentally friendly buses shouldn't they have a green livery? You would have thought, but the specification said blue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotjohns Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 What happened to the 6400s is the million dollar question. At first I thought the bad weather delayed the transporting of buses from California here, but relatively speaking the weather has been better these last couple of weeks. So I suppose the question goes back to the number of buses we are supposed to get and how many options are to be exercised and when those deliveries are supposed to start. At some point, there are suppose to be deliveries for: 1 ART buses for Milwaukee Ave 2. CNG buses for Pace South Well it appears the 6400s have arrived. I physically saw 6402 on the #223 this morning and 6406 showing a "Not in Service" sign going down Oakton St. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 Well it appears the 6400s have arrived. I physically saw 6402 on the #223 this morning and 6406 showing a "Not in Service" sign going down Oakton St. I was counting on it being 14402. So much for that. It appears that Pace usually starts getting buses in October, but I guess the inexplicable thing was that last October was only 8 buses. Thanks for the sighting. Update: One on Webwatch: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted October 10, 2014 Report Share Posted October 10, 2014 Well it appears the 6400s have arrived. I physically saw 6402 on the #223 this morning and 6406 showing a "Not in Service" sign going down Oakton St. I thought I had a scoop...just saw 6401 on the 209 in downtown Des Plaines. Glad to see that there are more of these buses coming in. I am liking what I see and really need to ride one to make my final grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted October 11, 2014 Report Share Posted October 11, 2014 I thought I had a scoop...just saw 6401 on the 209 in downtown Des Plaines. Glad to see that there are more of these buses coming in. I am liking what I see and really need to ride one to make my final grade. Damn, it's about time they got the #6400's. Where were they? It would be interesting to see if there are any changes as these are a year newer than the #6390's. Now the question is how many will they get. It better be more than 10 buses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotjohns Posted October 12, 2014 Report Share Posted October 12, 2014 Damn, it's about time they got the #6400's. Where were they? It would be interesting to see if there are any changes as these are a year newer than the #6390's. Now the question is how many will they get. It better be more than 10 buses. Some of the 6000s look really bad. I saw 6115 yesterday in Northbrook/Glenview area and it looked like a part was missing on the driver side. A lot of them have paint peeling off and some rust spots. They truly are looking tired so I would imagine the 6400s will probably be accelerated to replace them pretty quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted October 12, 2014 Report Share Posted October 12, 2014 Some of the 6000s look really bad. I saw 6115 yesterday in Northbrook/Glenview area and it looked like a part was missing on the driver side. A lot of them have paint peeling off and some rust spots. They truly are looking tired so I would imagine the 6400s will probably be accelerated to replace them pretty quickly. Living in that area, yep, and also the black cloud from the exhaust. However, looking at WebWatch yesterday and today, I was surprised that the oldest 6000s were out, and today I didn't see any 6400s (although a few 6392s). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotjohns Posted October 12, 2014 Report Share Posted October 12, 2014 Same thing today. Most of the late 6300s are on the 290, but no 6400s are out. I suspect that will change sooner than later as more of them come in. Plenty of 6300s come out on the west routes on the weekends, even saw one late last night on #322. It may be a matter of them being acclamated to the NW routes during the week. Only the 6000s are out, which surprises me too because of it's age. I know once upon a time, the 30 foot El Dorados were taking over the weekend routes, but is it safe to assume that experiment didn't work out so well due to heavy passenger use on Sundays? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted October 12, 2014 Report Share Posted October 12, 2014 ...I know once upon a time, the 30 foot El Dorados were taking over the weekend routes, but is it safe to assume that experiment didn't work out so well due to heavy passenger use on Sundays? At one time that was the case, but suddenly they disappeared. Was primarily 208 and 250. The only thing I can guess is that there are driver training issues, but I can't see how 6401 is that different than 6392. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted October 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2014 At one time that was the case, but suddenly they disappeared. Was primarily 208 and 250. The only thing I can guess is that there are driver training issues, but I can't see how 6401 is that different than 6392. 6392 is a year old and probably has a ding or two on it. 6401 is a new toy. New toys generally aren't given out to junior or rookie drivers, which make up a good portion of the weekend drivers. There are also senior drivers who just prefer to drive the older equipment. At one time you sparingly saw the 6320s out on weekends at West, but now they are out there in force. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 6392 is a year old and probably has a ding or two on it. 6401 is a new toy. New toys generally aren't given out to junior or rookie drivers, which make up a good portion of the weekend drivers. There are also senior drivers who just prefer to drive the older equipment. At one time you sparingly saw the 6320s out on weekends at West, but now they are out there in force. I'll disagree with that statement in that usually bus assignments are set up in the morning before anybody shows up. If the newer buses are not out there it is probably because someone in charge doesn't want them out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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