New Eldorados?

[BusHunter]

here's some pictures I took of #6398 tonight.

[ctrabs74]

My only complaint about the rear destination signs is that if the bus is dirty, you're going to have to squint to see it. Otherwise, the change is a good thing. It's worked in places like San Fran and in areas where you have a pulse point, best to know what bus is ahead (or near).

Even so, San Francisco opted for the traditional rear signs on their Orion and New Flyers they recently acquired instead of the "side" signs they used on the Neoplan, NABI and electric trolley buses. What I believe makes the new rear signs on PACE's new buses is that they're single-line signs as opposed to the "double-line side signs" on CTA's buses.

[Busjack]

Even so, San Francisco opted for the traditional rear signs on their Orion and New Flyers they recently acquired instead of the "side" signs they used on the Neoplan, NABI and electric trolley buses. What I believe makes the new rear signs on PACE's new buses is that they're single-line signs as opposed to the "double-line side signs" on CTA's buses.

That's only a function of whether they can find an ADA compliant font that fits two lines, as the LED matrix is higher definition than the old flip dots.

With Pace, you basically have to go back to when it decided (I'd say about 2006) to program all signs based on the lowest common denominator, which was the 15 character flip dot sign. Pace seems to have gotten away from that, such as the "572 DOWNTOWN WAUKEGAN" sign, which gets up to 21 (including spaces) on one line.

[Busjack]

Well while I was speaking with the driver, I noticed he was manually logged on to his IBS, which makes the bus untrackable...

Looks like they finally got it programmed. Also, most of the buses were on 606 and 616.

[BusHunter]

Looks like they finally got it programmed. Also, most of the buses were on 606 and 616.

6396.jpg

#6396 was on the tracker two days ago. I found #6398 the other day by looking on the tracker, that was it's first sighting by me. I don't know if #6395 and #6397 are out there or not. I believe you told me #6394 was on the tracker on the #270 and #6292 was out with the debut of service on the #270 and hasn't been seen since.(not counting #6323) #6393 was on it quite frequently.

[Busjack]

#6396 was on the tracker two days ago. I found #6398 the other day by looking on the tracker, that was it's first sighting by me. I don't know if #6395 and #6397 are out there or not. I believe you told me #6394 was on the tracker on the #270 and #6292 was out with the debut of service on the #270 and hasn't been seen since.(not counting #6323) #6393 was on it quite frequently.

6392 was among the ones on 606 this morning. 6395 and 6397 haven't showed up in the virtual world yet.

[jesi2282]

NW sent a couple of ElDorados to Soldier Field last Monday, I wonder when we'll see a Eldo wrapped for Cubs or Bears service...

[twyztdmynd]

AS I type... on PaceBus Tracker...

Route 208...6392 & 6398

Route 223...6394 & 6396

[Busjack]

AS I type... on PaceBus Tracker...

...

Route 223...6395 & 6396

I'm getting 6394 and 6396.

Also, 6393 is on 208, as well as the two you mentioned.

[twyztdmynd]

I'm getting 6394 and 6396.

223.jpg 6396.jpg

Also, 6393 is on 208, as well as the two you mentioned.

I made the correction moments later

[garmon757]

here's some pictures I took of #6398 tonight.

6398 back corner 2.png

6398 back.png

6398 side 2.png

6398 inside.png

Oh my!!! That's not an ordinary Eldorado! Notice how the LED on the back of the bus displaying the whole route with the number not just the number! Great shots!!!

[jesi2282]

Pace is going to make it ordinary, apparently Pace is ordering all future Eldorado's with full rear destination sign...

[artthouwill]

here's some pictures I took of #6398 tonight.

6398 back corner 2.png

6398 back.png

6398 side 2.png

6398 inside.png

I guess the full rear destination signs are going to take a while to get used to. The side destination signs and the rear route number box were good enough for me.

Looking at the pics, I guess drivers at NW don't use "half lignts" inside the bus. This feature is on the NABIs and the Eldorados but not the Orions. For those who don't know, the half lights light up only the left (driver's) side of the bus while the right side remains unlit unless the doors are opened (in which case the right side lights come on). The idea is to cut down the glare on the drivers windshield at night.

[Busjack]

I guess the full rear destination signs are going to take a while to get used to. The side destination signs and the rear route number box were good enough for me.

Looking at the pics, I guess drivers at NW don't use "half lignts" inside the bus. This feature is on the NABIs and the Eldorados but not the Orions. For those who don't know, the half lights light up only the left (driver's) side of the bus while the right side remains unlit unless the doors are opened (in which case the right side lights come on). The idea is to cut down the glare on the drivers windshield at night.

I'm not sure to what you are referring here.

I've seen buses where the first set of lights under the advertising racks were on only when the front door was open, but both sides of the bus were otherwise lit back of there. Is that what you mean, or is the whole right side turned off all the way to the back?

[artthouwill]

I'm not sure to what you are referring here.

I've seen buses where the first set of lights under the advertising racks were on only when the front door was open, but both sides of the bus were otherwise lit back of there. Is that what you mean, or is the whole right side turned off all the way to the back?

On the NABIs and the Eldos, the entire right side is off unless the doors (front or rear) are opened. When the doors are opened (or activated) the entire right side ights up until doors are closed. On the Orions, the first set of lights you referred to are off, then there is a set of blue lights, and then the regular lights..

I've seen very few operators at Pace West (and none at South) operate with the entire interior lit. If I were driving, I'd prefer the half lighting because it would be easier to see the road and potential passengers or pedestrians at night without the reflective glare coming from the inside of my bus. Having the first set of lights off helps too, but having the right side interior off is better because that is the side where the most glare comes from. The left side is partitioned off by the compartment behind the driver (or in the case of the CTA Novas a partition).

[geneking7320]

Which type of windshield will produce the most glare to the operator, curved or flat?

[BusHunter]

On the NABIs and the Eldos, the entire right side is off unless the doors (front or rear) are opened. When the doors are opened (or activated) the entire right side ights up until doors are closed. On the Orions, the first set of lights you referred to are off, then there is a set of blue lights, and then the regular lights..

I've seen very few operators at Pace West (and none at South) operate with the entire interior lit. If I were driving, I'd prefer the half lighting because it would be easier to see the road and potential passengers or pedestrians at night without the reflective glare coming from the inside of my bus. Having the first set of lights off helps too, but having the right side interior off is better because that is the side where the most glare comes from. The left side is partitioned off by the compartment behind the driver (or in the case of the CTA Novas a partition).

I always thought that the half lighting was automatic and was on a timer. No doors opening for two minutes and they are off. On the Orions, the lighting under the accessible seating turns off with a timer. I haven't seen what the newest Eldorado's do, but as I rode #6398, the lights never turned off. Now the short eldo's or #2600 series do turn off on one side like you say. The question I have is if the right side is off how would an operator see if someone is at the rear doors to exit because it's dark and in many places with no street lighting it may be close to impossible to see. The short eldo's are a non issue due to no rear doors, but the #6323's do. So maybe that is not an option on the new buses I don't know. Either that or the NW operators don't know how to do that yet with those buses being pretty new to NW.

[Busjack]

... The short eldo's are a non issue due to no rear doors, but the #6323's do. So maybe that is not an option on the new buses I don't know. Either that or the NW operators don't know how to do that yet with those buses being pretty new to NW.

The question would be whether turning on the lights is interlocked with the driver's door control handle, if this option is selected.

Maybe off point, but I wonder about rider convenience if half the seated riders can't read their printed reading matter in the dark.

[Busjack]

here's some pictures I took of #6398 tonight.

6398 back corner 2.png

6398 back.png

6398 side 2.png

6398 inside.png

From this and jesi's picture (neither that clear, except for the last digit) the license plates matching the fleet numbers apparently doesn't apply to this delivery.

[artthouwill]

Which type of windshield will produce the most glare to the operator, curved or flat?

It really is the same regardless. The glare is created by the lighting, not the shape or curvature of the glass.

I always thought that the half lighting was automatic and was on a timer. No doors opening for two minutes and they are off. On the Orions, the lighting under the accessible seating turns off with a timer. I haven't seen what the newest Eldorado's do, but as I rode #6398, the lights never turned off. Now the short eldo's or #2600 series do turn off on one side like you say. The question I have is if the right side is off how would an operator see if someone is at the rear doors to exit because it's dark and in many places with no street lighting it may be close to impossible to see. The short eldo's are a non issue due to no rear doors, but the #6323's do. So maybe that is not an option on the new buses I don't know. Either that or the NW operators don't know how to do that yet with those buses being pretty new to NW.

It should be a matter of choice on a switch. Haven't seen the exact layout of the driver's controls on the newest buses, but for the lights there should be three positions, lights (full), half or coach lights (half) and off. If the off position is in the middle, then chances are the operator will most likely choose the position withthe full lights. This is the setup on most newer OTR coaches. I can't believe that none of the NW operators mistakenly found the half position at least one time. Perhaps they felt it was too dark. I think the visibility inside the bus is fine with only the left side lit. The driver can still see through the bus with the interior mirrors. Again, the biggest benefit is the reduction of glare in the windshield. This is even more important driving through suburban areas where streets are not well lit, making pedestrians, waiting customers, and other small hard to see objects even more difficult to decipher.

[Busjack]

It really is the same regardless. The glare is created by the lighting, not the shape or curvature of the glass.

....

It was stated that the first generation Orion VIIs went back to the slanted back driver's windshield due to the glare. Of course, Flxs, Orion V and VIs, and Gillig Phantoms also had those windshields, but I don't think any current bus does.

[qwantae]

It was stated that the first generation Orion VIIs went back to the slanted back driver's windshield due to the glare. Of course, Flxs, Orion V and VIs, and Gillig Phantoms also had those windshields

And Flyer D901.

[geneking7320]

I spotted 6323 on route 290 turning from Clark onto Rogers this afternoon just after 2:00pm headed to Park Ridge.

[Busjack]

6397:

[artthouwill]

6397:

6397.jpg

Nice to see some new equipment on the 600 and the 606. The hand -me-downs days are disappearing from these routes.