New Eldorados?

[Gil]

#20319 on Route 540 to Walmart

[artthouwill]

2 hours ago, jesi2282 said:

As someone whose operated buses before, I just prefer low-mounted mirrors over high-mounted. First they did it on the Xcelsiors, and now these new ElDorados. If you look at the older buses like the NABIs, Orion VI and 2600-series ElDorados they all have low-mounted mirrors. Even buses from way back then like the Fishbowls and Grummans had low-mounted mirrors.

As a former bus driver, I agree with the preference of a low mounted driver side mirror..  I had not really paid attention to the driver mirrors on the Axxess and Xcelsior models.  But with the large sliding driver window, maybe its not a big deal. Though I preferred the view from the lower mirror.

[jesi2282]

3 hours ago, RJL6000 said:

Actually, the transit agencies have absolutely no say whatsoever about the positioning of the outside mirror height. The sloping front end that modern buses are designed with leave no choice but to position the outside mirrors high up. Otherwise, the low-positioned mirrors would have been too far away from the driver to be of much use.

In order to accommodate the low-mounted outside mirrors, bus manufacturers would have to ditch the modern styling completely and revert back to the old box-shaped styling - one which nobody outside of former Soviet-bloc countries would want to manufacture any more.

And yes, all of the 40-foot ENC Axess buses have those high-mounted mirrors.

By the way, the 30-foot Axess BRT buses are actually a special order from Pace. The Axess BRT remains officially available only in the 35- and 40-foot lengths.

No, transit agencies make the final decision on everything (mirror placement, taillight arrangement, type of passenger window etc.) these are called “specifications”, every transit agency has different specs. For example Pace prefers having full rear destination signs on its buses while CTA prefers just showing the route number.

Also, why would manufacturers have to ditch modern styling in order to accommodate low-mounted driver mirrors? The Xcelsiors delivered to NYC, Boston and D.C. were all delivered with low mounted mirrors. Just look at Proterra, they were able to accommodate CTAs request for low mirrors without redesigning the front end.

And one more thing, you said all 40-foot ENC Axess buses come with high mounted mirrors... the 20500s that were just delivered for Halsted Pulse came with low mounted mirrors. But you are right about this being a custom order for Pace.
 

 

[BusHunter]

On 2/2/2021 at 4:51 PM, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

So these are 30 foot Eldorado National Axess BRT buses. Are they diesel or CNG or hybrid?

I wonder why the buses are made with the cng type top if they are not cng, could that be because they could be retrofitted over for later use. I find that kind of curious.

[NewFlyerMCI]

7 hours ago, BusHunter said:

I wonder why the buses are made with the cng type top if they are not cng, could that be because they could be retrofitted over for later use. I find that kind of curious.

I believe it's not just the CNG top, but part of the BRT styling that El Dorado does. It also just so happens that the majority of the agencies who order this bus also order it CNG. Could be wrong

[Gil]

I made a tribute to the 2600s series.

https://youtu.be/tR_5wW4ULo4

 

[RJL6000]

11 hours ago, jesi2282 said:

No, transit agencies make the final decision on everything (mirror placement, taillight arrangement, type of passenger window etc.) these are called “specifications”, every transit agency has different specs. For example Pace prefers having full rear destination signs on its buses while CTA prefers just showing the route number.

Also, why would manufacturers have to ditch modern styling in order to accommodate low-mounted driver mirrors? The Xcelsiors delivered to NYC, Boston and D.C. were all delivered with low mounted mirrors. Just look at Proterra, they were able to accommodate CTAs request for low mirrors without redesigning the front end.

And one more thing, you said all 40-foot ENC Axess buses come with high mounted mirrors... the 20500s that were just delivered for Halsted Pulse came with low mounted mirrors. But you are right about this being a custom order for Pace.
 

 

I merely went by my own observations and assumed that that was the case, having been confined to my own neighborhood due to corona restrictions.

I have never managed to venture outside of the near northwest suburbs since the pandemic hit. So I could only see what I had experienced.

What I said would have been true only if bus manufacturers were to restrict mirror mounting to the windshield pillars. In order to meet safety requirements for mirror placement, the distance from the driver's seat must be no farther than a given distance. This would have required mounting any low-mounted driver-side mirrors onto the actual side panels of the bus on some bus designs since windshield pillar mounting would have placed those low-mounted mirrors too far away from the driver to be of much use.

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

44 minutes ago, Gil said:

I made a tribute to the 2600s series.

https://youtu.be/tR_5wW4ULo4

 

Good review but one thing I would improve  on is filming in landscape view and not portrait view so we get a bigger picture of the eldorados but it’s a nice review anyway. 

[BusHunter]

4 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

I believe it's not just the CNG top, but part of the BRT styling that El Dorado does. It also just so happens that the majority of the agencies who order this bus also order it CNG. Could be wrong

That does sound right. Eldorado builds for alot of west coast operations, so the majority of its orders would be for alternative fuel buses, so it may have been incorporated into the body style to build this way. 

Btw was eyeballing the 2021 budget and Pace wants to order 115 40 foot cngs so it does sound they may all come at the same time for the wheeling garage. Theres an order for 38 Iof the same buses for next year maybe for Pulse. They also want to expand North Shore garage so it might be all related to the NW garage changes coming soon. One thing that comes to my mind is where do the #6400s go? Do they replace the 2700s? I think for the 30 foot eldorados, they can order up to 164, so if you figure that, then the #6400s replace 2764 to 2829. Which is close to the displaced 90 buses that make up the #6390s to #6476.

[RJL6000]

15 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Btw was eyeballing the 2021 budget and Pace wants to order 115 40 foot cngs so it does sound they may all come at the same time for the wheeling garage. Theres an order for 38 Iof the same buses for next year maybe for Pulse. They also want to expand North Shore garage so it might be all related to the NW garage changes coming soon. One thing that comes to my mind is where do the #6400s go? Do they replace the 2700s? I think for the 30 foot eldorados, they can order up to 164, so if you figure that, then the #6400s replace 2764 to 2829. Which is close to the displaced 90 buses that make up the #6790s to #6476.

If and when the Wheeling Garage opens, and there are no nearby routes that operate on Sundays, then the Wheeling Garage would initially be restricted to Monday through Saturday operations on opening, This, combined with the planned expansion of the North Shore Division (Evanston) garage and operations, would mean that all Sunday operations for the northwest suburbs would be shifted from Northwest to North Shore (although this would take place in stages).

[BusHunter]

4 hours ago, RJL6000 said:

If and when the Wheeling Garage opens, and there are no nearby routes that operate on Sundays, then the Wheeling Garage would initially be restricted to Monday through Saturday operations on opening, This, combined with the planned expansion of the North Shore Division (Evanston) garage and operations, would mean that all Sunday operations for the northwest suburbs would be shifted from Northwest to North Shore (although this would take place in stages).

Definitely a possibility. North Shore and sw will have all 40 foot buses. That's where some of the 6400s will most likely go. Sw is slated to get a garage expansion too. Plus 40 something motor coach buses are coming so what does that give Pace 100 MCIs?? All to be based in Plainfield most likely. You know most likely with the Ike only bus and hov lanes that could make an attractive woodfield to downtown route put a few intermodal stations in and it would be nice almost like rapid transit

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

20302 on 530. 

[Gil]

#20306 is on Route 530 Going to Galena/Constitution passing by Naper West Plaza

[Gil]

News flash we have another new Bus.

#20304 is debuting today on Route 540 going southbound to Rush Copley Medical center

Buses who are active now.

#20300, #20302, #20304, #20305, #20306, #20310, #20312, #20315, #20316, and #20319 for sure.

[Gil]

#20303 is going to Woodmans on route 524 making his debut.

[Gil]

#20318 is making a debut on Route 714 going to Naperville Metra Station and turns to 530 going west.

[artthouwill]

2 hours ago, Gil said:

#20318 is making a debut on Route 714 going to Naperville Metra Station and turns to 530 going west.

So Pace will have 23 new EZ Riders with this order.  We will see if and when Pace will exercise any options.  I believe they have a 5 year window.

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

56 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

So Pace will have 23 new EZ Riders with this order.  We will see if and when Pace will exercise any options.  I believe they have a 5 year window.

True that means they'll deliver 164 Axess BRT buses in different options if they all pass. Btw the front of these are Axess's and not eZ-riders

[Gil]

4 minutes ago, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

True that means they'll deliver 164 Axess BRT buses in different options if they all pass. Btw the front of these are Axess's and not eZ-riders

Yup the 30 foot Eldorado national axess some buses from pace Fox Valley Garage are gonna be #20300-#20399

Some buses are going to Heritage, River, And Mchenry Garages and the bus numbers will be #20506-#20564 I think idk I might have to see if I'm right. 

 

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

2 minutes ago, Gil said:

Yup the 30 foot Eldorado national axess some buses from pace Fox Valley Garage are gonna be #20300-#20399

Some buses are going to Heritage, River, And Mchenry Garages and the bus numbers will be #20506-#20564 I think idk I might have to see if I'm right. 

 

it'll be 20571 ending the fleet btw since the 40 footers at south

[Gil]

1 minute ago, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

it'll be 20571 ending the fleet btw since the 40 footers at south

?

[artthouwill]

4 hours ago, Gil said:

?

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the 164 buses were going to be ALL EZ Riders (30 ').   I thought the Axxess buses were for Pulse.  Was there a change where EZ Riders were converted to AXXESS CNG?

[Gil]

5 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the 164 buses were going to be ALL EZ Riders (30 ').   I thought the Axxess buses were for Pulse.  Was there a change where EZ Riders were converted to AXXESS CNG?

Nope it's Eldorado national axess 30ft and it's a diesel bus and yes a grand total of 164 buses are still in progress at the Pace Fox Valley Garage

[artthouwill]

1 hour ago, Gil said:

Nope it's Eldorado national axess 30ft and it's a diesel bus and yes a grand total of 164 buses are still in progress at the Pace Fox Valley Garage

I think you are slightly ventured.  The 30 ft buses are EZ Riders.  The front ends were redesigned to match the 40 ft Axxess buses.

[Gil]

1 minute ago, artthouwill said:

I think you are slightly ventured.  The 30 ft buses are EZ Riders.  The front ends were redesigned to match the 40 ft Axxess buses.

The 5 of them 40ft buses are for Pulse Halsted Street Line that will debut soon from Harvey Transportation Center to 95th/DanRyan CTA Station and it will be wrapped you're trying to say, look at the difference the 40ft diesel and GNC buses and the new 30ft Eldorado national axess that is recently debuting since the beginning of February. I'll post some pics you'll see what the difference is?