NewFlyerMCI Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 38 minutes ago, Pace831 said: The January board meeting video (start at 54 minute mark) mentions the first New Flyer prototype has arrived. Features of the bus are described in the video. Deliveries are expected from "mid-March to the end of June". There's a picture of the bus, number 20401, in the December video at the 31 minute mark. Those look really good. I like the frameless windows especially. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJL6000 Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 The destination signs on 20401 appear to be Luminator's TwinVision Smart Series III amber destination signs. These signs do not look like the destination signs used in very recent CTA buses such as the 8325-series Novas and the Proterras (which use destination signs from Hanover Displays). Rather, they look like the signs on Pace's Pulse ElDorados but in amber instead of multicolored. We'll have to wait and see which seats are used inside the 20400s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCR Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 For those like me who can't open the video on mobile, here. I REALLY like the look of it, but why must it have that terrible five-digit "year" numbering? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pace831 Posted January 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 13 minutes ago, WCR said: I REALLY like the look of it, but why must it have that terrible five-digit "year" numbering? Even with the five digit numbers, Pace's numbering scheme as hard to rationalize as it ever was. Busjack used to think the third digit signified the type of equipment, but 4 has already been used for community vehicles (14400s/16400s). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJL6000 Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 I missed the other part of the frame, but Pace went with Freedman Gemini seats this time in the Xcelsiors. The same seat model used in recent CTA buses (the 7900s/8325s and the Proterras). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 Hmm is that a heritage bus in the background??? Are they are west? Finally we got some Xcelsiors to enjoy besides the 2 700 cta electrics that havent ran in awhile. They look like cta buses from the inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel bernero Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 Looks like the photo was taken at West Division. West Towns heritage bus in background. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel bernero Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 Photos posted on Pace Facebook page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 15 hours ago, Pace831 said: Even with the five digit numbers, Pace's numbering scheme as hard to rationalize as it ever was. Busjack used to think the third digit signified the type of equipment, but 4 has already been used for community vehicles (14400s/16400s). I don't like the number scheme either, but it accomplishes two things . It makes it super easy to identify the year of the model, and it eliminates the possibility of repeating numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoungBusLover Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 Welp here's the first of many to come. Credits go to the actual photographer that took this photo. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJL6000 Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 Now I see the latest picture. The 20400s have the same type of sign as the Pulse Eldo's (6510-6521). It only displayed amber in the first picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewFlyerMCI Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 That's interesting, I've never seen diesel Xcelsiors with the full roof fins, only partials Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCR Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 6 minutes ago, NewFlyerMCI said: That's interesting, I've never seen diesel Xcelsiors with the full roof fins, only partials There's a couple other TAs with that style, Detroit's DDOT and Maryland MTA for example. I definitely think they look better that way, I hope if CTA ever finally orders these buses, they'll have full length fins. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 33 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said: Welp here's the first of many to come. Credits go to the actual photographer that took this photo. Beautiful bus. I can't wait to see and ride the new buses! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewFlyerMCI Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 18 minutes ago, WCR said: There's a couple other TAs with that style, Detroit's DDOT and Maryland MTA for example. I definitely think they look better that way, I hope if CTA ever finally orders these buses, they'll have full length fins. Wow, you're right about Baltimore! I ride those all the time and just assumed those were XDEs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted January 17, 2020 Report Share Posted January 17, 2020 3 hours ago, artthouwill said: Beautiful bus. I can't wait to see and ride the new buses! So wth, the destination can display all those colors. I was going to say we might be looking at Pulse buses here or service expansion expressway buses. That might be why they look so nice on the outside with the flush windows. That is what they run on those routes. Besides what buses will be running Pulse Dempster if there is no order coming. They are not running the eldorkos that's for sure!! LOL!! nice looking bus though. Cta would have some except they are stuck in electric bus dreamland. As the #6800's get older, Pace is getting an even newer fleet. I never have seen pace have this new of a fleet before. simply amazing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajay Posted January 17, 2020 Report Share Posted January 17, 2020 5 hours ago, YoungBusLover said: Welp here's the first of many to come. Credits go to the actual photographer that took this photo. Aw damn. About time i see some xcelseiors. This bus is at West Division Right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erin Mishkin Jr. Posted January 17, 2020 Report Share Posted January 17, 2020 Just now, ajay said: Aw damn. About time i see some xcelseiors. This bus is at West Division Right? The location of this photo isn't at West, but I didn't ride the 309 for a while so whenever I ride 309 WB again, I will take a pic during my filming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted January 17, 2020 Report Share Posted January 17, 2020 2 hours ago, ajay said: Aw damn. About time i see some xcelseiors. This bus is at West Division Right? Headquarters. <\homesick> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pace831 Posted January 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2020 2 hours ago, ajay said: Aw damn. About time i see some xcelseiors. This bus is at West Division Right? These photos were from Pace HQ, but the buses are planned to go in service at West Division. It looks like 20401 has been to West already based on the picture in the board meeting video, which shows it as a training bus with the West Towns legacy bus in the background. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted January 17, 2020 Report Share Posted January 17, 2020 3 hours ago, BusHunter said: So wth, the destination can display all those colors. I was going to say we might be looking at Pulse buses here or service expansion expressway buses. That might be why they look so nice on the outside with the flush windows. That is what they run on those routes. Besides what buses will be running Pulse Dempster if there is no order coming. They are not running the eldorkos that's for sure!! LOL!! nice looking bus though. Cta would have some except they are stuck in electric bus dreamland. As the #6800's get older, Pace is getting an even newer fleet. I never have seen pace have this new of a fleet before. simply amazing!! Well Pace has said these buses were going to Pace West, although there was a possibility that another garage could get a small ser of buses. Thus it's possible that 65 go to West and 10 go to NW for Pulse Dempster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted January 17, 2020 Report Share Posted January 17, 2020 11 hours ago, artthouwill said: Well Pace has said these buses were going to Pace West, although there was a possibility that another garage could get a small ser of buses. Thus it's possible that 65 go to West and 10 go to NW for Pulse Dempster. It's possible. Could be also this is the prototype like #6323. It will have things the production models wont have. Maybe they wont have flush windows for instance. Depends how pace ordered them. NF no doubt would like to show Pace it can produce highway buses if need be the case. So it could be showing this off even though its Pace property. I wonder why they jumped ship to nf. Both Eldorado and nf make good buses. Guess Eldorado just got under bid I'm kind of interested where the new eldorkos will go. Aurora, Joliet, NS, niles, highland park, maybe even Elgin. If I was Pace I'd mix around the new and old eldorkos and get a small fleet in each garage that uses them now. They could really eat away at maintenance. Run the fleet efficiently and you save even more money for more projects and buses and other Capitol needs. Cta could be ordering these small eldorko buses at half to 3/4 the price of a new bus. Instead it shoots its whole wad on 30 buses. They need to explore that idea. Not every small bus is an Optima. They need to wake up. No need in making the parts suppliers rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted January 17, 2020 Report Share Posted January 17, 2020 21 minutes ago, BusHunter said: It's possible. Could be also this is the prototype like #6323. It will have things the production models wont have. Maybe they wont have flush windows for instance. Depends how pace ordered them. NF no doubt would like to show Pace it can produce highway buses if need be the case. So it could be showing this off even though its Pace property. I wonder why they jumped ship to nf. Both Eldorado and nf make good buses. Guess Eldorado just got under bid I'm kind of interested where the new eldorkos will go. Aurora, Joliet, NS, niles, highland park, maybe even Elgin. If I was Pace I'd mix around the new and old eldorkos and get a small fleet in each garage that uses them now. They could really eat away at maintenance. Run the fleet efficiently and you save even more money for more projects and buses and other Capitol needs. Cta could be ordering these small eldorko buses at half to 3/4 the price of a new bus. Instead it shoots its whole wad on 30 buses. They need to explore that idea. Not every small bus is an Optima. They need to wake up. No need in making the parts suppliers rich. I thought Pace wanted the flush and tinted windows with this order. I was under the impression that they wanted to have a more modern looking fleet. As far CTA ordering 30 ft Eldorados, someone mentioned some obscure law that required CTA to have rear doors on its buses. Pace buses seat 27 in its current configuration. The 35 ft 6600s seats the same and the 6162/6262s seat 33. I don't remember how many seats were on the Optimas. Ordering another series of buses requires more spending on parts. At least with New Flyers, CTA can order bulk parts at a discount. Same goes for Pace with the Axxess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted January 17, 2020 Report Share Posted January 17, 2020 Dont know about the rear door law. Cta sure runs buses with the rear door shut off. That would be illegal according to that law. Besides Eldorado could probably put some rear doors on those buses if they needed to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewFlyerMCI Posted January 18, 2020 Report Share Posted January 18, 2020 6 hours ago, BusHunter said: Dont know about the rear door law. Cta sure runs buses with the rear door shut off. That would be illegal according to that law. Besides Eldorado could probably put some rear doors on those buses if they needed to. Shut off as in they lock the back door for the duration of the trip? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.