geneking7320 Posted July 21, 2005 Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 Hi All; I just returned from a short visit to Kansas City,MO which prompts some questions: 1) Did Nova's experience with CTA "kill" its US transit bus business (ie, bidding on various public authority contracts)? - KCATA is starting a BRT line and its advertisements for said line appear show a Novabus LFS. I returned to Chicago before the "MAX" (the BRT line) started (7/24/05). 2) What do you think of the Gillig low floor bus? Pace has a few Phantoms but I have not seen any around here other than the Hertz parking shuttle at O'Hare. Gene King Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted July 21, 2005 Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 I believe that the Pace Gilligs were pretty much retired when the first of the NABI's replaced them in Waukegan. I know that at one time they saved a couple to run the Ravinia Shuttles, but that was a few years back. Can't say for sure if they still are around since I haven't been to Ravinia lately, but since I see NABI's running on some of the Highland Park routes, I would suspect they found some old Orions to run the Ravinia shuttles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted July 21, 2005 Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 I don't think the CTA Experience with the NOVABus LFS killed NOVABus off. They just weren't getting enough business with the bus. The same thing happened with Flyer, TMC, and Flxible. Demand fell short and the business was forced to fold. NABI might be folding next, IMO. With all the problems with the 60-LFW's the CTA recieved. They no longer are making the CompoBus, and I haven't heard about any other cities ordering from NABI for any 40 or 60-LFW's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 The Huskie Line in DeKalb currently runs 2 Gillig Low Floor buses dated c. 2004 (amongst the dozens of high floor phantoms). The old-school models (dated c. 1990) are still runnable (reminds me of an Orion 1 mixed with a Flyer D901) they show age however. They have two engines, of which I cannot tell which ones. The New-School low floors have an Allison Engine (?) and have wide swinging doors in the back. They run much better than the old school Phantoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPTA42 Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 The Ravinia shuttles are all Orion I - mostly 8900s, a couple of 21/2200s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 I don't think the CTA Experience with the NOVABus LFS killed NOVABus off. They just weren't getting enough business with the bus. I doubt that it helped that they were a year late with the first 150, and undoubtedly paid a penalty.NABI might be folding next, IMO. With all the problems with the 60-LFW's the CTA recieved. They no longer are making the CompoBus, and I haven't heard about any other cities ordering from NABI for any 40 or 60-LFW's. Los Angeles has a large order for 60-BRTs, and Cleveland, Arizona, and Miami (as well as "Arlington Heights") have recently ordered or exercised options for the 40-LFW. However, their financial report indicates that if they don't turn it around soon, currency exchange problems and the Compobus ones will have the indicated effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted July 24, 2005 Report Share Posted July 24, 2005 The Ravinia shuttles are all Orion I - mostly 8900s, a couple of 21/2200s. With regard to the latter, its actually 2089, 2117. No 2200s (which would have to be 2272+ to be Orions, but those are still in service elsewhere). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted July 25, 2005 Report Share Posted July 25, 2005 I am glad to see that some of the 8900s are still breathing. I always thought those were the best running and smoothest riding of the original Orion I buses that Pace had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venom_20 Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 We just recieved gilligs here in pittsburgh. We have the phantom, also the advantage low-floor. They are well recieved by the public and the drivers alike. I personally think they're the best buses purchased since our orion v's have been having sporadic problems with performance because of required overhauls due to new government and Epa regulations. They ride just as smooth as the orion's that we used to have, Which surprised me becuase our neoplan low-floors ride like crap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneking7320 Posted August 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 About the Gillig Low Floors in Pittsburgh: 1) How long is the bus? 2) How wide is the rear door? 3) Any pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venom_20 Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 The low floors are 40' long. Rear doors are not push because we never used them here. the only time that they are opened is in downtown because all rides are free until any bus leaves downtown. So they are narrow because they are not used that much. i do have pics, but how do i upload them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venom_20 Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 [attachment=12]ok i have alot of post with this one, i'll only do 3. this is our phantom inside. Looks comfortable, It is . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venom_20 Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 one of our phantoms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venom_20 Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 [attachment=14]ok here's the low floor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venom_20 Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 [attachment=15]okay, two more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venom_20 Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 [attachment=16][attachment=17]these are two of the newest order of 220 buses that we ordered for service. The other buses that i've showed you have allison trans. But, the newest order of buses have the much smoother shifting Zf trans. these are pics of two of the 2005 buses with the Zf trans. The other ones are 2003-04's. We also have 4 HEV Gillig low-floors. (No pics, sorry,). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venom_20 Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 ok, i learned how to add more than one pic to each post, so i'll offer you this. I have pics of all the buses, in and out that we have in pgh, past and present. i'm going to give you a list. 1999 Neoplan an440lf 1998 Neoplan an460hf 2000 Neoplan an343 Metroliner 1996 Novabus classic 1992-93 orion-v 1991 ikarus(nabi)436 1993-94 flxible metro(last ones made in usa) That's all since i gave you the gillig pics. If you want to know what any of these buses look like, let me know which ones. Then i'll post them. Also i have one pic of the M.A.N. buses that we used to have, maybe two.(i'm not sure). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 The Huskie Line in DeKalb currently runs 2 Gillig Low Floor buses dated c. 2004 (amongst the dozens of high floor phantoms). The old-school models (dated c. 1990) are still runnable (reminds me of an Orion 1 mixed with a Flyer D901) they show age however. They have two engines, of which I cannot tell which ones. The New-School low floors have an Allison Engine (?) and have wide swinging doors in the back. They run much better than the old school Phantoms. They have at least 10 phantoms and 2 low floors out there in dekalb. All buses are about 35 feet (maybe 30) The back doors of the Low Floors cannot push automatically (driver controlled), and there are 3 different models of Phantoms available as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPTA42 Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 Venom, Do you have any photos of the ex-RIPTA 1983 Neoplan AN-460s? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venom_20 Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 [attachment=23][attachment=24]DSorrell, our phantoms are model year 2003-04. the ones that your talking about problably have a dd6v92 or a cummins lt10 engine. The trans is problaby an allison or voith. The ones here have dd50 and an allison trans. Ripta, i do not have any pics of that bus, but i have a pic of a loaner an460 that we had from around that year(year unknown). This bus came all the way from Dallas. I remember ther the seats still had the Dart>>> logo on them. In the second pic, the bus to the right is the an460. The other one is a neoplan suburban that was also loaned to us. In the first pic, you'll notice the back of a neoplan an440 low-floor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneking7320 Posted September 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2005 I just browsed a Metro Magazine article and found out the bus used by KCATA for "MAX" is made by Gillig and based on their low floor model. I could not find pictures of said bus on the Gillig website though. Gene King Hi All; I just returned from a short visit to Kansas City,MO which prompts some questions: 1) Did Nova's experience with CTA "kill" its US transit bus business (ie, bidding on various public authority contracts)? - KCATA is starting a BRT line and its advertisements for said line appear show a Novabus LFS. I returned to Chicago before the "MAX" (the BRT line) started (7/24/05). 2) What do you think of the Gillig low floor bus? Pace has a few Phantoms but I have not seen any around here other than the Hertz parking shuttle at O'Hare. Gene King Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 The Gillig website has the picture at http://gillig.com/LowFloor.htm. The red and blue bus is from Lafayette, Indiana, and there are also a number of them in Indianapolis. It's also the standard rent-a-car bus, often seen at O'Hare as the Hertz H2000LF. Usually, it's called the Advantage. Bus Explorer also has a gallery. Of course, if you're looking for the specific bus... turns out something did appear. Also, there is an official movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 From Venom_20: 1993-94 flxible metro(last ones made in usa) Those weren't the last ones made in the usa. the 6000-6329 series CTA Flxibles were(1995). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venom_20 Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 OH , i read on another site, maybe two months ago that they stoped production in the middle of our order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venom_20 Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 The Gillig website has the picture at http://gillig.com/LowFloor.htm. The red and blue bus is from Lafayette, Indiana, and there are also a number of them in Indianapolis. It's also the standard rent-a-car bus, often seen at O'Hare as the Hertz H2000LF. Usually, it's called the Advantage. Bus Explorer also has a gallery. Of course, if you're looking for the specific bus... turns out something did appear. Also, there is an official movie. Aren't the pics of the buses that i psoted on the previous page advantages too? I found a pic of one of our hev's too.[attachment=47] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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