BusTalk

[Nabinut]

For my grand finale and the reason for this trip…Welcome to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority, the second largest transit system in the United States. For those who don’t know, LACMTA also has the “Nation’s Largest Clean-Air Fleet” comprised of Neoplan AN440 CNG Buses, NABI 40LFWs, New Flyer C40HF & C40LFs as well as NABI 60BRT artics and assorted other equipment mostly operated by contractors. LACMTA also has five rail lines, several dozen “rapid” lines, three BRT lines & a few scattered limited services.

To start, here is NABI 40LFW 7873 arriving at Patsaouras Transit Plaza next to Union Station for the Dodger Stadium Express:


5074, one of 223 New Flyer C40HFs purchased by MTA in 1999-2000 is seen here on 5th & Grand on Line 16 to famous Cedars-Sinai Hospital. All active C40HFs have been repowered to ISL-G engines.


Accompanying this order was 223 New Flyer C40LFs in 2001. Here is 5335 assigned to Line 55 re-painted and repowered:


7375 still in the “Yellow Jacket” scheme also on 5th assigned to Line 55:


11021, one of 67 Orion VI Diesel buses owned by MTA and run by contractors is seen at the Long Beach Transit Mall on Line 232 that winds between Long Beach and LAX City Bus Center:


Because of MTA’s method of branding services (Local, Rapid, Express) sometimes these buses will end up on odd lines like in the case of 8392, a local branded bus operating on the Sliver line, a BRT style line that uses several buses painted in a special sliver scheme but not today:


6546, part of the second batch of Neoplan AN440s photographed in Black & White has a odd distinction of having white front numbers and black rear numbers:


Of the 28 or so Rapid lines, none are busiest than Line 720, running from Santa Monica through Downtown LA to Commerce. Here is NABI 60-BRT #9309 in Downtown on a Sunday Afternoon:


NABI being the preferred model in LA, MTA has almost every low floor version manufactured by the company included 100 45 foot Compobuses purchased in 2004 painted in the Metro Rapid Livery. These buses operate on Rapid Lines 705, 711, 715, 734, 745, 750, 780, and 794. Here is NABI 45C #8045 at Warner Center on Line 750, across from the end of the Orange Line:


8400, the first of 300 NABI 45C Compobuses is seen in Downtown LA operating on the Sliver Line:


With the delivery of the 8400s, this will allow for the rest of the first generation Neoplan AN440s to be retired. Here is 4749 on borrowed time at North Hollywood Red Line Station on Line 224:


In 2005, MTA ordered their first Articulated buses since SCRTD purchased MAN artics in 1978. Ironically the number currently used mirrors the MANs numbers (9200-9229). These 9200s are used only on the Orange Line BRT service from North Hollywood to Warner Center. Here is 9208 at Warner Center:


NABI 40LFW #7168 on Line 577 Express: Detroit Diesel Series 50G/Allison B400R:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYxf8VDWsUM

New Flyer C40LF #5390 on Line 450 Express: Detroit Diesel Series 50G/Allison B400R:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4JOq1HkyRY

Now retired Neoplan AN440 #4666 on Line 224: Cummins L10-G/Allison B400R:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5YIJPDIi1U

NABI 45C Compo bus #8228 on Line 150: Cummins ISL-G/Allison B400R:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXoKbLm0tkk

NABI 45C #8045 on Line 750 Rapid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzwxnsvUAYw

NABI 42 BRT Gasoline Electric #4203 on Line 485: Ford Trition V10/ISE Thundervolt:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfSOTeXmvaE

Orion VII #11031 on Line 130: Detroit Diesel Series 50/Allison B400R:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvdB1rmrfAk

NABI 60BRT #9208 on the Orange Line: Cummins L-Gas Plus/Allison B500R:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnJHPKBm7yA

Hear the engines roar with this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt9m_v0H8fM

My Music Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTdwkUd42VM