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Its so cute!

 
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timecruncher



Age: 73
Joined: 23 Dec 2008
Posts: 456
Location: Louisville, Kentucky

PostPosted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 5:05 pm    Post subject: Its so cute! Reply with quote

Newly delivered to Lexington, KY, heart of the Bluegrass. Yet another Gillig low floor, workforce of transit systems everywhere and sorely needed in Lexington to replace the accursed Thomas SLF units they have had for close to nine years.





There are four more of these, along with two 35-foot hybrids, waiting for tags and camera installation before being placed into service. The color scheme with silver as a base instead of what I refer to as "transit white," is a nice change after many years of what is probably one of the more boring color schemes anywhere.

One of the soon-to-be-replaced SLF units on the 20 Masterson Station route. I spent almost six hours riding in this creature, and I can tell you without hesitation that the designer of this bus, nor the manufacturer ever rode this miserable excuse for a bus for more than a few minutes sober!



I especially like the way the rear suspension sags slightly. This is the way they were delivered.

Several southern systems bought these, probably because of low-ball bidding by Thomas, who sells a lot of school buses down south, but LexTran and TARTA up in Toledo are still stuck with them. LexTran's units have Mercedes-Benz diesels in them, by the way.

Good idea, maybe. Bad execution? Yuppers.

timecruncher
Schedulers give you the runs!


Last edited by timecruncher on Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:44 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Mr. Linsky
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 12:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

T.C.

Great photos.

We have a little cutie pie bus out here in L.A. for service on the # 218 Line over the hill from West Hollywood to the Valley.

It's one of a number of NABI 31LFW.02's which are or were under contract with MV Transportation.

Photo taken and owned by this writer.

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

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RailBus63
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Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 1063

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice shots, Cliff. I like the paint scheme and the fact that Lextran includes the authority's name and website address but avoided the use of any slogans or other superflous nonsense that only a PR person could love.

Jim D.
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Q65A



Age: 66
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 1764
Location: Central NJ

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 9:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cute buses all!
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timecruncher



Age: 73
Joined: 23 Dec 2008
Posts: 456
Location: Louisville, Kentucky

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LexTran has a suprisingly well-connected ridership. Like all small-city systems, they carry the dregs as well, but their riders are loyal and most routes are well-patronized. Those that are not are being addressed to try and get folks interested in riding them!

One of the things LexTran does is to stage "wildcat" buses downtown off-street from the transit center during weekday peak hours to cover for trips that are delayed. This provides a seamless schedule for riders who might be affected by a delay caused by route blockage, mechanical problems, etc.

Fortunately, after the timecruncher crunched their schedules, the wilcat buses are not needed as much (yay!), but the commitment to the people waiting at the bus stop is a big plus, in my opinion. Lots of bigger transit systems could learn from these people!

timecruncher
It is not wise to arrive at a timepoint 5 minutes early when the scheduler is standing there waiting to board...
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Q65A



Age: 66
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 1764
Location: Central NJ

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 3:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It sounds as if LexTran runs a well-operated system.
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dsevil



Age: 50
Joined: 10 Dec 2009
Posts: 24
Location: Louisville, KY

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 3:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do the shortie Gilligs in Lexington have all the seats facing sideways like the ones in Louisville? Nice photos as always!
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timecruncher



Age: 73
Joined: 23 Dec 2008
Posts: 456
Location: Louisville, Kentucky

PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 9:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes. Its the same seating arrangement, although the seats are of the newer-design ones like in TARC's 2900-series.

This is necessitated by the ADA requirement of two tiedowns in the low floor section of the bus.

Give the guvvamint a bit of time and they will manage to screw up every tiny detail of the mass transit business!

timecruncher
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dsevil



Age: 50
Joined: 10 Dec 2009
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Location: Louisville, KY

PostPosted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 8:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If I remember correctly almost every seat on our baby Gilligs except for the back row is facing sideways, including some on the high-floor section; I'm not sure how that ADA requirement means almost every seat (and not just those ones up front behind the wheel wells) has to face sideways...
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RailBus63
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 7:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dsevil wrote:
If I remember correctly almost every seat on our baby Gilligs except for the back row is facing sideways, including some on the high-floor section; I'm not sure how that ADA requirement means almost every seat (and not just those ones up front behind the wheel wells) has to face sideways...


Perhaps the intent of the all-sideways seating arrangement is to provide more standing room in the event a large the bus has to be used on a run with heavier patronage - better to have some riders standing than to leave them behind.
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timecruncher



Age: 73
Joined: 23 Dec 2008
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Location: Louisville, Kentucky

PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 9:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It happens, unfortunately.

No, the radial seating in the upper section is due to wheel wells. The only way you can get forward-facing seats upstairs on a 30-foot low floor is to have yet another false floor above floor level so that the wheel wells aren't an issue.

TANK's 29-foot Gilligs are set up this way up in northern Kentucky. Theirs have no center doors, either, so there are forward facing seats on the curb side where the front door would be otherwise. Its a long climb up into the sky for those wishing to ride facing forward in the rear section, and just as far for them to fall down when they get up to disembark.

Funny, as a kid, the seat next to the front door on the curb side of Louisville Transit's buses was "my" seat. I loved it up there because I could watch all of the manipulation of door controls, brake, throttle, farebox, the driver making change out of those huge brass and stainless steel changers, etc. Now, with grabby transmission retarders and poorly-trained bus operators who don't know how to start or stop a bus without jerking passengers around, I want to puke if I have to ride sideways for long!

timecruncher
Google Transit THIS
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dsevil



Age: 50
Joined: 10 Dec 2009
Posts: 24
Location: Louisville, KY

PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

timecruncher wrote:
No, the radial seating in the upper section is due to wheel wells.


Thank you, Cliff, for patiently answering what turned out to be one of the dumbest questions that I have ever asked in my life (well, when you think about it).

*the dsevil smacks his own forehead*
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