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| Todays Run and Pics ( 1.3.08 and 1.4.08 ) (82697) | |||
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Todays Run and Pics ( 1.3.08 and 1.4.08 ) |
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Posted by lbt 9415 on Sat Jan 5 03:46:26 2008 1.3.08After spending 1 day off, It was time to start another work week. 130pm-Leave Home 230pm-Arrived at work. socialize with other coworkers and whatnot. 256pm-I sign on to my run. I looked up to see what bus Im assigned. Come to my suprise I have an artic on my run ... # 7406 to be exact. It never dawned to me as to why they would put an artic on the 35 line...but never did I question the window dispatch about it. I go out to the bus ... and ... my bus isnt in the lane. I go back in and inquire about the bus. Its assigned to somebody else, and ...well.. I was given 5312. Theres nothing wrong with 5312 at all. I drive these 5300s 4 out of 5 days/week and would like to have something different. So without any other spares in yard, I go out and pretrip 5312 and do a roundtrip on the 35. The day was uneventful. Pull-in : 700pm Sign out : 706pm Sign-On : 718pm Go out and make the relief on the 76 with 5340 ( ya'll know what it looks like now ). Sign off : 1100pm ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.4.08 Leave Home - 130p Sign On- 245pm. I had to go see base management about a compliment. So i went in the back and recieved my gold OCTA pin... that makes 6 so far in my collection. Afterwards, i go back to the window and ask to switch coaches. Since there were 3 hybrids in the ready lane. I asked for one. I was assigned 5420 ( 1998 NewFlyer DE40LF ). 5419 and 5420 was one of the first hybrid low floor buses manufactured. These buses came with a full top canopy, similar to that of a CNG low flyer. From what I was told me a mechanic, these buses were sent back to NewFlyer several years back and got a smaller canopy for the battery pack and a new Cummins ISB-275HP engine. I got my bus confirmed, went to go take a pee....come out, and some other operator is driving out the yard with my bus. I stood in disbelief. Window coordinator told me to take 5421 ( 2005 GE40LF ). I go out and pre-trip 5421. Started up the bus.... and well, all kinds of lights came on.... 1) A/C Fail Light, 2) Check Engine, 3) ABS Fail, and something else. Two words I could think of was " awww sh-t". I looked up, somebody already took 5312. Turned my head around and here comes 5420 back in the yard. The driver that took my bus mentioned that the "Stop Engine" light came on. Meanwhile he was told to get another bus .. a gillig. On the other hand... since 5420 was mine. A mechanic was nearby and asked him what could be the problem. I was told that since this bus was sitting here for a few days without running, the check engine or stop engine light will come on for a few seconds and thats about it. He checked the engine to make sure everything was ok. after 20 minutes, everything was fine. While he was working on it, the mechanic also told me we have 150 on order and on hold...so we dont know when these will be coming in. Taking his word for it, I take out 5420. This is my first time driving a hybrid low flyer in passenger service. These buses are super fast on take-off like any other hybrid. After a few minutes, learned to be gentle on takeoff. Braking was no problem and was really smooth. Do my roundtrip on the 35. Pull in on-time ... make the relief on the 76. Sign off at 1100pm 5312, the bus thats normally assigned to my run on the 35   5312s Luminator ODK sign. I asked this question in my last TR... does anyone know whats up with the font ?  Fridays bus ... 5420 ( 1998 NewFlyer H40LF ). H stands for hybrid. It wasnt until after NewFlyer came out with Gasoline Electric they they would designate the DE ( Diesel Electric hybrid) and the GE ( Gasoline Electri hybrid )      5420s new seat inserts.     |
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