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MBTA RTSes today

Posted by RIPTA42HopeTunnel on Tue Mar 1 17:41:37 2011

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#0139, the first Nova RTS





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(224312)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by JohnnyMints on Tue Mar 1 19:18:25 2011, in response to MBTA RTSes today, posted by RIPTA42HopeTunnel on Tue Mar 1 17:41:37 2011.

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Nice! Are they still commonplace up there? I know at one time the RTS was pretty much all they had.

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(224334)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by CapitalCruiser on Tue Mar 1 22:51:34 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by JohnnyMints on Tue Mar 1 19:18:25 2011.

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Low Floor New Flyers are the dominate ones there now. RTS's are dinosaurs waiting for the meteor to hit.

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(224343)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by AMoreira81 on Wed Mar 2 00:18:00 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by JohnnyMints on Tue Mar 1 19:18:25 2011.

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They're really long in the tooth now at age 15. I think that they kept the best 125 for now.

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(224350)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by Bee Flexible #823 on Wed Mar 2 01:31:55 2011, in response to MBTA RTSes today, posted by RIPTA42HopeTunnel on Tue Mar 1 17:41:37 2011.

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Awesome pics of some awesome buses!

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(224375)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by RailBus63 on Wed Mar 2 08:33:08 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by JohnnyMints on Tue Mar 1 19:18:25 2011.

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RTS’s still operate out of the Charlestown, Lynn and Quincy garages, but they are pretty much rush hours only. You might find some of the Charlestown buses out during middays.

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(224377)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by RailBus63 on Wed Mar 2 08:34:12 2011, in response to MBTA RTSes today, posted by RIPTA42HopeTunnel on Tue Mar 1 17:41:37 2011.

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Nice job catching an RTS on the 350!

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(224378)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by RailBus63 on Wed Mar 2 08:34:58 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by CapitalCruiser on Tue Mar 1 22:51:34 2011.

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NABI's also dominate in the neighborhoods south of downtown.

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(224385)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by The Flxible Neofan on Wed Mar 2 09:07:46 2011, in response to MBTA RTSes today, posted by RIPTA42HopeTunnel on Tue Mar 1 17:41:37 2011.

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Great photos! I really need to try and catch these buses one day (same thing with the diesel Neoplan AN440LFs). These only run during the week, right? Also, what lines do they tend to run on? The 70 series routes that aren't Trackless Trolleys?

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(224403)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by Q46 LTD Glen Oaks on Wed Mar 2 10:32:00 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by The Flxible Neofan on Wed Mar 2 09:07:46 2011.

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The Neoplans are weekdays only, IIRC they run out of Albany St. They dominate the 57/60/65 so Kenmore is a good place to see them. The CT routes and most of the express buses run them as well.

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(224408)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by Scrabbleship on Wed Mar 2 10:49:05 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by Q46 LTD Glen Oaks on Wed Mar 2 10:32:00 2011.

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At least last summer, I remember a bunch of Neoplans running out of Lynn. Did MBTA move a bunch of buses around since then?

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(224414)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by oldman on Wed Mar 2 11:07:51 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by RailBus63 on Wed Mar 2 08:34:58 2011.

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and I would say that 15 to 20 percent of the NABI's are out of servive

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(224415)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by oldman on Wed Mar 2 11:11:41 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by Scrabbleship on Wed Mar 2 10:49:05 2011.

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nabi's are out of 2 garages (Albany St & Fellsway) which are
monday thru Friday operations

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(224419)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by The Flxible Neofan on Wed Mar 2 11:48:05 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by oldman on Wed Mar 2 11:11:41 2011.

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Neoplans you mean? I do remember riding a NABI on an even 39 trip, but that was about 2 years ago, so things may have changed since then.

Do the RTSs only run out of these garages as well?

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(224422)

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Where to find MBTA buses (Re: MBTA RTSes today)

Posted by RailBus63 on Wed Mar 2 12:34:03 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by The Flxible Neofan on Wed Mar 2 09:07:46 2011.

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ALL TIMES

New Flyer D40LF’s – anywhere on the north side of Boston (Charlestown and Lynn garages) and the South Shore (Quincy garage); also on Cabot garage routes (especially the 22 and 23)

New Flyer DE60LFR’s – route 28 and 39 (yellow buses 1200-1221), Silver Line routes SL4 and SL5 (1222-1224)

NABI 40LFW’s – operate out of Arborway and Cabot garages – locations include downtown, Ruggles, Dudley, Ashmont, Forest Hills, Mattapan; also Albany St. routes (57, 60, 65, 504, 553, 554, etc.) and route 39 on nights and weekends

Neoplan AN460LF’s – routes 39 and SL5 except nights; also route SL4 on weekdays

Neoplan DMA LF dual-modes – Silver Line Waterfront routes SL1 and SL2

Neoplan AN440LF ETB trackless trolleys – routes 71, 72 and 73 weekdays and Saturdays; pull-ins to and from carhouse operate as 77 North Cambridge-Harvard. These routes operate with buses from Charlestown on Sundays.

NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS

New Flyer C40LF’s – Silver buses on SL4 during weekend days; both SL4 and SL5 all evenings. Yellow C40’s (6000-6002 and 6004) only see sporadic use.

WEEKDAYS ONLY -

Neoplan AN440LF’s – operate only from Albany Street and Fellsway garages. Best places to find – for Albany St. buses, downtown Boston, Longwood medical area, Kenmore, Newton Corner, Watertown, Waltham. For Fellsway buses, Wellington, Malden Center, Medford Square, Sullivan, Davis.

RTS’s - As noted previously, only operate from Charlestown, Lynn and Quincy garages

For Charlestown - Typically found on any non-express route during peak hours. RTS's still see occasional use during weekday midday hours, but rarely now on the weekends. Good locations include Harvard Square, Lechmere, Central Square, Sullivan Square, Haymarket, Arlington Center, Alewife, Malden Center, and Davis Square.

Lynn – primarily during rush hours - check out Haymarket, Maverick, Bellingham Square, Salem Center and the Lynn busway.

Quincy - again, best chances are during rush hours. Key locations is Quincy Center, with possible sightings also at Fields Corner and Ashmont. The non-publicized Long Island Hospital route 276 for the homeless is 100 percent RTS, but you would have to hang out at Neponset Circle or get lucky in downtown Boston to see one of these.


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(224423)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by RailBus63 on Wed Mar 2 12:35:05 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by oldman on Wed Mar 2 11:07:51 2011.

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There are ongoing rehab programs at Everett shops (Cabot's fleet) and Midwest Bus (Arborway's fleet).

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(224425)

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Re: Where to find MBTA buses (Re: MBTA RTSes today)

Posted by The Flxible Neofan on Wed Mar 2 12:47:00 2011, in response to Where to find MBTA buses (Re: MBTA RTSes today), posted by RailBus63 on Wed Mar 2 12:34:03 2011.

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Wow, thanks very much for the information! Wait, the ETBs don't run on Sundays? What runs in their place?

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(224427)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by oldman on Wed Mar 2 13:01:00 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by oldman on Wed Mar 2 11:07:51 2011.

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my mistake I say 15 percent of the Neoplans(they're falling like flys

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(224428)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by oldman on Wed Mar 2 13:06:22 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by The Flxible Neofan on Wed Mar 2 11:48:05 2011.

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you are correct on Neoplans

nope rts's are out of Lynn,Quincy,Charlestown mostly
I say 90 percent of the 125 still left
you see alot of rts's doing mid-day service
could be the drivers that like them

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(224429)

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Re: Where to find MBTA buses (Re: MBTA RTSes today)

Posted by RailBus63 on Wed Mar 2 13:13:50 2011, in response to Re: Where to find MBTA buses (Re: MBTA RTSes today), posted by The Flxible Neofan on Wed Mar 2 12:47:00 2011.

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Routes 71 and 73 operate with D40LF's from Charlestown. The 72 is operated on Sundays combined with the 75 diesel route to Belmont, also with D40LF's.

One difference from the trackless operation is that the 71 and 73 load on the upper northbound level of the Harvard busway since the diesel buses do not have left-hand doors like the TT’s. The buses then exit the tunnel from the north portal, turn left and operate on Massachusetts Ave. and Brattle St. through Harvard Square over to Mount Auburn St. to return to the regular trackless route.


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(224431)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by RailBus63 on Wed Mar 2 13:17:51 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by oldman on Wed Mar 2 13:01:00 2011.

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Yes - Fellsway is assigned 76 Neoplans to meet a peak requirement of 49 buses and still has to borrow RTS's from Charlestown at times.

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(224432)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by The Flxible Neofan on Wed Mar 2 13:21:20 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by RailBus63 on Wed Mar 2 13:17:51 2011.

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What is wrong with these Neoplans? Why are they falling apart so easily?

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(224433)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by Scrabbleship on Wed Mar 2 13:31:22 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by The Flxible Neofan on Wed Mar 2 13:21:20 2011.

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Very poor build quality. It'll be interesting to see if the MBTA even bothers giving them a rehab or just decides to wash their hands off of them at 12 and do a mass order to replace them and the NABI's.

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(224457)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by AMoreira81 on Wed Mar 2 15:35:11 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by oldman on Wed Mar 2 11:11:41 2011.

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Don't you mean Arborway and Cabot? Those garages, along with Southampton, can handle CNG buses.

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(224462)

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Re: Where to find MBTA buses (Re: MBTA RTSes today)

Posted by flyerD40LFR9710 on Wed Mar 2 15:51:04 2011, in response to Where to find MBTA buses (Re: MBTA RTSes today), posted by RailBus63 on Wed Mar 2 12:34:03 2011.

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Thanks for the info. I'm taking a trip up to Boston in the next couple of weeks and still need some ideas of places to bus/railfan as well as good photo spots. If anyone else has any suggestions or ideas, feel free to email me.

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(224474)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by RailBus63 on Wed Mar 2 16:19:40 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by Scrabbleship on Wed Mar 2 13:31:22 2011.

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They are planning a midlife overhaul. Bus 0488 has had its Caterpillar C9 engine replaced with a Cummins ISL as a test.

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(224476)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by Scrabbleship on Wed Mar 2 16:40:42 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by RailBus63 on Wed Mar 2 16:19:40 2011.

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Given how the MBTA has HATED the 40' Neoplans, why would they bother? Did they do anything to rehab the similarly fated AM Generals or the Flyer D901's back in the day?

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(224534)

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Re: MBTA RTSes today

Posted by RailBus63 on Wed Mar 2 22:01:19 2011, in response to Re: MBTA RTSes today, posted by Scrabbleship on Wed Mar 2 16:40:42 2011.

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The MBTA needs the Neoplan diesels - they can't afford to replace the RTS's as it is.

The T didn't rehab the AM Generals, but they did do a midlife rebuild on the Flyer D901's in 1987.

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