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| PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System (79103) | |
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| (79103) | |
PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 00:30:13 2007 Below are some older photos of Phoenix Transit System.3514 - October 1994 (My photo)  4401 (Unknown photographer)   4538 - June 1988 (My photo)  4755 (Flxible photo)  4770  4785 - October 1994 (My photo)  4835 - October 1994 (My photo)  7003  7018 - October 1994 (My photo)  7051 - June 1988 (My photo) 
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Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by The Port of Authority on Wed Dec 5 00:34:34 2007, in response to PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 00:30:13 2007. Why is there an AM General plaque on what is clearly a MAN artic? |
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| (79110) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 00:49:00 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by The Port of Authority on Wed Dec 5 00:34:34 2007. The first MAN's in 1978-79 were a joint venture with AM General.SCRTD (Los Angeles) 9200-9229 AC Transit (CA) 1600-1629 San Diego Transit (CA) 1001-1045 Golden Gate Transit (CA) 451-460 Twin Cities (MN) 1000-1019 PAT (PA) 3000-3019 CTA (IL) 7000-7019 MARTA (GA) 1601-1610 WMATA (DC) 5001-5043 Phoenix (AZ) 7101-7120 Seattle (WA) 1400-1550 |
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| (79111) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by The Port of Authority on Wed Dec 5 00:55:01 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 00:49:00 2007. I never knew that, thanks for the information. |
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| (79112) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by phxtusbusfan on Wed Dec 5 00:56:40 2007, in response to PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 00:30:13 2007. Thanks for the photos!Seems like October 1994 was a rather interesting time to be a bus fan in the Phoenix area. Sadly it appears that all of the buses in these photos are retired now (except for possibly that 1994 D40LF in the 8th photo which may still be around). |
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| (79117) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by PATransit on Wed Dec 5 05:10:13 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 00:49:00 2007. Aww man do I remember ours (PATs) we had some Funky schemes on ours..Memories. |
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| (79118) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by PATransit on Wed Dec 5 06:09:03 2007, in response to PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 00:30:13 2007. what are the things on the front of some of those buses? Bike Racks from the 80s? |
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| (79123) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by roscoman1986 on Wed Dec 5 08:15:48 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by PATransit on Wed Dec 5 06:09:03 2007. Yep, those were the first bike racks in Phoenix, and possibly some of the first in the United States. They were installed in 1992. Around 2000, the common "Sportworks" bike rack started replacing these old time bike racks. I believe there are still some buses out there in Phoenix that have these old bike racks, but they are getting replaced (especially on our NABI buses that are getting rehabbed).I really like the "new" standard bike racks. The old bike racks were made in Arizona (which explains why I have only seen them in Valley Metro service), were low to the ground, and held the bike using velcro that had decayed over the years. Real pain in the ass and I am happy to see them gone. |
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| (79125) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by roscoman1986 on Wed Dec 5 08:27:51 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by phxtusbusfan on Wed Dec 5 00:56:40 2007. Yep, the early 1990s were great from what I see. I regret not being a busfan back then especially with the diversity of the equipment and how fast some of it went.The Flxible New Looks lasted until 1994 and then were retired. The AM Generals lasted until 1996 and then were retired. However, 1998 was the hardest year for busfans as 35 MAN artics (including the 1979 MAN artics and 1984 MAN artics) were withdrawn from service, as well as the Flxible Metros and some of the 1979 RTS buses. They did this in order to make the entire fleet wheelchair accessable at the expense of removing articulated buses from the fleet, and the 1983 Flxible buses were inaccessable. From what I hear they rebuilt some 1979 RTS buses and they survived until 2002 (!). Too bad in 1998 they removed 35 artics from the fleet and put the remaining ones on East Valley express routes. Very few crosstown trips in Phoenix from 1998-2004 used artics. In 2004, they got the East Valley routes taken over so the (by then D60LF) artics could be reassigned to busy crosstown routes. Only this year was Phoenix able to increase their articulated bus fleet to 50 artics and now is at an all-time high (including the 10 60-BRTs). However, for years they had to make do with 21 artics down from a high of 56. |
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| (79128) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by roscoman1986 on Wed Dec 5 08:37:12 2007, in response to PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 00:30:13 2007. Great pictures! Very classic and brings back some memories of the 1990s! I came to Phoenix in 1993 and wasn't a busfan until 2001, so I kinda miss those days. I do remember though seeing the New Flyer D40LFs when they were new, as well as the AM Generals.Two questions: (1) When did the route structure change to what it is today (it appears sometime in the late 1980s judging by the fact that in 1988 route 3-Van Buren existed) and (2) did all the buses in the fleet (including the Flxibles) get their rollsigns (or earlier electronic signs) replaced by Vultron electronic signs by the 1990s? |
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| (79129) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by roscoman1986 on Wed Dec 5 08:41:47 2007, in response to PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 00:30:13 2007. Also, please keep 'em coming if you have any more! |
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| (79132) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 10:44:13 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by roscoman1986 on Wed Dec 5 08:37:12 2007. I'm not sure about the routes, will have to do some checking in my files for that info.Yes, the did change all of the signs to Vultron, which at the time was thier 'standard' sign.A few years ago they standardized on TwinVision (I saw it in a report somewhere that went to the board). The original MAN's came with a two pice sign on the front, a roll for the strret side, and a digital one for the route number on the front, side and rear. It was by Transign, model Destinator. In the picture of 7003 you can see it. If you looked closely you could see that they were divided up into 8 sections. I won't go into detail about them, as it is a lot. But if poeple request, I'll make a separate post about them. Some of the old Flyer's also came with that type of sign, like Seattle's. |
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| (79133) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 10:52:36 2007, in response to PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 00:30:13 2007. Received this from transitbusfan who asked me to post it. It is 6451 with Tico, done in Photoshop.
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| (79134) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by mailmannaz on Wed Dec 5 11:01:44 2007, in response to PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 00:30:13 2007. RTS 4401 is on display at Central Station in downtown Phoenix. It is on display in fenced-in area along with an old streetcar and I believe an old Twin Coach bus. That is basically the Phoenix Transit Museum. Too bad they didn't save some other models. I remember when I moved to Arizona in 1979 seeing GM Old Look buses with A/C running. I think they retired them around the early 1980's. Also, I remember GM New Looks being very rare here as the fleet was dominated by AM Generals as well as New Look Flxbles. Wish I would've taken pics back then. If you have more pics, keep em coming!!Also, for the guy looking for pics of "TICO" you will notice they are on some of the older pics. |
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| (79140) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by The Port of Authority on Wed Dec 5 12:52:03 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 10:52:36 2007. Heh, nice. Although the sun looks more like a pumpkin than anything else... |
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| (79142) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by roscoman1986 on Wed Dec 5 14:03:03 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 10:44:13 2007. Now I can see why they changed over to Vultron signs (especially after the route number restructuring). I guess Phoenix Transit added names to their route numbers (3-Van Buren, 0-Central, 17-McDowell) in addition to the destination: e.g. 17-McDowell/To Granite Reef, 7-7th Street/To Union Hills, etc. Since they couldn't fit both the route name and the destination onto a single rollsign (since it would have been too small) I guess they wanted to switch to Vultron so they could flip back between the route name/number and the destination. It appears in the interim they placed the destination in a tiny, hard to read placard while the route number and name remained on the rollsign. |
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| (79143) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by roscoman1986 on Wed Dec 5 14:17:10 2007, in response to PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 00:30:13 2007. A few comments that I forgot to add:1. I remember when the FLASH was RTS. I thought though that it was operated by secondhand RTS-03 buses, but I guess I was wrong in that case and it was actually operated by Phoenix because Tempe had no buses of its own. When I was in 2nd and 3rd grade my school went down to the Arizona State University Planetarium (which is still there) and I remember seeing the FLASH buses and remembering how they stood out compared to the other buses. IIRC in 1998 they were replaced with Tempe's own buses and the old 35-foot FLASH RTS buses went back to Phoenix and were repainted in Valley Metro colors. Only had the chance to ride the 1989 35-foot RTS buses once before they were gone this year. 2. Even in 1994 it looks like that AM General bus has side rollsigns while the front appears to be blank (but a Vultron sign). I guess they couldn't fit a Vultron sign in the small side window next to the entrance. 3. I like the shot of the MAN SG-220 in front of Park Central. Both are gone (the SG-220s were retired in 1998 because they were inaccessible, and Park Central has no more department stores). That shot looks like either 1979 or early 1980s judging by the cars and the route number (now it is the unique route 0). |
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| (79146) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 14:37:17 2007, in response to PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 00:30:13 2007. Forgot this one.....9473 
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| (79147) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 14:38:00 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 14:37:17 2007. Sorry, should have been with Tucson. |
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| (79149) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by lbt 9415 on Wed Dec 5 14:39:09 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 14:37:17 2007. oh wow thats something rare....a CNG Orion II.Are these originals or did they come from Long Beach Transit ? |
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| (79151) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by busdude2 on Wed Dec 5 14:42:20 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 14:37:17 2007. What the hell was orion thinking of with that UGLY thing ? Nice photo though. |
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| (79154) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by phxtusbusfan on Wed Dec 5 14:54:01 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by lbt 9415 on Wed Dec 5 14:39:09 2007. I believe that these were originals ordered by Sun Tran direct from Orion. |
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| (79157) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by Bingham C50 on Wed Dec 5 15:00:01 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by roscoman1986 on Wed Dec 5 08:15:48 2007. "I really like the "new" standard bike racks. The old bike racks were made in Arizona (which explains why I have only seen them in Valley Metro service), were low to the ground, and held the bike using velcro that had decayed over the years. Real pain in the ass and I am happy to see them gone."I agree. Although not a fan of bike racks, I find that the newer ones are much more attractive and less intrusive to the overall bus body design. |
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| (79158) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 15:00:04 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by lbt 9415 on Wed Dec 5 14:39:09 2007. Phoenix got 15 of these CNG between 1989-1994, 2000-2014Tucson got 5 in 1994, 9470-9475, also CNG. |
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| (79166) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by roscoman1986 on Wed Dec 5 15:40:56 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 15:00:04 2007. http://www.showbus.co.uk/gallery/foreign/usa/vm2.htm These are some pics, here is the roster from western-transit.com:1989 Orion 02.502 number 2000: This was a shorter Orion II, I think it could have been a prototype of some sort, run in Dial-A-Ride service, or something else. I don't know what happened to it but it was not on the roster by the year 2000. It was not CNG-powered IIRC. 1990 Orion 2.501 numbers 2001-2006: These were the original DASH buses and were the same model as seen in the picture above. They were withdrawn in November 2001 after the current ElDorados replaced them. I never got a chance to ride on but I remember them running around downtown Phoenix. The original DASH scheme was a modification of the old Phoenix Transit scheme as well. They were not CNG-powered according to Western Transit. 1992 Orion 2.501 numbers 2007-2008: I believe that these were DASH suppliments of some sort when they extended the DASH service to the State Capitol. The State Capitol service only ran from 11AM-2PM until 2001, when it was extended for the entire service period. Before that it short turned at 15th Ave I recall. They were probably built to the same specs as the 1990 buses. 1994 Orion 2.501 CNG numbers 2009-2014. I saw a picture of one of these from an old newsletter and I believe these were either owned by Phoenix or Tempe, but nevertheless used for FLASH service. I never remember these buses but according to Western Transit two were sold in 1996 to OC Transpo as 9651-9652. The other four buses could have lasted until 1998 or so (no later than that), but I don't remember exactly. These buses were ordered under Valley Metro rather than Phoenix Transit System but they still had Vultron signs. Also, in 1994 a "Specialty Vehicles" electric bus (I saw this in a newsletter) started DASH service around downtown Phoenix. I believe this vehicle may have lasted until 2001 as well. |
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| (79168) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by roscoman1986 on Wed Dec 5 15:53:58 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 15:00:04 2007. http://www.showbus.co.uk/gallery/foreign/usa/vm2.htm These are some pics, here is the roster from western-transit.com:1989 Orion 02.502 number 2000: This was a shorter Orion II, I think it could have been a prototype of some sort, run in Dial-A-Ride service, or something else. I don't know what happened to it but it was not on the roster by the year 2000. It was not CNG-powered IIRC. 1990 Orion 2.501 numbers 2001-2006: These were the original DASH buses and were the same model as seen in the picture above. They were withdrawn in November 2001 after the current ElDorados replaced them. I never got a chance to ride on but I remember them running around downtown Phoenix. The original DASH scheme was a modification of the old Phoenix Transit scheme as well. They were not CNG-powered according to Western Transit. 1992 Orion 2.501 numbers 2007-2008: I believe that these were DASH suppliments of some sort when they extended the DASH service to the State Capitol. The State Capitol service only ran from 11AM-2PM until 2001, when it was extended for the entire service period. Before that it short turned at 15th Ave I recall. They were probably built to the same specs as the 1990 buses. 1994 Orion 2.501 CNG numbers 2009-2014. I saw a picture of one of these from an old newsletter and I believe these were either owned by Phoenix or Tempe, but nevertheless used for FLASH service. I never remember these buses but according to Western Transit two were sold in 1996 to OC Transpo as 9651-9652. The other four buses could have lasted until 1998 or so (no later than that), but I don't remember exactly. These buses were ordered under Valley Metro rather than Phoenix Transit System but they still had Vultron signs. Also, in 1994 a "Specialty Vehicles" electric bus (I saw this in a newsletter) started DASH service around downtown Phoenix. I believe this vehicle may have lasted until 2001 as well. |
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| (79169) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by roscoman1986 on Wed Dec 5 15:57:33 2007, in response to PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 00:30:13 2007. One last thing: The 1979 MAN artics ended up in Orlando apparently after retirement with Coach USA and the 1984 MAN artics remained in Phoenix as parts sources because they were not accessable. I don't think they are in service anymore down there, but I saw a picture and recognized that thing on top of 7018 (aftermarket A/C?). Also, I heard that the 1985 MAN artics had restrooms at one time but they were locked and removed. They were located in the area where there is no window (on the last photo on the driver's side of 7051). I don't know if this is true, but I always thought that was where some mechanical stuff was housed. |
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| (79198) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by Eric B on Wed Dec 5 22:19:18 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by mailmannaz on Wed Dec 5 11:01:44 2007. Thanks!Funny, as I first read this thread on my phone; I thought the "V" on some of the buses was the Tico also; especially viewed at an angle. I guess the way sombrero is tipped, it does look like a V, especially when viewd at an angle; and with "Metro" written across the V, it looks kind of like the "face", though white intead of the black sunglasses. |
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| (79199) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by Eric B on Wed Dec 5 22:25:00 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by The Port of Authority on Wed Dec 5 12:52:03 2007. When I first saw a picture of Tico on a new RTS 27 years ago; I thought it was a drawing of a space shuttle taking off. I had thought that the bus was maybe some Cape Canaveral service or something. (The new slopeback RTS looked so futuristic; like something you saw in places like that, or Disney, or airports).Just look at it without paying attention to the details, and the hat looks like the shuttle, the eyes like the rockets, and the sun itself like the fire it leaves behind. |
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| (79206) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by T8H5307N on Wed Dec 5 23:17:48 2007, in response to Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by mailmannaz on Wed Dec 5 11:01:44 2007. There still is that Flxible New Look over at the fire department training facility in Tempe..... |
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| (79331) | |
Re: PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System |
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Posted by transitbusfan on Thu Dec 6 22:06:43 2007, in response to PHOTOS - Phoenix Transit System, posted by SignGuy on Wed Dec 5 00:30:13 2007. Nice old Phoenix Transit System buses with Tico |
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