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History: Septa's Gmc Rts Buses Ctd
Topic Started: Sep 14 2005, 09:48 PM (2,329 Views)
NeoArtic7101
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rest in peace to all AN440's that ran the Philadelphia area streets
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with a V730 tranny or V731 tranny they kind of sound like the 6V92 in a way.
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philabob1
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Foamer
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silverliner_2
Sep 16 2005, 01:45 AM
Then came the Neoplan invasion of the mid-1980's, and by the time 1986 rolled around, the RTS buses were all concentrated in 4 depots: Callowhill, Allegheny, Red Arrow, and Luzerne (4458-4470 only).

And then when some additional 1300's were reassigned to Luzerne, the 4400's were banished to Allegheny. And those were the first ones to be retired in the mid-1990's before the Ikarus invasion.

The last RTS's in revenue service were a handful out of Allegheny; I believe Tom Collins of SEPTA's Schedules Section was aboard the trip that turned out to be the last revenue run of an RTS on Route 33.[/big]
A couple of observations.

I don't recall Allegheny having any 35' buses until 3 of the Neo 1300's were moved there possibly in the early 90's (could have been '92 when Germantown closed). For some reason 35 had always been a Luzerne route (this may date back to when it was the Z and ran to Broad & Erie) but it moved to Allegheny around that time (and moved back to Midvale a few years ago). I recall the 4400's occasionally serving 35 when they were at Luzerne (more often than not the 35 got a 1200-series rehabbed fishbowl) but I don't ever recall the 4400's being assigned to Allegheny.

I also recall that the 4400's seemed to hang around longer than the other RTS's, especially those that went to Victory.

The RTS's were a mainstay on 33 at the time. 33 was split between Allegheny and Luzerne, so you got either an RTS or a rehabbed fishbowl. Neos from either depot were rare on 33 for some reason.

The first Neos got the 'fade' scheme in '97 (I recall seeing 3403 which was possibly the first one to get this scheme about that time). I doubt any RTS got it since they were on the way out then and the NABI's sent them packing.

A note about the NABI's - they were specified to get the white window-area paint that SEPTA had started to use on the Neos in late '93/early '94 (I recall that 8654 was one of the earliest if not the first to get this). A higher-up at SEPTA made a last-minute decision to have the window areas get the black treatment and they were all delivered that way. The window areas went back to white with the first rehab. Also, they were fitted with an illuminated SEPTA 'S' to the curbside of the front destination sign, presumably to let riders know this was a SEPTA bus coming at them at night. I think I saw this working on them maybe 4 or 5 times.
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Septa_kid
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What if...
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NeoArtic7101
Oct 3 2008, 07:10 PM
with a V730 tranny or V731 tranny they kind of sound like the 6V92 in a way.
Really, that's cool (about the engines). Anyway, for some reason, I recall seeing a RTS on the 65, the problem It could be a memory from my baby years so I can't rely on it but I should ask was there ever RTS's on the 65, and did the RTS's have the red and blue seats that the Neoplan's have?
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CACrafter88bk2504
Transit Historian
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philabob1
Oct 4 2008, 03:44 PM
silverliner_2
Sep 16 2005, 01:45 AM
Then came the Neoplan invasion of the mid-1980's, and by the time 1986 rolled around, the RTS buses were all concentrated in 4 depots: Callowhill, Allegheny, Red Arrow, and Luzerne (4458-4470 only).

And then when some additional 1300's were reassigned to Luzerne, the 4400's were banished to Allegheny. And those were the first ones to be retired in the mid-1990's before the Ikarus invasion.

The last RTS's in revenue service were a handful out of Allegheny; I believe Tom Collins of SEPTA's Schedules Section was aboard the trip that turned out to be the last revenue run of an RTS on Route 33.[/big]
A couple of observations.

I don't recall Allegheny having any 35' buses until 3 of the Neo 1300's were moved there possibly in the early 90's (could have been '92 when Germantown closed). For some reason 35 had always been a Luzerne route (this may date back to when it was the Z and ran to Broad & Erie) but it moved to Allegheny around that time (and moved back to Midvale a few years ago). I recall the 4400's occasionally serving 35 when they were at Luzerne (more often than not the 35 got a 1200-series rehabbed fishbowl) but I don't ever recall the 4400's being assigned to Allegheny.

I also recall that the 4400's seemed to hang around longer than the other RTS's, especially those that went to Victory.

The RTS's were a mainstay on 33 at the time. 33 was split between Allegheny and Luzerne, so you got either an RTS or a rehabbed fishbowl. Neos from either depot were rare on 33 for some reason.

The first Neos got the 'fade' scheme in '97 (I recall seeing 3403 which was possibly the first one to get this scheme about that time). I doubt any RTS got it since they were on the way out then and the NABI's sent them packing.

A note about the NABI's - they were specified to get the white window-area paint that SEPTA had started to use on the Neos in late '93/early '94 (I recall that 8654 was one of the earliest if not the first to get this). A higher-up at SEPTA made a last-minute decision to have the window areas get the black treatment and they were all delivered that way. The window areas went back to white with the first rehab. Also, they were fitted with an illuminated SEPTA 'S' to the curbside of the front destination sign, presumably to let riders know this was a SEPTA bus coming at them at night. I think I saw this working on them maybe 4 or 5 times.
3452 was one of the first buses to get the NABI paintscheme in 1997. I rode this bus on the 33 on Saturday December 20, 1997. 3452 was a Frontier to Allegheny transplant. 3452 may have left Frontier in it's as delivered paint scheme, got rehabbed before it got deployed for service @ Allegheny.

3456 & 3465 never got the 93-94 paint scheme & 3465 was one of the buses to receive the "fade scheme" later in the process(perhaps, in 2000!).

8654? You may be right(8654 & 8698 got the same treatment & kept the ripple engine covers). 8754 got this treatment in the summer of 1993 but 8754 lost it's ripple engine cover & white bulkhead in the process, & was re-assigned to Southern.

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TRANSIT_FREAK
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to Life, Love & LOOT
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Van2006ko
Sep 29 2008, 09:45 AM
As far as this thread, its been posted three years ago and theres so much infomation on there that needs to be added. Expect a page on the website in the near future.

Can you put the specifications for the Historic fleet on that page?
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