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The former "Ben Frankline" fleet; Neoplan #3440-3449
Topic Started: Dec 21 2006, 03:56 PM (1,818 Views)
The Bikeyorph
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This afternoon at Frankford I saw the following Neos:

3372, 3440 and 3489 off-duty
3395 parked outside signed for route 440
3434 on the 75
3483 on the 73

Then I caught 3443 on the 8. Oddly enough, the extra route sign on the front was uncovered, and was trying to display something. I couldn't tell if it was a 0, O, D, or 8.

I also saw 5532 (the one with the squished sign) on the 66.

Split from its original thread
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CACrafter88bk2504
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1989 Neo EZ Transits 3440-3449 were assigned to Callowhill upon arrival & used solely for the 76, up until the mid 1990s. The 76 was labled "The Ben Frankline".
3440-3449 had 2 piece destination signs, the route # in the extra sign, the destination in the regular sign. 3440-3449 were used for revenue & tourist purposes in Central Philadelphia.
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The Bikeyorph
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CACrafter88bk2504
Dec 21 2006, 05:10 PM
1989 Neo EZ Transits 3440-3449 were assigned to Callowhill upon arrival & used solely for the 76, up until the mid 1990s. The 76 was labled "The Ben Frankline".
3440-3449 had 2 piece destination signs, the route # in the extra sign, the destination in the regular sign. 3440-3449 were used for revenue & tourist purposes in Central Philadelphia.

Yeah but I thought those were all covered over with SEPTA logos.
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Tritransit Area
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The Bikeyorph
Dec 21 2006, 05:15 PM
CACrafter88bk2504
Dec 21 2006, 05:10 PM
1989 Neo EZ Transits 3440-3449 were assigned to Callowhill upon arrival & used solely for the 76, up until the mid 1990s. The 76 was labled "The Ben Frankline".
3440-3449 had 2 piece destination signs, the route # in the extra sign, the destination in the regular sign. 3440-3449 were used for revenue & tourist purposes in Central Philadelphia.

Yeah but I thought those were all covered over with SEPTA logos.

They were covered with logo signs.

I never personally saw any of the extra route number signs work (of course, I never really saw rt 76 that much either). I'm guessing you saw a 0, as that what they seemed to end up being stuck on.

The first time I saw one of these Neos, it said "0 NOT IN SERVICE", which I thought kind of made sense. When I started seeing "0 31 76-CITY", then I knew something was up.

Then they started putting pieces of paper over the bad part of the sign until I guess the last overhaul or something, where logos were applied.
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Van2006ko
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Well I've seen the route 76 working to its full potential back in the day, as well as the rear signs on the Red Arrow DK fleet of Neoplans. Most of the Neoplans didn't receive the SEPTA logo stickers until they underwent overhaul.
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MichaelB
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Actually, 3440-3449 were briefly assigned to Southern in the late fall/early winter of 1989-90 when they were brand new. They were not delivered with the 2-piece destination sign from Neoplan. That only came after they were reassigned to Callowhill for the 76 BenFrankline operation in the early spring of 1990.

Other changes to the 3440's made at that time included a special "Route 76" kite-shaped logo decal in place of the front SEPTA S logo on both sides of the bus, addition of a special tape-recorded tour program (meant to be played en route) & removal of the right-side seat just forward of the back door (which was replaced with a brochure rack for tourist information).

Several of the Route 76 blocks with the 3440's also covered a trip or two on Route 21 in the AM peak hour. (There are several pictures of these taken by me in the Photo Gallery on PTV.) At that time, this was the only way to ride a Neoplan on the 21, the route otherwise nearly 100% covered by RTS buses. (The DK Neoplans did not have W/C lifts & were thus never assigned by Callowhill to the 21 or 42.)

Michael B.
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newflyer_8008
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I gaurentee you if they put that route back it would get a lot of people. Even if they wanted to can put an eldorado on it, but those things are very uncommon in center city. Hell, they put a eldorado on every route that dont need one.....Midvale....Tsk, Tsk, Tsk
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New Flyer 8000
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As of this posting. The only surviving Route #76 "Ben Frankline Buses" are #3440, #3443 and #3446.
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TRANSIT_FREAK
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I have a picture of 3446...
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NewFlyer8000
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The #3440-3449 group was actually at Southern before going to Callowhill. I rode #3445 on Route 7 and #3446 on Route 68. Route 76 did opearate at it's full potential back then unlike the ill-fated Center City Spree route that replaced it. Darryl Bulls
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