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Pittsburgh Transit Blog
Topic Started: Aug 27 2009, 06:50 PM (21,960 Views)
MichaelBug
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Jayayess1190
Mar 29 2011, 02:28 PM
Also the Nova's are dwindling, I've only seen two this week from walking around in Oakland.
I also saw a few Novas on Friday...those still in their original white/red are really looking sad. With Harmar Garage being mothballed, I wouldn't be surprised if that's the excuse Port Authority needs to park the Novas for good.
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Tritransit Area
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The Novas really looked great in the newer scheme, especially in the Navy Blue and Forest Green....ooh!

I shall miss them :(.
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Jayayess1190
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Today I went out to Charleroi and Donora on Mid Mon Valley's Commuter Route A (long ride) with members of Transit2Talk (a Pittsburgh transit forum) and we got to go in the new garage and take photos, plus see one of the brand new coaches they bought for commuter. I have no pics of them since we weren't allowed to take photos of them since MMVTA is not too happy with them and they may be going back. They are pretty cool as they are like 40ft mini coach buses, not MCI's but built to mimic them (they have commuter seats, luggage racks, and the farebox will be in a weird place, right in front of the front left side seats). Whatever new buses they get has to be able to fit into the transit tunnel between Station Square and South Hills Junction. But I do have photos of the other buses. Unfortunately on this trip, both going there and coming back was on Gillig Advantage's, wished we could have rode an RTS. Though the Gillig's sounded pretty good with ISL/B400R power train.

Photos to be uploaded to the gallery soon! And also I lucked out because coming back from downtown to Pitt I got a Nova on the 71A, it was also the first bus to show up. So they still run sparingly (and at night).

BTW here are some photos of the new MMVTA buses, they were not taken by me, and not on this trip: Link. When we saw them today they were painted and the seats were in.
Edited by Jayayess1190, Apr 5 2011, 07:46 PM.
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I...dunno what the high constraints are in that tunnel, but how is that bus going to fit? Plus, they are going through all of that trouble for a coach that seats 40? A 1 door Gillig LF can seat that much.

It's too bad Gillig discontinued the Phantoms, because a good standard floor suburban express bus would be great for them (and Orion discontinued the V, and Neoplan USA was just discontinued). A Prevost X3-45 bus may be good for MMVTA as well, since they are shorter than MCI D series coaches (and they could piggy-back off of New York's test order). Maybe a NABI 416 would work...but I dunno if they want to deal with that mess, lol.

Thanks for the link to the pictures; this sure is interesting...
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Jayayess1190
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What is this, and who owns it? A white bus, was turning left into the 5th Ave bus lane (sorry the photo is out of focus):

Posted Image

I will look for it again tomorrow. I think it is an Eldorado?
Edited by Jayayess1190, Apr 14 2011, 05:32 PM.
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I have no idea who owns it, but it appears to be a Blue Bird Xcel 102: http://www.romanchariot.net/buses/bluebirdxcel102.html

I guess this bus is no longer being produced...they are hard to find...
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Nabi60SFW9620
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I believe that is true. The Blue Bird Xcel 102 is no longer being produced. That could be one reason Gilligs are now dominating pre modified school bus transit agencies. And I honestly wouldnt be surprised if Gillig Advantages started running in Ocean City MD.
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Nabi60SFW9620
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I got less then 2 weeks left til my trip to Pittsburgh. Right now as it stands that Saturday I do plan to take a morning drive through downtown Pittsburgh before everyone starts to go out. Probably sometime around 8am. Depending on what time I get up Saturday morning. Since the less traffic there is the easier it is to drive around. But anyway. I cant wait until this trip.
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ctrabs74
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Jayayess1190
Apr 14 2011, 05:32 PM
What is this, and who owns it? A white bus, was turning left into the 5th Ave bus lane (sorry the photo is out of focus):

I will look for it again tomorrow. I think it is an Eldorado?
For some reason, I'm thinking it's one of those new custom built buses being tested by MMVTA. Don't hold me to it, but that's just my guess.
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Jayayess1190
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ctrabs74
Apr 20 2011, 12:54 AM
Jayayess1190
Apr 14 2011, 05:32 PM
What is this, and who owns it? A white bus, was turning left into the 5th Ave bus lane (sorry the photo is out of focus):

I will look for it again tomorrow. I think it is an Eldorado?
For some reason, I'm thinking it's one of those new custom built buses being tested by MMVTA. Don't hold me to it, but that's just my guess.
It's not, I've been to the garage and seen those.
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