Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Home | News | Site Map
Frequently asked about links:

Active Topics Around the Forums

Current SEPTA's Bus & Light Rail Assignments by Depot (includes Norristown High Speed Line)
Push Pull Assignments
Vehicle Overhaul Status Page
We hope you enjoy your visit.

You're currently viewing our forum as a guest.

Join our community!

If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Old Neo's question; Neo's
Topic Started: Oct 28 2010, 09:30 AM (1,757 Views)
TransitLovinPhillyCop
Occasional Rider
[ *  *  * ]
The old Neoplan buses, they were really around for 26 years? I remember when they came out, replacing the old flxibles I believe. Now the ones that were around all that time <3300, 3400 etc if i'm correct>, they were all the actual original buses? Amazing, any idea how many miles that had racked up? And I'm assuming that they all had to have gone thru a few engines each? And if so, as impressive as that is, weren't their predecessors, Flxibles around for even longer?
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Tritransit Area
Member Avatar
Transit Enthusiast
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Oh, the last ones were from 1989. That would be impressive if they were originals! However, the model was purchased since 1982, kind of like our New Flyer fleet today.

I don't think the Flxibles were around for an epic amount of time. Weren't they from 1974, retired by 1989?
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
MichaelBug
Advanced Transit Fan
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
SEPTA's first Neoplans (8285-8434) arrived in 1982 & basically replaced the oldest ex-PTC GM Fishbowls in the fleet at that time. More Neoplans came every year from 1983 to 1987, & again in 1989. As more Neoplans joined the fleet, they replaced both the remaining Fishbowls (the newest of those being from 1970), & later, the Flxibles (from 1971-1975). After the last order (3372-3491) was received in 1989, SEPTA had a total of 1,092 Neoplans. There's much more in the Neoplan History page in the History section here on PTV.

As for the Flxibles, a few managed to hang around into 1990.

In 1996, the Ikaruses/NABIs began to replace the 1980 RTSes, & the oldest Neoplans.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Phillydriver
Member Avatar
Vehicle Readiness Coordinator
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
MichaelBug
Oct 28 2010, 10:41 AM
SEPTA's first Neoplans (8285-8434) arrived in 1982 & basically replaced the oldest ex-PTC GM Fishbowls in the fleet at that time. More Neoplans came every year from 1983 to 1987, & again in 1989. As more Neoplans joined the fleet, they replaced both the remaining Fishbowls (the newest of those being from 1970), & later, the Flxibles (from 1971-1975). After the last order (3372-3491) was received in 1989, SEPTA had a total of 1,092 Neoplans. There's much more in the Neoplan History page in the History section here on PTV.

As for the Flxibles, a few managed to hang around into 1990.

In 1996, the Ikaruses/NABIs began to replace the 1980 RTSes, & the oldest Neoplans.
I am not sure about this one but were'nt the RTS's gone before the NABI's got here.
As for the NEO 1989 to 2008 is still a very long service life and could have hung in longer if the frames have been treated better
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Jayayess1190
Member Avatar
Foamer
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
The Neo's must have had over a million miles on many of them, especially the 3300/3400's that hung around to cover the trackless routes. Man as much as I love the New Flyer's I miss the Neo's. Loved making trips out to the Northeast just to ride them in their final days. :(
Edited by Jayayess1190, Oct 28 2010, 12:18 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Phillydriver
Member Avatar
Vehicle Readiness Coordinator
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Jayayess1190
Oct 28 2010, 12:17 PM
The Neo's must have had over a million miles on many of them, especially the 3300/3400's that hung around to cover the trackless routes. Man as much as I love the New Flyer's I miss the Neo's. Loved making trips out to the Northeast just to ride them in their final days. :(
New Flyers's are nice to drive but the NEO just fit you everything was where you needed it and was comfortable no matter what size you are
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Tritransit Area
Member Avatar
Transit Enthusiast
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Phillydriver
Oct 28 2010, 11:26 AM
I am not sure about this one but were'nt the RTS's gone before the NABI's got here.
As for the NEO 1989 to 2008 is still a very long service life and could have hung in longer if the frames have been treated better
Nah, the NABIs directly replaced the RTSs. SEPTA apparently didn't purchase any buses between 1989 and 1996 when the NABIs came in. That's why I remember the RTSs somewhat well (especially running on the 21). There's even an allegation that an RTS was painted in the current SEPTA scheme.

The Neos really did do well up to the end. Surely miss those buses!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Van2006ko
Foamer
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Yes, the NABIs replaced the RTSes and much of the Neoplan AK and BD fleet of buses. Once that order was completed, there were only a handful of Neoplan BD fleet left in the system, mainly assigned out of Frankford. They were retired until late 2000.

The RTSes never ran well, they were awful with consistent break downs. Many of the RTS' had poor acceleration as well. Glad that those coaches were scraped.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Neoei3318
Transit Historian
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Agreed. The RTS's were rattleboxes. They sounded nice, but were crap.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
NeoplanDudeJosMuller
Member Avatar
Foamer
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Tritransit Area
Oct 28 2010, 04:51 PM
Phillydriver
Oct 28 2010, 11:26 AM
I am not sure about this one but were'nt the RTS's gone before the NABI's got here.
As for the NEO 1989 to 2008 is still a very long service life and could have hung in longer if the frames have been treated better
Nah, the NABIs directly replaced the RTSs. SEPTA apparently didn't purchase any buses between 1989 and 1996 when the NABIs came in. That's why I remember the RTSs somewhat well (especially running on the 21). There's even an allegation that an RTS was painted in the current SEPTA scheme.

The Neos really did do well up to the end. Surely miss those buses!
the whole, "Neoplans doing good up until the end" part, that's arguable, but I really loved those buses, sad to see how poorly SEPTA treated them. They deserved much better. And these aren't really purchases, but it takes SEPTA 10 years to complete orders so the Neoplan's came in like this Order started 1981, neoplan production/AK DEMO 1982-1990, The EZ order was in 89, but some weren't delivered until late 1989 & early 1990, The NABI's, order was confirmed and placed in late 1994 after the New Flyer testing, 5001 came in, in mid-late 1995, NABI production very late 1995, 1996-1997, some weren't in service until early '98. that being said, SEPTA is slow, and baby's buses, then destroys them...
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · General History · Next Topic »
Add Reply