Mill Bay
Voyager 
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,887 
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Post by Mill Bay on Jan 9, 2014 20:47:47 GMT -8
The 2013 New Flyer XN40 "Xcelsiors" are starting to arrive. 1020 now has been decalled up and could be on the road very soon! My starship Enterprise can out do your Xcelsior any day  . |
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Jan 9, 2014 20:48:08 GMT -8
The 2013 New Flyer XN40 "Xcelsiors" are starting to arrive. 1020 now has been decalled up and could be on the road very soon!  1020_CWC_2233 by BusShots, on Flickr Do you know when they will go to the Nanaimo? What ferry route do you think BC Transit would send these new buses over on? I hope I would get pictures of these buses on the road. |
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Post by Cable Cassidy on Jan 10, 2014 8:13:57 GMT -8
Do you know when they will go to the Nanaimo? What ferry route do you think BC Transit would send these new buses over on? I hope I would get pictures of these buses on the road. Well considering there's only two BC Ferries routes it could go on, I'd say you have a 50/50 chance of guessing the right one  |
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Post by Blisswood on Mar 30, 2014 15:31:51 GMT -8
Quick Victoria update:
* New Flyer 8111 has returned after some years away.
* The first 97-- series bus I've ever seen in Victoria was spotted last week - it's New Flyer 9753.
* We have 3 ex-Ottawa double-deckers on the road (9529-31), which can be distinguished by their bilingual interior decals.
* In addition, two outstanding senior bus drivers have recently retired: BG and SY. Thanks for all your years of service. BG retired as a driving instructor, while SY spent years on the 70x/72 between Swartz Bay and downtown Victoria. Happy Retirement, fellows!
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Mar 30, 2014 17:42:12 GMT -8
One of the Nanaimo's newest members of their bus fleet. I am posting these photos because CNG buses may be the future of buses and it's in service.
Quick Victoria update: * The first 97-- series bus I've ever seen in Victoria was spotted last week - it's New Flyer 9753. This is because eleven of 1995/1996 D40LF where brought from TransLink to be used in one of BC Transit regional transit systems. I am posting these photos to compare the outside paint jobs to TransLink livery.    |
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Post by DENelson83 on Apr 6, 2014 15:26:18 GMT -8
It could become a bit easier for my wallet to travel from Courtenay to Vancouver in the future, if the Regional Districts of Nanaimo and Comox Valley have their way. Transit down-Island may be feasible |
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,307
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Post by Neil on Apr 6, 2014 23:17:12 GMT -8
It could become a bit easier for my wallet to travel from Courtenay to Vancouver in the future, if the Regional Districts of Nanaimo and Comox Valley have their way. Transit down-Island may be feasibleThis is an issue that really has to be addressed. Greyhound is dying on Vancouver Island, because of the gradual expansion of transit services, but there is no transit plan to either subsidize Greyhound to hang around, or to provide through services, connecting Victoria to the north island. It looks like the best case scenario for a revival of passenger rail service only involves Victoria to Nanaimo, so some sort of service has to eventually be put in place for buses, because a patchwork connection of local transit routes up island is not sensible. |
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Post by Blisswood on Apr 17, 2014 12:46:12 GMT -8
One of the Nanaimo's newest members of their bus fleet. I am posting these photos because CNG buses may be the future of buses and it's in service.
Quick Victoria update: * The first 97-- series bus I've ever seen in Victoria was spotted last week - it's New Flyer 9753. This is because eleven of 1995/1996 D40LF where brought from TransLink to be used in one of BC Transit regional transit systems. I am posting these photos to compare the outside paint jobs to TransLink livery. |
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Post by Blisswood on Apr 17, 2014 12:58:38 GMT -8
Victoria got 8089, and its roof profile is longer than Victoria's 80-- series (air conditioner). What alerted me to the a/c was actually a decal on the outside. It says, in effect: come aboard, it's nice and cool in here. (Does someone have a good photo of it?)
Also, 8111 served in Nanaimo - one of the interior ads had the City of Nanaimo's logo on it.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 2, 2014 18:35:45 GMT -8
I live above a bus-stop, on a Nanaimo neighbourhood street corner.
I've observed that the new CNG buses have a pulsating air-release sound, much like a truck letting out its air-brakes. I notice this when the bus is stopped and when it starts to move again and again as it is still moving down the street.
Any ideas of the mechanics of what I'm hearing? Is this unique to the CNG buses?
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ps: I'm also hearing a lawn-mower sound, but that's someone mowing a lawn across the street from me. I also smell that my neighbours are using their barbecue.
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Jul 2, 2014 18:45:47 GMT -8
I live above a bus-stop, on a Nanaimo neighbourhood street corner. I've observed that the new CNG buses have a pulsating air-release sound, much like a truck letting out its air-brakes. I notice this when the bus is stopped and when it starts to move again and again as it is still moving down the street. Any ideas of the mechanics of what I'm hearing? Is this unique to the CNG buses? The "cough" tends to happen most often during quick deceleration. While I'm not exactly sure what causes it, I do know it's unofficially referred to as "Nova cough" by local transit enthusiasts due to it being heard first with Nova's powered with Cummins diesel engines.
As an example, here's a Los Angeles' New Flyer XN40, the same model as Nanaimo. You can hear the "cough" at :09.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 2, 2014 19:17:22 GMT -8
I live above a bus-stop, on a Nanaimo neighbourhood street corner. I've observed that the new CNG buses have a pulsating air-release sound, much like a truck letting out its air-brakes. I notice this when the bus is stopped and when it starts to move again and again as it is still moving down the street. Any ideas of the mechanics of what I'm hearing? Is this unique to the CNG buses? The "cough" tends to happen most often during quick deceleration. While I'm not exactly sure what causes it, I do know it's unofficially referred to as "Nova cough" by local transit enthusiasts due to it being heard first with Nova's powered with Cummins diesel engines.
As an example, here's a Los Angeles' New Flyer XN40, the same model as Nanaimo. You can hear the "cough" at :09.
Thanks for that. What I was hearing was the percussion-like sound, which is just after the cough, on that video (0:10-11 mark and again at 0:19-20) - I'm guessing that I am hearing the air in the brakes? Now I have to pay closer attention, to hear the cough. |
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Jul 2, 2014 19:29:21 GMT -8
Thanks for that. What I was hearing was the percussion-like sound, which is just after the cough, on that video (0:10-11 mark and again at 0:19-20) - I'm guessing that I am hearing the air in the brakes? Now I have to pay closer attention, to hear the cough. New Flyer Xcelsior buses utilize air operated disc brakes on all wheels. Additional sounds would be from the front and rear doors, which are also powered by compressed air. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 2, 2014 19:33:55 GMT -8
Thanks for that. What I was hearing was the percussion-like sound, which is just after the cough, on that video (0:10-11 mark and again at 0:19-20) - I'm guessing that I am hearing the air in the brakes? Now I have to pay closer attention, to hear the cough. New Flyer Xcelsior buses utilize air operated disc brakes on all wheels. Additional sounds would be from the front and rear doors, which are also powered by compressed air. Thanks very much. I can count a musician like you to figure out the sounds for me. ps: I also know the sound of skateboarders. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 4, 2014 19:29:11 GMT -8
Ok, so if there is a Nova-cough, then the compressed-air sound with the doors is the Nova-fart.
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Post by Cable Cassidy on Aug 11, 2014 19:03:35 GMT -8
8016, a 1992 New Flyer D40LF is one of the few of it's kind running around. The 1991-1993 D40LFs were powered by a Detroit Diesel 6V92TA, and weren't a common bus for North American fleets until the mid 90s when the push for low floor gained momentum. Out of the 30 or so buses BC Transit had, only 3 are left in service across the province. 8015 and 8025 are last minute spares in Abbotsford/Kelowna. 8016 is the training bus for new hires in Victoria... usually... Yesterday the stars aligned and 8016 went out for 7.5 hours on the 6  20140810-CWC_3847 by BusShots, on Flickr  20140810-CWC_3811 by BusShots, on Flickr  20140810-CWC_3603 by BusShots, on Flickr  20140810-CWC_3565 by BusShots, on Flickr  20140810-CWC_3446 by BusShots, on Flickr |
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Post by Blisswood on Sept 1, 2014 14:41:33 GMT -8
Victoria's early 80-- series New Flyers are certainly getting a bit rarer. A lot of small community Flyers are coming here - the 9750s, mostly ex-Nanaimo (or Vancouver), for example. A lot of them have faux-paneling under the windows. They're not my favourites...
Also, I saw 9843 for the first time yesterday - it was parked at the Victoria Transit Centre, facing Douglas Street. Don't know yet where it came from, though.
Tomorrow brings our fall service changes, with a major change to the 6 Downtown/Royal Oak via Quadra Street. A couple of decades ago, the 6 was just a north-south link between Royal Oak and downtown. Then it was hooked up with the Esquimalt run (the old #23) for a rather long one-way trip. Now the 6 will revert to terminating downtown and you'll need to transfer to the 15 Express to get to Esquimalt. "The past leaves the future behind", as noted by a forum member...
If you want to get the 27/28 to/from the Legislature, you're out of luck. Those will now terminate at Fairfield and Blanshard, about half a mile away. The Legislature's bus zone was just getting too crowded.
The #72 service to Swartz Bay is unchanged, although the (southbound) 70X Downtown Express will now wait a "few" minutes to accommodate minor ferry delays (see the Rider's Guide).
The peak-hour #71 has returned in a combination of two routes: 70X and the former 73 West Sidney. It now goes all the way to Swartz Bay instead of terminating at McDonald Park Road. Airplane fans will appreciate the West Sidney part of this run as it skirts Victoria Airport and gets you within shouting distance of the BC Aviation Museum, Vancouver Island Helicopters and the Victoria Flying Club.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2014 15:43:39 GMT -8
BC Transit's hydrogen-powered bus fleet is now up for sale. The buses operated in Whistler during the Olympic Games up until March of this year. The main reasons of this sale are due to the high cost of maintenance of Hydrogen buses, as well as the lack of availability of hydrogen fuel. The fuel had the be trucked from Quebec every ten days. While the buses themselves were definitely green, I think it was just an Olympic pet project. At least that's what it ended up to be. The original intention was to have a "Hydrogen Highway," having hydrogen fuel available from Whistler to San Francisco. The idea was good, but it didn't work out. CBC article: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-transit-s-90m-hydrogen-bus-fleet-to-be-sold-off-converted-to-diesel-1.2861060 |
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Post by WettCoast on Dec 5, 2014 20:23:47 GMT -8
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Apr 17, 2015 17:39:09 GMT -8
BC Transit has recently started a new route called route 66 Fraser Valley Express that goes from Carvolth exchange in Langley to Downtown Chilliwack. This is second of three routes that will connect the Fraser Valley Communities with Metro Vancouver. I am posting these photos to show newest buses in BC Transit fleet and route.  9451 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr  9451 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr  9447 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr  9447 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr  9451 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr  9451 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr  9466 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr  9463 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr Six of the Nova LFS Fourth Generations are in operation for Chilliwack Transit System which operated on route 66 Fraser Valley Express. Also six of these buses are located in the fleet of Centre Fraser Valley Transit System, Abbotsford and Mission. |
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,307
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Post by Neil on Apr 17, 2015 22:09:33 GMT -8
Eight shots of the same bus model? |
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Post by Dane on Apr 17, 2015 22:16:19 GMT -8
No fleet numbers on the front! How is one supposed to nerd out with angle absent of identity?
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 18, 2015 7:46:11 GMT -8
Eight shots of the same bus model? Love all the shots of some pretty spiffy looking buses that no doubt will be welcomed by the 'transit-deprived' citizens of that part of the Lower Mainland. Interesting to hear that the City of Surrey and surrounding communities are seriously looking at an at-grade light rail transit system that would operate from Surrey to the Eastern regions of the Lower Mainland. Of particular interest to planners is the system that operates in Portland Oregon. Would really love to see a light rail system that utilizes the Bombardier type trams that were on display and operational during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
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Post by Blisswood on May 8, 2015 17:37:55 GMT -8
9452 is now in Victoria and I rode it twice last Friday. The driver said we're getting 20 but I haven't seen any others yet.
July 24 update: Victoria, Central Fraser Valley and Chilliwack are getting from 9449-86. I'm not sure of the exact website I was looking at last week, but those bus fans broke it down by community.
CFV gets: 9449, and 62-66.
Cwk: 9447-48, 50-51, 54 and 59.
Vic gets the rest: 9452-53, 55-58, 60-61 and 67-86. It took about 5 months to get a ride on all of them. Some I managed to ride the first time I saw them in service (about 8 of these).
And we're getting an awful lot of other towns' old 80s, 97s and 98s: 9703; 9834 36 37 39 and 71 (we've had 74 and 75 for years); 9702, and, 9359, 9703 and. Talk about a mixed bag! Not sure where 9359 came from. Plus the first 3 hybrids (9101, 2 and 3) have been here for a few months. 9101 and 06 have the green-and-blue paint job. |
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Aug 28, 2015 18:29:40 GMT -8
BC Transit has gotten Yaxing Vicinity which cannot operate in Victoria Regional Transit System due job action taken 2013. I am posting these to show how they buses are operated by other transit system throughout the province:  3005 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr  3005 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr  3006 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr  3006 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr  3012 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr Kamloops is one two communities that BC Transit has selected to use CNG Buses. I'm posting these photos to show CNG buses operating with out an issue in Kamloops. 
1045 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr  1053 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr  1056 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr  1066 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr  1058, 1066 and 1067 by Blue Bus Fan, on Flickr |
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