BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Latest "juice buggy nooze" from the MTA.........

https://www.newflyer.com/2025/02/new-yorks-mta-further-electrifies-fleet-orders-265-battery-electric-buses-from-new-flyer

Indeed, more "Double Bees" ("battery boxes") coming to a bus stop near you........

'NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Just "hoid" that the probable cause of the massive SEPTA bus depot fire a few days back was caused by a PROTERRA battery; these battery buses should be officially classified as "RTBs" ("Rolling Time Bombs")

NEVER liked OR trusted these buses, and this indeed futher solidifies my opinions.......

And, here we thought that the "See-Tee-Yay's" propane-powered "Oddballs" were dangerous.......

"NYO"

["SEPTA"]

["CTA"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Agreed; I've "hoid" much on the massive "soivice" cuts that indeed look like they are going to be hitting SEPTA in the near term.

The "See-Tee-Yay" learned their lesson TOO LATE, regarding those ever-quirky, propane-powered "Oddball" TWINS (echoes, indeed, of our "Em-Tee'Yay" putting all their eggs in one flimsy basket, regarding the GRUMMANS; aka "Borough Bombers")

In watching the news footage of the SEPTA blaze, I was QUITE surprised that most of the modern low-floor buses i was seeing were decommissioned, and awaiting either sale or scraping.

Obviously, they were not in "soivice" for all that many years, seeing that they were now OOS (and, just look at hold long Old Looks and Fishbowls lasted!)

And, IMHO, obviously, the "Em-Tee-Yay" STILL hasn't "loined" it's sobering lesson, stemming from the purchase of a substantial fleet of "Bombers" back in the day, STILL going "gung ho" with ""RTBs" ("Rolling Time Bombs").......

"NYO"

["GMC 4-EVER!"]

"NYO"

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Agreed.

I also know that "En-Jay-Tee" is looking to (eventually) roster a 100% "clean air fleet"; I'm only grateful that I'm now retired over 20 years, and no longer have any need to ride "En-Jay-Tee".

God alone knows what they will be purchasing, over the next two decades, "RTBs", all........

"NYO"

["CLEAN AIR HYBRID BUS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's an interesting article from 2024..........

https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/proterra-electric-buses-nhtsa-recall-fire-hazard/729959/

["SEPTA"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Interesting reading............

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_electric_bus

(Note photo of bus re-charging via an overhead charger; I have seen a few 1950s photos of experimental battery buses in Germany being re-charged with much the same infrastructure)

["ELECTRIC AVENUE"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Agreed; the past few years I have watched numerous reports on Eyewitness News on the dangers of lithium iode batteries (I recall the rash of related fires reported almost daily)

Driverless vehicles "spook" me; NO WAY would I ever sit foot in one.

In future years, you may be sure, things are going to be QUITE interesting, when the "Em-Tee-Ay" boasts of an "all electric" fleet.....

"NYO"

["PROTERRA"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Scroll down page to the "EMISSIONS REDUCTION" heading.........

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Metro_bus_fleet (photo
roster included)

"El-Ay" currently boasts of having "The Nation's Largest Clean Air Fleet" (seems to ne that the "Red Car" could pretty well make that same boast!)

["20 WESTWOOD"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Imagine if the "Em-Tee-Ay", back in the day, conducted a similar experiment, using as a "test bed" an "alternate fuel" Fishbowl....(!!)

(also, I recall an on-line article awhile back of "El-Ay" experimenting with a steam-powered "Dangerfield!", back in the 70s!)

https://www.sfmta.com/blog/munis-steam-powered-bus

["5000"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

Let's be thankful that they, and predecessors, didn't think of having propane fuel any buses - whether Fishbowl (or predecessor "Kramden"), "Dangerfield," or "Patton." Wonder if their less-than-stellar reception in "Shik-aga" (via the "Oddballs") had a part in such reticence.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

I, like yourself, also wonder if the less-than-stellar performace (not to mention safety issues) of the "Oddballs" out in "Shik-aga" had anything to do with there being so few postwar TWINS in "Noo Yawk", no matter what versions.

And, yet, the "See-Tee-Yay" had them for 20-odd years.....go figure!

"NYO"

["KEDZIE-DIVERSEY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Perish the thought.......

I truly shudder when I start thinkin of what "En-Jay"-Tee" will be purchasing, over the next several years......sure ain't gonna be Fishbowls or "Dangerfields"..........

"NYO"

["GMC"]

["FLXIBLE"]