They are, but don't expect to find many of them on routes that come out of Center Street (ex. 33, 70, 75). Many of these, along with the 1990 Gillig Phantoms (the 1400 series), are usually only assigned to rush-hour routes such as lines 94 and 99.
Or even Orion I's and V's. I know between 1982 and 1999 they had ran 87 articulated Crown-Ikarus buses, but they were problematic from the get-go; during their mid-lives the wheelchair lifts were removed after some incident where somebody tripped on it.
Another reason I dislike them is the dreaded exhaust hum (the 1997 Gillig Phantoms also have this, too) -- which truly gives these Cummins engines the nickname of "Grim Reaper" and also it fits the "Hummin' Cummins" mantra. No offense on the latter, though, it's actually a famous tag line for Cummins since the '70s.
What you're talking about is the distinct whine of the Voith retarder. What I am talking about is the occasional dark, mellow humming of the engine's exhaust note.
@ClassicTVMan81 That's what I thought it was. Still, that right there makes it sound kind of a "Grim Reaper". I guess that's some fine German engineering for ya. :P
I love how the bus shudders when it starts to idle!
flxiblemetro9150 11 months ago
I drove the 32. Easy line, great people. These buses could haul.
coolbus18 11 months ago
Are they still running Flxibles here?
flxiblemetro9150 1 year ago
@flxiblemetro9150
They are, but don't expect to find many of them on routes that come out of Center Street (ex. 33, 70, 75). Many of these, along with the 1990 Gillig Phantoms (the 1400 series), are usually only assigned to rush-hour routes such as lines 94 and 99.
ClassicTVMan1981X 5 months ago
I wish Tri-Met had the MCI/Nova Classics, those would be awesome with the Flxibles and Phantoms.
qwandiddy 1 year ago
@qwandiddy
Or even Orion I's and V's. I know between 1982 and 1999 they had ran 87 articulated Crown-Ikarus buses, but they were problematic from the get-go; during their mid-lives the wheelchair lifts were removed after some incident where somebody tripped on it.
ClassicTVMan1981X 1 year ago
Old flexibles drive nicely, my favorite bus to drive.
Don't ride in em in the summer, you'll get heat exhaustion.
PortlandsTransport 1 year ago
@PortlandsTransport
Another reason I dislike them is the dreaded exhaust hum (the 1997 Gillig Phantoms also have this, too) -- which truly gives these Cummins engines the nickname of "Grim Reaper" and also it fits the "Hummin' Cummins" mantra. No offense on the latter, though, it's actually a famous tag line for Cummins since the '70s.
ClassicTVMan81 1 year ago
@ClassicTVMan81 When you say "exhaust hum", do you mean the humming noise it makes when it's idling?
guildrich 1 year ago
@guildrich
What you're talking about is the distinct whine of the Voith retarder. What I am talking about is the occasional dark, mellow humming of the engine's exhaust note.
ClassicTVMan81 1 year ago
@ClassicTVMan81 That's what I thought it was. Still, that right there makes it sound kind of a "Grim Reaper". I guess that's some fine German engineering for ya. :P
guildrich 1 year ago
@guildrich
In other words, that annoying exhaust note is what some people call a drone sound.
ClassicTVMan81 1 year ago
That exhaust note from the Cummins L10 as applied to this bus earns the buses the nickname "Death Flxible."
ClassicTVMan81 1 year ago
Haha, right at the start, "Oh yeah" Love it, sounds different from every L10 Flxible I've ever heard.
zztee 1 year ago
@zztee
I didn't mean to catch myself saying that. i laugh everytime I hear it
Nabinut 1 year ago