SEPTA 3420 on rt 66, June 5, 2008

[MrWdonald61]

this is shit the neoplans were my baby years i used to love those colorful seats the blue and red i ride them when i catch the k now the nabi is gonna retire wahhhhhhhhhhhhhh sobs wahhhhhhhhhhh

[urbancombat1000]

i love the high pitch noise from the end of 2nd gear

[phillyzfynest1]

I loved that "tssssssfhhhh" sound it made when it idled.

[UniqueRON814]

God I miss 3420

[Dmoneydadon55]

omg the memories of this particular neoplan....there were very few that sounded similar to this...mostly coming out of septas midvale and frankford district

[Neo4life08]

the torque converter locks up around 1:20 in this clip, you can hear it.

[bdub215]

i remember this bus. there were a few others that did this and i never (to this day)know why. but always made riding the buses home from school that much more enjoyable. miss these buses..

[techno79]

wow, can you believe I've been on 3420 a billion times from since they were new? Somehow that's the one number I remember. Sad to see them go, a staple of life in Philadelphia.

[Railmaster008]

Beautiful engine sound...

[venom2nd]

Music to my ears.

[PAHSB1]

Are you sure this aZF Ecomat 4HP - 590 transmission, It sounds more like an Allison HT - 747 because the ZF Ecomat 4HP - 590 has that funky jump between first and second gear when you give it gas from a stand still. I could be wrong but I am 99% positive I am right.

[Bastranz]

Thanks for your other comment - accidentally removed it trying to reply :(.

But yeah, this is definitely a ZF Ecomat - but in a special circumstance. I actually rode the bus some time ago where it shifted normally, funky jump and everything. However, something happens, I guess with the torque converter, that makes the transmission shift this way. I have 2 recordings of 3484 like this - one before and one after it started shifting this way.

[PAHSB1]

@Bastranz - Oh, I understand, do you

have the other recordings up on youtube.

[PAHSB1]

@Bastranz Can you post the other one?

[baul104]

SEPTA could've just saved one of the Neoplan AN-440s and just sold them to another bus company so they can be used for shuttle services... Anyway, great audio.

[PAHSB1]

@baul104 - They did get rid of a lot of them, but I am pretty sure the remainder of the Neoplan AN440s that were running out of Frankford Transportation Center are at a lot at the Midvale depot. As for what S.E.P.T.A. plans to do with them I don't know. That's the last I heard at least.

[Bastranz]

I dunno - I thought they were cleared out!  I know there are quite a few of the oldest NABIs parked in that very lot right now.

[busrailfan]

VERY NICE!!

[Bastranz]

Thank you! :)

[ctrabs74]

Yep. Same here.

The soft-seated Neos were great buses when they ran on the 104 back in the day.

[daniel022209]

@ctrabs74

Yep, I think you are referring to the Neoplan AKs (suburban styles with the blue cushioned seats, 8401-8411) or the Neoplan EZ suburban style, can't remember the fleet numbers tho.

[Jayayess1190]

Miss them.

[Bastranz]

I miss them too. They were my favorite group of buses. I can't believe they are all gone (and none were saved!)