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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
 Posted - 10/01/2005 : 7:52:57 PM
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Hey IC-RE......how bout we just make this the default Fairfax thread? I think it's better that the word Fairfax doesn't appear out in the open, and all. We got enough panties bunched up now!
Be careful going into 11 Oaks....It's like a one-lane bridge.....2 vehicles can't pass each other, what with the building, parked cars, and the big blue dumpster being where they are. Go through the gate and hang a right.....it's one way.....counter clockwise around the center row of buses. And go slow! Back when I parked there, it used to tick me off to clean my bus and then have 'em racing around there and kicking up huge clouds of dust!
I'm varnishing one of my boats tonight and am just taking a break....be back after awhile to sing praises of my BB TC2000, which I'll have been in a week come Monday..... |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2005 : 8:34:04 PM
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| Oh, and remind me to tell you guys about the Signal 9 on Friday....a BB AA FE got into it with a Thomas ER at a traffic light....I guess they weren't kidding when they said watch your tailswing! |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2005 : 9:17:24 PM
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| Oh man, that seems like a lot to watch for, it runs out i am scheduled to work tomorrow and will not be able to go, but maybve next week, thanks for the heads up! Hey, I can;t wait to hear what happened with the signal 9, I hope we aren't loosing another AA RE. Hey, 1629, I saw your old driver in 1399 on Friday near my school on Chain Bridge Road. |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2005 : 11:41:50 PM
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Nahhh, man....it's just a gravel lot....you can handle it!
Hey 1629.....a Rebels bus called in a Signal 13 last Friday....on Old Lee Hwy. For the life of me I couldn't remember what a Sig 13 was, so I pulled out the PTM. DISTURBANCE ON BUS! I don't want to put it on here......but these are among the most serious situations you can have on a school bus. Ask scotty what a Signal 13-W is.....
And the Stuart pyramid had a serious medical emegency on one of their buses....kid had a siezure and went unconscuious (sp?)....more than a fainting....driver said he had a bracelet that said he had a shunt in his neck. This was a reg-ed bus too. Ranger 211 (Cyndi) was all over the radio until the rescue squad took the kid away......I sure hope he's okay tonight.
It was a busy Friday!! |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 07:07:12 AM
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| Awww man what a Friday! |
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AmTran 241
Advanced Member
USA
252 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 07:33:51 AM
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IC -- Is your bus ready yet? What happened to it again? You are liking the TC2000 you are in?
Tell us about the accident are the buses ok?
1629 -- Is your old drivers bus back? Did we find out the problem?
Sorry guys I need to catch up! |
745 - 2005 IC RE |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 07:44:07 AM
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As of Friday 1629 was still in 1399 (94 Thomas ER) because I saw her.
No problem AmTran 241. Are you still in your 2005 IC RE? Did you hear the news, This year we will be getting 2007 IC RE 300's with the DT 466 engine, CD players, and light controls in the steering wheels |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 08:23:46 AM
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Well, the Signal 9 happened like this....The Thomas ER was stopped at a red light waiting to turn left, and the BB AA FEwas turning right at the light. The BB either was making a right on red (legal there) or had a green light. Anyhoo, as he turned the left rear of the BB swung over and took out the right side mirrors on the Thomas. He didn't even know it happened so he kept getting up.....but she got his bus number....
Hearing about that really reminded me to be extra careful, especially in the TC2000 I've been driving! There's a whole lot of bus behind the rear wheels of that TC...I'd say about 10 feet. I have a real tight turn off a busy road (really gotta turn the wheel on that one), and I wait until the lane next to me is empty because I think that tail could hit a vehicle in the adjacent lane.
Hi AmTran! Thanks for your kind words over in the other thread...let's hope that nonsense is over. Last Monday, when I got back from runs and was going to my car....I noticed the anti-freeze from my Thomas ER running down the lot. The road man later said it was the water pump and had to taken to the shop....he patched it up enough so it didn't need to be towed. The gave me a '91 TC 2000 FE for a spare and I'm liking it! I was telling the folks here that I hoped they take their time fixing my bus.....and it looks like they are, Thomas been gone a week tomorrow. That TC has a Cummins in it, and while it sounds a little anemic....it has lots of pep, moves that big bus just fine. It climbs steep hills much better than my Thomas (Cat). It's just an all around nice bus. It'll be 15 years old in November and has almost 300K on the odometer. Maybe I'll have to be a Blue Bird fan now, LOL I've always believed that the best buses are the ones that hold up best over the long haul....and this TC sure has!
They call you on the radio when your bus is ready and they haven't....some drivers call the garage to bug 'em to hurry up. Not me.....I don't care if I EVER get that dog back! |
Edited by - IC on 10/02/2005 08:28:33 AM |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 08:58:08 AM
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| Are you allowed to ask if you can have a Blue Bird instead of a Thomas until you get the AmTran, or do they not allow that? |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 1:13:51 PM
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| I think all the TC2000s are spares.....so no way you could have one as a line bus. You can turn down upgrades though, and I wish I had kept the '97 Thomas...the am/fm radio worked and the governor didn't. My '98 is the reverse....the governor works and the radio doesn't. LOL |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 1:37:38 PM
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I'm back. I was gone Thursday-Saturday.
Let's not let this thread get as big as the Fairfax one did. I believe that was the reason that it got deleted.
Anywho, I went to Frederick County, Va. They have alot of neat buses. Some TC/2000 RE's, C2's, HDX's, Vista's, TC/2000 FE's, etc. Alot of neat buses. If you want pictures, post your e-mail and I'll send you some! |
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Drew19
Top Member
USA
651 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 1:43:32 PM
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| Yes Please aclavio@adelphia.net Love to see the tc/2000 RE's |
Edited by - Drew19 on 10/02/2005 1:48:28 PM |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 1:45:30 PM
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Well, it doesn't matter how large the thread gets, its the fact that while you were gone, it turned into 3 pages of WAR!!! It was crazy.
Anyway, 1629, their fleet seems pretty stuck on Blue Bird and Thomas, I am sad to see NO IC or AmTran! I do like those little shorty C2's kind of that it. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 2:15:35 PM
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| Not much in the way of AmTran-IC up there. Shenandoah and Warren County have some AmTran and IC conventionals. They are the only ones that seem to have those up in that area. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 2:36:32 PM
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| Yes, it seems that most of Virginia is all Thomas Built with the exception of a few Blue Bird here and there, But I like our IC's and AmTrans! |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 3:41:55 PM
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Hey 1629.....I didn't know they made a TC2000 RE. Could you stick a pic of that one in your webshots thingie?
I always thought the TC2000 was an econobus....a transit for (near)conventional money. I would have thought if you want an RE, you'd have to spring for an All American. Learn sumpin new every day! |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 4:11:20 PM
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Hey, did I tell you guys what I saw the other night? It's about 5:30 pm and I'm driving home from the bus, and I saw THREE training buses on the road.......I've NEVER seen 'em out at that hour! The main reason the trainers take the job is to get off at 2:00 pm. The only thing I can figure is that the new starting pay is having it's desired effect, and they're up to their arses in trainees.
I sorta hate to see that.....lots of new drivers might mean less, or NO overtime! And, in my opinion, the only reason the County is so nice to work for is because they're afraid you'll quit if they're otherwise. A glut of drivers might affect that too! |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 4:26:57 PM
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| WOW, I see a lot of training buses up near Reston, and in the Great Falls area! |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 5:06:36 PM
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At what times are you seeing them? Any late stuff?
PS: they like Great Falls for the "country driving" segment. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2005 : 5:27:42 PM
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| It was in the summer, and I was seeing them at like 10:00 A.M. until around 1ish |
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scottyd
Advanced Member
USA
491 Posts |
Posted - 10/03/2005 : 4:40:08 PM
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The training center starts you off on a conventional. I see them all the time around Moseby Woods sub-division off Lee Hwy in Fairfax. Then you graduated to highways then to the Interstate. Then they train you on the transit style, same method--neighborhood streets, etc. I never did Great Falls in my training, but I did Clifton, the one and only railroad crossing in the county. Yook my CDL road test in 722, a GMC. That was the only time I've ever driven a GMC.
Any of you remember when they still had the railroad tracks across Telegraph Road near Ft. Belvoir? They had taken the tracks up along the whole line because they weren't in use, and left them across the road. So we had to stop for nothing. |
Scott
Driving America's Future |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 10/03/2005 : 5:15:21 PM
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I don't remember that, scotty, but I do remember when trains crossed Shirley Highway (I-395 now) near Glebe Road. Can you imagine that today? LOL
I hear drivers talking about the spur line in the industrial park near General Services....you definitely have to stop there because they still push freight cars up in there every now and then.
Are those tracks still on Telegraph |
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vabuslover
Advanced Member
United States
246 Posts |
Posted - 10/05/2005 : 1:51:21 PM
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I'd like to see the pics that you took IC RE 1629. Send them to no1lakersfan@hotmail.com.
BTW, I saw a few Fairfax buses in Richmond last weekend. It looked like they went to a Band Competition. I saw a few AmTran REs and a TC 2000 FE. I only caught one number, an AmTran in the 1100s. But I also saw a Hampton AmTran RE with a lift in the middle of the bus. Looked weird, but I also remember a TC2000 RE in Newport news that had a lift in the bus. It looked weird too. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2005 : 04:13:33 AM
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Does any district in VA have a bus with those air dump switches on them?
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Drew19
Top Member
USA
651 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2005 : 12:02:11 PM
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| I saw a brand new HDX yesterday and it had a huge strobe light. Don't like'em big, it's not as bad as some of them in Maryland. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2005 : 12:50:59 PM
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I posted pictures of the Frederick County Buses on my webshots page. Check them out:
http://community.webshots.com/user/icre1629
Also, does any district in VA have a bus with those Air Dump switches on them? |
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Drew19
Top Member
USA
651 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2005 : 1:00:08 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by IC RE 1629
I posted pictures of the Frederick County Buses on my webshots page. Check them out:
http://community.webshots.com/user/icre1629
Also, does any district in VA have a bus with those Air Dump switches on them?
Nice. It looks like those HDX's have LED warning lights (strobe's). Also nice fog lamps. |
Edited by - Drew19 on 10/06/2005 1:01:05 PM |
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vabuslover
Advanced Member
United States
246 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2005 : 1:09:04 PM
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| I'm not a big fan of the big strobe lights either. I seaw them on Maryland buses, but i am more used to the smaller oones. |
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vabuslover
Advanced Member
United States
246 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2005 : 1:20:29 PM
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| The Frederick County buses are neat. I must say that their BB TC2000 REs are different from ours, in that they all have outward opening doors, most of ours have the inward opening ones. But the newer ones (95? I believe) I have seen have the outward opening ones. There aren't many like that in Newport News, but I think we go t them the same time we got the newer FEs from BB. Our oldest RES set to retire real soon have the same dash style as the real old TC2000 FEs. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2005 : 3:08:37 PM
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I've posted pics of Loudoun County's TC/2000 RE's. The latest I heard was that they have three. I think one was retired.
See the photos under Loudoun County Public Schools.
http://community.webshots.com/user/icre1629
I'll post more Loudoun bus pics later. |
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Drew19
Top Member
USA
651 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2005 : 3:21:05 PM
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| Oh cool I see 296 alot. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2005 : 3:24:40 PM
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Drew, do you or anyone else from Loudoun happen to know how many TC/2000 RE's Loudoun still has?
For some odd reason, I think one was retired. I don't why I think that. |
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Drew19
Top Member
USA
651 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2005 : 3:51:07 PM
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| Don't know. I haven't seen 296 in awhile. But now a leave a little later for monroe. |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2005 : 9:44:20 PM
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| You know, all of the newest Thomas buses Ive seen come out of Sonny Merryman this year have the large strobe light. Virginia Beach's freightliners, Spotsylvania's freightliners, Arlington's HDXs. They also all seem to have the low profile roof hatches. Those of you out in Loudoun, take a look at your newest activity buses....the roof hatches are almost not noticable. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2005 : 02:20:24 AM
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| I think those big strobes are ugly! |
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Topic |
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Official Virginia School Bus Thread
