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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
 Posted - 03/05/2006 : 2:25:26 PM
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| I know you can see alot of FCPS buses parked at Marshall HS off 495. Can you be more specific where the Stafford one is? That one in Prince William must be the one in Dumfries. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2006 : 2:39:33 PM
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okay, I got the pics of the three Nysmith buses, they are terrible because I had to sneak in and out real fast, the lot is heavily gated LOL but I made it.
I will put them in my webshots later tonight |
 bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
Edited by - IC-RE on 03/05/2006 2:39:53 PM |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2006 : 2:56:26 PM
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| I can't wait to see them! Thank you in advance IC-RE! |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2006 : 3:30:56 PM
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Okay here they are... http://community.webshots.com/album/395074336qRaWQP
Bus 1 - 01-02 Thomas HDX
Bus 2 - 03-04 Thomas HDX
Bus 3 - 80's-90's Chevy Bird |
bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2006 : 3:54:48 PM
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| Hey poordriver, the yard you can see from I-95 south has to be Alban Garage. They service school buses (not just spec needs) and the tractors that pull trash from the I-66 transfer station to the Lorton landfill. Alban is the smallest (by far) of our 3 garages. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2006 : 05:31:19 AM
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| Those were pretty good pictures IC-RE! |
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poor_driver
Senior Member
162 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 2:04:55 PM
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IC 1629
i'll get back with you next week, i have to go to baltimore. i think that it's either stafford or caroline...shucks maybe even spotsylivania...but i do believe it's stafford......as you go north it think it's right at route 1 where i overpasses 95.....look i don't want to tell you the wrong thing so i'll let you know for sure next week.....you can't miss it it's after you pass central park in fredricksburg and before patomac mills, itt's on the left and you 'll see some bluebirds and waynes (fords n gmc's) blacked out right at the fence near the highway.
the prince william is right as you pass the scale house up on a hill. |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 2:13:53 PM
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| Thats Stafford County...You probrably see a bunch of Blue Birds, and some Thomas HDXs and conventionals. |
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poor_driver
Senior Member
162 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 2:22:56 PM
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| i thought so...know i 'm getting old but shucks i thought i knew what i saw...many thanks |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 2:57:15 PM
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| Is this a secured facilty? Does it have a fence and gates surrounding it? If so, I want to try to secure permission to go there. |
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poor_driver
Senior Member
162 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 3:00:34 PM
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| as far as i know it is...but then again i never been to it just seen it from 95....it does have a fence that i can see through a few trees |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2006 : 4:24:59 PM
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I went up to Point of Rocks, Maryland to do some train spotting and found something interesting on the way up there. I stopped in Lucketts, VA because I found Loudoun County's two new IC CE's. Buses 651 and 652 which are both 2006 IC CE's.
These buses are awesome! They have A/C, automatic tire chains, FULL LED lighting, etc.
They also have some new features. Both of these buses have a front and rear stop arm, just like most California buses! I've never seen that before on a public school bus in Virginia.
Finally, the "LOUDOUN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS" on the side is written in a different font then all the other buses. I posted pictures of the new font and the old font for comparison.
I posted pictures here:
http://community.webshots.com/album/549350686KoYLfC
BTW, I caught three trains on my trip. Two CSX and one Amtrak. |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2006 : 5:00:37 PM
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Wow, what's with that rear stop arm? Good looking buses!
Your mention of Lucketts, Va sure brought back memories! They used to have Saturday night dances at the Lucketts firehouse......and the bluegrass band I played in years ago had that gig at least once a month. As folks started liking our sound....we became the "house band" and played there every week. There were usually 2 other bands also. Phew.....I had a LOT of fun in Lucketts! |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2006 : 5:26:21 PM
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I sent an e-mail to my Loudoun buddy asking about that. I've never seen a rear stop arm on a bus like that here in Virginia.
Does anyone else in VA have that feature? |
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Thomas Ford 85-16
Top Member
USA
4177 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2006 : 5:44:54 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by IC RE 1629
They also have some new features. Both of these buses have a front and rear stop arm, just like most California buses! I've never seen that before on a public school bus in Virginia.
California only has rear stop arms. States such as Florida and New York require front and rear. Most others allow for the option for front and rear if they only require front stop arms, but I have never seen a CA bus with a front stop arm. |
Mike's Bus Yard - http://buses.zwebpages.com - Since 1999
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Thomas Ford 85-16
Top Member
USA
4177 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2006 : 5:49:56 PM
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| Oh, and I have a question! Why do so many Virginian buses end up with the funky roof hatch tops? I have seen them before, but never on a bus from a state other than Virginia. What advantage do they offer, and why did they become a requirement (if they are)? |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2006 : 6:14:12 PM
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| Those are not required roof hatches, they are just popular with the VA dealers. They are made by Specialty Manufacturing, and have what are called "brush guards." Basically, if the smaller black vent within the hatch comes in contact with a low lying tree branch (of which there are plenty in VA), the guards are there to deflect the brush from the vent, and keep the branch from ripping it off. They do increase the hight of the bus a little, but they seem to work. They are not as common as you may think though, as there are only a few districts in Virginia with those specs. Untill the 2006 buses, Fairfax spected these types of roof hatches. I'm not quite sure why that spec disappeared. |
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disneynuts
Advanced Member
USA
220 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 01:55:52 AM
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1629
williams new buses the hdx and the c2 have the rear stop sign.
maryland now requires it |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 06:14:31 AM
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| Really? I wonder if any other Public school districts in VA have rear stop arms. |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 06:25:57 AM
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| Hey disney, I see Williams bus 22 (AmTran RE) almost every day, and man does that bus sound good....better than any of our AmTran REs....what is it powered by? It either has exhaust/muffler "issues" or an unusual engine in it... |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 11:52:05 AM
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| I bet it has a DT466 in it. |
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722
Senior Member
United States
129 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 2:39:42 PM
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Word has it that Arlington will also have dual stop arms on the new buses this fall. This is currently a pilot program in Virginia that is very likely to become required equipment when the Virginia state specifications are revised.
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80-RE4
Top Member
USA
5700 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 3:09:27 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by IC-RE
okay, I got the pics of the three Nysmith buses, they are terrible because I had to sneak in and out real fast, the lot is heavily gated LOL but I made it.
I will put them in my webshots later tonight
1. wow i think that's kind of funny-sneaking in a bus yard to take pics...but no harm done..and you weren't caught..
2. please tell me this isn't a real school bus, what happened to it....what's with all those adds http://community.webshots.com/photo/395074336/2214007620064596693EwIAJa |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 4:51:31 PM
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2. That's a real school bus. A private school bus.
I asked for more info on the two Loudoun buses with rear stop arms. He stated that it is currently not a state reg, and that Loudoun is purely trying it to improve safety. As of now, it is undecided whether or not future Loudoun buses will have rear stop arms.
When are the VA state regs to be revised again? |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 5:35:50 PM
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| I was in Stafford and King George Counties today and saw lots of school buses.....apparently it is NOT Spring Break down there! Saw lots of Freightshakers and IC-CEs and a few Birds.....oh, and one HDX. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2006 : 5:51:41 PM
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Cool! Any of those buses look appealing to you?
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disneynuts
Advanced Member
USA
220 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2006 : 12:27:08 PM
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ic, thanks for the heads up on the exhuast. i reported it to the mechanic and the driver had not reported it yet. repairs will be made soon.
1629, yes it does have the 466.
722, isn't it great that williams bus brings all these new features to va?
if it were not for williams, you would be riding in conventionals with brown seats, still doing 45 on the interstates.
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disneynuts
Advanced Member
USA
220 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2006 : 12:28:20 PM
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| 1629, is 1037 an 07 or 06 bus? |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2006 : 12:56:05 PM
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| Are you talking about Fairfax County bus 1037? If so, 1037 is a 2007 IC FE 300. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2006 : 12:57:33 PM
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| What do you all think? Should VA make rear stop arms a state reg? |
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722
Senior Member
United States
129 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2006 : 2:49:47 PM
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Hi my friend, Disney. You know how much I hated the brown and green seats and pushing on that pedal as it pushed back on my foot. How about getting them to send me over a set of chromed wheels (bling, bling)!!!!
I stole the blue, but just can't get the wheels.... (he,he,he)
In VA WBL got the chrome wheels as an exclusive option. The wheel has to still be solid black on the public buses.... no grey and no chrome...
Had not see your buses with the dual stop signs, but have seen the dual stop signs PG county. If I am correct, Henrico is currently piloting the dual stop arms...
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2006 : 4:45:42 PM
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I hope they change that reg stating no chrome. Chrome wheels can make for a really nice looking school bus.
Personally, I'd be willing to give dual stop arms a try. After spring break, I'll have to talk to some of the bus drivers at my school and ask them what they'd think of the idea. |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2006 : 5:09:13 PM
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Dual stop arms? Phooey!
I'm working on designing a system that, at the push of a button, fires a spike strip across the road. They'll probably still run the warning lights, but they won't go far on 4 flat tires! That'll teach 'em, eh? |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2006 : 5:47:57 PM
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| LOL, not a bad idea! |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2006 : 05:30:32 AM
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| I found another one of Loudoun's CE's. I thought they only had two, but I guess not. I found a third one parked in a mini-lot in Lovettsville. |
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Topic |
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Official Virginia School Bus Thread
