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Thomas Ford 85-16
Top Member

USA
4177 Posts

Posted - 07/16/2005 :  07:26:47 AM  Show Profile  Visit Thomas Ford 85-16's Homepage  Send Thomas Ford 85-16 an AOL message  Reply with Quote
He means they steal the radios so they can sell them for parts.

In regards to the locks, the buzzer is probably going off if the key is still in the bus.

Mike's Bus Yard - http://buses.zwebpages.com - Since 1999
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Drew19
Top Member

USA
651 Posts

Posted - 07/16/2005 :  07:42:57 AM  Show Profile  Send Drew19 a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by IC RE 1629

Sell the lock or the bus? If you mean the bus, sorry but we kinda have to keep the bus. Though I wish we would not spec our new buses with that rear window lock.



No sell the two way radio's. sorry for the misunderstanding.
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 07/16/2005 :  12:56:56 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I think that locking the rear window causes it to move in a way that causes the buzzer to go off. The buzzer I am referring to is the one that goes off when an emergency exit is opened. I apologize for not making that clear. Many buses have several different buzzers and beepers for various things like an air pressure low alarm, starter interlock alarm, etc. It's easy to confuse them.

Thank you Drew19 and Thomas Ford 85-16 for clearing that up.

Edited by - IC RE 1629 on 07/17/2005 06:03:55 AM
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vabuslover
Advanced Member

United States
246 Posts

Posted - 07/18/2005 :  08:09:46 AM  Show Profile  Click to see vabuslover's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
What are the rules for a bus stopping at a railroad crossing? One day last week I saw a bus stop at a crossing and not only turn on its 4-way hazard flashers but it turnd on its amber warning lights as if it were picking up a student from a bus stop. Of course when the driver opened the door the red lights came on and the stop sign came out. This was a Northumberland County Bus seen in York County, coming from Gloucester. it was a BB International 3800, a late 90s model bus. Is this standard procedure, because all the buses I have ever seen or rode on only turned on the 4-way hazard flashers.
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IC
Top Member

USA
3413 Posts

Posted - 07/18/2005 :  11:57:37 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
You are correct, vabuslover.....only the 4-way flashers are used at RR crossings...NOT the traffic lights.

That driver probably just had a brain fart......I've activated the ambers without thinking at my RR Xing and went OOPS, and canceled them real quick like. I've also activated the ambers instead of the 4 ways when I was about to back up.....again I instantly realized it and canceled them. Traffics probably flashed no more than once or twice before I killed 'em.
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vabuslover
Advanced Member

United States
246 Posts

Posted - 07/18/2005 :  12:01:25 PM  Show Profile  Click to see vabuslover's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
I thought it was weird, especially because it was an out-of-town bus.

Edited by - vabuslover on 07/18/2005 12:01:51 PM
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IC
Top Member

USA
3413 Posts

Posted - 07/18/2005 :  12:17:00 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
My understanding is that school bus RR crossing procedures are federal laws and thus uniform throughout all 50 states.......
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 07/18/2005 :  12:29:32 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I believe your right IC. Have there been any accidents involving school buses and trains in Virginia?
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IC
Top Member

USA
3413 Posts

Posted - 07/18/2005 :  12:38:44 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
There probably has been train/school bus accidents in Va, but I've never heard of one. They still talk about a close call we had at the RR Xing in Burke years ago. That crossing is no longer a grade crossing.....in fact, there is only ONE RR grade crossing left in all of Fairfax County....the one in Clifton. They make all the Clifton drivers go to meetings about it....annually I think.

I believe the worst school bus disasters in history involved trains...
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vabuslover
Advanced Member

United States
246 Posts

Posted - 07/18/2005 :  1:41:40 PM  Show Profile  Click to see vabuslover's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
We have several railroad crossings in this area. In fact, Newport News is split down the middle by a RR line, in some places it is two tracks. However, the Major streets that cross this line have either bridges over or under the crossings. There is even one unsignaled crossing (2 tracks 100 ft apart) in an Industrial Park! This track is a feed off the main line into the industrial park and eventually to our power plant. I wish that the train companies would delay their VERY long coal trains from using the crossings until off-peak hours. One time I was on a bus to school (it was late to begin with) and we got caught by a train coming off the mainline going to the power plant! It was blocking the main street crossing, and the crossing on the feeder road to cross the mainline, snce there is a split off the mainline near us. We were about 20 mins late that day, arrived when the tardy bell rang. The rains are so slow because there is a speed limit on train tracks in Newport News.
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vabuslover
Advanced Member

United States
246 Posts

Posted - 07/18/2005 :  1:43:59 PM  Show Profile  Click to see vabuslover's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
I also dislike the crossings in which the pavement is crumbling or buckling from all the traffic. They feel really rough when you cross them (especially in our busses, they are standard spec'ed, no extras!). The city can only fix them as the VA Dept. of Transportation can fund it. They also have to come to terms with the RR company to do work near the tracks.
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 07/19/2005 :  07:39:23 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Norfolk Southern Railways recently did some work at the Rt. 29 crossing in Gainesville, Va. That crossing is very dangerous. The tracks run diagnally across the road. There are alot of people who sit on the tracks when traffic is backed up. Hate to be there when a train comes!
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vabuslover
Advanced Member

United States
246 Posts

Posted - 07/19/2005 :  09:53:08 AM  Show Profile  Click to see vabuslover's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
In Williamsburg there are two set of tracks that run diagonal to the road, but I do not think they are used anymore, since the grass near the tracks is very tall. The other set runs into a military base but I am not sure if that track is used either. Traffic in these areas usually doesn't back up so there so nobody stops on the tracks.
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 07/19/2005 :  11:25:28 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
That's good that no one stops on the tracks. I've heard rumors that in Gainesville they are talking about building a bridge over the railroad tracks. I've heard that they have also considered building a bridge for the tracks to go over the road. I am not sure exactly what will happen.
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IC
Top Member

USA
3413 Posts

Posted - 07/19/2005 :  7:02:09 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I don't know if they still do it, but VRE used to run their commuter trains into DC and then, rather than turn it around, they would just back the train all the way back to Manassas and Stafford. I always thought that was DANGEROUS! You could sit at a RR crossing and see the back of a train car and logically think it had went by, but in fact it was coming AT YOU at high speed!
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Thomas Ford 85-16
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USA
4177 Posts

Posted - 07/20/2005 :  04:36:27 AM  Show Profile  Visit Thomas Ford 85-16's Homepage  Send Thomas Ford 85-16 an AOL message  Reply with Quote
I believe they normally have a conductor at the last car if there aren't any controls. Often times, there will be locomotive controls accessible to the train car in the very last car, and so the locomotive is under remote control. ...not always though.

Mike's Bus Yard - http://buses.zwebpages.com - Since 1999
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sbdlax22
Active Member

USA
30 Posts

Posted - 07/20/2005 :  08:08:00 AM  Show Profile  Visit sbdlax22's Homepage  Reply with Quote
IC...
I ride VRE to work on occasion and that is called push/pull operation. Like you said, it is to avoid having to turn the train around (which apparently is very hard to do!) In the morning, trains run "backwards" or are "pushed" into Union Station with the locomotive at the back end of the train. When this happens, conductors operate the train from a cab car (the car at the other end, in this case, the front end). All the locomotive does is power the train; all necessary controls in the locomotive are also on the cab car. Also, trains always have white lights at the front of it and red at the back, so you should always be able to tell which direction it is traveling in.
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 07/20/2005 :  08:47:20 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
sbdlax22 has it exactly. VRE still operates at full today. They just changed the consist of there trains this month. The consist is the make-up of the train. All there trains used to be 6 cars trains. Now they have two 8 car trains.

VRE also re-newed there lease of two Sounder train sets. These sets consist of a EMD F59PHI locomotive and 6 Bombardier Bi-Level commuter cars. These two train sets are very neat looking. Check out the photos of them here: http://rrpicturearchives.net/locoPicture.aspx?id=36574
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vabuslover
Advanced Member

United States
246 Posts

Posted - 07/20/2005 :  10:27:03 AM  Show Profile  Click to see vabuslover's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
The only passenger train that runs in Newport News is AMTRAK, and the end of the line is at the station in downtown NN. I don't know how the trains get to Norfolk or Virginia Beach, but I know they don't go through the water (no tunnels yet).
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 07/20/2005 :  10:45:37 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I looked on some maps, and I think the trains come around the other way to get into Norfolk. I would have to study the maps more.
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specialneeds54
Advanced Member

USA
361 Posts

Posted - 07/20/2005 :  11:56:56 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
We got Two New Busses in This week I Have Not seen them yet But Now We Are A 80 bus Fleet I know we are a small County. Most of ours are internationals I think we Started getting in Thomas Freightliners in 2002 we Only have One Gas bus all the others are Diesel We have 5 Special Needs Bus 2 International 3 Freightliners
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 07/20/2005 :  12:17:08 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
What kind of buses did you get?
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rrodriguez34
Active Member

USA
22 Posts

Posted - 07/20/2005 :  1:32:01 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Va Bch driver here. I've been driving for about three years now. Figured I'd get online and see what (if any) information about buses/drivers was out there... Found this site... I had no idea.
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 07/20/2005 :  4:26:45 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hey! Welcome to SBF. What kind of bus do you drive?
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rrodriguez34
Active Member

USA
22 Posts

Posted - 07/20/2005 :  6:45:25 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thanks for the welcome IC. I drive a 2004 Freightliner
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BusFreak
Top Member

USA
798 Posts

Posted - 07/20/2005 :  7:09:57 PM  Show Profile  Send BusFreak an AOL message  Reply with Quote
WOW...I grew up in Virginia Beach. i remember when my first bus was a brand new 1985 Blue Bird International. They are still using a hand full of those at the high schools or field trip buses. Welcome...id love to chat about the buses youve driven!

=
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rrodriguez34
Active Member

USA
22 Posts

Posted - 07/20/2005 :  7:18:27 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I've only been driving for three years... started out in a 94 International; graduated to a 95 International, then a 00 Freightliner, then a 04 Freightliner... I was kinda in the right place at the right time for the last two upgrades... most of the people on the "seniority" list where I am at have 97-98 Internationals or Freightliners
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vabuslover
Advanced Member

United States
246 Posts

Posted - 07/20/2005 :  7:46:58 PM  Show Profile  Click to see vabuslover's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
I wish some drivers from Newport News were on here.
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BusFreak
Top Member

USA
798 Posts

Posted - 07/20/2005 :  11:39:34 PM  Show Profile  Send BusFreak an AOL message  Reply with Quote
wow, rodriguez...I actually remember when the driver I had all through elementary school was upgraded to one of those 99 Freightliners (the year with the TWO roof hatches). When I first saw the freightliners, I was a bit taken back. they just looked sooo wierd. Those were the only ones to have the Cummins engine in them too. I believe, ever since then, they have been CAT, up untill the newest (with the all glass doors) which have the MBE engines. My mom actually trained on one of those new buses. She's a teacher, but drives all her own field trips. Do you have any experience in the Thomas HDX ERs with the CNG engines?

=
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vabuslover
Advanced Member

United States
246 Posts

Posted - 07/21/2005 :  07:06:15 AM  Show Profile  Click to see vabuslover's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
Do the EFs have MBE engines in them too?
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Drew19
Top Member

USA
651 Posts

Posted - 07/21/2005 :  09:26:25 AM  Show Profile  Send Drew19 a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by vabuslover

Do the EFs have MBE engines in them too?



Never heard of the ef have a mbe engine. The c2 switches are from like the older s or e class sedans. The MBE Engines in the Eclass now and then are very reliable.
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 07/21/2005 :  11:49:55 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I take it that you drive a Thomas Freightliner. What other kind of buses does your district have. I saw you mentioned the Blue Birds. What else?
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rrodriguez34
Active Member

USA
22 Posts

Posted - 07/21/2005 :  5:23:23 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
IC are you referring to me? I drive a 2004 Thomas Freightliner, it has a Mercedes Benz engine.
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specialneeds54
Advanced Member

USA
361 Posts

Posted - 07/21/2005 :  6:51:45 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
rrodriguez34 I posted this on another Board But Nobody Answered maybe you can tell me
I am driving a 2004 Thomas Freightliner for the Summer It has a Mercedes Benz Engine Also
Does your bus Vibrate a Lot especially when Sitting idle and can you feel just about every bump in the road
My 2003 Thomas Freightliner that i drive during the Regular School year does not do this but it was recalled this summer so I have been Driving the 2004




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specialneeds54
Advanced Member

USA
361 Posts

Posted - 07/21/2005 :  6:53:49 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by IC RE 1629

What kind of buses did you get?


most likely Thomas Freightliners I will post When I Find out
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