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  • Official Trackless Trolley Thread/Tracker

  • Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.
Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.

Moderators: sery2831, CRail

 #1623839  by Disney Guy
 
I think that the Feds gave the life of a trackless trolley as 15 years compared with a diesel bus at 12 years. Given the periods of overhead problems and road construction to date in Cambridge requiring diesel bustitution, I don't think that the Neoplans got their full 15 years of use. This is assuming a typical schedule of rush hour, off hour, weekend etc. and fleet spare ratio.

If Seashore was not able to get an assortment of spare parts for 4104 I don't have hope it will remain operational very long.
 #1623840  by BandA
 
I don't know if I have even been aboard a Neoplan trackless. The previous AMC / Flyer had a very long life. They were so quiet and were wider and roomier than the GM / RTS buses. The Pullman? trackless trolleys which looked like PCC cars with cartoonishly large tires also were rather old when they were retired in the 1970s.
 #1625434  by Disney Guy
 
Did they ever fix the traffic light timing at the Silver Line portal at 'D' St. so the dual modes don't get hung up by cars blocking the intersection?

With the Sumner Tunnel closure the Silver Line won't attract riders as much with continuing delays here and in the Ted tunnel.
 #1625466  by Diverging Route
 
Disney Guy wrote: Sun Jul 09, 2023 7:41 am Did they ever fix the traffic light timing at the Silver Line portal at 'D' St. so the dual modes don't get hung up by cars blocking the intersection?

With the Sumner Tunnel closure the Silver Line won't attract riders as much with continuing delays here and in the Ted tunnel.
Nope. No signal prioritization. Shameful.
 #1626038  by type 7 3704
 
Speaking of the Silver Line, it looks like there are no dual-mode Neoplans in active service on the Silver Line anymore. So trackless trolleys are officially dead in Boston, unfortunately.
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