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On a sunny day, you can see the gleam of Bus No. 7901 in Gatineau before the rest of it is clear. Even after 36 years, the chrome shines like a mirror.
Yes, chrome. Once used on cars everywhere, it’s a relic today, but it still shines proudly on the front bumper of the oldest bus in the capital region that’s still hauling passengers.
An ancient by contemporary standards, STO bus dating from 1979 is still in regular service with 1,500,000 km.
Thirty-six years ago, this bus rolled off the General Motors assembly line in St-Eustache, a typical bus of its day, a model called the New Look.
GM introduced it in 1957 and produced it into the 1980s. Go on, climb aboard, pay $3.90 and step back in time as it serves a variety of Société de Transport de l’Outaouais (STO) routes.
No. 7901 has no cute name — not Betsy, not Annabel — just the number signifying it was the first bus the city acquired in 1979.
The motor (a Detroit Diesel Series 71) has been rebuilt five or six times, he says. Outside panels rusted and were replaced, and the STO has even stockpiled more parts because they’re getting so hard to find.
It should really have a whole lot of numbers, representing all the different buses whose parts have been scavenged from all over North America to keep it running.
“We scraped every bus yard,” says STO mechanic Marc Proulx.
The motor (a Detroit Diesel Series 71) has been rebuilt five or six times, he says. Outside panels rusted and were replaced, and the STO has even stockpiled more parts because they’re getting so hard to find.
After nearly 1.5 million kilometres of services, this bus is staying on the road for as long as possible.
“Could be another 20 years,” Proulx says.
Inside, there are comfy padding on the seats, but no air conditioning. The floor is wood (though covered with rubber-style material) and it’s higher than a modern bus floor.
Underneath the hood of bus No. 7901
Under the hood, this bus is a role model for modern eco-engineering: It actually gets a little better mileage than the modern turbo-charged buses, at the cost of some power. (It can do 90 kilometres an hour, the maximum legal speed for buses, but it takes a little longer to get there.) There’s an automatic transmission.
As a concession to modern times, it accepts smart cards.
“We have a special attachment” to this bus, said Céline Gauthier of the STO’s communications office. “It’s vintage and we are very proud of it.”
Older passengers appreciate the memories, she said. And some drivers like to take it out one last time before they retire “for this bus to be the last bus they drive on their last day at work.”
And the secret to its long life?
Proulx: “Well, we rebuilt it completely. That helps. Every part is rebuilt.”
Even that shiny front bumper is a replacement part. A chrome rear bumper couldn’t be found, so the current version is just steel.
And the price? A mere $75,000 back in 1979. A new articulated bus today runs about $750,000.
And will the new ones last 36 years?
Gauthier: “Time will tell.”
The bus can cover any route in the Outaouais, though only during peak hours.
Watch for it, especially on a sunny day.
Some drivers like to take out No. 7901 on their last shift before they retire.
tspears@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/TomSpears1
查看原文...
Yes, chrome. Once used on cars everywhere, it’s a relic today, but it still shines proudly on the front bumper of the oldest bus in the capital region that’s still hauling passengers.
An ancient by contemporary standards, STO bus dating from 1979 is still in regular service with 1,500,000 km.
Thirty-six years ago, this bus rolled off the General Motors assembly line in St-Eustache, a typical bus of its day, a model called the New Look.
GM introduced it in 1957 and produced it into the 1980s. Go on, climb aboard, pay $3.90 and step back in time as it serves a variety of Société de Transport de l’Outaouais (STO) routes.
No. 7901 has no cute name — not Betsy, not Annabel — just the number signifying it was the first bus the city acquired in 1979.
The motor (a Detroit Diesel Series 71) has been rebuilt five or six times, he says. Outside panels rusted and were replaced, and the STO has even stockpiled more parts because they’re getting so hard to find.
It should really have a whole lot of numbers, representing all the different buses whose parts have been scavenged from all over North America to keep it running.
“We scraped every bus yard,” says STO mechanic Marc Proulx.
The motor (a Detroit Diesel Series 71) has been rebuilt five or six times, he says. Outside panels rusted and were replaced, and the STO has even stockpiled more parts because they’re getting so hard to find.
After nearly 1.5 million kilometres of services, this bus is staying on the road for as long as possible.
“Could be another 20 years,” Proulx says.
Inside, there are comfy padding on the seats, but no air conditioning. The floor is wood (though covered with rubber-style material) and it’s higher than a modern bus floor.
Underneath the hood of bus No. 7901
Under the hood, this bus is a role model for modern eco-engineering: It actually gets a little better mileage than the modern turbo-charged buses, at the cost of some power. (It can do 90 kilometres an hour, the maximum legal speed for buses, but it takes a little longer to get there.) There’s an automatic transmission.
As a concession to modern times, it accepts smart cards.
“We have a special attachment” to this bus, said Céline Gauthier of the STO’s communications office. “It’s vintage and we are very proud of it.”
Older passengers appreciate the memories, she said. And some drivers like to take it out one last time before they retire “for this bus to be the last bus they drive on their last day at work.”
And the secret to its long life?
Proulx: “Well, we rebuilt it completely. That helps. Every part is rebuilt.”
Even that shiny front bumper is a replacement part. A chrome rear bumper couldn’t be found, so the current version is just steel.
And the price? A mere $75,000 back in 1979. A new articulated bus today runs about $750,000.
And will the new ones last 36 years?
Gauthier: “Time will tell.”
The bus can cover any route in the Outaouais, though only during peak hours.
Watch for it, especially on a sunny day.
Some drivers like to take out No. 7901 on their last shift before they retire.
tspears@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/TomSpears1
查看原文...
