[ShonTron]

Enough!

Trespassing for the purposes of getting photos is not condoned. It appears likely in this case. That said, there are frequently TTC employees walking though here between Wilson Complex and the station; it's possible a friendly employee walked Drum around (which wouldn't necessarily make it right, as that employee might have done that which he/she shouldn't but I've gotten into out-of-limits places with friendly employees before too - not at the TTC - but I don't normally publish those photos I take in those situations). I don't know. Again, trespassing for the purposes of getting photos is not condoned.

What he is doing is making it harder and harder for others who legally take photos on TTC property. And don't kid yourself, TTC management regularly check forums like this for things like this. For all we know, they may be placing a security guard at the platforms from here on in - they've certainly done that in the past.

That's an excellent point. Instead of a transit fan taking photos, it could be a punk vandalizing those brand new buses.

 

[the lemur]

I'm just going to assume that drum118 is kind of a big deal in construction and/or transit and that is why he was able to take those pictures. He may not be willing to disclose the capacity in which he was able to get them, which is his prerogative. If you're going to take pictures to post them on a forum like this, whether you are authorized to be where you are is your own responsibility.

 

[Johnny Au]

Walk into a bus bay from the street at High Park, Runnymede, Jane, or Old Mill: free
Walk into a bus bay from the street at most other stations: $500 and/or imprisonment

Wilson station is not like High Park, Runnymede, Jane, or Old Mill.

 

[picard102]

What he is doing is making it harder and harder for others who legally take photos on TTC property.

How? You think they're going to get a guard for the already restricted North platform/Signal construction zone, sure they could. But that doesn't stop you from continuing to take pictures outside of restricted areas in public places or with proper permission.

 

[jimmy3]

Oh please, we're not that stupid. That's a good 150 meters away from anything remotely resembling a public area.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

Its not that big of a deal. Good photos by the way.

 

[doady]

Tell you what: you go for a walk in a subway tunnel and use that argument - and let's see where that gets you.

I never said it's not illegal

So, you condone trespassing and breaking the law then?

Prosecuting someone under the law requires proof.

 

[Edward Skira]

Everybody take a pill and stick to the topic. drum got the photos in a proper manner. Now move on.

 

[APTA-2048]

Took a detour yesterday to catch one of these buses.

I think the seating arrangement works well. I didn't see any serious bottlenecks, and the placement and profile of the seats definitely give a feeling of more space. The ride was smooth and quiet. If you're sitting by the rear doors, the beep can be loud though. In the rear section, I found my view out the window was obstructed by the tip-in transom. It's something minor and affects people differently, but I've found the combination of floor height and transom height afforded me a better view on other buses.

I don't know if it was the particular bus I was on: but in addition to having a delay in opening, the doors also seemed to stick. The metal sheet in lieu of glass in the bottom part of the door proved to be a good choice as a couple of people kicked their way out.

Aesthetically, the bus is decent. The general look of the exterior has been around since the early 90s and is no longer as striking as it was back then. But it does the job. Though some would critique the substantial front overhang and very large single-piece windshield. I'm not a fan of the ceiling. I would prefer if the whole central portion was comprised of the grating used for the air vents and had the speakers hidden behind.

 

[Hipster Duck]

Though some would critique the substantial front overhang and very large single-piece windshield.

I've seen these Nova buses in Amsterdam. I wonder if they were designed primarily for European markets, with their much shorter wheelbases for tighter turning.

 

[yrt+viva=1system]

I've seen these Nova buses in Amsterdam. I wonder if they were designed primarily for European markets, with their much shorter wheelbases for tighter turning.

You most likely saw Van Hool buses.

 

[APTA-2048]

Actually, Hipster Duck's kinda right (and completely right about the turning radius). From the Transit Research Board's report on low floor buses:

Nova Bus Corporation provided some preliminary information for its low-floor bus at APTA Expo 93. Nova Bus is planning to adapt a Dutch low-floor bus (den Oudsten) for the Canadian market in the near future. They currently have a den Oudsten bus in Montreal to conduct engineering and operational tests.

 

[epcjay]

Saw 2 more being delivered yesterday at 1am on the 401 at Whitby heading westbound

 

[M II A II R II K]

I rode one last week, already has started to look dirty on the outside.

 

[W. K. Lis]

I rode one last week, already has started to look dirty on the outside.

Buses and streetcars are usually washed before they go out in the morning, unless there is a malfunction. Since they are out on the road most of the day, they will get covered with dirt, slush, and spray as the day goes on. Maybe the rain today will wash some of the accumulated dirt off.

 

[the lemur]

You most likely saw Van Hool buses.

The GVB has run a lot of different stuff in the past (and continues to do so) but not as much Van Hool as you might think.

Having said that, depending on the date, it could have been a Van Hool like this:

from around 2006-2008, when they leased a bunch of VHs from transit agencies in Germany and Luxembourg while they were waiting for delivery of Mercedes Citaros.