PARIS | Bus, LRT, Tram

[Swede]

Originally Posted by Busfotodotnl

After a quick look at the Paris bus map it turns out there are even buslines which even run parallel for large parts of metro lines. Is this really only for people who really cannot use the metro (handicapped/very old people)?

- Bus line 30 (metro line 2 between Etoile and Barbes-Rochechouart)
- Bus line 61 (entire metro line 3BIS)
- Bus line 73 (metro line 1 between Pont de Neuilly and Concorde)

Logically the busstops are far closer together than the metro stations. The buses fullfill a different function than the metro. Yes, a big part is for those with no real access to the metro due to lowered mobility, but also for when you're really tired, want to see the sunlight a bit, ... my point is: there is a need. People use it. Sorta like how HSR doesn't eliminate the need for "regular" trains.

[Hugues75]

For example :
- there are 11 stations between Barbès-Rochechouart & Etoile-CDG with M2, and 16 with bus 30.

- there are 11 stations between La Défense & Concorde with M1, and 20 with bus 73.

----------------

I had worked for 1 year in a school not too far from my home. 3 choices : by feet, 20 ', great on morning, no stress ; M2, 4 stations, but had to walk : 20' also ! Or bus 26, 32 or 43 : same time, 20' ! I used the metro only twice...

[Minato ku]

Irisbus Crealis, line 91
This is one of two existing in the RATP network, (the other one is on the TVM). It was a test for the new bus line 393 but this bus model was too expensive and didn't offert much more than the Iribus Citelis 18.




Irisbus Crealis next to a Renault Agora L

[manrush]

Has RATP ever tested bi-articulated buses on some of its routes?

[Minato ku]

RATP has tested bi-articulated buses on the line 183 in the 1980s.

http://forum.aceboard.net/5699-1095-...tests-RATP.htm

[ElOhEl]

Awesome thread, never knew Paris had trams

[Augusto]

Originally Posted by Minato ku

RATP has tested bi-articulated buses on the line 183 in the 1980s.

Borrowed to Bordeaux I guess?

[Minato ku]

No, this one is a protype unlike the megabus of Bordeaux, it was owned by RVI.
This bus has a plate of the Rhone departement (69), so I believe it comes for Lyon area where I think the usine was located.

[Minato ku]

[Minato ku]

Do you notice the difference between these two Scania buses ?

[Minato ku]

New RATP Mercedes Citaro
It been a while that the RATP didn't order Mercedes Citaro before.


The last day of the Renault R312 on the RATP network (produced between 1987 and 1996) will be this week.
In this picture we see one of the last one, in the last line where the R312 run.

Picture by Naïm


Picture by Occitandu34


Picture by Eole99

[HARTride 2012]

One of the things I've found with public transit is that certain buses and trains have a "charm" to them that make them unique to the system. And when the stock is retired, that charm is lost.

[Minato ku]

This is the design of the rolling stock.

[Busfotodotnl]

Last year i visited Paris only for the hobby and i was very surprised to found R312-buses. Unfortunately its over now..

[HARTride 2012]

Originally Posted by Minato ku

This is the design of the rolling stock.

Very sleek & modern!

[Minato ku]

Originally Posted by HARTride 2012

One of the things I've found with public transit is that certain buses and trains have a "charm" to them that make them unique to the system. And when the stock is retired, that charm is lost.

The retirement age for a bus in Paris is 15 years old.
The last R312 were produced in 1996, 15 years ago.
It is the older Agora that are going to be withdraw.

Note that for an articuled bus the retirement age is 10 years old.
So already many articuled Agora were withdraw.

By exemple, the bus line 208 in Champigny, this picture is from 2008.

Originally Posted by Minato ku

old Renault Agora

Here the same line, the last week.

[dale88]

Well it will be sad to see the R312 retire, it will be the end of an era of reliable and solid buses which by the way had good colors.

Since the introduction of the 12 meters Renault Agora, the RATP has decided to spend less on the paint scheme of buses and they decided to put less green and changed all the shocks and lower part of the bus body to grey (in order to wash the buses less often since grey can mask dirt).

And the new buses receive uglier and uglier paint (see the new Citaros and Man Lion's City 12m).

Also the RATP has decided to remove all the destinations stickers you could see on the outside of the buses, in order to save money too....However people cannot tell from afar on which line the bus in running....

And also another negative point, the new LED Destination display are horrible, because the STIF the governing authority for transports in the Paris region, has decided that RATP buses must have the destination displayed with VERY BIG LETTERS, and as such, its difficult to see the destination because the text is moving and is always cut....

The RATP has really gone backwards the past 10 years as far as bus goes....

dale88

[Cosmin]

I quite like the R312, but I guess it's time for it to go. Good to see more Citaros joining the fleet though.

I agree with dale88 that the font of the displays is way too big and thus a bit cartoonish.

[ajw373]

Originally Posted by dale88

Since the introduction of the 12 meters Renault Agora, the RATP has decided to spend less on the paint scheme of buses and they decided to put less green and changed all the shocks and lower part of the bus body to grey (in order to wash the buses less often since grey can mask dirt).

Are you sure that it was RATP that made that decision and the supposed reason for it?

Were I live we have PR100.3's which is an upgraded PR100.2 chassis with a body based in the R312 and it too has the same grey skirt. However the reasoning for it is not to hide dirt, but to have have panels that can be easily replaced (read don't have to be painted) in case of accident damage thus reducing time off the road and reducing maintenance costs.

Picture here: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...lt_PR100.3.jpg

[dale88]

Originally Posted by ajw373

Are you sure that it was RATP that made that decision and the supposed reason for it?

The RATP did make the decision because the company own most of the buses it uses (up until now as the STIF is starting to pay and own some of the buses of the RATP).

So the first reason was of course to replace bus parts quicker without painting them, and another reason is to wash the buses less often, as dirt is less visible with a grey lower body.

A good example of that can be seen on the last Man Lion's City buses the ratp bought, the lower part of the buses is painted in grey but there are no panels on the lower part of the body, in fact a full white side body would be quicker to paint.....

And also the RATP removed the green paint under the windows for the same reasons (no need to use green in order to paint the side)

But now its getting even worse, the RATP is starting to buy some buses without paint with a full white body (some Citelis 12) and just stick some green stickers on the body of the bus...