Orion Bus Industries 'Orion III'
| | |
|---|---|
| |
| Years of manufacture | 1984 to 1989 |
| Length | 60 feet |
| Width | 102 inches |
| Propulsion | Diesel |
| |
The Orion III was an articulated transit bus built through a joint partnership between Ikarus Bus of Budapest, Hungary and Orion Bus Industries of Mississauga, Ontario. Ikarus was responsible for building the body shell of the bus (without doors, windows and seats) then shipping the bodies over to North America for final assembly by Orion. The Final assembly by Orion included the installation of windows, seats, doors, and various electrical and mechanical components. As the Orion III was designed with the engine located in the front portion of the bus, it was a puller articulated bus, rather than a pusher articulated bus which would have the engine located in the rear of the bus.
Unfortunately, several defects were found in the design of these buses. The most persistent problem was the heavy corrosion on the bodies of the buses, which was pointed to as sub-standard work by Ikarus while building the frames of the buses. As a result, many agencies ended up retiring these vehicles at a premature age, and this problem is the most likely reason as to why the Orion III was unsuccessful in its marketplace. Orion discontinued production of this model in 1989.
Contents |
Specifications
Dimensions
- Length: 18.28m (60')
- Width: 2590mm (102")
- Height: 3180mm (125.3")
Engine
- Cummins NHHTC 14 litre, 290 hp
- Detroit Diesel 6L71TA 7 litre, 270 hp
Transmission
Operators
Canada 
- Toronto Transit Commission - Toronto, Ontario
- OC Transpo - Ottawa, Ontario
- St. Catharines Transit - St. Catharines, Ontario (Demo)
Demonstrator and engineering units
Below is a list of known demonstrator and engineering buses
| Fleet number | Thumbnail | Year | VIN | Engine | Transmission | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | E5006483 | Sold in 1988 to St. Catharines Transit, became 8441. |
