Crown Ikarus 286

Crown Ikarus 286
286 Front View
Years of manufacture	1980 to 1985
Length	60 feet
Width	102 inches
Power/Fuel	Diesel
286 Rear View

The Crown Ikarus 286 was a articulated transit bus manufactured by Crown Coach Corporation & Ikarus. The prototype 286 was built by Ikarus in late 1977. It was used as Ikarus's demonstration bus to enter the U.S. market. Due to the Federal Transportation Administration's regulations of the time, which would later become the Buy America Act of 1982, the 286 was required to have been built with 50% American labor and 50% American parts. In 1979, Ikarus struck an agreement with Crown, who would complete the assembly of the Hungarian-built buses in Los Angeles, CA. No orders were made after late 1984 and the contract between Crown & Ikarus ceased in 1986 after lawsuits arose from TriMet, due to defects with the buses. Ikarus would later contract with Orion in 1984 to sell the 286 in Canada as the Orion III.

Specifications

Dimensions
Length: 60'
Width: 102"
Height: 10.5'
Wheelbase: ?
Turn Radius: 39'
Engine	Emissions	Availability
Cummins NHHTC-290 14.0L 290 hp		1980 to 1982?
Cummins NHHTC-300 14.0L 300 hp (Standard)		1980 to 1985
Cummins NHHTC-350 14.0L 350 hp (Optional)		1980 to 1985
Cummins NHHTCC-350 14.0L 350 hp (Optional)	California	1980 to 1985
Transmission		Availability
Allison HT-740 (Standard)		1980 to 1983
Allison HT-747 (Standard)		1983 to 1985
Allison HT(B)-748 (Optional)		1984 to 1985
Voith D864.2 (Optional)		1982? to 1985
Axles
Rock-well International
HVAC
Thermo King
Power Steering
Sheppard

Photo Gallery

Brochures

Features JTA 8308, SCCTD 2514 & CDTA 801	Features JTA 8308, 8307, SCCTD 2514 & CDTA 801	Features JTA 8308	Features the then new Chino, CA plant

Features TriMet 727

Factory Photos

Features a TARC unit	Features TARC & SamTrans units	Features SamTrans 709

Features Houston Metro 1440	Features Houston Metro units	Features MCTS 3421 & Houston Metro units	Features Houston Metro units

Features Houston Metro 1430	Features an MCTS unit	Features MCTS 3427 & 3428	Features MCTS 3439

Operators

United States

Original Operators

• Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) - Albany, NY
• Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) - Jacksonville, FL
• Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) - Houston & Harris County, TX
• Milwaukee County Transit System - Milwaukee, WI
• San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) - San Mateo County, CA
• Santa Clara County Transit District - San Jose & Santa Clara County, CA
• TheBus - Honolulu, HI
• Transit Authority of River City (TARC) - Louisville, KY
• TriMet - Portland, OR

Second-Hand Operators

• Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) - Alameda & Contra Costa County, CA (Ex-SCCTD)
• Champaign Urbana Mass Transit District (CUMTD) - Champaign & Urbana, IL (Ex-TARC)
• Green Tortoise Adventure Travel - San Francisco, CA / Oakland, CA (Ex-SamTrans)
• Hunt Transportation (Shuttle Bug) - Buena Park, CA (Ex-SamTrans)

Demonstrator/Engineering Units

Fleet Number	Thumbnail	Build Date	VIN	Engine	Transmission	Notes
		1977	286.K1.001.77	Cummins NHHTC-290	Allison HT-740	Built by Ikarus, 286.K1. Ikarus 286 demonstrator for U.S. market entry. It was transported to Hamgurg, Germany in December 1977 and then demoed in the U.S. from February 1978 to March 1979. First demoed at SCRTD as 6900. Demoed at TARC. Demoed at TriMet. Demoed at HouTran. Demoed at Sacramento RT. Demoed at SamTrans. Demoed at San Francisco MUNI as 6000. Demoed at SORTA. Demoed at King County Metro. Demoed at TheBus. California temporary Lic. Plate: 1356. It returned to Ikarus after its U.S. tour. It sat unused and was eventually scrapped in the 1990's.
		1980	TRABJ__A_AB100016	Cummins NHHTC-300		Demoed at SamTrans in March 1980. Demoed at SCRTD? in early 1980. Demoed at TriMet circa 1980. The bus would later retain the TriMet livery for the rest of its career. Demoed at San Francisco MUNI circa 1980-1981. Demoed at Queens Transit Corporation in November 1981. Demoed at Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority in November 1981. Sold to Milwaukee County Transit System and became a parts bus circa 1985-1986.
781		10/1981 1982	TRABJ41A2BB100108	Cummins NHHTC-290		TriMet demonstrator for the Edmonton Transit System in July 1982.

Privately Owned Units

Thumbnail	Build Date	VIN	Engine	Transmission	Previous Owner(s)	Fleet Number	Current Owner	Notes
	1980	TRABJ11A5AB100011	Detroit Diesel 6L71TA	Allison HT-740	Transit Authority of River City Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District	410 410	?	Originally powered by a Cummins NHHTC-290 engine before being sold to CUMTD. Bought by an owner/operator out of state (IL); a registration was noted on 3/17/2008. Unknown current status
	10/1981 4/1982	TRABJ41A2BB100093	Cummins NHHTC-290	Voith D864.2	TriMet	766	Private Owner	Bought by a private owner in Weiser, ID for storage in 1999. It was listed for sale in March 2018 and was sold to a private owner from Russia who resides in Idaho. The owner launched ikarus286.com, a website dedicated to the Crown Ikarus 286, along with blogs about his bus.
	10/1981 1982	?	Cummins NHHTC-290		TriMet	7xx	Private Owner	Tractor only, no trailer. Spotted sitting by the Oregon Coast on 8/1/2016. Listed on Craigslist in Brookings, OR on 4/12/2018 & on 6/24/2019.
	10/1981 1982	?	Cummins NHHTC-290		TriMet	7xx	?	RV conversion. It was found abandoned in Clovis, NM in September 2013. Unknown current status.
	10/1981 1982	?	Cummins NHHTC-290		TriMet	7xx	Private Owner	Chopped down and turned into a 40 foot RV conversion. It was spotted in Happy Valley, OR. It may remain as of 2019.
	10/1981 1982	TRABJ41A2BB100113?			TriMet	786?	Private Owner	Bought by an unknown private owner circa 1999. Sold to a 2nd private owner in Washington, who converted it into a rally racing bus for the Gambler 500 in July 2017. Its original engine was replaced.
	1983 12/1983	TRABJ11A0DB000114	Cummins NHHTC-300	Allison HT-740	Santa Clara County Transit District Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District	2501 1702	Private Owner	Bought by Zacher's Auto Salvage in Harbor City, CA. Likely sold to Green Tortoise Adventure Travel in Lowell, OR (purchased for re-sale). Auctioned off in Oregon circa 1997-2000. Sold to a private owner, a woodworker in Mill City, OR circa 1997-2000. It was spotted on ebay in December 2007 as an unfinished RV conversion. It was sold to a private owner in South Dakota circa 2010 after the previous owner passed away. The owner retains the bus as of 2021.
	1983 1984	TRABJ_1A_DB100133	Cummins NHHTC		Jacksonville Transportation Authority	8305	?	Converted into a mobile stage bus. Spotted on ebay in 2007. Unknown current status.
	1983 1984	?	Cummins NHHTC		Jacksonville Transportation Authority	83xx	?	Tractor only, no trailer. Found in Lake Butler, FL. Non-operational
	1984 1985	TRABJ_1A_EB100227	Cummins NHHTC		Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County	1447	Private Owner	Found in between Navasota, TX & Anderson, TX on 1/17/2014. It was sitting in the same spot since at least 2005. It remains externally intact as of 2021. Non-operational

External Links

• ikarus286.com
• Circa 1983 Crown Ikarus 286 Promotional Film

References

• Andrew Novak