Orion Bus Industries 'Orion III'
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| Years of manufacture | 1984 to 1989 |
| Length | 60 feet |
| Width | 102 inches |
| Propulsion | Diesel |
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The Orion III was an articulated transit bus available in Canada and built through a joint partnership between Ikarus Coach and Body Works of Budapest, Hungary and Ontario Bus Industries (OBI) of Mississauga, Ontario. Ikarus was responsible for building the body shell of the bus and then shipping the partially complete buses over to North America for final assembly by OBI. This included the installation of windows, seats, doors, and various electrical and mechanical components. This arrangement with Orion followed a similar arrangement years earlier between Ikarus and Crown Coach Corporation to sell the articulated Ikarus design in the US as the Crown Ikarus 286.
The Orion III has a horizontally opposed engine mounted under the floor in the front section of the bus. This made the bus a "puller" articulated bus, rather than a "pusher" articulated bus which would have the engine located in the rear section, like GM's articulated model.
The first Orion III bus (a demonstrator) was produced in 1984, and the first order was placed by OC Transpo for 34 buses in November of that year.[1] The TTC placed a significant order for 90 units in December 1986. In total, over 124 buses were built.
Unfortunately, poor quality workmanship and several defects were found in the design and construction of these buses. The most persistent problem was the heavy corrosion on the frame, bodies and articulated joints, which was pointed to as sub-standard work by Ikarus while building the buses' bodies and frames in their Budapest plant.[2] As a result, many Orion III buses ended up retiring at a premature age before their 18 year expected lifespans, and this was the most likely factor as to why the Orion III was unsuccessful in the North American transit market. Production of this model was discontinued in 1989.
Specifications
| Dimensions |
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| Length: 18.28m (60') |
| Width: 2590mm (102") |
| Height: 3180mm (125.3") |
| Engine |
| Cummins NHHTC-290 14 litre, 290 hp |
| Detroit Diesel 6L71TA 7 litre, 270 hp |
| Transmission |
| Allison HT-740 4 speed |
| Allison HTB-748 4 speed |
| ZF 5HP590 5 speed |
Operators
Canada 
- OC Transpo - Ottawa, Ontario
- St. Catharines Transit - St. Catharines, Ontario (demo)
- Toronto Transit Commission - Toronto, Ontario
- Transit Windsor - Windsor, Ontario (Leased)
Demonstrator and engineering units
Below is a list of known demonstrator and engineering buses
| Fleet number | Thumbnail | Year | VIN | Engine | Transmission | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 2B1379973E5006483 | Cummins NHHTC-290 | Allison HTB-748 |
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