Toronto Transit Commission 6640-6745
Toronto Transit Commission 6640-6745 were Orion 05.501 buses built from 1991 to 1992.
History
Order
The TTC awarded Ontario Bus Industries the contract for 106 buses in early 1991. Deliveries began in the summer of that year. With this purchase, the TTC was able to replace some of the oldest GM New Looks in the fleet.
The buses were delivered in the "CLRV" livery, which included metallic silver paint, used throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. This is the second batch of buses to feature air conditioning. In addition, to further increase their appeal to riders, they were delivered with a new interior design from local firm Pierrette Claude Design.[1] The new interior colour palette consisted of warm greys, charcoal, and red. New finishes included seat inserts covered in a synthetic wool. The buses had the capability to kneel, however these were the last non-accessible buses purchased by the TTC. All orders since would come equipped with either lifts or ramps for wheelchairs.
Refurbishments
At the 6-year mark, the TTC found the buses were suffering severe frame corrosion after moisture had collected inside the tubular carbon steel structure.[2] Their 25 CNG counterparts, numbered 9370-9394, experienced the same fate. The buses were put through their 6-year rebuild and repairs were made to the body and frame. Work on the buses' various systems including drivetrain, suspension, and HVAC was also completed. Furthermore, the ZF transmission was replaced by the Allison B400R. The buses received a fresh coat of paint in the TTC's current livery. From 2003 to 2004, these buses received their 12-year rebuild which consisted of much of the same work.
Many of the buses had received automated announcements and CCTV cameras as the fleet was retiring throughout that period.
Movement History
Birchmount Division was the first to receive these buses. This was followed by Queensway and Davenport. Once the order was complete, the split between the garages was as follows:
- 6640-6679 at Birchmount
- 6680-6714 at Queensway
- 6715-6745 at Davenport
The entire Davenport batch, 6715-6745 was transferred to Malvern when the garage closed in 1993. In the late 1990s, some of its buses at Birchmount, Queensway and Malvern were transferred to Old Eglinton when rebuild commenced. Between 1998 and 2000, the entire series was concentrated at Birchmount.
By 2005, 6720-6745 were transferred to Queensway to replace some of the retiring 6000 and 6100 series Flyer D901s. Buses 6701-6705, 6707-6719 were transferred to Queensway in late 2006. With the arrival of more 8000 series Orions at Queensway in late 2007, the abforementioned buses were moved back to Birchmount to replace retired Classics. In October 2008, 6685, 6687-6692, 6694-6697, 6699-6701, 6703-6706, 6708, 6711-6719, 6721-6730, 6733-6737, 6739-6744 were transferred to Queensway to replace the retiring D40s. When Mount Dennis opened in November 2008, the remaining active Orion V buses: 6640, 6642, 6644-6647, 6650, 6651, 6654-6656, 6661, 6664-6667, 6669, 6672-6674, 6676, 6677, 6679, 6681, 6682, 6685-6687, 6690-6692, 6694, 6695, 6698, 6701, 6705, 6706, 6708, 6711, 6713, 6716, 6719, 6724, 6729, 6733, 6739, 6740 were moved to that division.
Deployment
When those were in service, those buses were found on Birchmount and Queensway routes 6 Bay, 15 Evans, 17 Birchmount, 24 Victoria Park, 31 Greenwood, 32 Eglinton West, 37 Islington, 48 Rathburn, 50 Burnhamthorpe, 52 Lawrence West, 55 Warren Park, 66 Prince Edward, 67 Pharmacy, 68 Warden, 69 Warden South, 70 O Connor, 71 Runnymede, 73 Royal York, 76 Royal York South, 77 Swansea, 80 Queensway, 83 Jones, 89 Weston, 91 Woodbine, 92 Woodbine South, 112 West Mall, 135 Gerrard, 141 Downtown/Mt. Pleasant Express, 143 Downtown/Beach Express, 144 Downtown/Don Valley Express, 167 Pharmacy North, 168 Symington, 300 Bloor-Danforth, 302 Danforth Rd-McCowan, 307 Eglinton West, 311 Islington, 322 Coxwell, and 324 Victoria Park.
After Mount Dennis opened, they were confined there and operated on routes 6 Bay, 47 Lansdowne, 52 Lawrence West, 55 Warren Park, 58 Malton, 59 Maple Leaf, 71 Runnymede, 77 Swansea, 89 Weston, 90 Vaughan, 126 Christie, 141 Downtown/Mt. Pleasant Express, 168 Symington, 171 Mt Dennis and 352 Lawrence West.
Retirements
The buses in this series eventually succumbed to frame corrosion issues, and it was decided to retire them rather than rebuild them at the 18-year mark. Most units were retired between 2007 and 2009, with a few 6642, 6688, 6702, 6705 and 6734 lasting into 2010.
The last bus of the series in revenue service, 6734, last operated on route 52 Lawrence West on April 5, 2010.
| Engine | Transmission | Seating | Destination sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Diesel 6V92TA 253 bhp @ 2100 rpm | Allison World B400R 5 speed | 39: American Seating Model 6468 | Luminator Matrix:MAX |
