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05-24-2019, 06:46 AM
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#1
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Claremont, NH
Posts: 480
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466E (195hp, 520tq)
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New PSI 8.8 liter propane powered IC bus
Today I get to use a new IC propane powered bus for a field trip. It only has 4400 miles and the PSI 8.8 liter V8. Obviously more power than the Rousch powered ones. It's also nice driving a bus that doesn't have a quarter million miles on it for a change....
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Dave
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05-24-2019, 06:57 AM
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#2
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Barrie ON
Posts: 440
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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Tracking... let us know how you like it
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05-24-2019, 09:12 AM
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#3
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Claremont, NH
Posts: 480
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466E (195hp, 520tq)
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I'll get a picture of it later, but during my pre-trip I opened the electrical access panel under the driver's window and was amazed. Just two large fuse/relay panels and a few wires. No rats nest of wires, fuses and connectors!
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Dave
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05-24-2019, 11:16 AM
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#4
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,707
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ermracing
I'll get a picture of it later, but during my pre-trip I opened the electrical access panel under the driver's window and was amazed. Just two large fuse/relay panels and a few wires. No rats nest of wires, fuses and connectors!
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its all on the computer network now.. individual items have individual fuses but the wiring is streamlined to localized controllers.. similar to the way city and coach busses are done (and have been for awhile)...
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05-28-2019, 05:42 AM
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#5
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Claremont, NH
Posts: 480
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466E (195hp, 520tq)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid
its all on the computer network now.. individual items have individual fuses but the wiring is streamlined to localized controllers.. similar to the way city and coach busses are done (and have been for awhile)...
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Sorry for the crappy picture, cheap phone.
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Dave
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05-28-2019, 02:18 PM
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#6
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Skoolie
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Fingerlakes region NY
Posts: 204
Year: 1999
Coachwork: AmTran/Wolfington
Chassis: 3800
Engine: International DT466E 190HP variant
Rated Cap: 72 pax 29500 GVWR
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I saw that engine on Wolfington Body Company’s website the other day (they made my bus’s body). They had a gasoline powered version as well. Lots of torque and HP, can’t remember the numbers right now but I’d sure love to hear one of those engines through some glass packs!
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05-28-2019, 02:25 PM
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#7
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,707
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
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that engine is being sold in IC (international) school busses as a gasoline engine.. I dont know of anyone running them yet but quite a few people I know running trans departments have them ordered
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05-28-2019, 02:30 PM
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#8
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Skoolie
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Fingerlakes region NY
Posts: 204
Year: 1999
Coachwork: AmTran/Wolfington
Chassis: 3800
Engine: International DT466E 190HP variant
Rated Cap: 72 pax 29500 GVWR
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Are they exclusive to IC? I mentioned it in my post because Wolfington appears to make bodies only for IC. I wonder what the expected lifespan of this engine will be.
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05-28-2019, 02:49 PM
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#9
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,707
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
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IC is the only one I know of right now.. I think I heard Bluebird will offer the ford 7.3 as its option,.. up till now its been offered with the V10...
havent heard on thomas gas offering.. theres a lot of IC and Bluebird fanboys in the bus enthusiast clubs so its sometimes hard to see through all the "wishing" vs reality..
ive only seen wolfington associated with IC.. unless its different outside of the states..
theres also Lion which I never saw a single one around here for years but they are starting to show up in the mix.. their claim to fame is they are composite material and dont rust..(supposedly) they seem to be trying to push forward with electric busses.. but offer a diesel.. (cummins 6.7 like everyone)
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05-28-2019, 03:21 PM
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#10
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Skoolie
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Fingerlakes region NY
Posts: 204
Year: 1999
Coachwork: AmTran/Wolfington
Chassis: 3800
Engine: International DT466E 190HP variant
Rated Cap: 72 pax 29500 GVWR
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I’ve never seen another “Wolfington” bodied bus. I guess it’s just an AMTRAN at the end of the day though
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05-28-2019, 04:03 PM
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#11
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,707
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
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essentially a play on the original WARD. which when international got involved called it AmTran..
Ward's materials seemed to be a mix of Superior, Wayne, and carpenter if you ask me... oncde it became amtran it got more "plain".. ie they dropped the iconic shaped windshield and went to a standard rectangle driver window and 4 piece windshield like Bluebird ... Superior / Wayne / Carpenter all went Bust.. Crown-by-carpenter in the mid 90s bought the old Wayne Factory and re-used the toolings... interesting to see the Carpenter / Crowns with Wayne interiors..
of course in today's Climate the Best built of anything dont sem to be ion demand.. the best-built school busses were considered to be the Real crowns (not the carpenter stuff).. and Superior.. both gone..
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05-28-2019, 05:13 PM
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#12
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,259
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American
Engine: 8.3 Cummins ISC
Rated Cap: 75
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My company has been buying the V10 propane Bluebird Visions the last few years....they're decent on flat land but really struggle in the hills with 45 kids on board. They're mostly used as route buses at the rural districts.
The range sucks on them too, you're lucky to get 200 miles out of one. Would never work at my bus terminal as lots of us can do 300-400 mile days especially on busy weekends.
A common problem on them is the manifolds cracking, the local Bluebird shop (Wisconsin Bus Sales) always has at least 5-6 of them in the service area for that every time I go in there.
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05-28-2019, 05:28 PM
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#13
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 1,349
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Thomas 4 window w/lift
Chassis: G30~Chevy cutaway
Engine: 5.7/350 Chevy Vortec
Rated Cap: Just me and my "stuff"?
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Thread hijack alert:
I've long wondered how durable the V10 engines were and as a result, stayed away from purchasing one.
Not sounding too promising as a long term, reliable powerplant.
I have noticed their widespread use in the lightweight shuttle busses around the northeast. Maybe they're better suited in those platforms vs a metal bodied skoolie..?
Now back to our regularly scheduled 8.8 propane fueled bus discussion...
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06-09-2019, 06:58 PM
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#14
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Huron, South Dakota
Posts: 422
Year: 1976
Coachwork: Wayne
Chassis: Dodge S-600
Engine: 360 V8
Rated Cap: 66
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From what I see from Wolfington's website (not Wikipedia) they are a distributor of buses manufactured by other companies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WIbluebird
My company has been buying the V10 propane Bluebird Visions the last few years....they're decent on flat land but really struggle in the hills with 45 kids on board. They're mostly used as route buses at the rural districts.
The range sucks on them too, you're lucky to get 200 miles out of one. Would never work at my bus terminal as lots of us can do 300-400 mile days especially on busy weekends.
A common problem on them is the manifolds cracking, the local Bluebird shop (Wisconsin Bus Sales) always has at least 5-6 of them in the service area for that every time I go in there.
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Do you work for Student Transportation of America (STA)? That's my employer and they use these things, too. And they just bought several more!
The bodies/chassis are OK (though our Int'l diesels feel more solid), but oh, the electrical problems! Not just the computer stuff, either: lights seem to go haywire, too. Ours run on cheap Chinese wheel rims with paint that fell off after two years. They won't last anywhere near the 40+ years like the ones on my '76 Dodge.
__________________
Any action for which there is no logical explanation will be deemed "company policy."- Akvol's Second Law of the Corporation
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06-09-2019, 07:01 PM
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#15
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Huron, South Dakota
Posts: 422
Year: 1976
Coachwork: Wayne
Chassis: Dodge S-600
Engine: 360 V8
Rated Cap: 66
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ermracing
Today I get to use a new IC propane powered bus for a field trip. It only has 4400 miles and the PSI 8.8 liter V8. Obviously more power than the Rousch powered ones. It's also nice driving a bus that doesn't have a quarter million miles on it for a change....
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When you start the engine, does it respond right away, or does the damn computer have to boot up like on the (Rousch/Ford) BB Vision?
__________________
Any action for which there is no logical explanation will be deemed "company policy."- Akvol's Second Law of the Corporation
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06-09-2019, 08:31 PM
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#16
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Almost There
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 70
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Computer Control
Windows is updating. Please do not turn your bus off.
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06-10-2019, 05:50 AM
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#17
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Claremont, NH
Posts: 480
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466E (195hp, 520tq)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skunky Bus
When you start the engine, does it respond right away, or does the damn computer have to boot up like on the (Rousch/Ford) BB Vision?
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You could do about half the pre-trip before it fires up.....
__________________
Dave
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02-25-2020, 09:28 PM
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#18
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New Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 3
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Wolfington is a distributor of IC buses in one state, PA. They don't build the body. IC buses are built in Tulsa, OK by IC Bus (International).
Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid
IC is the only one I know of right now.. I think I heard Bluebird will offer the ford 7.3 as its option,.. up till now its been offered with the V10...
havent heard on thomas gas offering.. theres a lot of IC and Bluebird fanboys in the bus enthusiast clubs so its sometimes hard to see through all the "wishing" vs reality..
ive only seen wolfington associated with IC.. unless its different outside of the states..
theres also Lion which I never saw a single one around here for years but they are starting to show up in the mix.. their claim to fame is they are composite material and dont rust..(supposedly) they seem to be trying to push forward with electric busses.. but offer a diesel.. (cummins 6.7 like everyone)
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02-26-2020, 05:49 AM
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#19
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,762
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Busguy52
Wolfington is a distributor of IC buses in one state, PA. They don't build the body. IC buses are built in Tulsa, OK by IC Bus (International).
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I don't think anyone was suggesting that "wolfington" built ANYTHING.
My IC was built in Conway Arkansas. Many were up until 2010.
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02-26-2020, 06:57 AM
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#20
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New Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 3
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Read the thread. I only posted bc someone thought wolfington built the bodies for IC.
you
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB
I don't think anyone was suggesting that "wolfington" built ANYTHING.
My IC was built in Conway Arkansas. Many were up until 2010.
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