Bus Ride: Septa 1989 Neoplan AN440

This is a 1989 Neoplan AN440 operated by Septa in Philadelphia, PA. This is the Route 8 Express to Olney Terminal. This bus was retired in 2008.
Detroit Diesel 6v92TA Engine
ZF ECOMAT 4HP-590 Transmission
Route: 8 Express from Frankford Transportation Center to Olney Transportation Center

[@daniel022209]

Nothing beats a Detroit Diesel Series 92 engine.

[@waldogg101]

theyre the greatest septa buses EVER!! the first time i rode septa it was that kind of bus.

[@TheTraveler976]

Oh wow the bus i took while growing up in 1990s.

[@Jayayess1190]

michael williams My childhood buses as well.

[@daniel022209]

michael williams same here. I always loved these buses especially the 8000 series Neoplans.

[@johnjohnson4610]

Michael W me too and I miss it😭😭

[@randyman101]

Oh my goodness I loved the sound these buses made back in my childhood. It feels so good to hear the engine sound again. Thanks for the upload. Your Septa Regional Rail Videos are cool too.

[@TheCRTman]

Wow those whines! You rock for filming these back in 06.

[@Jayayess1190]

Thanks, wish I had filmed them more.

[@joechopchop]

I remember riding many Neos on the 66. They were awesome.

[@ItsDaRonBitch]

The sounds this bus makes brings back so many memories from my childhood LOL

[@dez-ef5bo]

These neoplans sound awesome. but those older septa neoplans sounded better especially those 82 and 8300s

[@donw.6203]

I rarely ever comment, but you captured an illustrious piece of history! These were 10 years after my time, but I used to ride them on the K Bus as a kid. I miss them dearly. Ther'e's hardly any variety on the buses anymore.

[@Jayayess1190]

@@donw.6203 I wish I recorded them more. Got to ride them in middle and high school as I was almost 18 when the last ones retired in 2008.

[@starrvox]

i saw that after i left the message...lol no matter - its the same route to my childhood stop,i used to get off at sears. very cool video.

[@philly09boy]

takes me back to the 90's & early 2000's when I used to ride these to school on the 400 - series buses.

[@starrvox]

ok - i found this video by accident - and started to watch it being that i grew up in northeast philly. As i am watching this thing, it starts to look really familiar to me....this is the Route "R" line - the one I took every day. too funny.(It couldnt be the J or K because they don't start at the Bridge St. terminal. thank you whoever posted this. GREAT memories.

[@blue9multimediagroup]

It's not the R. It's the 8 as stated in the description. They run together from Frankford to C St where the 8 diverges and the R continues onward.

[@starrvox]

Blue9 MultiMedia Group to c street? Interesting. Not when I grew up, I got on at bridge and Pratt terminal where it originated from and got off at Mayfair and the blvd. It was the R” from beginning to when i got off. same the other way, got on the R bus at Whitaker and the blvd and off at the el. There was no 8 bus at that time that ran the blvd.

[@blue9multimediagroup]

@@starrvox yes there was. It was originally called the FOX (Frankford to Olney Express).

[@starrvox]

Ah I see - this is late 80’s that’s why. Through the 70’s there was no 8. At least not on the trip from Whittaker to Frankford - It was either the j or the r and if you walked down to Friends Hospital, you could also grab the k down. I think the 8 came in later on after I started driving - lol

[@blue9multimediagroup]

@@starrvox Per Wikipedia, Formerly known as the "Frankford-Olney Express" ("FOX") Service began June 19, 1973, was redesignated Route 8 on September 4, 1984

[@calvincrews3885]

I've ride those septabuses in the 90s until 2000 with the same motor as the mci buses and the grummanflxible 870 adb buses and such other the new flyer low floor d40 buses are very good for the environment and the people who have a problem with 3 steps on the older buses but they are nothing but junk good luck trying to keep them for 20 years septabus company

[@cheezst8ke]

I will miss riding these buses. I was a teenager when I rode these buses around the city.

[@knightcritic]

I used to drive these neoplan's brings back memories. the way they shift will give you whip lash lol ha ha

[@daniel022209]

knightcritic what depot did you operate from?

[@kerrysmith5269]

It reminds me of the ones that I rode on in D.C. when they had them.

[@MetroLinerXLZ]

That sound is the turbocharger. Apparently, it was overblown, thus producing a loud whistling noise. If you ask me, that shit sounds nice.

[@Jayayess1190]

They are all retired. They only stayed around until enough trackless trolleys arrived. And also since school is out for summer, they were no longer needed.

[@darnell899]

@engineersdash8 YES!!!!! Those was my FAVORITE buses back then. What pissed me off was they retired all of 'em an' ain't nobody recorded the sound of them joints, an' I only been on 'em 2 or 3 times.

[@SouthernSeptaRida215]

Last Neo I ever remember riding was on the 2 with the blue leather seats.... I'm a fan from the New Flyer Era I wish I was a fan of the Neoplan Era

[@KevinCNYC1991]

Our 1991 Neoplan AN435s sounded just like this. We also had 1985 and 1990s with the Allison HT transmissions.

[@Jayayess1190]

It's actually the Route 8 Express from Frankford to Olney. It follows part of the R.

[@superman7830]

LACMTA has Neoplan AN440, but they are all the late 90s version with the CNG Engines. i miss the old Neoplans that LACMTA used to have, 1100-1189 & 3300-3714

[@daniel022209]

@waldogg101 I literally grew up on Neoplans. The best ones in service were the ones with the Allison Transmissions. 8285 to 8875 series Neoplans.

[@busrailfan]

Wow! Listen to that bus sing!

[@MBTAguy]

My god does the sound of that engine bring back memories of riding the 1980s RTSes in Boston.

[@alpzepta]

Someone was old enough to be able to capture Neoplan AN440 experience in person

[@Jayayess1190]

I am 32. When these were around I was in school. Just wish I had recorded them more.

[@TrainSounds]

I have never had a chance to ride those.

[@daniel022209]

I don't know if anyone remembers that back in the early 90s five Neoplans were destroyed at one of the depts owned by SEPTA. It was aired on channel 6 back in 1993 or 1994.

[@RealRaynedance]

The last of these I was ever on was on Route 25.... D:

[@williamgreeter1855]

MCTS had 72 1986 Neoplan AN440 buses sounded like a Detroit 6V92 with an Allison HT 740 they where numbered 3500-3571

[@Jayayess1190]

So I just did some research and Gillig only offers deisel and hybrid buses but some agencies have converted them to CNG.

[@DelanceyCheeks]

I remember when these Neoplan buses first came into service.

[@urbancombat1000]

shit i wish NJ Transit made 40 foot Neoplans too. i love the high pitch noise after second gear. i have 2 say Septa had the best sounding Neoplan in history!!

[@josephheston9238]

I remember their MC9s sounding like SEPTA's early-8000 series Neoplans.

[@SuperSonic3783]

This bus just drove me absoultely BONKERS!!!HUUUHHHH!!! -throws arms in the air- I LOVE it!

[@franksanders1634]

My last neo was the 3 ...sometimes I would get on going towards frankford at frankford and orthodox just to ride it back around to 20th & Cecil b more

[@Jayayess1190]

Thats cool, Mexico has a lot of cool hand me down buses.

[@cheezst8ke]

Damn, I rode these buses to school in the 80's. Some of these buses were made back in 1982. They are old buses.

[@engineersdash8]

Yea D.C. had the AN440's back early 90's also

[@dscott74]

9500 was built to SEPTA spec

[@Jayayess1190]

Neoplans are officially gone. The only left are the An460's, and a few left at the Midvale bus garage.

[@engineersdash8]

Baltimore is repowering thier noeplans with the cummings ISL9 motor.Rode a couple of them I have to say it's a powerful motor.

[@engineersdash8]

If you get a chance come down to Baltimore they are repowering their neoplans with the cummings ISL9 motor there are 20 of them in service on the street now with more of them coming back into service very soon.

[@Jayayess1190]

@vze428s7 Yes this is true I actually rode it on the 23, but I don't remember what it sounded like.

[@Jayayess1190]

The bus driver opens the doors. No Septa buses are push to open. The trolley's are step down to open.

[@daniel022209]

@Jayayess1190 Did you ever get onto the 8200 series Neos from Comly? I remember seeing the 8289 Neo operate on routes R, K, and 26 back in 96' before retirement. I swear I never knew that SEPTA had 8200 Neos because that bus took me by surprise. The 6V92TA on the 8289 could really scream. It operating on the 26 going to Devereaux and Algon Ave pulling out of Olney Ave.

[@blue9multimediagroup]

8285-8299 And then 8300-8584, 8600-8875 and 3000-3494

[@Jayayess1190]

@daniel022209 I don't remember. My home depot is Midvale, but I probably rode some 8200's.

[@Jayayess1190]

Not sure, but the Neoplans were 4 years older, and Septa had enough newer buses to replace them.

[@daniel022209]

Hey did you get to see the picture of the Neoplan AK 8293. I sent it to you as a link.

[@knightcritic]

JUST LIKE A IKARUS

[@MyKevinChicago]

sounds just like the neo's lacmta used to have.

[@darnell899]

@engineersdash8 But them 6V-92's bring music 2 my ears. An' I use 2 call them Neoplans the Blue & red bus when Metro had them.

[@newyorkfan16]

did they had ZF too

[@PAHSB1]

@Jayayess1190 - What dose CNG mean?

[@daniel022209]

I wonder if that whining sound was coming from the turbo that was going bad.

[@phillytch78]

jesussaves13 that sound is a bad blower

[@bustitution]

it sound more like a siren nice video Hey jayeyess1190 this is TRANSIT_FREAK100 from PTV

[@Jayayess1190]

@daniel022209 I love them all.

[@Jayayess1190]

@daniel022209 Yes I got it.

[@Jayayess1190]

@brando3491 Yes, the biggest fleet of Neo's in the state.

[@mr.gameplay3882]

This must have been on the R judging by the way it left frankford

[@Jayayess1190]

The 8.

[@mr.gameplay3882]

@@Jayayess1190 close enough lol

[@vze428s7]

it was said that 3414 had a DD50 and allison B400!! is this true, i wondered wut it sounded like??

[@blue9multimediagroup]

Yes it did. It sounded like the NABIs, which is why they tested that engine on 3414. They wanted to see how it would work before they ordered it for the upcoming NABIs in 1996.

[@josephheston9238]

Was never a big fan of the ZFs. They jerk when they shift (probably due to the low shift points). It's also evident with the New Flyers with the ZFs. Like the Allisons better (especially the HT-754).

[@engineersdash8]

@darnell899 Yeah I deffinantly like the ones that they had in L.A. They had the cummings engine that ran on the CNG. They had some of the strongest engines that I have heard in a long time and ran like a champ.

[@iib8903]

sounds like a cummins block

[@Bastranz27]

It sounded similar to a SEPTA Neo Artic to me, but with all of the other sounds of the typical Neos and a little bit faster.

[@thecarsectionthecarsection6420]

the best and the worst bus I've ever driven 3316 wss the fastest one

[@Jayayess1190]

@PAHSB1 Compressed Natural Gas.

[@general682002]

The ZF 5HP590 shifts exactly like TTC Ikarus.

[@Jayayess1190]

No.

[@Trezon235]

1:57

[@Trezon235]

1:15