That 8000-Series Show: A Neoplan Farewell

Early in 2002....
The end of an era is near. The last of the 8000-series Neoplan AN440 buses are rolling off their final few months in service for SEPTA. All of the remaining 8000's are based out of Comly depot at the time this video was shot in 2002.
This video covers a couple of intersections along Cottman Avenue, focusing on the routes where they were most operated in their final days. It also marks the last time I ever got any 8000-series Neoplan buses on video.
On a personal note... the final bus seen in this video (8763) would also turn out to be the last 8000-series bus I would ever get to ride three months later, on Route 70, before they all were withdrawn from service.
By the start of the summer, only the 3000-series Neoplan buses would remain, and the oldest of them would be phased out over the next three years, with the last survivors hanging on until 2007.

[@kingsmoove112]

I often wish Septa wouldve kept one of each Neoplan, RTS-II, a Kawasaki and a PCC in service with its old paint scheme for Septa fanatics.

[@wook1990]

Man, you and me both. Give a lot of us older fanatics some nostalgia and give newer fanatics a history lesson.

[@kingsmoove112]

@@wook1990 Yeah man. It'd be appreciated heavily by folks like us. Hell, I miss the annual trolley fest and that hasnt been around since what, 93 or 94?

[@wook1990]

@@kingsmoove112 I wouldn't know, fam unless I read up on it. I'm 29 and I was born in 1990, so I was just 3-4 years old back then. Lol. But I remember seeing these 8000 Series Neos and the old paint scheme so much that it became stuck with me as time went on. I wish they were born in the late 80s instead of the 3000 Series Neos. There would be many more recordings especially audio recordings. The sound from that engine was absolutely beautiful.

[@kingsmoove112]

@@wook1990 I hear u

[@kingsmoove112]

@@wook1990 I even felt the 8000 series buses were faster. The destination signs digital setup was different from the 3000 series so i always knew before getting on the bus that i was either a 8000 or 1300 series

[@johnharrisiv7000]

I miss these buses with the outward sliding doors and the plain mechanical signs. Ah the good 'ol days mid 90s to early 2002.

[@blue9multimediagroup]

Digital signs

[@jasoncrablephillytransitbo4633]

I So Miss Those Neoplan An440

[@DianeCrable]

Good Times

[@forcechief]

Years later, and there is another 8000-series bus that is retired: the D40LFs. Soon the DE41LFs, and the LFRs will meet the same fate.

[@johnharrisiv7000]

i also blockbuster vid and q102 and power 99 fm. again ah the good times

[@justinhandberry145]

I love these buses but hate them because of one thing when it kneel down it was so quick you would though the bus was gonna tip over when I was a kid good times good times

[@369Bandido]

All of those Non-DDEC 6v92's had nothing but a resonator off the downpipe coming from the Turbo with a wide Flat Exhaust Tip like an Old IROC.

[@jasoncrablephillytransitbo4633]

12:02 8701!

[@daniel022209]

The last 8000 series I ever got on was 8621 on route K heading to Ridge and Midvale back in June 2001. I wished I could have went to Northeast High back then to get my last fix on these buses.

[@thor-elfalcon3057]

My last 8000 was 8846 on the El Shuttle from Frankford, then took 7201 Express via 95 North. March or April 2002.

[@Ryry2003-Studios]

29:19 Someone's talking at the background!

[@forcechief]

A curious passenger onboard said bus......

[@thor-elfalcon3057]

8797 and the Nabi dipped off on that Eldorado at the same damn time lol

[@DARKNIGHT-525]

2:11

[@jasoncrablephillytransitbo4633]

Joe Whats Up Buddy its Jason

[@jasoncrablephillytransitbo4633]

Listen To That Detroit Diesel Series 92 1:30

[@kingsmoove112]

At 3:26, 8772 looks pieced together lol.

[@williamgreeter1855]

MCTS had the 1986 Neoplan AN440s 3500-3571 sounded just like this the 3600 series 3600-3619 the Cummins L10 diesel and Voith transmission and than 3620-3656 gad the 6V92 Detroit diesel with the 731 Allison V drive transmission all got deleted off the roster in May 2002

[@franksanders9677]

8797 is really a rear odd ball

[@TheRandomBolt]

Where u see 8797

[@franksanders9677]

4:28 & look real close at the wheel at 4:34

[@jasoncrablephillytransitbo4633]

​@@franksanders96778797 is My Favorite Bus

[@franksanders9677]

So only comly had the last 8000s

[@trainman1971]

Yep.

[@franksanders9677]

So did Southern have neoplan buses in 2007 or just frankford ??

[@wook1990]

@@franksanders9677 Just Frankford. It's fitting that the last of the entire Neoplan AN440 fleet operated from the Northeast Philly area. In 2008, the remnants of the 3000 Series were retired on June 20th.

[@trainman1971]

@@franksanders9677 By the time they were in their final months in 2007, the last 35 of the 3000-series buses were all at Frankford. The last 3000-series I ever got to ride was 3427, on Route 66. Prior to that, ironic enough, my previous Neoplan ride was 3427 on the farewell fantrip.

[@franksanders9677]

@@trainman1971 my first neoplan was the 46 back in 97 & my last one was the 3 in 2007

[@wook1990]

@trainman1971, I have two questions for you. Which 8000 Series Neoplan AN440s were these? AKs, BDs, BMs, or CDs? And what's the difference between AKs, BDs, BMs, and CDs?

[@trainman1971]

These were mainly from the 8726-8875 group, with one or two from the 8601-8725 group. I know the AK's were 8285-8434, but the rest I forget which were what sub-group. Basically the differences were minor mechanical ones outside my scope of knowledge.

[@wook1990]

@@trainman1971 Oh, ok. I was curious to know because in your Frankford Terminal video that features the 3000 and 8000 Series Neoplan AN440s along with the GMC RTSs and AMGs, 8445 and 8497 have the same engine and they make similar yet different sounds than the 8000 Series Neoplan AN440s in this video. I've always noticed the difference from the left side of the 8445 and 8497 buses compared to the other 8000 Series Neos in this video.

[@tameek1842]

How about septa in 2006 likes buses and trains in west philly

[@johnharrisiv7000]

um why are there passengers on an off duty bus??

[@trainman1971]

Sometimes, the school routes don't put a sign up, or the sign was broken.

[@neoplanrider6512]

What happened to 8000 series SEPTA Neoplan USA AN440A Transliners

[@daniel022209]

They were retired in 2002.