Flxible New Looks

Often regarded as a second choice to General Motors, The Flxible New Looks did not always get their "just desserts" from many Transit fans in the Baltimore Area. Regardless, they were workhorses in every sense of the word. For a number of years, these coaches were the backbones of the fleet - stepping up to serve where even newer equipment fell short.

Year: Numbers: Length: Engine: Configuration: Retired: Notes:

1973 2801-2840 40 Feet 8V-71 Semi-Suburban 1992

1975 3001-3205 40 Feet 8V-71 City 1992

1985 3626-3650 40 Feet 8V-71 City 1993 Rehabbed from selected coaches in the 3001-3205 set.

Baltimore's First Foray with Flxible was in 1973. Looking to replace a aging fleet of buses acquired in April of 1973 as a result of the takeover of the operations of several independent companies such as the B&A Railroad Co., and McMahon Transportation Company, the MTA sought to find a bus that would provide a comfortable ride for long trips while being easily driveable by any of it's employees (many of the buses acquired in the takeover had stick shifts). Flxible won the low bid, and began delivery of 40 soft seated buses later that year. These buses were equipped with powerful V8 engines which made short work of both city and highway driving. This first order stuck mainly to the highways, being split between Bush Street (for the 14, 16, and 17 lines), and Kirk Avenue (for the 15A, 18, and the new 26, with some lesser use on routes 8B, 8D, 8E and 19A).

FLXIBLES - THE FIRST ORDER

OOPS! As originally delivered, several of the 1973 Flxibles carried a a white lip around the destination sign. This would be revised before the coaches hit the streets. Coach #2809 is shown here at Bush Street on December 28, 1973. Jack Bloodsworth photo.

Coach #2824 loads passengers at the Howard and Druid Hill layover on Route #14 on March 10, 1974. By this time, most of the ex-B&A equipment had been retired off of the roster. Note that the "Flxible" nameplate on the first order was larger than that used on coaches of the second order. Thomas Dorsey photo.

Shortly after entering service, Coach #2825 lays over aside the Howard Street White Tower on January 7, 1974. Route #17 was one of the typical assignments for these coaches for many years. Thomas Dorsey photo.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US! Coach #2824 served as MTA's "Birthday Bus," in celebration of it's fifth anniversary of service in 1975. It was painted pink, and topped with 5 "Birthday Candles" on the front of its top. Tom Dorsey photo.

Get your Kicks on Route 66! The former line from Riviera Beach to Westinghouse was another place where the 2800's could be spotted as well. Here, #2806 has been repainted with the large centered numbers, as it poses on January 8, 1982. Jack Bloodsworth photo.

Some of the 1973 Flxibles did receive repainting into the Dark Blue stripe scheme, such as #2801, seen here in 1983 at Bush Division. Thomas Dorsey photo.

Comfort was the hallmark of the 2800 Series Flxibles, which carried the same soft seats as the GM 2700's. This interior view comes from a Thomas Dorsey image.

Flxible lost a later bid to GM in 1974 for 60 new buses, but rebounded in 1975 to win the award for 205 new coaches. This order would comprise the largest consecutively numbered order of buses in Baltimore history, a record that will likely never be broken. This order also came equipped with zippy V-8's and a prompt 3 speed VS-3 transmission, that may well have offered riders the fastest takeoff of any Baltimore Transit Vehicle in history (I'm sure this will be debated!). Initially, the coaches had just one major problem - brake linings. It seems that they had a tendency to overheat and catch fire, not exactly the kind of thing a growing transit agency needs! The problem was soon all but corrected, and the coaches ran without significant problems for a number of years.
The second order remained a core of the fleet for many, many years. The RTS-II's ordered in 1979 and 1980 had too many shortcomings, and the 1975 Flxibles soldiered on as the mainstay of the fleet, only finally being downplayed in 1982 and 1983 with the delivery of the early Grummans and Flxible Metros. Still - Seven Years is a long time to carry on as the backbone of a large urban fleet, and the Flxibles did a commendable job in this capacity.

'75 FLXIBLES - THE EARLY YEARS

Coach #3023 gleams under an overcast sky at Carroll Park shortly after delivery in June of 1975. Thomas Dorsey photo.

Coach #3052 would wear this scheme all the way to retirement in 1988, although as seen here at Eastern Division on June 20, 1975, the paint is brand new. Jack Bloodsworth photo.

Route #44 had some nice speed stretches that took advantage of the Flxibles' power. Here, coach #3101 turns from Belvedere Avenue onto Preakness Way on September 29, 1980, enroute to Brighton. Jack Bloodsworth photo.

Awaiting her next assignment is coach #3145, seen here at Bush Street in February of 1978. In a few months, the RTS-II's would be arriving. Thomas Dorsey Photo.

Preparing for a return trip from Hidden Cove is #3154, seen here in February of 1977. Thomas Dorsey photo.

A timeless Baltimore image is seen here in Coach #3161 awaiting the light at Charles and Monument Streets (Washington and Mount Vernon Places) in March of 1980. While the coach is now history, the rest of the scene about it remains the same. Thomas Dorsey photo.

Before the advent of the Metro in 1983, route #28 was as "workaday" as any line in the system, and Flxibles were the stronghold of the line. Here coach #3175 makes its way to Gwynn Oak Park - Woodlawn, while a GM Fishbowl rounds the corner behind in October of 1976. Thomas Dorsey photo.

Shown here at Charles and Hill Streets is Flxible #3011 on August 13, 1977, soon after the split of route #6 into routes #61-64. The scene shown here on this rainy day has changed drastically since, as housing development has replaced the flat area in the rear. Thomas Dorsey photo.

Another frequent haunt of the Flxibles was the lengthy #3 line. Here, coach #3031 rests at Baynesville before making the long journey towards Arbutus in October of 1976. Thomas Dorsey photo.

Photos of 1975 Flxibles and Green Old Looks in the same frame are few and far between. Here, coach #3184 pauses between runs at Bush Street yard in August of 1975, while a soon to be doomed Old Look sits nervously by. Years later, this bus would be rehabbed to become #3646. Thomas Dorsey photo.

Carriage Hill was at the periphery of the MTA Service area, and was served by an extension of Route #28. Here, coach #3199 is spotted there on May 26, 1984. Interestingly, most of the rest of the Flxible fleet had been repainted out of the corner numbers set up by this time, but this coach still looks sharp and fresh in it. Jack Bloodsworth photo.

Before its connection with Interstate 83, President Street was not nearly as vital a corridor. Here, Coach #3190 awaits the opportunity to turn left on Fayette on its way Eastbound in August of 1975. Tom Dorsey's photo is a good way to compare the GM and Flxible backs at a glance.

OUCH! - This Flxible mishap on #3080 coach occurred on Kelly Avenue at Lochlea Road in May of 1979 on the #10 line. Operator error was judged to be the cause. Thomas Dorsey photo.

A neat little variation can be seen in coach #3167, seen here at Bush Street in April of 1977. The outside door panels are silver instead of light blue. Thomas Dorsey photo.

The blue front bumper of coach #3100 was a short lived experiment before the coaches were later largely retrofitted with black rubber safety bumpers in lieu of the delivery silver metal bumpers. Here, Tom Dorsey caught the coach working the #19 line near Harford and Erdman in December of 1976.

Despite the presence of newer vehicles, the Flxibles still carried a good bit of the load into the mid-1980's. In 1985, the 25 best vehicles (all of the 1975 Order) were sent to Coach Builders for rehabbing, with overhauling, new blue floors, and new dark tinted windows. The coaches returned renumbered as 3626-3650 (25 GMs made up the first set of this fleet). Upon delivery, all were assigned to the Harford Division, later moving to Northwest Division when that division closed its doors in 1987. These coaches continued to serve well, always common sights on the 44, and upon their move, they were fixtures on the 9, 18, and 26 lines as well. It was not until 1988 that they vanished on Saturdays, and were still occasionally spotted holding down base service on Routes 5 and 91 until about 1990.
Flxibles wore a total of 4 different main paint schemes during their tour of duty in Baltimore, the most recent of which consisted of a modification of the original to become Dark Blue across the front and belt, with White above, and the silversiding below the belt. However, it became imperative that the paint job was a good one, as the Flxible's began to reveal their biggest shortcoming in their later years: rust. Streaks of rust were a common sight on any water pathway on the outside of the coach. The biggest problem occurred when water made its way underneath the paint on the rear of the coach below the rear window, which could cause a major rust problem.

'75 FLXIBLES - THE LATER YEARS

A handful of Flxibles were repainted with an all white scheme with a curving blue stripe, in an attempt to be more uniform with the Grummans and Flxibles that were arriving. One coach, #3007 had its stripe dip lower than the others, and had it's window cage painted blue. Here, it's seen on Lombard Street near Calvert on March 10, 1984. Thomas Dorsey photo.

Coach #3022 awaits departure from the Inner Harbor terminus of route #27 on October 22, 1983. This coach wears the rather simple modification which saw the numbers enlarged. Note the rubber bumper now on the front of the coach. Tom Dorsey photo.

On the edge of the MTA service area is coach #3081, laying over on June 14, 1984, while working the #7 line service which had just been relocated from Glyndon to Reisterstown. Jack Bloodsworth photo.

Wedged into the Kirk Avenue Yard is #3093, displaying the standard version of the white Flxible paint scheme, seen here in 1984. This coach had a wanderous career, starting life at Eastern Avenue, moving to Kirk, then Harford, before finishing her career at Northwest Division, retired only because the entire lot of non-rehabs there were surplus in late 1989. Jack Bloodsworth photo.

Beginning in 1987, the Flxible fleet began to be retired, and by 1990, only 12 non-rehabs remained on the roster. These coaches held on until 1992 when they were displaced by the 9200's. The rehabs made it into 1993, and vanished by the Summer. However, one coach, #3633, was once spotted running during October of that year. It was the last recorded sighting of these buses, as they later vanished for good, having been replaced by their newer cousins.

REBIRTH - FLXIBLE REHABS (1985-1993)

Coach #3627 was only slightly off of it's original number of #3027. Here, at Baltimore and Hanover, the coach performs base service on route #5 on May 27, 1990, quite rare by this late date. The Flxible New Look rehabs were remarked by Operators as being harder to turn than the GM counterparts. Adam Paul photo

Coach #3036 was rebuilt as #3629. Here the coach swiftly works on of it's familiar Northwest assignments of the time, the #26 - Providence Road Park and Ride, during the days when MTA didn't throw the newest coaches in the fleet out to these short mileage trippers. Adam Paul photo.

For a complete Rehab renubmering list, click here!

Flxible New-Look Fast Facts

When delivered, the 2800 series Flxibles had one discrepancy in the paint scheme. The panel surrounding the Destination Sign was painted white instead of Blue. This was corrected before the coaches entered service. Posed photos do exist of the coaches in the as-delivered scheme.

In the later years, the 2800 series buses, being displaced by the 8370's and 8570's, were relegated to city work, and were often put on school trips and peak assignments. All were retired by late 1989, except for #2833, which soldiered on until 1992.

When retired in 1989, coach #3052 still wore the ORIGINAL paint scheme. It even had the center number on the rear below the windshield sloppily painted over. The only modification to the bus was the replacement of the steel bumper with a rubber one. It would have made a fine restoration candidate.

Speaking of bumpers, some Flxibles sported a "groovy" two-tone rubber bumper in the late 1970's. The bumpers were off white, with blue fronts. Coaches #3014 and #3100 were among the coaches to demonstate these for a period.

While most buses received new front rubber bumpers, a few, including #3140, ran their entire life with the original steel one.

The last Flxible repainted was #3078, in 1991. It was used in filming, with a fake "DCT" logo stuck over the "T" emblem. Later, the coach received a full repaint (with an improvised blocky "T" emblem). The coach returned to Eastern, only to sit with the rest of the New Look buses as spares. To the best of local enthusiasts' knowledge, it never ran revenue service in its new paint. :(

An early Flxible casualty was #3126, which suffered a high speed collision with a Fire Truck in the late 1970's.

For a time, following the pandemonium surrounding the pending Flxible downfall in 1994, there was the possibility that the 3600's would return from the grave, if not for here, then for Metrobus in Washington D.C. - Imagine the surprise of operators pulling in the Bush Street Yard in Fall of 1994 to see coach #3650 staring them in the face. Apparently, the coach was out to show to DC officials, who had the possible interest of acquiring all 50 of the coaches for rehabbing, and continued service there. In the end, the coaches had too many differences between them and the D.C. fleet, so the idea went no further. Still, it was a nice idea. (Washington DC JUST retired the last of their New Look buses [including some from as early as 1963!] this past Summer).

It was rumored also that #3650 was to be set aside for preservation, either as #3650 or as #3203. These plans never came to fruition however.

As delivered, the Flxibles carried Hand Cranked Destination signs. In the early 1980's these were replaced with electronic destination signs. All are believed to have been converted by 1984.

Year:	Numbers:	Length:	Engine:	Configuration:	Retired:	Notes:
1973	2801-2840	40 Feet	8V-71	Semi-Suburban	1992
1975	3001-3205	40 Feet	8V-71	City	1992
1985	3626-3650	40 Feet	8V-71	City	1993	Rehabbed from selected coaches in the 3001-3205 set.

FLXIBLES - THE FIRST ORDER
	OOPS! As originally delivered, several of the 1973 Flxibles carried a a white lip around the destination sign. This would be revised before the coaches hit the streets. Coach #2809 is shown here at Bush Street on December 28, 1973. Jack Bloodsworth photo.
	Coach #2824 loads passengers at the Howard and Druid Hill layover on Route #14 on March 10, 1974. By this time, most of the ex-B&A equipment had been retired off of the roster. Note that the "Flxible" nameplate on the first order was larger than that used on coaches of the second order. Thomas Dorsey photo.
	Shortly after entering service, Coach #2825 lays over aside the Howard Street White Tower on January 7, 1974. Route #17 was one of the typical assignments for these coaches for many years. Thomas Dorsey photo.
	*HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!* Coach #2824 served as MTA's "Birthday Bus," in celebration of it's fifth anniversary of service in 1975. It was painted pink, and topped with 5 "Birthday Candles" on the front of its top. Tom Dorsey photo.
	Get your Kicks on Route 66! The former line from Riviera Beach to Westinghouse was another place where the 2800's could be spotted as well. Here, #2806 has been repainted with the large centered numbers, as it poses on January 8, 1982. Jack Bloodsworth photo.
	Some of the 1973 Flxibles did receive repainting into the Dark Blue stripe scheme, such as #2801, seen here in 1983 at Bush Division. Thomas Dorsey photo.
	Comfort was the hallmark of the 2800 Series Flxibles, which carried the same soft seats as the GM 2700's. This interior view comes from a Thomas Dorsey image.

'75 FLXIBLES - THE EARLY YEARS
	Coach #3023 gleams under an overcast sky at Carroll Park shortly after delivery in June of 1975. Thomas Dorsey photo.
	Coach #3052 would wear this scheme all the way to retirement in 1988, although as seen here at Eastern Division on June 20, 1975, the paint is brand new. Jack Bloodsworth photo.
	Route #44 had some nice speed stretches that took advantage of the Flxibles' power. Here, coach #3101 turns from Belvedere Avenue onto Preakness Way on September 29, 1980, enroute to Brighton. Jack Bloodsworth photo.
	Awaiting her next assignment is coach #3145, seen here at Bush Street in February of 1978. In a few months, the RTS-II's would be arriving. Thomas Dorsey Photo.
	Preparing for a return trip from Hidden Cove is #3154, seen here in February of 1977. Thomas Dorsey photo.
	A timeless Baltimore image is seen here in Coach #3161 awaiting the light at Charles and Monument Streets (Washington and Mount Vernon Places) in March of 1980. While the coach is now history, the rest of the scene about it remains the same. Thomas Dorsey photo.
	Before the advent of the Metro in 1983, route #28 was as "workaday" as any line in the system, and Flxibles were the stronghold of the line. Here coach #3175 makes its way to Gwynn Oak Park - Woodlawn, while a GM Fishbowl rounds the corner behind in October of 1976. Thomas Dorsey photo.
	Shown here at Charles and Hill Streets is Flxible #3011 on August 13, 1977, soon after the split of route #6 into routes #61-64. The scene shown here on this rainy day has changed drastically since, as housing development has replaced the flat area in the rear. Thomas Dorsey photo.
	Another frequent haunt of the Flxibles was the lengthy #3 line. Here, coach #3031 rests at Baynesville before making the long journey towards Arbutus in October of 1976. Thomas Dorsey photo.
	Photos of 1975 Flxibles and Green Old Looks in the same frame are few and far between. Here, coach #3184 pauses between runs at Bush Street yard in August of 1975, while a soon to be doomed Old Look sits nervously by. Years later, this bus would be rehabbed to become #3646. Thomas Dorsey photo.
	Carriage Hill was at the periphery of the MTA Service area, and was served by an extension of Route #28. Here, coach #3199 is spotted there on May 26, 1984. Interestingly, most of the rest of the Flxible fleet had been repainted out of the corner numbers set up by this time, but this coach still looks sharp and fresh in it. Jack Bloodsworth photo.
	Before its connection with Interstate 83, President Street was not nearly as vital a corridor. Here, Coach #3190 awaits the opportunity to turn left on Fayette on its way Eastbound in August of 1975. Tom Dorsey's photo is a good way to compare the GM and Flxible backs at a glance.
	OUCH! - This Flxible mishap on #3080 coach occurred on Kelly Avenue at Lochlea Road in May of 1979 on the #10 line. Operator error was judged to be the cause. Thomas Dorsey photo.
	A neat little variation can be seen in coach #3167, seen here at Bush Street in April of 1977. The outside door panels are silver instead of light blue. Thomas Dorsey photo.
	The blue front bumper of coach #3100 was a short lived experiment before the coaches were later largely retrofitted with black rubber safety bumpers in lieu of the delivery silver metal bumpers. Here, Tom Dorsey caught the coach working the #19 line near Harford and Erdman in December of 1976.

'75 FLXIBLES - THE LATER YEARS
	A handful of Flxibles were repainted with an all white scheme with a curving blue stripe, in an attempt to be more uniform with the Grummans and Flxibles that were arriving. One coach, #3007 had its stripe dip lower than the others, and had it's window cage painted blue. Here, it's seen on Lombard Street near Calvert on March 10, 1984. Thomas Dorsey photo.
	Coach #3022 awaits departure from the Inner Harbor terminus of route #27 on October 22, 1983. This coach wears the rather simple modification which saw the numbers enlarged. Note the rubber bumper now on the front of the coach. Tom Dorsey photo.
	On the edge of the MTA service area is coach #3081, laying over on June 14, 1984, while working the #7 line service which had just been relocated from Glyndon to Reisterstown. Jack Bloodsworth photo.
	Wedged into the Kirk Avenue Yard is #3093, displaying the standard version of the white Flxible paint scheme, seen here in 1984. This coach had a wanderous career, starting life at Eastern Avenue, moving to Kirk, then Harford, before finishing her career at Northwest Division, retired only because the entire lot of non-rehabs there were surplus in late 1989. Jack Bloodsworth photo.

REBIRTH - FLXIBLE REHABS (1985-1993)
	Coach #3627 was only slightly off of it's original number of #3027. Here, at Baltimore and Hanover, the coach performs base service on route #5 on May 27, 1990, quite rare by this late date. The Flxible New Look rehabs were remarked by Operators as being harder to turn than the GM counterparts. Adam Paul photo
	Coach #3036 was rebuilt as #3629. Here the coach swiftly works on of it's familiar Northwest assignments of the time, the #26 - Providence Road Park and Ride, during the days when MTA didn't throw the newest coaches in the fleet out to these short mileage trippers. Adam Paul photo.
For a complete Rehab renubmering list, click here!