# Anyone traveled on Jefferson Lines?



## jebr (Jan 6, 2013)

Especially recently. I have a three-leg trip this weekend (round trip is six legs) and want to know if anyone else here has done trips with them before. (Especially their Rocket Rider bus...I can't find that much information about it on the internet!)


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 6, 2013)

The Rocket Rider is a new D4505. Really cool bus, comfortable too, you'll love it!


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## jebr (Jan 6, 2013)

Do they have outlets? They certainly look comfortable, but I really would love outlets. (And do you happen to know how the XM radio feature works?)


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 6, 2013)

jebr said:


> Do they have outlets? They certainly look comfortable, but I really would love outlets. (And do you happen to know how the XM radio feature works?)


I'm pretty they do, but I don't have a smartphone so it's hard to remember. The XM radio though, you plug in microphones and choose between channels.


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## jebr (Jan 7, 2013)

Like this?


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## jebr (Jan 7, 2013)

Also, Swadian, when (roughly) and what routes have you rode Jefferson Lines on? I'm taking the 932A, 711, and 706 down, and the 502, 702, and 931 back up.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 7, 2013)

jebr said:


> Also, Swadian, when (roughly) and what routes have you rode Jefferson Lines on? I'm taking the 932A, 711, and 706 down, and the 502, 702, and 931 back up.


I did a run on ID-90 back in 2010. I'm not familiar with Jefferson's timetable numbers. I did get a D4505 though.


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## jebr (Jan 7, 2013)

Swadian Hardcore said:


> jebr said:
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> > Also, Swadian, when (roughly) and what routes have you rode Jefferson Lines on? I'm taking the 932A, 711, and 706 down, and the 502, 702, and 931 back up.
> ...


ID-90? Their run on Interstate 90 goes from Minneapolis down to Albert Lea, then takes 90 all the way out to Billings. They must be building up demand on the Minneapolis - Sioux Falls portion, as they now have a second run just for that section on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. (Probably a single bus, since one goes up from 7:30 AM until 12:01 PM, presumably on MN-60 since it skips Albert Lea, and the route back goes from 1 PM to 5:45 PM, which stops in Albert Lea.)


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## PRR 60 (Jan 7, 2013)

jebr said:


> Swadian Hardcore said:
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*Swadian* mistakenly thinks the proper identification for an Interstate Highway is Interstate and Defense Highway. It is not. While the original act that established funding was called the _National Interstate and Defense Highways Act (Public Law 84-627), _the highway designations are officially _Interstate Highways_, not Interstate and Defense Highways. Interstate 90 is I-90, not ID-90.


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## jebr (Jan 7, 2013)

Wait, doesn't Megabus also operate D4505s? I've been on single-deck buses on their Detroit - Pittsburgh runs before, and Wikipedia states that most of those are D4505s. I thought those were less comfortable (at least seat-pitch wise) than the double-decker Van Hools (which I actually don't mind, especially when I can get the one in the top right corner...crazy amount of recline there!)


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 8, 2013)

jebr said:


> Wait, doesn't Megabus also operate D4505s? I've been on single-deck buses on their Detroit - Pittsburgh runs before, and Wikipedia states that most of those are D4505s. I thought those were less comfortable (at least seat-pitch wise) than the double-decker Van Hools (which I actually don't mind, especially when I can get the one in the top right corner...crazy amount of recline there!)


It all depends on what type of seat the company buys and what comfiguration they put it in. Those single-deck buses could have been E4500s too, I don't know about that, though.


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## jebr (Jan 8, 2013)

Swadian Hardcore said:


> jebr said:
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> > Wait, doesn't Megabus also operate D4505s? I've been on single-deck buses on their Detroit - Pittsburgh runs before, and Wikipedia states that most of those are D4505s. I thought those were less comfortable (at least seat-pitch wise) than the double-decker Van Hools (which I actually don't mind, especially when I can get the one in the top right corner...crazy amount of recline there!)
> ...


All I can remember is that the maximum capacity listed in front was either 55 or 56 seated. Sorry I can't be more specific than that.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 8, 2013)

jebr said:


> Swadian Hardcore said:
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I know that the absolute maximum capacity for a D4505, E4500, J4500, or even a Van Hool C2045, is 57 without a restroom and 55 with one, but Greyhound only has 50 seats in their D4505, so no doubt that Megabus was uncomfortable.


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## jebr (Jan 8, 2013)

Swadian Hardcore said:


> jebr said:
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That would explain it. I've been on Greyhound Express before, and it looks like at least part of their Express fleet is the D4505s. Those weren't bad, though I prefer cloth to leather seats myself. The seat design just didn't feel as comfortable as Megabus' double decker seats. (Though that could be because I had an aisle seat when I usually get window seats on Megabus.)


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 9, 2013)

jebr said:


> Swadian Hardcore said:
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I like cloth seats too and much prefer window seats. Look like we have more in common then we think, considering my Megabus-bashing. I did feel that the Megabus roof was too low and the bus was of poor construction.


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## fairviewroad (Jan 9, 2013)

Now I know what a rail forum must look like to non rail-fans. Never knew anyone cared about or knew about the difference between a "D4505, E4500, J4500, or even a Van Hool C2045." It's all Greek to me.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 9, 2013)

fairviewroad said:


> Now I know what a rail forum must look like to non rail-fans. Never knew anyone cared about or knew about the difference between a "D4505, E4500, J4500, or even a Van Hool C2045." It's all Greek to me.


 Hey, at least it's all in good fun and enthusiasm!


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## jebr (Jan 9, 2013)

fairviewroad said:


> Now I know what a rail forum must look like to non rail-fans. Never knew anyone cared about or knew about the difference between a "D4505, E4500, J4500, or even a Van Hool C2045." It's all Greek to me.


Τώρα ξέρω τι ένα φόρουμ τροχιάς πρέπει να μοιάζει με μη σιδηροδρομικές οπαδούς. Ποτέ δεν ήξερε κανείς νοιαζόταν για ή γνώριζαν για τη διαφορά ανάμεσα σε ένα "D4505, E4500, J4500, ή ακόμα και ενός Van Hool C2045." Είναι όλα τα ελληνικά μου.

Does that help?


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## OlympianHiawatha (Jan 9, 2013)

Now if _*Greyhound*_ would bring back the classic _*Scenicruisers*_ I'd be right there! Now that's a bus!


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 9, 2013)

jebr said:


> fairviewroad said:
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> > Now I know what a rail forum must look like to non rail-fans. Never knew anyone cared about or knew about the difference between a "D4505, E4500, J4500, or even a Van Hool C2045." It's all Greek to me.
> ...


:help: υπερaσπιστ&epsilon! χω aκοντιστς!



OlympianHiawatha said:


> Now if _*Greyhound*_ would bring back the classic _*Scenicruisers*_ I'd be right there! Now that's a bus!


You mean the PD-4501 or the other Scenicruisers? The PD-4501 did have one problem: dual 4V engines instead of a single 8V.


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## jebr (Jan 10, 2013)

Swadian Hardcore said:


> jebr said:
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Gah! That looked correct when I copy/pasted it from Goog...I mean, wrote it out with my amazing Greek skills. h34r:


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## railiner (Jan 10, 2013)

OlympianHiawatha said:


> Now if _*Greyhound*_ would bring back the classic _*Scenicruisers*_ I'd be right there! Now that's a bus!


You've got that right!

If Greyhound would load a brand new Prevost X-3, or an MCI D4505 right next to their number '1954', a restored GM Scenicruiser PD4501 from their museum fleet; and give the passengers a choice to board.......guarantee they would choose the 'Scenic' based on 'curb appeal' alone.

The Raymond Loewy styled Scenicruiser is arguably the best-looking bus ever built.

And in 1961 and 1962, Greyhound contracted with Marmon-Herrington of trolley-coach fame to rebuild the 1,001 coach fleet from twin Detroit Diesel 4-71 engines to new DD 8-71's......


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## Amtrak Cajun (Jan 11, 2013)

I've seen Megabus J4500's as well as the Van Hool's that they run. Those are the two units that they own the most numbers of.

As far as for the Jefferson Lines, I have never ridden their bus line at all. I have never traveled that region all that much by bus.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 11, 2013)

Amtrak Cajun said:


> I've seen Megabus J4500's as well as the Van Hool's that they run. Those are the two units that they own the most numbers of.
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> As far as for the Jefferson Lines, I have never ridden their bus line at all. I have never traveled that region all that much by bus.


Are you sure they have J4500s? I thought they had the E4500. They look very similar but there are small differences on the outside.


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## Amtrak Cajun (Jan 11, 2013)

Yeah, I know the differences between them. Definitely J4500's, although they may have a few E's in the fleet as well, but mostly I see J's and Van Hools. Id have to go to New Orleans to catch Megabus, so I have never ridden them.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 12, 2013)

Amtrak Cajun said:


> Yeah, I know the differences between them. Definitely J4500's, although they may have a few E's in the fleet as well, but mostly I see J's and Van Hools. Id have to go to New Orleans to catch Megabus, so I have never ridden them.


Where'd you see the Js? I saw E4500s in Chicago, but apparently they run out of New York, too. See: http://www.flickr.co...a81/2637261117/.


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## Amtrak Cajun (Jan 13, 2013)

The last time I personally saw a J model was on I-10 heading Westbound. It was flying towards Houston, I didnt know buses could "fly" but this one was definitely rolling quickly.  They have a New Orleans to Houston run. I hit Amtrak more than I do the interstate, so I dont see many buses, but when I do, its one of those "oh look, a Megabus/Greyhound/charter company bus", interesting, move on to next topic of discussion with whoever I am riding with. 

The J/E models look good in that color scheme though, I will say that much.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 13, 2013)

Amtrak Cajun said:


> The last time I personally saw a J model was on I-10 heading Westbound. It was flying towards Houston, I didnt know buses could "fly" but this one was definitely rolling quickly.  They have a New Orleans to Houston run. I hit Amtrak more than I do the interstate, so I dont see many buses, but when I do, its one of those "oh look, a Megabus/Greyhound/charter company bus", interesting, move on to next topic of discussion with whoever I am riding with.
> 
> The J/E models look good in that color scheme though, I will say that much.


Yeah, the Js and Es aren't bad at all. I saw a rendering of a J4600 in Greyhound neoclassic livery, and it didn't actually look very good.


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## Amtrak Cajun (Jan 14, 2013)

The Prevost X3's look good in the neo-livery, as do the D4505's, but I wont derail this thread anymore.  If you want to chat buses and colors bud, feel free to PM me 

As far as for Jefferson Lines, I remembered something interesting. I was once riding home on Greyhound from Little Rock, and as I was transferring buses, a JL bus pulled up, and it was a Van Hool C2045. It was tan in color, and had the JL logo on it. This was back in 2002. They have updated their livery since then. but I remember that bus because I had never seen one like that before, and it just stuck in my head.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 14, 2013)

Amtrak Cajun said:


> The Prevost X3's look good in the neo-livery, as do the D4505's, but I wont derail this thread anymore.  If you want to chat buses and colors bud, feel free to PM me
> 
> As far as for Jefferson Lines, I remembered something interesting. I was once riding home on Greyhound from Little Rock, and as I was transferring buses, a JL bus pulled up, and it was a Van Hool C2045. It was tan in color, and had the JL logo on it. This was back in 2002. They have updated their livery since then. but I remember that bus because I had never seen one like that before, and it just stuck in my head.


OK, works for me.


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