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EDIT; ride on the head-end of 17006 on 77X from NYC to Morristown (full line): • Community Coach HD 60f...
Welcome aboard Community Coach route 77. Our bus today is brand new 2016 MCI D4500CT 17017, as we ride from Whippany (near the beginning of the line in Morristown) to Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City. This was my first time on one of the new motorcoaches that will soon be replacing the bulk of the old MCI fleet that dates back to the early 2000s.
I have to say that I was quite impressed with the smoothness of the updated powertrain, which is a Cummins ISX12 (425 hp and 1450 lbft torque) with Cummins C-brake (jake brake) mated to an Allison B500 Gen V 6-speed transmission. The updated engine brake software makes stops much smoother; instead of the jake brake being constantly set to a specific level of output, the brake output varies depending on how far the brake pedal is depressed by the bus operator. This means that there is more constant and active blending of the engine brake and the air brakes.
The Cummins ISX engine shares some auditory similarities with, but doesn't sound exactly like the old Detroit Diesel Series 60; the quality of the base is a bit throatier with the Cummins. Additionally, you can hear the variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) adjusting as the engine returns to idle speed. To hear more of this powertrain, go here: • Community Coach HD [Au... .
The seats were also of a different quality; the cushions do not sink as far down, but instead stay firm at the points where you want your body to be supported. Overall, I can say that I'm looking forward to the bulk of the 1100+ order coming in to replace the old MCIs on NJT and Lakeland (among other carriers). Enjoy the ride =)