Russian Buses

[el duende grande]

I seriously doubt these buses entered the country with chipboard floors. Sounds like Nica make-do, look at all the money I saved, life is cheap maintenance.

Remember a few years ago there was a new law that expressos could not have standing passengers for safety reasons. They dropped it almost immediately.

[RGV AG]

One of my drivers in Nicaragua, really good dude, had spent many years in Cuba. He ended up stuck there as a student when the 1st Nicaraguan Reich ended. While there he ended up a bus driver and sometime mechanic on the Cuban buses. Upon his eventual return to Nicaragua he worked for a bus cooperative as a driver, administrator, and soothsayer of mechanics. When the Russian buses showed up years ago he deemed an expert on dealing with them, as he had been around a lot of things Russian for years. His view point was, unequivocally, that they were rough hewn pieces of shit not suited for the tropics, nor Nicaraguan drivers, nor the beatings taken in MGA service. Their brakes tended to crystalize and not deal with the heat, the engines were knockoff of ancient Cummins diesels, like from the 60's, and ran poorly on the mish mash Nica diesel and they were held together by rivets. The 250K mile US school buses were much tougher and better in his opinion and even the Mexican Dina's were better. The Ruskie buses were such pieces of shit that most "buyers" quit paying for them after about a year.

He would tell endless stories of financial ruin of folks that bought the Lada taxi's, at 84 months to pay them off. Russians shot their wad with the T-34 and the AK, it has been downhill since.

[bill_bly_ca]

Another 150 arrived this week and another 200 forecast for April/May

[el duende grande]

Let's hope it is an improved design. Ruskies seem pretty good at making missiles. Doesn't make much difference in the campo-- crappy drivers, substandard roads and the killer- chronic overloading on winding mountain roads. Not to mention bad tires.

And worse to come-- crime, pollution driving the people than can to suburbs which adds to the daily traffic flow. New residentiales popping up on the foot hills of Quiabuc. nice views and out of the pollution, wish I would have thought of it.

4 lane Panam creeping northward from mga, maybe a couple miles a year.

[bill_bly_ca]

Last spring in Managua I seen 3 or 4 parts carcasses in our travels.

[KeyWestPirate]

Last spring in Managua I seen 3 or 4 parts carcasses in our travels.

At the price that they are "buying" them,, it's probably cheaper to scrap some for parts rather than to buy spares.

[el duende grande]

Buses are here, spread around the country with some in Esteli.
https://www.radiolavozdelnorte.com/2...istas-150.html

[bill_bly_ca]

10 for Masaya - The Urbanos floating around town now are really really really ratted out. maybe 30 working cylinders out of the bunch - I think there are 10 Urbanos in Masaya currently

[bill_bly_ca]

Masaya buses arrived today

[el duende grande]

Masaya buses arrived today

Look mighty big for those tiny streets. In Esteli they need a helper jumping in and out just to direct them to turn the corners.

[bill_bly_ca]

Accion 10 did a bit on the buses on the street in Leon