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[Squadron13 Cheif Engineer Patrick Young responds to queries about the handling and performance charachteristics of mid-engine Gillig vs. the rear-engine version]"Ahem".......
????Mid engine stability, as proved by Science?? What are you a secular humanist????
You are still deliberately forgetting the effect of mid engine buses spinning 360's easier on wet roads like was recently mentioned.
Can you imagine a 35 foot swath of spinning Crown comin' down the road atcha?? Boggles the mind, certainly would stain the trousers now matter how big a Crown fan you are (were.) But we all know half of us would be grabbing for the digital cam before the emergency brake. "Honey look! That's so fugckin cool!! "But that is exactly why I avoid mid engine buses, the spinning top phenomena they all like to do occasionally. It's downright dangerous. Even irresponsible.
A rear engine Gillig on the other hand, having its entire running gear behind the axle, not only gives incredible traction (although I can still break the tires loose in 3rd) but when a Gillig starts the feared whirligig maneuver on icy roads, it quickly spins into an 80-83 degree wheelie like the guys on "Super Bikes" with those big rice burners, pivoting on the rear bumper mounts until sufficient centrifugal force has been expended, then a quick punch on the throttle and a gentle tap on the brakes, and enough counter torque is generated (remember backwards engine and tranny) you can control it as the front axle gently returns to the pavement.
It's not for the feint of heart, I admit. I also took my Gillig up to Aspen for the bus downhill slalom two years ago, and of course the ski jump. With the superior traction due to the rear engine, I threw chains on the front only, and went for it.
The side by side slalom was the best. I scared the holy hell out of the Norwegian girl skiing next to me.
The ski jump was another matter. The chains started rattlin' at about 95mph, and I went off the end completely sideways, riding on my notoriously well built Gillig center storage bay's heavily reinforced and self sealing angle iron understructure.
I did 6 and a half complete flips, but as always with my deft hands at the control and seat belt snugly fastened, I was able to torque steer the bus and do the necessary mid-air pivot, and still get a respectable distance out of it.
But after that, the resort owners banned buses on ALL the jumps, and I retired.
But them R.E. Gilligs,....... man oh man, thatsa one stable bus.
Patrick
I was there and seen it all.
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