Transit enthusiasts of all ages visited Pittsburgh on Sunday to "loop the loop" in honor of two retiring Port Authority of Allegheny County Neoplan Articulated buses.

The commemorative Downtown loop route, the 96A, which has been out of service for the past 30 years, was reinstated Saturday and Sunday to celebrate the last two Neoplan USA articulated buses in the Port Authority's fleet. Actually, to be honest, after riding it, I can see the need to have this in Pittsburgh. I'm sure it would get a lot of usage.

The buses began at the East Busway and served 15 stops along Grant Street, Smithfield Street, Liberty Avenue, Stanwix Street and Fourth Avenue -- from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Riders could hop on and off the route at any time for free.

Port Authority will retire the two old buses Sunday after they spend the weekend providing free rides circulating around Downtown Pittsburgh. The 13-year-old buses, manufactured by now-defunct Neoplan USA, are the last of their kind.

These 60-foot articulated buses bend in the middle and are the last of all the Neoplan buses to be retired from service by the Authority.

What better way to retire a pair of old buses than to send them on a route that doesn’t exist any more? Seems fitting to me...

 

The flyer that was in the bus for passengers to grab. I grabbed one myself!

 

3123 at stop "C" on the East Busway.

3123 &3124 on the East Busway.

3123 on Fourth Ave, by the PPG Christmas tree.

3123 On Grant St.

3124 at Penn Park Station, on the East Busway.

Operator chilling before the next trip...

Fans out for a spin...

3124 on Grant St, at the East Busway entrance.

3124 at the light at Smithfield St.

3124 headed back to the garage.

3123 back at the garage...

As is 3124...

Another nice shot of the two together for the last time.