Gillig Phantom
Encyclopedia
The Gillig Phantom was a transit bus
produced by the Gillig Corporation
in Hayward, California
. The Phantom was first introduced in late 1980 and, with the exception of a small number of buses built in a three-year-long joint venture with Neoplan
from 1977 to 1979, was Gillig's first transit bus. The first Phantoms were 35 feet long and 96 inches wide, however 30-foot and 40-foot models were offered beginning in 1981, and 102-inch-wide models became available in 1983. A liquefied natural gas
fueled version was produced beginning in 1992, and was later discontinued. From 2005 onward, only the 102-inch-wide version was available due to stricter emissions and accessibility requirements.
A diesel-electric
hybrid
powered version was produced beginning in 1996, but was discontinued in 2006. MTA
in New York purchased a Gillig Phantom hybrid demo bus.
Phantoms could be ordered with the wheelchair lift in either the front door or rear door. Those with the lift in the rear door had a slightly wider rear door to accommodate the lift. Most Phantoms were ordered with the wheelchair lift in the front door.
A rare option for the Phantom was a rear window. Monterey-Salinas Transit and King County Metro are the only two transit authorities known to have ordered Phantoms with a rear window.
Another rare option was windows that did not open. TheBus in Honolulu, Hawaii ordered their 1995-2003 Phantoms that way. Sound Transit's 2008 Phantoms also had windows that didn't open.
Production of the Phantom ended in September 2008, with some of the last buses going to Sound Transit
. With the Phantom discontinued, Gillig produces only low-floor buses.
The school bus version of the Phantom was introduced in 1986. Much like its predecessor, the Transit Coach, the Phantom School Bus was marketed primarily for West Coast operators. Although initially well-received, sales dropped off and production ceased in 1993 (no Phantom School Buses were sold in 1991 or 1992). Only the 96-inch body width was produced as a school bus, as the 102-inch body specification was not approved for school bus use. Aside from the school bus yellow
color scheme and warning lights, the school bus version was distinguished from the standard Phantom by its single curbside door, dual vertical windshields, and standard dual headlights.
The Phantom was originally equipped with either a Detroit Diesel
6V92TA
, 6V71, or Cummins
L-10 diesel engine
, and was later available with either a Cummins ISB
, ISC
, ISL
, or ISM
diesel engine. The Phantom was formerly available with the Detroit Diesel Series 50 engine from 1993 until 2004 when Detroit Diesel cut production of the Series 50 engine. The Detroit Diesel Series 40 engine was available from 1995 to 2003.
Transit bus
A transit bus , also known as a commuter bus, city bus, or public bus, is a bus used for short-distance public transport purposes...
produced by the Gillig Corporation
Gillig
Gillig Corporation, formerly Gillig Bros., is a manufacturer of heavy-duty low-floor transit buses located in Hayward, California. Prior to 1993, Gillig had also been a manufacturer of school buses.-History:...
in Hayward, California
Hayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
. The Phantom was first introduced in late 1980 and, with the exception of a small number of buses built in a three-year-long joint venture with Neoplan
Neoplan
NEOPLAN Bus GmbH is a German automotive company that manufactures buses, trolleybuses and coaches. NEOPLAN is now a subsidiary of NEOMAN Bus GmbH, which itself is a part of MAN SE.-Foundations:...
from 1977 to 1979, was Gillig's first transit bus. The first Phantoms were 35 feet long and 96 inches wide, however 30-foot and 40-foot models were offered beginning in 1981, and 102-inch-wide models became available in 1983. A liquefied natural gas
Liquefied natural gas
Liquefied natural gas or LNG is natural gas that has been converted temporarily to liquid form for ease of storage or transport....
fueled version was produced beginning in 1992, and was later discontinued. From 2005 onward, only the 102-inch-wide version was available due to stricter emissions and accessibility requirements.
A diesel-electric
Diesel-electric
Diesel-electric transmission or diesel-electric powertrain is used by a number of vehicle and ship types for providing locomotion.A diesel-electric transmission system includes a diesel engine connected to an electrical generator, creating electricity that powers electric traction motors...
hybrid
Hybrid vehicle
A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles , which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors.-Power:...
powered version was produced beginning in 1996, but was discontinued in 2006. MTA
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
in New York purchased a Gillig Phantom hybrid demo bus.
Body specifications
The Phantom was available with a narrow rear door or a wide rear door. Initially, the wide rear door option consisted of two narrow doors, but this was reduced to one wide door by the 1990s. Most Phantoms transit authorities opted for the narrow rear door. The wide rear door option was mainly ordered by airports and rental car agencies. The Phantom could be ordered with dual headlights or quad headlights, with most transit authorities opting for the latter.Phantoms could be ordered with the wheelchair lift in either the front door or rear door. Those with the lift in the rear door had a slightly wider rear door to accommodate the lift. Most Phantoms were ordered with the wheelchair lift in the front door.
A rare option for the Phantom was a rear window. Monterey-Salinas Transit and King County Metro are the only two transit authorities known to have ordered Phantoms with a rear window.
Another rare option was windows that did not open. TheBus in Honolulu, Hawaii ordered their 1995-2003 Phantoms that way. Sound Transit's 2008 Phantoms also had windows that didn't open.
Production of the Phantom ended in September 2008, with some of the last buses going to Sound Transit
Sound Transit
Sound Transit has been the popular name of Washington state's Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority since September 19, 1999. It was formed in 1996 by the Snohomish, King, and Pierce County Councils...
. With the Phantom discontinued, Gillig produces only low-floor buses.
Gillig Phantom School Bus
The school bus version of the Phantom was introduced in 1986. Much like its predecessor, the Transit Coach, the Phantom School Bus was marketed primarily for West Coast operators. Although initially well-received, sales dropped off and production ceased in 1993 (no Phantom School Buses were sold in 1991 or 1992). Only the 96-inch body width was produced as a school bus, as the 102-inch body specification was not approved for school bus use. Aside from the school bus yellow
School bus yellow
School bus yellow is a color which was especially formulated for use on School buses in North America in 1939. The color is now officially known in Canada and the U.S. as National School Bus Glossy Yellow and was originally called National School Bus Chrome. The pigment used for this color was, for...
color scheme and warning lights, the school bus version was distinguished from the standard Phantom by its single curbside door, dual vertical windshields, and standard dual headlights.
Powertrain
Detroit Diesel
As a corporation, Daimler Trucks North America has decided to rename the company "DETROIT".Detroit Diesel Corporation is an American-based diesel engine producer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, USA...
6V92TA
Series 92
The Detroit Diesel Series 92 is a two-stroke cycle, V-block diesel engine, produced with versions ranging from four to 16 cylinders. Among these, the most popular were the 6V92 and 8V92, which were V6 and V8 configurations of the same engine respectively. The series was introduced in 1974...
, 6V71, or Cummins
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems...
L-10 diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
, and was later available with either a Cummins ISB
Cummins B Series engine
The Cummins B Series is a family of straight-four and straight-6 diesel truck and industrial piston engines manufactured by Cummins. The B Series is known for displacing "one liter per cylinder" because of the popular straight-four and straight-six. A straight-four is also available...
, ISC
Cummins C Series engine
The Cummins ISC is a straight-six diesel engine, design by a Cummins production line, which is in displacement. This went into production in March 1998 by Cummins. The engine was built off its predecessor, the Cummins C 8.3 litre engine originally introduced in 1985 as the 6C8.3...
, ISL
Cummins L Series engine
The Cummins ISL is a straight-six diesel engine designed and produced by Cummins. It displaces , and began production in 1998. The engine was based on its predecessor, the Cummins C8.3 engine....
, or ISM
Cummins M Series engine
The Cummins M Series engine is a straight six diesel engine designed and produced by Cummins. It displaces . Introduced as the M11 in 1994, it was built on the previous L10 engine .In 1996, Cummins added electronic controls to improve efficiency...
diesel engine. The Phantom was formerly available with the Detroit Diesel Series 50 engine from 1993 until 2004 when Detroit Diesel cut production of the Series 50 engine. The Detroit Diesel Series 40 engine was available from 1995 to 2003.
| Engine Manufacturer | Engine Model | Years Available | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caterpillar Caterpillar Inc. Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas... |
3208 C9 |
3208 1986-1990 C9 2003-08 |
3208 available almost exclusively in Phantom school buses. Only 57 transit buses, 30 feet long, were specified with this engine, all of which went to Ride On Ride On (bus) Ride On is the primary public transportation system in Montgomery County, Maryland. Ride On serves Montgomery County as well as the community of Langley Park in Prince George's County... in Montgomery County Montgomery County, Maryland Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate... , Maryland Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east... , delivered in 1989. |
| Cummins Cummins Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems... |
L-10 ISB Cummins B Series engine The Cummins B Series is a family of straight-four and straight-6 diesel truck and industrial piston engines manufactured by Cummins. The B Series is known for displacing "one liter per cylinder" because of the popular straight-four and straight-six. A straight-four is also available... C 8.3 ISC Cummins C Series engine The Cummins ISC is a straight-six diesel engine, design by a Cummins production line, which is in displacement. This went into production in March 1998 by Cummins. The engine was built off its predecessor, the Cummins C 8.3 litre engine originally introduced in 1985 as the 6C8.3... ISL Cummins L Series engine The Cummins ISL is a straight-six diesel engine designed and produced by Cummins. It displaces , and began production in 1998. The engine was based on its predecessor, the Cummins C8.3 engine.... ISM Cummins M Series engine The Cummins M Series engine is a straight six diesel engine designed and produced by Cummins. It displaces . Introduced as the M11 in 1994, it was built on the previous L10 engine .In 1996, Cummins added electronic controls to improve efficiency... M11 |
L10 1984-1994 ISB 1997-2008 C8.3 1993-1998 ISC 1998.5-2003 ISL 2001-08 M11 1994-98 ISM 1999-2008 |
|
| Detroit Diesel Detroit Diesel As a corporation, Daimler Trucks North America has decided to rename the company "DETROIT".Detroit Diesel Corporation is an American-based diesel engine producer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, USA... |
6V71, 6V71TA 6V92TA Series 92 The Detroit Diesel Series 92 is a two-stroke cycle, V-block diesel engine, produced with versions ranging from four to 16 cylinders. Among these, the most popular were the 6V92 and 8V92, which were V6 and V8 configurations of the same engine respectively. The series was introduced in 1974... Series 40 Series 50 |
6V71/6V71TA 1980-1988 6V92TA 1980-1994 Series 50 1993-2004 Series 40 1995-2003 |
The Detroit Diesel 6V71 engine was available only for 30' buses, while the 6V71TA was available for 30' and 35' models. |
Further reading
- Gillig Corporation, gillig.com, Retrieved on 2006-12-25
- Gillig Phantom gillig.com, Retrieved on 2010-02-02
- Gillig Transit Coach / Pacific SchoolCoach Online Museum, gilligcoaches.net, Retrieved on 2006-12-25
- GM Brings Clean Mass Transit to Environmental Conference, allisontransmission.com, Retrieved on 2006-12-25
- Stauss, Ed (1988). The Bus World Encyclopedia of Buses, Woodland Hills, CA: Stauss Publications. ISBN 0-9619830-0-0