1172

Retired : Sometime in 1994 or 1995
Division at the time of it's retirement: Central

Here she is....

These are two views of 1172, taken at Central at two different times back around 1994.

Remember when the Ecstasy caught fire???

             IF YOU READ the story of 9076 first, then the story of 1172's end isn't new. This bus met it's demise in the exact same way- she burned up along the side of the freeway while deadheading. What makes 1172 different is that this story HAS A GIMMICK!!! Yes- when she caught fire, 1172 was wrapped for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Yes, for RCCL. Cruise ships. Which float on WATER. Which could've helped 1172 out when the fire happened. It even had water on it. Unfortunately, it was a picture of water, as you can see above. Which did nothing to extinguish the blaze.
                        The last day had gone like any other... 1172 ran on the route B that afternoon, as it always does.  It finished it's run in Downtown Miami when the evening rush-hour ended and the bus began deadheading back to Central. When it was on the Airport Expresway (State Road 112) westbound, at about NW 27th Avenue, the fire broke out. The driver quickly pulled over and, I'm sure, ran for dear life. City of Miami Fire Rescue rushed to extinguish the fire, but 1172 was a total loss, and was retired at the age of 15 (I think.). The thing resembled a burning ship, and was almost an eerie precursor to the 'Ecstasy' fire just off Miami Beach a couple of years later. ALMOST, though- the Ecstasy is a Carnival ship, not a Royal Caribbean Ship.  The bus sat around Central for a while, then it was scrapped. :(