What's left for #4400's TMC's

[Guest]

It appears that they get the tires and axles off first, but I wonder how they sort the big pile, especially since the TMCs, unlike others, have fiberglass shells.

Then, again, the newspapers had pictures about 11 years ago of New Looks stacked up in the junk yard.

I also remember when TMC advertised that 97% of the RTS were still on the road, but that would be expected given the 12 year FTA service life. One wonders what the percentage is today.

Here are more pics.....

[sw4400]

Here are more pics.....

Any sightings of my cyber sign-on number(a.k.a 4400)?

[BusHunter]

Here are TMC #4523,#4643 and #4669,4479 is just out of the picture on the right. The buses that are here today are #4439,4417,4479,4643,4669,4523,4502,4524,4441. Isnt the sight of #4523 just sad?

Holy cow!! I just saw #4441 the other day in service. I'm going to have to check this place out.

[exitzero]

Holy cow!! I just saw #4441 the other day in service. I'm going to have to check this place out.

Ugh...I dunno if I could. Not to sound melodramatic, but seeing these buses like this makes me profoundly sad. At this rate, the buses will be all gone by the end of May!

[jajuan]

It appears that they get the tires and axles off first, but I wonder how they sort the big pile, especially since the TMCs, unlike others, have fiberglass shells.

Then, again, the newspapers had pictures about 11 years ago of New Looks stacked up in the junk yard.

I also remember when TMC advertised that 97% of the RTS were still on the road, but that would be expected given the 12 year FTA service life. One wonders what the percentage is today.

Based on Bushunter's list, that would be about 58.4% left.

[Busjack]

Based on Bushunter's list, that would be about 58.4% left.

But just at CTA, not all manufactured since 1979, which is to what the 1990 vintage ad referred (assumedly also including the GMC ones).

[qwantae]

Holy cow!! I just saw #4441 the other day in service. I'm going to have to check this place out.

I've just seen #4873 working 15 Jeffery Local Last week. Sad!!!!!!

[Guest]

Here some more pics I know theyre tough to look at even for me, I drove 4439 and 4443....

Here are RTS #4524, #4439, #4443. There are buses behind these but I didnt want to be looking too much. Im really surprised CTA didnt save parts that can still be used on their existing buses such as the led tailamps,(all of the 1000s have this style of taillamps), headlights, grab bars, interior parts.

I made a mistake earlier I stated #4441, it was #4443.

[jajuan]

It's too bad the CTA just scraps its retired buses. All that transit history being destroyed with nothing being left except for what's in pictures and in our memories.

[Guest]

It's too bad the CTA just scraps its retired buses. All that transit history being destroyed with nothing being left except for what's in pictures and in our memories.

That is so correct. Like I stated before it would be nice if there was a bus graveyard similar to how commercial and military aircraft sit out in the desert in Arizona. Although not in active service at least most stay intact and can be viewed by buffs and historians. These buses become nothing but a memory!

[Guest]

Heres a couple more pics...

[trainman8119]

Really, really good pics. Not quality, but what it stands for. While many have noted near teardom looking at this, my first thought is a tranquil one...yeah, sort of like a wake. The only thing that might have made this more, um, sentimental, would have been if the old roll signs or an electronic sign would have froze on a route or destination (yes, I know it would have been removed before scrapping). Looking at the buses that still had run boxes with a run displayed gave the shell an identity and the realization that this equipment at one time served a purpose. Kind of made me think of some of the old pics of when the streetcars were retired and sent for scrap. A totally different feel looking at this over looking at the old Marmons on the flat cars headed for Mexico.

Well done !!!!!!

[Guest]

Really, really good pics. Not quality, but what it stands for. While many have noted near teardom looking at this, my first thought is a tranquil one...yeah, sort of like a wake. The only thing that might have made this more, um, sentimental, would have been if the old roll signs or an electronic sign would have froze on a route or destination (yes, I know it would have been removed before scrapping). Looking at the buses that still had run boxes with a run displayed gave the shell an identity and the realization that this equipment at one time served a purpose. Kind of made me think of some of the old pics of when the streetcars were retired and sent for scrap. A totally different feel looking at this over looking at the old Marmons on the flat cars headed for Mexico.

Well done !!!!!!

If you look in one of the pics I posted a few days back youll see the front of #4669 with the electronic sign frozen on "Not in Service" So with more buses being retired theres still a possiblity that we will see a bus with a frozen destination, Im waiting to see that myself.

[RIPTA42]

After I dropped off my scrap metal, he gave me permission to view the buses after I identifed myself to him.

How about permission to take some, er, "souvenirs." There's no scrap value in the plastic destination signs!

[Guest]

How about permission to take some, er, "souvenirs." There's no scrap value in the plastic destination signs!

Good question! I will have to bring that up the next time I go there. Id like to get a steering wheel or a nameplate or the yellow parking brake knob or even a run box.

[Guest]

I still have the WGN news report of the TMCs when they were introduced at City Hall in 1990. The newscaster was Rick Rosenthal, he talks of the unveiling of the new special buses. The news footage shows a brand spankin new #4661 outside City Hall an interior shot as well as a demonstration of the wheelchair lift, Its a keeper!! One video Im certainly going to transfer to dvd. Id like to find a way to post it on YouTube.

[Busjack]

I still have the WGN news report of the TMCs when they were introduced at City Hall in 1990. ... The news footage shows a brand spankin new #4661 outside City Hall ...

• Was Mayor Daley there then (like he always is now at any CTA announcement )?
  
• 4661--some (not me) are going to wonder why so much out of numerical order.
  

[RTS Book]

My book's got some photos of 4400 in Roswell, as well as on display somewhere in Chicago - as well as a few images of the first 08 buildup.

It's really striking to come from those images to seeing these - and yes, it does make me sad.

As for nameplates? Pretty sure the TMC 08s never had the TMC RTS nameplate like the 06s did, but you can always grab the driver's area build plate above the cockpit.

[Guest]

My book's got some photos of 4400 in Roswell, as well as on display somewhere in Chicago - as well as a few images of the first 08 buildup.

It's really striking to come from those images to seeing these - and yes, it does make me sad.

As for nameplates? Pretty sure the TMC 08s never had the TMC RTS nameplate like the 06s did, but you can always grab the driver's area build plate above the cockpit.

Yes, thats what I was referring to. The only problem is that theyre riveted in. Theyre difficult to remove without damaging it.

[BusHunter]

I still have the WGN news report of the TMCs when they were introduced at City Hall in 1990. The newscaster was Rick Rosenthal, he talks of the unveiling of the new special buses. The news footage shows a brand spankin new #4661 outside City Hall an interior shot as well as a demonstration of the wheelchair lift, Its a keeper!! One video Im certainly going to transfer to dvd. Id like to find a way to post it on YouTube.

Yeah, I hope you can put it on Youtube so we can all see it. I have the article out of the tribune dated Feb. 3rd, 1991 where they show one bus from each of the CTA's fleet back then lined up in front of 103rd garage. Not too bad of a picture. I've got to give credit to the photographer. It shows #5300 beside #4788 beside #4286 beside #7186 beside #9813 beside #1396 beside #3715. It's a nice time capsule to look at. Almost all of those bus fleets are now gone. Hard to believe that was 17 years ago. I wish someone would organize a current picture. Man, it would show how things have really changed since then.

[rmadisonwi]

The remaining TMC count is currently at 240. For what it's worth, there are 96 5300s and 60 5800s left. All three fleets are expected to be gone by the end of the year.

[BusHunter]

Where did I make a mistake number-wise? I went back to all of Bushunter's lists of what is still out there and what is retired and put together what I thought was all the remainder of TMC's still on our roads.

Which 82 TMC's have been retired from my above lists?

You can start with 20 at Kedzie now that they have about 20 more NF's. My count had 273 Tmc's, but that was last month (up to 1630 on NF deliveries) things change rapidly. I mistakenly put #4635 as active. I see that error myself and will edit my list to reflect that. Your count has 322 buses. That's about a 50 bus difference. I can tell you what 50 you have wrong. Just look at my list. Alot of the early retirements you are missing. I'm pretty sure that's what it is. All said, my list is about 15 buses off. That's not too bad. It's 90 percent accurate, like I have stated before. It's not perfect. There are mistakes. Maybe Rmadison can shed some light on my mistakes. Then we can be 100 percent.

[qwantae]

The remaining TMC count is currently at 240. For what it's worth, there are 96 5300s and 60 5800s left. All three fleets are expected to be gone by the end of the year.

[wordguy]

I believe that the following 4400s were retired late last summer or earlier, predating Andre first roster posting (which covered 10/07 through 2/08):

4414, 4424, 4426, 4432, 4435, 4452, 4458, 4463, 4493, 4497, & 4498.

In addition, according to Andre latest post (4/11), two more were recently retired from Kedzie:

4409 & 4429.

While I'm not certain, 4441 may still be in service. Not long ago, I spotted it myself; also, according to Andre's 4/4 list, it was among the TMCs reassigned from NP to Kedzie.

If the above list is accurate (which I can't guarantee), the adjusted number of active 44xx s would be 43.

I might be of help with the 4500s as well, but wouldn't have a clue about the others.

[wordguy]

I believe that the following 4400s were retired late last summer or earlier, predating Andre first roster posting (which covered 10/07 through 2/08):

4414, 4424, 4426, 4432, 4435, 4452, 4458, 4463, 4493, 4497, & 4498.

In addition, according to Andre latest post (4/11), two more were recently retired from Kedzie:

4409 & 4429.

While I'm not certain, 4441 may still be in service. Not long ago, I spotted it myself; also, according to Andre's 4/4 list, it was among the TMCs reassigned from NP to Kedzie.

If the above list is accurate (which I can't guarantee), the adjusted number of active 44xx s would be 43.

I might be of help with the 4500s as well, but wouldn't have a clue about the others.

===Oops! Sloppy copy editing on my part. I meant to refer to "Andre's posts", but omitted the possessive.