BusHunter Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 I had the chance to ride 9532 on the 90N once from the Harlem Station. I had seen it a few times on the streets of FG and wondered what it was all about. Then once, headed to a friends' house, I go the op to see it up close inside and out. It was kind of weird at that time. It was a fishbowl, but didn't feel like it. It had the different engine, the flip dot sign (that was next to impossible to read !), different windows and it had the illusion that it was narrower inside. It was definitely a unique experience. #9532 to me was somewhat similar to #9974 with the black window frames on the bus. IIRC, #9532 first showed up around 1990 in it's altered state. That would be really close to when #9974 left for 77th. I don't think they ran together out of the same garage at the same time. I remember in the early 90's the window etching was starting to get really bad. I think this may be one of the reasons #9532 always seem to run the #90N with the #301. I seem to remember the same happening with Archer garage's #5750 and #5751. They always ran those on the #162 or a Stevenson Express route. The buses would really look good, like in a just delivered state. I can still remember the shine on the plastic surfaces where the buses had been shined up with what looked like Armor All type spray. After #9532 left Fg and went to Lawndale it seemed to get more vandalized. I'd always see it on the #53, but it did move around to other routes. That would be really close to when the New Flyer low floor prototype was moving around. (around 91 or 92) The prototype would always run the #21. But I did take a ride on it on the #54. (but I never saw it again on that route) Those were pretty good times back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel bernero Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 Attached are some photos of 9532 that I received from a CTA employee a few years ago. Mel 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 Attached are some photos of 9532 that I received from a CTA employee a few years ago. Mel Wow! Awesome pics Mel! This is the first time getting a close up look at this interesting bus. Too bad CTA did not save this one of a kind bus. Thank you for posting! Awesome!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 Attached are some photos of 9532 that I received from a CTA employee a few years ago. Mel The other weird thing is that picture #1 seems to show two (different types of) Transdot controllers, although the one with knobs might be for something else. Anyone know why? Update: I might have figured it out. It has a digital run box sign, something not otherwise seen around here until about 1999. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Flyer Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 I remember driving that bus when I was at Chicago Ave had nice take off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 Attached are some photos of 9532 that I received from a CTA employee a few years ago. Mel Yes, those are some really nice pictures of that bus. The pictures dated around Aug 1990 seem to be before the bus hit the street at FG. I was looking at hopetunnel the other day in hope of getting lucky finding a picture of #9532 myself. I was surprised of all the older buses pictured on that site. I guess the shots of these rare buses are out there, we just have to find the person that has them. I'm still looking for shots of #9974 (other than the hopetunnel ones) and the New Flyer low floor prototype. Maybe one day I'll get lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel bernero Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 Is this the Flyer Low-floor demo you are talking about. I stumbled across it while it was working Cermak one day. Mel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twyztdmynd Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 Is this the Flyer Low-floor demo you are talking about. I stumbled across it while it was working Cermak one day. Mel That's the one ! P.s. Anymore "Mutts"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 Is this the Flyer Low-floor demo you are talking about. I stumbled across it while it was working Cermak one day. Mel It's pretty close to what I saw. Thanks!! I seem to remember it in a ex green/white livery like what the #9900's were ordered in. I have the back corner of it on a tape of some state street footage that ABC 7 had of the inaugural of the #15 shoppers express around 91 or 92. Now I need to check that tape out. Oddly enough the other demo pictured here by TDH5307A I spotted in a different livery also. I don't know if it was exactly the same bus or could there have been multiple demos but the interior is the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 It's pretty close to what I saw. Thanks!! I seem to remember it in a ex green/white livery like what the #9900's were ordered in. I have the back corner of it on a tape of some state street footage that ABC 7 had of the inaugural of the #15 shoppers express around 91 or 92. Now I need to check that tape out. Oddly enough the other demo pictured here by TDH5307A I spotted in a different livery also. I don't know if it was exactly the same bus or could there have been multiple demos but the interior is the same. This particular demo I remember pretty well. I remember seeing it a few times on Addison near Lake Shore during PM rush periods a little while after returning to Chicago after a year away in the early 90s, but it was always passing by two quickly to get a good view of it. The green and white demo I have more vague memory of because I only saw it maybe once or twice and it was in fact operating a 21 Cermak run out of Lawndale each time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRCTA Posted September 17, 2011 Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 Attached are some photos of 9532 that I received from a CTA employee a few years ago. Mel Wow! What a nice-looking 1975-style bus there! Looks just a 1975 GMC "Fishbowl" from way back when! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 17, 2011 Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 Wow! What a nice-looking 1975-style bus there! Looks just a 1975 GMC "Fishbowl" from way back when! Well, it was one. Except for the rear end and Transdot signs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted September 17, 2011 Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 Attached are some photos of 9532 that I received from a CTA employee a few years ago. Mel So for this rehab, did 9532 have to sacrifice it's A/C? I don't see a roof mounted A/C Unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 17, 2011 Report Share Posted September 17, 2011 So for this rehab, did 9532 have to sacrifice it's A/C? I don't see a roof mounted A/C Unit. I can't say specifically for this bus, but by that time, all the New Looks had freon leaks and nonworking air conditioners (the reasons why the fixed windows were replaced by slide ones) that it didn't make any difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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