mikeymc77 Posted August 2, 2008 Report Share Posted August 2, 2008 Yesterday on I-290, I saw 7672 on the back of a blue tow truck with" West and Sons "on the side of it. My only guess is this bus was en route to Carol Stream for repairs. The odd thing about the tow truck was that it was a single axle not a double like you would think would be necessary for such a large vehicle. It looked kinda funny seeing such a small truck towing a bus that was three times its size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymc77 Posted September 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Seen another one today. This time with 7705 on the hook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 4, 2008 Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 Its too darn bad about the CTA NABI artics, IMO they are cool looking buses, nice design. Too bad they are problem plagued. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus tower Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 Mikey I can help you with questions on those tows if interested. I work for West and Sons and have towed a great # of those artics. However I am primarily the hauler of the 40'ers. The single axle heavy works great for those as the nose of the artics is not much heavier than a tractor from the rear. He uses a brake buddy on the bus brakes for stopping power. Since the shorter unit gets "around" much easier it is a shoe in for this work. When the assigned operator is on vaca I take his truck and do those, or like Friday morning use the tandem such as for the NF artic hybrid that went to the dealer from Kedzie. They all drive back to the garage with trans light on but the dealer wants them towed to prevent possible damage. The Nabis were mostly turbos or clogged exhaust filters (also called cats). Ironically and probably of interest of most on this site the one Nabi with the "problem" was never towed. That is as much as I can say about it but we have been asked a few times since that make/model has been grounded....... Here's a few from the archives. Last one was just for those lucky ones that had to wait for me to load before parking the running units..... BTW can anyone correctly guess all three sites?<_< 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 Can't guess the sites, but: What are the approximate dates of the photos (i.e. since 2286 was sent back to Lisle)?Did you catch the number of the New Flyer artic that "went back to the dealer" (especially since 4149 appears to be among the missing)?In that the NABIs were towed because of clogged parts, apparently those problems were as bad as Rodriguez indicated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus tower Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 The Pace units was a couple years ago. Had to haul three that day from the lot to dealer for engine troubles. Last time I was there back in spring I do not remember seeing any of the 2000 series at all. Did not hear of the 4149 being removed from service. Are you talking about it going back to the manufacture? Sometimes they cull one from the herd for QC after it has been in service for a while, just to make certain all is going well in the area of use. They did that with one of the Nabi's way back when for A/C system testing. It was a new unit that spent a lot of time in Mn, when it was being driven back to the manufacture in Al it broke down mid Il. I towed that one in on a Sat night. It was put into service a couple years ago though before the big shut down of the 7500 series. The clogging was the particulate filter in the exhaust. Most of that problem was the gov't pushing cleaner emissions before everyone was ready for it. Even the big trucks are dropping like flies from the newest emission requirements and the '10's are not upon us yet. Hate to admit it but towing wise it is going to be like the gold rush in cali back before the day...... Rumor has it that the RTA will or cannot buy any new units after the '10 emissions have been implemented. The maintenance alone would bankrupt the service. I hear that a large percentage of trucking in California will die off when they require it excluisvely. Who knows electric rail just may make a comeback. Anyone know what CTA garage still has rail under the pavement (one of the pics above)??? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 Did not hear of the 4149 being removed from service. Are you talking about it going back to the manufacture? Not necessarily, just that no one here has reported it either on the street or at a garage, although some have said that it was on a delivery list.I just happened to notice that you said one was towed from Kedzie. Rumor has it that the RTA will or cannot buy any new units after the '10 emissions have been implemented. As indicated in the RTA gets $33M thread, the RTA doesn't buy any buses (either the CTA, or Pace, the Suburban Bus Division, does), and Pace is apparently getting new ones, as we speak. There isn't any indication that either is loading up now to beat that deadline (especially since CTA deferred its order, and there still is a diesel engine in the hybrids). I was going to take a stab at the rail still there in the picture, but decided to take a pass.I have some ideas based on the fleet number and the brown brick, however. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 Sometimes they cull one from the herd for QC after it has been in service for a while, just to make certain all is going well in the area of use. They did that with one of the Nabi's way back when for A/C system testing. It was a new unit that spent a lot of time in Mn, when it was being driven back to the manufacture in Al it broke down mid Il. I towed that one in on a Sat night. It was put into service a couple years ago though before the big shut down of the 7500 series. The clogging was the particulate filter in the exhaust. Most of that problem was the gov't pushing cleaner emissions before everyone was ready for it. Even the big trucks are dropping like flies from the newest emission requirements and the '10's are not upon us yet. Hate to admit it but towing wise it is going to be like the gold rush in cali back before the day...... Rumor has it that the RTA will or cannot buy any new units after the '10 emissions have been implemented. The maintenance alone would bankrupt the service. I hear that a large percentage of trucking in California will die off when they require it excluisvely. Who knows electric rail just may make a comeback. Anyone know what CTA garage still has rail under the pavement (one of the pics above)??? Sounds like the NABI referred to here is #7725. It was missing for almost two years, showing up finally in late Nov. 2006. The others in the same set came in early to mid 2005. You could be onto something with the '10 emissons standard coming up. Some of the NABI's problems were emissons related. Best to avoid that if you can. Once they get into buying railcars from bombardier that will probably be the focus primarily. So you have just been involved in tows. I understand the NABI #7500's were delivered by flatbed, were you ever involved in any of those deliveries. I guess you don't do rail transports. I think Silk Road does some of those. I think it would be kind of fascinating to see those being delivered. I understand the trains roll right off the truck onto a dolly and onto the rail itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus tower Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 I have not seen one CTA artic on a trailer. I HAVE seen a Gillig artic from NYC/Jersey area on one as the lovejoint broke on it. Older unit, and the Landoll trailer (same make as I use) was not looking happy with it. The unit is pushing 15' with one on the bed due to exhaust stack and A/C unit. I have always seen/heard of all transits being driven as the cost of trailering would be very high. All the NF units coming from St Cloud are driven, I always get a kick out of a Sat morning/afternoon drive to my P's in Rockford area and watching the parade of new transits making their way East. Some here some farther to Toronto, MTA or other transit authorities. In fact last summer I had hauled a new Orion from W/B 80 back to the dealer due to a computer problem. That route is just South of my view here....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus tower Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 BTW the one I was thinking of was #7616 or 17. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 I have not seen one CTA artic on a trailer. I HAVE seen a Gillig artic from NYC/Jersey area on one as the lovejoint broke on it. Older unit, and the Landoll trailer (same make as I use) was not looking happy with it. The unit is pushing 15' with one on the bed due to exhaust stack and A/C unit. I have always seen/heard of all transits being driven as the cost of trailering would be very high. All the NF units coming from St Cloud are driven, I always get a kick out of a Sat morning/afternoon drive to my P's in Rockford area and watching the parade of new transits making their way East. Some here some farther to Toronto, MTA or other transit authorities. In fact last summer I had hauled a new Orion from W/B 80 back to the dealer due to a computer problem. That route is just South of my view here....... Yeah i know most buses are driven, I've seen many on I-90 at various places. I don't know if you know this, but there was a problem with a previous delivery where Nova buses were laying over in Detriot in some high crime areas. Someone saw it reported it and obviously CTA didn't like it. I don't know if that was behind the trailered delivery, but it was the only instance of trailered delivery I know of as far as buses. BTW, since your in the towing business, any word on when or if any NABI's #7500's will be sent back to the manufacturer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus tower Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 I did hear of that one in Detroit - the driver went home with a new unit and was sick for over three days. They flew/drove another hiker out to continue. As funny as that was not one problem with damage was found on it. They were stunned!!! The 7500's are stuck in limbo till all the litigation can be cleared up. That was started way before the problem child caused the group to be grounded...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted September 3, 2009 Report Share Posted September 3, 2009 I did hear of that one in Detroit - the driver went home with a new unit and was sick for over three days. They flew/drove another hiker out to continue. As funny as that was not one problem with damage was found on it. They were stunned!!! The 7500's are stuck in limbo till all the litigation can be cleared up. That was started way before the problem child caused the group to be grounded...... Any idea what bus number that was in Detriot? I have always wondered which one. The best I can come up with is that the bus came in tuesday July 23rd 2002. The following weekend #6830's went into service. So it sounds like one in that range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus tower Posted September 3, 2009 Report Share Posted September 3, 2009 Actually it was not a Chicago unit. No new Nova's since the late '90's that I know of. I was just a North Park today, 7616 is sitting there so I do believe the experimental unit for the A/C system was 7617...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 3, 2009 Report Share Posted September 3, 2009 Actually it was not a Chicago unit. He was en route from Orion or another manuf. that is East going West somewhere..... There was a Nova discovered in Detroit on its trip from Schenectady to Chicago, but apparently that wasn't the bus to which you were referring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus tower Posted September 3, 2009 Report Share Posted September 3, 2009 No way was it a CTA - they would of fire bombed it within the first hour....... :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 3, 2009 Report Share Posted September 3, 2009 No way was it a CTA - they would of fire bombed it within the first hour....... Here is at least an archived snippet of the actual report from 2002. Apparently it was two CTA buses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus tower Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Hahahahaha no kidding!!!! Here I was told it wasn't one of ours for so long. So it was a Nova, must of been one of the last new ones then as the only few I have moved have been late '90's units..... Who knows maybe the hiker was well known in the area and well liked. What I find more interesting was the fact that a CTA employees spouse that worked in Detroit saw it. 300 mile difference between the two cities. Thought they only hired locally here...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymc77 Posted December 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 You must have been busy this week cuz I seen 3 NF 4000s on the hook in the last 2 days. 2 on I55 and another on I290 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus tower Posted December 24, 2009 Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 Ironically I had been busy with the 40'ers this week. You saw the single axle HD with two, and the big HD with one yesterday........ Is everyone geared up for the holidays??:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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