6000s Coming to Chicago?

[jajuan]

I saw a weird thing yesterday. #7550 on the #146 with a run box that showed it was out of 103rd. 103rd was running extras yesterday on the #146 after the bears game that went to State/Lake, but #7550's sign showed it would be traveling to the Berwyn Red line. Also something weird 103rd was running NABI's on the #128. I thought this was Kedzie's route. #7505 was on there as well as #7531 which you could hear a block away.

That's interesting, but I thought 128 was Chicago's route actually.

[BUSANGEL#1]

That's interesting, but I thought 128 was Chicago's route actually.

103rd has been providing extras for the #128 for years.

[Guest]

Saw Flxible #6043 on 53 Pulaski at 14th st. displaying "76 Diversey/Harlem"

[cta 5555]

we now have 6194 95 and 96 at Chicago. I had 6195 on the 70 this morning.

[jajuan]

we now have 6194 95 and 96 at Chicago. I had 6195 on the 70 this morning.

In other words, more junk switched off from 74th to Chicago. Did you retire more 5300s to get these three?

[BusHunter]

In other words, more junk switched off from 74th to Chicago. Did you retire more 5300s to get these three?

Actually those came from Forest Glen. #6193 should be at Chicago now too according to the roster. Actually FG has lost #6858 - #6867 to 77th and #6196 - #6193 to Chicago over the past week. I wonder if they having any problems filling runs. To answer your question about "Did this retire anything else?" my list already reflected that change, but I suspect #6050 being the only unrehabbed #6000 left at Chicago may be soon departing. I haven't seen this bus since it was transferred there.

[Buslover88]

Actually FG has lost #6858 - #6867 to 77th and #6196 - #6193 to Chicago over the past week.

Did FG get anything in return?

[BusHunter]

Did FG get anything in return?

no, nothing in return, but they still have #6552 (aka the #49 Western prototype according to signs on the bus even though it no longer runs there ) It makes for a good conversation piece, especially with drivers. According to one operator he stated the bus was being used for instruction at FG. BTW, I spotted something a bit odd with all the high winds we had yesterday, #6742 was operating westbound at Kimball/Addison with a huge access panel opened on the middle of the buses roof. It must have been heavy it was being held open by a hydraulic pump. I wonder what happened when he got to the ex-CNW bridge at the blue line, because he wasn't going to clear it.

[Buslover88]

no, nothing in return, but they still have #6552 (aka the #49 Western prototype according to signs on the bus even though it no longer runs there )

I wonder how FG is doing in terms of service after losing those buses.

[nflyer22]

I wonder how FG is doing in terms of service after losing those buses.

Not to mention Archer, since it lost 6506 - 6521 to 77th, and 6709 - 6722, 6552 to FG. Even with 6460? - 6480 from 77th, Archer is still short around 10 buses.

[315 art]

I wonder how FG is doing in terms of service after losing those buses.

6087 was working out of Forest Glen late last week - isn't that a lower number than they'd had before? Also, Novas down to at least 6709 were working out of FG last week; that bus had been at Archer just a few weeks back.

[nflyer22]

Hey, I think 77th might have also contributed some buses to Chicago; 1321 is on the #X20 right now. If I remember correctly, the low 132x were at 77th, since I rode 1326 on the #24 just a month or 2 ago.

[Buslover88]

Hey, I think 77th might have also contributed some buses to Chicago; 1321 is on the #X20 right now. If I remember correctly, the low 132x were at 77th, since I rode 1326 on the #24 just a month or 2 ago.

The 1320s have been at Chicago for at least a month now. You didn't hear about it? .

6087 was working out of Forest Glen late last week - isn't that a lower number than they'd had before? Also, Novas down to at least 6709 were working out of FG last week; that bus had been at Archer just a few weeks back.

Yes, that is. You're right. FG may have gotten a few buses for an exchange, but that might not be too true.

[nflyer22]

The 1320s have been at Chicago for at least a month now. You didn't hear about it? .

Nope, I guess I never did ; I heard about 103rd and North Park giving their highest New Flyers (1430 - 1443?) to Chicago, but nothing about 77th. Guess the 5300s aren't just extra placeholders or Three-Track, those bus places are really for daily revenue service. :)

[Busjack]

Nope, I guess I never did ; I heard about 103rd and North Park giving their highest New Flyers (1430 - 1443?) to Chicago, but nothing about 77th.

The 1300s were apparently at NP to provide extra equipment for the Blue Line shuttle, then went to 74th when the 1750s' BusTracker didn't work, then went somewhere else when the 1750s were returned. It was presumed that that was 77th (reinforced when 1306 was involved in the shooting), but now you never know about all the buses in the 1303-1320s range (see the posts starting about here, where BusHunter indicated that the 1320s disappeared from 74th and might be going to Chicago).

However, CTA is apparently trying to keep good on its statement that the 1991 buses will be gone by Thanksgiving. With Chicago also having 6000s, and the 4000s are expected to start arriving in quantity, no one can predict what will be shifted next.

[BusHunter]

Not to mention Archer, since it lost 6506 - 6521 to 77th, and 6709 - 6722, 6552 to FG. Even with 6460? - 6480 from 77th, Archer is still short around 10 buses.

77th also has received #6456 and #6455 from Archer. So that gives 77th 122 Nova's (#6400 - #6456, #6482 - #6520, #6858 - #6883) FG has 147 now (#6857 - #6833, #6831 - #6709, #6552) And Archer leads the pack with 212 now (#6708 - #6553, #6551 - #6521, #6481 - #6457) It could be said that with Archer using #500's on routes like #43 and #39 it doesn't need so many Nova's. Also if you want to talk transfers 103rd has picked up #7553 and #7552 to go with what they had. And North Park received #7570 from Kedzie to offset the loss from #7629 being gone now. I guess with Kedzie having #4000 and the pickup of #7675 from the shop, it can afford a few spares taken away from them.

[BusHunter]

The 1300s were apparently at NP to provide extra equipment for the Blue Line shuttle, then went to 74th when the 1750s' BusTracker didn't work, then went somewhere else when the 1750s were returned. It was presumed that that was 77th (reinforced when 1306 was involved in the shooting), but now you never know about all the buses in the 1303-1320s range (see the posts starting about here, where BusHunter indicated that the 1320s disappeared from 74th and might be going to Chicago).

However, CTA is apparently trying to keep good on its statement that the 1991 buses will be gone by Thanksgiving. With Chicago also having 6000s, and the 4000s are expected to start arriving in quantity, no one can predict what will be shifted next.

To clarify, 77th has #1319 - #1226 and Chicago received #1320 - #1329. BTW, #1306 was back in service last friday, seen it on the #6 and I believe it was on Bustracker on the #87th that day as well. Long term I have a feeling when the #4000's come in at 103rd and NP The evens and odds there starting with #1440 - #1520 will end up at Chicago and Chicago could lose #1000 - #1081 to 74th. That would leave 74th will only 40 #6000's left.

[sw4400]

Long term I have a feeling when the #4000's come in at 103rd and NP The evens and odds there starting with #1440 - #1520 will end up at Chicago and Chicago could lose #1000 - #1081 to 74th. That would leave 74th will only 40 #6000's left.

What would happen to the 6200's and any 6300's still there? Are these the half of the Flxible fleet that'll be scrapped minus one or two 6000's and 6100's that have or will be scrapped? Or will they be transferred throughout the system(FG, K, etc...)

[BusHunter]

What would happen to the 6200's and any 6300's still there? Are these the half of the Flxible fleet that'll be scrapped minus one or two 6000's and 6100's that have or will be scrapped? Or will they be transferred throughout the system(FG, K, etc...)

It would be just as it is now with the #5300's, a little of everything there, but alot would probably be #6000's and #6100's that were the most recent rehabs at Fg. If 77th gets the last #1000's, most likely FG will become that Nova garage RM speaks of. That would free up a good pool of #6000's to choose from. One thing I don't see happening yet, i don't think that the #5300's and #4400's will be gone by Thanksgiving. There should still be around 80 left total between the two now. With the #4000 delay, and the unexpected retiring of so many #5800's. There should still be a few TMC's around at 77th. Probably more of them than #5800's which could be 10 or less by then.

[jajuan]

It would be just as it is now with the #5300's, a little of everything there, but alot would probably be #6000's and #6100's that were the most recent rehabs at Fg. If 77th gets the last #1000's, most likely FG will become that Nova garage RM speaks of. That would free up a good pool of #6000's to choose from. One thing I don't see happening yet, i don't think that the #5300's and #4400's will be gone by Thanksgiving. There should still be around 80 left total between the two now. With the #4000 delay, and the unexpected retiring of so many #5800's. There should still be a few TMC's around at 77th. Probably more of them than #5800's which could be 10 or less by then.

With Chicago picking up 1000s and a few 6000s here and there from other garages, I don't see how any 5300s will still be around by Thanksgiving. We're still four weeks out until Thanksgiving, and a lot can happen with the CTA fleet in four weeks time even with the delay in 4000s. There may be a few TMCs, but I'm thinking that's unlikely too. Both models have been dropping off like flies, again despite the 4000s delay.

[315 art]

With Chicago picking up 1000s and a few 6000s here and there from other garages, I don't see how any 5300s will still be around by Thanksgiving. We're still four weeks out until Thanksgiving, and a lot can happen with the CTA fleet in four weeks time even with the delay in 4000s. There may be a few TMCs, but I'm thinking that's unlikely to. Both models have been dropping off like flies, again despite the 4000s delay.

As is typical for most bus builders, NF has been continuing to assemble 4000s, waiting for the ok and/or identification of the mods required from CTA on the 4000 and then it will be able to ship several buses. Numbers up to 4013 are being identified in production reports from St. Cloud.

[tobuadantoq]

I think Kedzie will give older types of NF to 74th as 6000s flexibles are retired.

[Buslover88]

I think Kedzie will give older types of NF to 74th as 6000s flexibles are retired.

Maybe, but who knows.

[jajuan]

I think Kedzie will give older types of NF to 74th as 6000s flexibles are retired.

I wouldn't bank on it too much because of a few reasons. Only half of the 6000s are officially to be retired. Those currently assigned to Kedzie and Chicago garages are probably likely to be among the first scrapped with the 4000 series deliveries having started. The mayor has stated in press conferences that the 150 buses in the series will eventually be used for BRT service suggesting garage assignments of Kedzie, Chicago, 77th and 103rd since the initial BRT routes are assigned at these four. I truly don't see too much more of a shift of 1000s from Kedzie despite 1725, 1728 and 1730 showing up on 74th routes. I look at the older NFs at Kedzie being retrofitted with a protective shield for the driver while not seeing it occur on the current 6000s at Kedzie as basis that it will be those 6000s that get pushed out at Kedzie before too many more 1000s. CTA generally hasn't put the newest standard innovations on buses that it eventually wasn't going to keep for too much longer, past examples being the MAN Americanas (the previous 4000 series) not getting security cameras and the 4400s, 5300s and 5800s not getting equipped for Bustracker with the exception of a select number of 5300s at Chicago garage. My biggest point for my argument would be with only 150 new artics coming for sure, each garage would only get between maybe 35-40, and why hold on to the 6000s at Kedzie and Chicago when the ball can get rolling on the 6000s' half retirement by replacing those 80 with 4000s that get used for BRT? Plus Trainman and others who don't like these excessive reassignments would be beyond a coronary if you had that kind of shift occurred yet again. It's better to just assign more of the newest NFs yet to arrive after current NP/103rd deliveries to 74th to replace whatever 6000s it loses to retirement.

[Busjack]

I think Kedzie will give older types of NF to 74th as 6000s flexibles are retired.

One can say "I think", but this comes from the department of redundancy department.

The mayor has stated in press conferences that the 150 buses in the series will eventually be used for BRT service suggesting garage assignments of Kedzie, Chicago, 77th and 103rd since the initial BRT routes are assigned at these four.

We assumed that, but later evidence, including the mysterious NF announcement of the exercise of 58 additional options, as well as the comments about the back door openers and the rfp for up to 900 more puts doubt into whether it is "this series" (if you meant 4000-4149) that includes the BRT buses. The only thing that was officially announced was that the BRT buses would be hybrid articulateds.