6000s Coming to Chicago?

[jajuan]

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

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.

Good point It's not really clear if these or later hybrid articulateds will be the BRT buses. However, the one year start of implentation as agreed with the federal government to get the grant and complaint from all three service boards and RTA about there being no capital plan in place in Illinois makes me lean to these buses until shown otherwise at the actual implementation. As always I freely admit that my own argument is speculation, but I reference my speculation with plenty of observations of CTA behavior instead of just throwing something out without an attempt to reference it to something given from the CTA. It doesn't take much away from my argument that its wishful thinking to state Kedzie will give up more of its NFs to 74th as 6000s are retired in the partial retirement of that series when it itself has 40 that can be replaced as it receives 4000s right now, your and others' observations of 1725, 1728 and 1730 at 74th not withstanding.

I think with these numerous excessive swaps occurring this year, others have gotten too anxious to see or predict another big swap occurring when seeing a small number of buses from one garage on a route from a different garage, as you noted of sw's sighting of 1350 on 11 Lincoln/Sedwick when you asked if he was sure it wasn't a 3Track run. The member who drives buses at Chicago confirmed a couple of posts down in that thread that it indeed was a 3Track run. From what I gathered from the way you phrased your post about your observation of 1728 and 1730, you were moreso saying it was a minor shift and not a wholesale new big swap as others ran with after your post. Turns out this whole week only 4 buses previously at Kedzie popped up on 74th routes, 6004, 1725, 1728 and 1730. The 6004 observation would seem to through a monkey wrench in the major predictions those others were making of a big swap of more 1000s to 74th from Kedzie. I'm still a little confused about jumping to make those huge assumptions based on the movement of only three NFs. You'd think we'd restrain from making big predictions from so little evidence. :lol:

[Busjack]

However, the one year start of implentation as agreed with the federal government to get the grant and complaint from all three service boards and RTA about there being no capital plan in place in Illinois makes me lean to these buses until shown otherwise at the actual implementation. As always I freely admit that my own argument is speculation, but I reference my speculation with plenty of observations of CTA behavior instead of just throwing something out without an attempt to reference it to something given from the CTA.

The way I look at it is that the following were announced, all in connection with hybrid articulateds:

• A lease with Traxis for 150 buses (and nothing said after that indicates that the lease has been modified).
  
• The Durbin grant for 13 buses
  
• The BRT Memorandum of Understanding/Agreement in Principle saying that $36.9 million will be granted as part of the bus program. However, the final agreement on that is contingent on, among other things, Daley leasing the parking meters. Hence, I am not sure that money exists yet.
  

I can add those up in my mind, but like all of you, can't confirm how CTA is acting on those pieces. One would think that the leased buses would be used, as anounced in various President's Reports, to retire existing 40 footers on a 3 for 4 basis, while the BRT buses would be in addition to current fleet requirements (except for Jeffery).

[cta 5555]

We now have 6040 at chicago.Had it last night on the 70. :D

[geneking7320]

We now have 6040 at chicago.Had it last night on the 70.

In the last few months I have had occasion to ride #66 Chicago between Michigan avenue and Milwaukee avenue between 8pm and 8:30pm roughly. The ridership seemed heavy [to me] and I appreciated the extra seats of the 6000's vs the 1000s.

Gene King :D

[Buslover88]

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.

6050 is alive and running. Spotted it this afternoon on #76 Diversey at Diversey and Rockwell, heading east to the Nature Muesum.

[jajuan]

We now have 6040 at chicago.Had it last night on the 70.

First you guys were getting extra 6000s from FG and now you get at least one from Kedzie not that I'm complaining about it. On the constant flux of bus reassignments, at least in this case as in FG getting a couple of 5800s from NP, Chicago and Kedzie are close enough to each other that this swap is not as much of a big deal as a swap from Chicago and Kedzie to 74th and vice versa or a swap from Kedzie to NP.

[cta 5555]

Chicago av now has 6038. I had last night on the 65.

[cta5300]

i saw flxible 6061 running route 66 Chicago 3 times