#4000 Arrives

[BusHunter]

For that matter, I have never seen 4000 on it.

While the equipment is probably not set up, one of the reasons 4010 might not have been on BusTracker on a consistent basis is that the bus only went to Belmont and Sheridan, put "Not in Service" on its sign, and then went south on Lake Shore Drive. I assume, at least with regard to CTA buses, that a "Not in Service" bus off route is not shown (which would confirm your "it was on the outer drive out of service at the moment I was looking"; it would have been, but starting at about 4:25; it was "in service" from about 3:55 to 4:25).

However, to verify this. all of us would have to have web enabled cell phones when riding. Not likely. Now, if you can read something off my transit card, I still have that.

#4000 is just the pilot and has no Bustracker yet. It's like the #1900's now. It was my understanding that the rest of the #4000's are Bustracker ready, that they were ordered with the equipment already installed. In fact Kevin points this out in the #4000 summary under the buses tab. My question that you answered was that did it have a proper destination sign and not something like CTA Program ( #4014 wouldn't have shown up yesterday even if there was Bustracker on the #14.) Now I'm wondering if something is wrong with #4010 -#11's Bustracker. More bugs to figure out.

[Kevin]

#4000 has Bus Tracker equipment installed, but the Clever Devices unit on that bus is not functioning correctly.

[Busjack]

My question that you answered was that did it have a proper destination sign and not something like CTA Program ( #4014 wouldn't have shown up yesterday even if there was Bustracker on the #14.)

I couldn't tell you when I got on, since I saw the bus pull up to the stop as I was approaching, and since I saw the "Clean Air Hybrid Bus" logo on the letter panel, got on. I did see the "Not In Service" after getting off, and the back sign going from 156 to blank.

However, the internal signs and announcements were working properly.

[jacksone44]

According to CTA's roster that they regularly provide to staff and vendors (sometimes daily), New Flyer artic deliveries are up to 22:

Recent activity:

103rd received 4018, 4020, 4024 & 4026

North Park received 4023

Current distribution:

Kedzie: 4000-4006, 4008, 4009; total of 9

North Park: Odds -4013, 4015, 4017, 4021 and 4023; Total of 5

103rd: Evens 4012-4026; total of 8

Oddly, bus 4011, which Jacksone44 saw on Nov 25, is not listed on CTA's roster.

rode 4011 on the 156 both on 11/26 and 12/1. I assure you that it is out there.

[jajuan]

rode 4011 on the 156 both on 11/26 and 12/1. I assure you that it is out there.

Just goes to show we can't go on just the roster reports, that are in constant flux with deliveries still ongoing. Your and Busjack's rides on buses not listed in the report show those reports can be easily out of date when seen at a given time or there can be the possibilities of late arrivals to consider.

[trainman8119]

Is it possible that these buses are coming up with flaws and such are

being sent to Bus and Truck for reparis. We all know 4019 is in town,

from the pic posted on this forum...but I don't see it on any rosters noted here.

I would think this would be enough to keep a bus from being listed on

a specific daily garage roster.

[Tamir4317]

On sunday morning, I rode my first #4000 while me and my brother were on the way to the movies. Here's what happened

I woke up at 8:00am, and I was late because I wanted to be out the door at the time. I quickly washed up and got my clothes on. Now it's 8:13, movie starts at 10:05. I wait for my brother to get out the bathroom. Now I'm nervous, I don't want to come in on the movie. He finishes, and takes care of other stuff. It's after 8:30, we sprint towards the bus stop. We get there and wait. A 15 passes, then at about 8:45, the 14 Jeffery arrives. What is it, the brand new spanking New Flyer Artic #4016! We get on. The ride was smooth. No visible problems with the rear door. I couldn't quite hear the engine because the AC was so loud. But when the bus hit high gear speeding on LSD, it sounded almost like a TMC. All and all, I like the bus. I can't wait to ride one again. And I'm glad I woke up late sunday, because if we had left at 8:00, I wouldn't have rode 4016. And best of all, we actually got there on time.

[jajuan]

Is it possible that these buses are coming up with flaws and such are

being sent to Bus and Truck for reparis. We all know 4019 is in town,

from the pic posted on this forum...but I don't see it on any rosters noted here.

I would think this would be enough to keep a bus from being listed on

a specific daily garage roster.

Actually that photo of 4019 was taken at Detroit Diesel so it never made it to town at all so far. It did have flaws but enough for CTA to reject it thus never making on a garage roster.

[busfan2847]

4018 was on the 192 this morning

[Busjack]

Actually that photo of 4019 was taken at Detroit Diesel so it never made it to town at all so far. It did have flaws but enough for CTA to reject it thus never making on a garage roster.

And, from the pictures, it was at DD in Minnesota, and had documents stating that NF Quality Control had exceptions to accepting it. Never got to the point of having been released to CTA.

[Busjack]

Up to now, I'm surprised there was no news conference. According to the Trib., it is today, though.

Update: Although the WGN-TV reporter said he was at the 103rd Garage, the buses on display were 4005 and 4008. I guess another instance for trainman to burst a blood vessel.

Also, I see that the item reflected in the prior link has been freshened. There is still the talk about a bus "accommodating" 125 rather than 80 riders on the 1991 and 1995 buses they are replacing, so I still wonder if the current allocation will be the final one.

[ArcherRider]

Saw NF#4023 on #147 this morning

[Busjack]

Saw NF#4023 on #147 this morning

Verification that they weren't goofing with us when they said that 22 were in service.

[BusHunter]

Saw NF#4023 on #147 this morning

#4017 was on bustracker for a second yesterday around 5pm on the #147. Then it just disappeared.

[BusHunter]

After seeing Busjack's link to the news network, I have a question myself about the #4000's. If you need to plug up the hybrids at night for a recharge how will NP do that they are outdoors. I suppose that may not matter, but would they run extension cords around the yard or what. Also will there be a cutoff time when the buses will not be used. They sound like they don't want to run them at night.

[Busjack]

After seeing Busjack's link to the news network, I have a question myself about the #4000's. If you need to plug up the hybrids at night for a recharge how will NP do that they are outdoors. I suppose that may not matter, but would they run extension cords around the yard or what. Also will there be a cutoff time when the buses will not be used. They sound like they don't want to run them at night.

I sort of had the same thought. I had read elsewhere that overnight charging of hybrids was necessary, at least to "balance" the batteries. My first thought was that this would disqualify FG, but, since, as you say, NP is getting them....

The article is inaccurate about the buses running all night. The reason for the K and FG swap several years ago was for FG to get buses with preheaters. While I understand that they use diesel fuel to heat the coolant circulated through the engines to keep them warm, their express purpose was so that buses were not kept idling outside in cold weather (see this article, although I don't think CTA is using that brand, and this CTA Press Release even though it deals with a subsequent event).

[BusHunter]

I sort of had the same thought. I had read elsewhere that overnight charging of hybrids was necessary, at least to "balance" the batteries. My first thought was that this would disqualify FG, but, since, as you say, NP is getting them....

The article is inaccurate about the buses running all night. The reason for the K and FG swap several years ago was for FG to get buses with preheaters. While I understand that they use diesel fuel to heat the coolant circulated through the engines to keep them warm, their express purpose was so that buses were not kept idling outside in cold weather (see this article, although I don't think CTA is using that brand).

No, I mean't that they wouldn't run them at night in revenue service. Say you have a late Cubs night game, or a New Years Eve fireworks night at Navy Pier. You wouldn't send out a #4000, because it would be recharging. If this is the case they'll need the NABI's still for the nights also, there is going to be alot of new routes to get 60 footers in abundance because they'll need to have both artics together at the same places. The #52 had about 6 or 7 yesterday. I'm aware of the preheater story, the Nadig ( a neighborhood paper for the NW side) had an article on the story. I have a copy of that article. The residents behind FG were complaining of blue smoke eminating into their neighborhood in the early mornings. I've seen it myself it did get kind of smoky up there, like fireworks night. Some buses namely #9900's would rev there engines to get it runable. I'd hate to live in the apartments on the other side of elston.

[Busjack]

I should have distinguished between your "all night" point, which I did not first comprehend, and the article's point, which was wrong. I see someone put a comment on the article's blog about "how much retrofitting preheaters would cost," of course not realizing that Hilkevitch had messed up again.

I hadn't thought about your point, which would essentially be the "owl run" issue. The real question becomes how necessary an articulated bus would be in the evening, and then, whether you would have to pull in all the hybrids on a heavy route (say 52) in the evening a substitute a diesel bus (of whatever length) for it.

[artthouwill]

After seeing Busjack's link to the news network, I have a question myself about the #4000's. If you need to plug up the hybrids at night for a recharge how will NP do that they are outdoors. I suppose that may not matter, but would they run extension cords around the yard or what. Also will there be a cutoff time when the buses will not be used. They sound like they don't want to run them at night.

Isn't it possible to plug up the hybrids outside? I know a couple of companies I used to work for plugged up their buses at night outside to keep the engines warm, for we all know diesels are almost impossible to start in frigid weather. Each stall had an outlet. The buses would be backed in so a short cord would be needed to plug in each bus. The trick was to make sure the drivers would not drive away without first unplugging the cord. I don't know what chargers they use for the batteries, but I don't think having outdoor garages should make much difference unless the buses are lined up one right behind another.

[geneking7320]

#4017 was on bustracker for a second yesterday around 5pm on the #147. Then it just disappeared.

I think I saw it tonight at the Howard L terminal around 8:30 pm.

[trainman8119]

Spotted 4017 and 4023 working the 147 this morning downtown.

[Busjack]

Now I'm wondering if something is wrong with #4010 -#11's Bustracker. More bugs to figure out.

Probably so. I mentioned that I was on a Sheridan-Belmont trip about about 4:00 p.m., but today, that pulldown doesn't even exist on BusTracker. Going southbound, 4003 shows up where I physically saw it, and pretty much consistently shows up there on BusTracker.

Update: The pulldown first appeared at about 4:30 with 7564. Also, it appears that 4008 is back on 156 from the press conference.

[jacksone44]

Spotted 4017 and 4023 working the 147 this morning downtown.

spotted 4024 "Not in Service" on Michigan Ave during the evening rush hour.

[ryanbytes]

I caught 4007 at Howard last night.

Larger versions of the image.

[greenstreet]

rode 4011 on the 156 both on 11/26 and 12/1. I assure you that it is out there.

4010 and 4011 have finally been added to the CTA roster at Kedzie (not sure what the hold up was since several people saw them in service). Total of 11 there

Also 4028 added to 103rd (total 9) and 4027 & 4029 added to North Park (total 7)

That brings the New Flyer artics up to 27 according to the CTA bus assignment report dated 12/4.