#4000 Arrives

[cta5658]

Rode my first 4000 last week...It was out of Kedzie (4040's? not sure) on the 156 route. Gotta love that new bus smell.

my guess was that it was in the 4000-4011 range

[nflyer22]

spotted bus 7681 on the 8 Halsted this morning. Is it a test for BRT? I don't know what was more amazing, the NABI on the 8 or in the snow?

I don't think it's unusual, maybe because that particular run is a morning rush hour run, because for the mornings that I get up early enough to use the tracker to check the #62, I also have found occasionally the #8 uses an artic or 2. I even found a #4000-series on the tracker just a week ago.

[Busjack]

At least 4000 has finally showed up on Bus Tracker.

[trainman8119]

I spotted 2 that were headed into town on the Kennedy tonight. The first, I was unable to get the number, but it really caught my eye because it was signed for Route 31, 31st Street. This bus was spotted on the Kennedy, southbound, around Chicago Ave around 8:30 pm. Shortly afterward, I passed 4087 headed southbound around Addison with the standard "Chicago, My Kind Of Town" displayed.

Looks like 4087 was headed to other than North Park, since Addison would be a little too far south to exit for North Park. I guess they need to send it south so they could make one of those infamous garage swaps. :lol:

[redlinerider]

Saw #4067 on the 36 last night around 10PM heading north at Broadway/Thorndale. I've never seen an artic on the 36 normally.

[jajuan]

Saw #4067 on the 36 last night around 10PM heading north at Broadway/Thorndale. I've never seen an artic on the 36 normally.

It was assigned on this route at least since the PM rush up to when you saw it yesterday.

[ctaboy]

spotted bus 7681 on the 8 Halsted this morning. Is it a test for BRT? I don't know what was more amazing, the NABI on the 8 or in the snow?

when did the NABIs started running 8 halsted ?

[jajuan]

when did the NABIs started running 8 halsted ?

Ever since March 23 of last year 8 Halsted has been assigned to Kedzie garage, so since that point it has been possible to see a NABI on this route. However, Kedzie mostly assigns NF D40LFs to this route.

[BusExpert32]

I rode #4079 today on the #146, and it had all four seats in the articulated joint. I now question the reports that every 4000 (other than #4000 itself) would not have these seats.

[jacksone44]

Saw #4067 on the 36 last night around 10PM heading north at Broadway/Thorndale. I've never seen an artic on the 36 normally.

I saw 4059 and 4067 on the 36 last night headed south. They show up, but lately more than normal...

[BusHunter]

I rode #4079 today on the #146, and it had all four seats in the articulated joint. I now question the reports that every 4000 (other than #4000 itself) would not have these seats.

That's what they wanted to happen, similar to the report that all #1000's would have the post #1304 seating from the new manufacturer. You are correct to assume that every #4000 doesn't have it because none do. When those seats are occupied it is very tight to pass through. I would see why they want to change it.

[santran]

Well I saw 4089 and 4091 at NP today. Looks like the split continues, esp. now with the NABI incident.

[qwantae]

Yesterday Afternoon Rush, I've spotted #4094 going Southbound LSD towards Chicago Ave. with an "Not in Service" sign, not sure where is it going but Its the highest series I've seen so far.

[Busjack]

Yesterday Afternoon Rush, I've spotted #4094 going Southbound LSD towards Chicago Ave. with an "Not in Service" sign, not sure where is it going but Its the highest series I've seen so far.

Since the latest press release said 94, either you are one up on them, or a bus below that hasn't arrived yet.*

Also, it looks like the deliveries will be much faster than the official "by Summer 2009" if they are about 2/3rds there. Again, luck or predesign?

_____

*The old bus counting problem that if the first is XX00, then XXAA indicates that the number of buses is AA+1.

[Busjack]

4095 is showing up on BusTracker.

[jacksone44]

4095 is showing up on BusTracker.

4096 was on the 156 this morning.

[jajuan]

4096 was on the 156 this morning.

Oh so newer even hybrids are being steered to Kedzie for the time being?

[jacksone44]

Oh so newer even hybrids are being steered to Kedzie for the time being?

That is what I was thinking. 4096 started it's run at Diversey. I couldn't see where it was assigned, as I was on 800 right behind. There has been a host of former "7" 4000's that have been loaned to K.

[Busjack]

Oh so newer even hybrids are being steered to Kedzie for the time being?

Apparently a bunch of others just moved.

[ryanbytes]

A friend got this in her email

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I met yesterday with representatives from the Chicago Transit Authority

to discuss the recent emergency changes on the 145 and 148 bus routes.

I have heard from a number of you expressing your concerns about the

changes and wanted to let you know that I share your concerns.

Both bus routes used to extend to Damen Avenue, allowing riders to

access the Damen Brown Line station and the Levy Senior Center on Damen.

The CTA recently had to pull two hundred articulated busses out of

service due to safety concerns. The new busses being utilized on these

routes cannot go through the viaduct at Ravenswood and Wilson--forcing

the CTA to make the turn around at Ravenswood instead of at Damen.

I was assured that this change is temporary and that as soon as the

busses are back in service, the original routes can be restored.

I will continue to monitor this situation and keep you informed. In the

meantime, I encourage you to use the Brown Line, the #50 Damen, and the

#81 Lawrence routes to access Damen Avenue businesses and organizations.

Best Wishes,

Alderman Gene Schulter

[jajuan]

A friend got this in her email

I'm not really getting this change considering most days since the NABIs were sidelined the 145 and 148 were operating with 1000s and a few 6000s. I was out there today and didn't see any 4000s on there when I rode both routes. I'm guessing the CTA is prepping for the NABIs to be parked for a while if they even get put back on the road at all. I say that because the timetables for both reflect the new routing. Why prep new timetables with the new routing if the NABIs are only to be parked a week for the inspections as mentioned in the press releases last week telling of the NABIs sidelining? The customer alerts for both also give the duration of the reroute as 2/20/09 to TBD (in other words until further notice). That sounds a lot longer than a week to me.

[wordguy]

I'm not really getting this change considering most days since the NABIs were sidelined the 145 and 148 were operating with 1000s and a few 6000s. I was out there today and didn't see any 4000s on there when I rode both routes. I'm guessing the CTA is prepping for the NABIs to be parked for a while if they even get put back on the road at all. I say that because the timetables for both reflect the new routing. Why prep new timetables with the new routing if the NABIs are only to be parked a week for the inspections as mentioned in the press releases last week telling of the NABIs sidelining? The customer alerts for both also give the duration of the reroute as 2/20/09 to TBD (in other words until further notice). That sounds a lot longer than a week to me.

With the roster of 4000s at Kedzie continuing to expand, my hunch is that they'll start operating regularly on the 145, maybe the 148 as well. I guess the roof pods on the hybrids don't clear the Wilson overpass.

[geneking7320]

:rolleyes:

OK, I'll ask the question:

If you wouldn't buy a double decker bus because it would be too high for some of your routes,

why buy a single deck articulated bus with roof pods that are too high for some of your routes?

Gene King

[Busjack]

OK, I'll ask the question:

If you wouldn't buy a double decker bus because it would be too high for some of your routes,

why buy a single deck articulated bus with roof pods that are too high for some of your routes?

Gene King

A few of them, o.k, but why up to 1108?

Assuming, of course, the Schulter knew what he was talking about and we are drawing the correct conclusions from that (two big leaps).

[jajuan]

With the roster of 4000s at Kedzie continuing to expand, my hunch is that they'll start operating regularly on the 145, maybe the 148 as well. I guess the roof pods on the hybrids don't clear the Wilson overpass.

That was my hunch too which is why I brought up the updated timetable maps. I've seen 4000s on both routes, but only a few so far. Not clear if they will take up a lot of the service though because even before the NABI issue, 40 footers especially the NFs were making a bigger appearance on 145 and the afternoon 148 again. Then again maybe they were preparing to sideline at least some NABIs, instead of all as they abruptly had to do, since Kedzie had only about 12 4000s or so at the time. Either way even if there's just a few 4000s used, you can't have riders on those buses not able to reach Damen, while riders on 1000s and 6000s still can. The service would be too uneven. Plus it still points to longer than one week for the NABI sidelining, much longer. considering the timetable updates. Well 800s can now be used on the two with this change.