Cta fish at south shops

[pace2322]

Heys guys just want to tell u that bt 12 at south shops if anyone wants to see it

[sw4400]

bt 12??? If you are referring to the CTA GM Fishbowl Buses from the 1960's and 1970's, these are the only numbers I remember...

9000-9599

9600-9699

9700-9799

I have no idea what a bt 12 is.

[pace2322]

there renumber it to bt 12

[buslist]

Here's a photo of the BT12, don't know its original #.  Taken almost 3 years ago to the date (10/12/02) at South Shops, actually 77th St.

[attachment=71]

[sw4400]

My guess is BT-12 is either a former PACE Bus we leased during the Green Line renovation or they turned a GM into a Work Bus for a short time.

[Busjack]

From the bumper, it's probably a 9000.

[sw4400]

I always thought each GM Bus looked alike(the 7400's through the 9700's).  What is the difference in the bumper?

[Busjack]

Most 1000s (and I believe the 7400s) originally had chrome bumpers. The last 50 or so 1000s (1475 to 1524?) originally had a segmented, water filled, rubber bumper. The "Pace" 700s (technically Chicago South Suburban Mass Transit District) came between the 1000s and 7400s. Doesn't mean that the bumpers weren't subsequently changed.

Also, as delivered, the 1000s and 7400s and the fleet number under the windshield; the 9000s were the first to put it under the GMC logo.

[buslist]

Attached are photos of SSS 721, note that it has chrome bumpers, the other shot is of sister bus 725 in RTA colors, note that it has a rubber bumper like the BT 12.  Don't know if the order was split in bumper type or if it was changed out in a rebuild. Hope you enjoy.

[Busjack]

I didn't know they were in RTA colors. This would mean that they were in 4 color schemes--South Suburban Safeway; RTA; Pace; and CTA (belt rail changed).

[pace2322]

Wow 725 i know that bus.when the 2300s where new and this was on a saturday.There gave it to my dad. and all the drives at south were mad. that he has a 700 out on a weekend with cold ac.This Back in 93 when it was hot and the 2300s ac were not working. Funny how u never forget that stuff.

[trainman8119]

The 1000 series buses that had the water bumpers were 1426 to 1524. As time went on, they took them off and put on regular chrome bumpers. They kind of looked like bumpers you would see at a dock, and were segmented. The 9000 bumpers were smooth, one piece.

[buslist]

BTW here's a shot of CTA 728 at 79th and Western (my shot),  Note differences to the BT 12 , location of front reflectors and the unique corner reflectors that PACE likes to use, as well as only 2 opening windows per side vs. BT 12's 4 per side.  Would guess that BT 12 is not an ex 700!

[sw4400]

You have some good pics, and I was checking your site for others, but it keeps telling me that the page(s) can't be found.  Where do you keep the CTA pics you have?

[buslist]

There are virtually no CTA photos on the site, you'll find a few in the delivery list section (GM TDH5103 and 5502, MACK c-49 and ACF C-44)

I'll post some up if you'll are interested, have many.

BTW which pages were they that couldn't be found, should all be working OK.

[buslist]

Very off topic but here's a couple or Orion shots taken last Sat.

[sw4400]

WB= WorkBus

BT= ???

Question: What do the M.A.N Americanas say on them(the yard goats)? do they have like a YG-4200 or something like that?  I wanna say BT means.... Bus Transporter or Bus Personnel Transporter.  It definately sounds like that GM Fishbowl is a WorkBus of some sort and being that one is number 12, there is or were 11 others at least.

[buslist]

You have some good pics, and I was checking your site for others, but it keeps telling me that the page(s) can't be found.  Where do you keep the CTA pics you have?

If you all are really interested I'll put up a roster page (with serials unlike the others) and photo links that are clear roster type shots of the buses,  have plenty of shots.  Let me know on line or privately how ever you prefer, but I spend gobs of time on airplanes (to and from London) (London Double Decker shots available) so sometimes it takes a long time to respond, here's, a couple.

BTW these 2 buses have something in common besides being CTA GM Fishbowls (i.e. initial garage assingment) anyone venture a guess?

[trainman8119]

I'll take a stab and say that they are in fact the same bus, just renumbered. I know some 7400 series buses were renumbered (like 21-22 etc) for Evanston use, so I'll guess that 442, which in it's later days would have been at Limits, wound up finishing up its service life at North Park and being renumbered 2 for Evanston service.

[Busjack]

Nope, 2 is airconditioned, and hence was an 800. My guess is that they are both Beverly.

[Montell305]

Both have non-standard turn signal lamps. They are missing the surrounds. I believe that the CTA ordered them factory that way.

:cool:

[RIPTA42]

WB= WorkBus

BT= ???

Question: What do the M.A.N Americanas say on them(the yard goats)? do they have like a YG-4200 or something like that?  I wanna say BT means.... Bus Transporter or Bus Personnel Transporter.  It definately sounds like that GM Fishbowl is a WorkBus of some sort and being that one is number 12, there is or were 11 others at least.

The MAN in North Park had the "42" scraped off and is now just "00."

The BTs are training buses with simulated defects.  There were four total.  BT-11 and 12 are both on the scrap line at South Shops; BT-9 and 10 are still at the training center at IIT. They're all 9000s; former numbers are:

BT-9 9375

BT-10 9400

BT-11 9476

BT-12 9701

[Busjack]

Interestingly, from your picture of 9476, it was never repainted from its original albino scheme for RTA use.