X mas bus

[jajuan]

The burning question is now that Forest Glen got a taint in it's fleet this year...will they decorate 6847 again or opt for one of the hand-me-down New Flyer's they inherited?

Well I won't get into any pros or perceived cons of FG getting some of what were some of Kedzie's older NFs. But it would be interest to find out what get's decorated for the holidays.

[sw4400]

18 Days and counting until Christmas... Has anybody seen any other Christmas Buses out of any garages other than Chicago?(T8H5307A reported one from there)

[BusHunter]

The burning question is now that Forest Glen got a taint in it's fleet this year...will they decorate 6847 again or opt for one of the hand-me-down New Flyer's they inherited?

#6847 is once again the Christmas bus for FG. It was running on (you guessed it) the #56 last night. (Although I did see it on the #90 last year.) It has the same decorations, but seems to be a little scaled down IIRC. It has no decorations on the rear. Also it's missing some candy canes from years past. It still has the illuminated presents over the front wheel well on the interior. As far as them not being on a NF, probably there decorations are set to run on a Nova. (They have the measurements, connections etc. all planned out.) Putting them on a nf would change the plans and maybe the decorations with different clearances and such. (Although it would have been nice to make a #6000 a christmas bus being that this is probably there last christmas with us)

[sw4400]

Getting close to just 10 days until Christmas... Any more buses sighted? If I see any, I'll be sure to post them, but the only garages I usually ride buses from are NP and FG. We got 6847(F) and 2009( C ), but it looks like 100% isn't going to happen this year, maybe not even 50% like last year.

[jacksone44]

Getting close to just 10 days until Christmas... Any more buses sighted? If I see any, I'll be sure to post them, but the only garages I usually ride buses from are NP and FG. We got 6847(F) and 2009( C ), but it looks like 100% isn't going to happen this year, maybe not even 50% like last year.

1947 is 77th.

[sw4400]

Getting a little closer to at least 50%(2008 total)... With 9 days remaining until Christmas, are there five more buses from the non-represented garages?

So far, Garages represented are...

Chicago(2009)

Forest Glen(6847)

77th(1947)

[cta5300]

I SPOTTED 2009 THE CHICAGO GARAGE X-MAS BUS ON ROUTE 53 PAULASKI AT NORTH AVENUE

[sw4400]

3 days remaining until Christmas.... I'm guessing we aren't even going to make 50% this year... :(

[jacksone44]

3 days remaining until Christmas.... I'm guessing we aren't even going to make 50% this year...

I love how you are the champion of this... :D

[sw4400]

With the Holiday Train on track now for the Holiday Season, I think the garages will follow in the coming

days/weeks and roll out a bus or two decorated for the holidays. If you see them, tag them here.

2009 Christmas Buses(38% Spotted)

Archer Garage:

Chicago Garage: 2009

Forest Glen Garage: 6847

North Park Garage:

Kedzie Garage:

74th St. Garage:

77th St. Garage: 1947

103rd St. Garage:

2010 Christmas Buses(0% Spotted)

Chicago Garage:

Forest Glen Garage:

North Park Garage:

Kedzie Garage:

74th St. Garage:

77th St. Garage:

103rd St. Garage:

[mikeymc77]

With the Holiday Train on track now for the Holiday Season, I think the garages will follow in the coming

days/weeks and roll out a bus or two decorated for the holidays. If you see them, tag them here.

2009 Christmas Buses(38% Spotted)

Archer Garage:

Chicago Garage: 2009

Forest Glen Garage: 6847

North Park Garage:

Kedzie Garage:

74th St. Garage:

77th St. Garage: 1947

103rd St. Garage:

2010 Christmas Buses(0% Spotted)

Chicago Garage:

Forest Glen Garage:

North Park Garage:

Kedzie Garage:

74th St. Garage:

77th St. Garage:

103rd St. Garage:

I didnt see any this year...and its xmas eve. Anybody else see any this year???

[RJL6000]

With all of the bus shuffling, would it be wise to decorate any bus only to see it shuffled to another garage?

Several of the so-called "Xmas" buses have since been reassigned to other garages.

For example, #6847 (which had served as FG's "Xmas bus" in 2008 and 2009) is now a 77th bus. #1400 (which was Chicago Garage's "Xmas bus" in 2008) is now at NP (as is #1913, 77th's "Xmas bus" of 2008).

[FlxibleMetro9150]

Cool. Wish you were able to get pictures to show how festive it looks. On a side note, I haven't seen as many buses show the holiday greetings on their destinatioon signs this year. I've seen some 1000s on the 12 and 52 display them, but I haven't gotten to get around as much to see many others beside those two routes display them.

Here's a blurry shot of the XMAS Sign on a New Flyer on the 65 Grand route.

[sw4400]

With the Holiday Train on track now for the Holiday Season, I think the garages will follow in the coming

days/weeks and roll out a bus or two decorated for the holidays. If you see them, tag them here.

2010 Christmas Buses(0% Spotted)

Chicago Garage:

Forest Glen Garage:

North Park Garage:

Kedzie Garage:

74th St. Garage:

77th St. Garage:

103rd St. Garage:

Holiday Train debuts next weekend. While no buses were spotted last year decorated(could've been due to any number of possibilities, with retiring buses and transfers possibly the top reasons). Anyhow, let's see if there's a little Christmas Cheer on our Bus Routes this Holiday Season. If you see a bus garnished with Christmas Decorations(e.g: wreaths, ribbons, poles taped up to look like candy canes, lights, etc...), log that bus number and report it here(photos are good too. Show off the CTA Bus Christmas Sprit!!!). Let's see if each Bus Garage will decorate at least one bus on their fleet this year!

2011 Christmas Buses(0% Spotted)

Chicago Garage:

Forest Glen Garage:

North Park Garage:

Kedzie Garage:

74th St. Garage:

77th St. Garage:

103rd St. Garage:

[Sam92]

Holiday Train debuts next weekend. While no buses were spotted last year decorated(could've been due to any number of possibilities, with retiring buses and transfers possibly the top reasons). Anyhow, let's see if there's a little Christmas Cheer on our Bus Routes this Holiday Season. If you see a bus garnished with Christmas Decorations(e.g: wreaths, ribbons, poles taped up to look like candy canes, lights, etc...), log that bus number and report it here(photos are good too. Show off the CTA Bus Christmas Sprit!!!). Let's see if each Bus Garage will decorate at least one bus on their fleet this year!

2011 Christmas Buses(0% Spotted)

Chicago Garage:

Forest Glen Garage:

North Park Garage:

Kedzie Garage:

74th St. Garage:

77th St. Garage:

103rd St. Garage:

I'll keep an eye out for 103rd and 77th's buses in my area. So far the only thing I'm seeing is 77th's NOVAs displaying "HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY HOLIDAY"

[Kevin]

I guess you could have called this a Christmas bus for a short period of time recently...

Credit: John W. Iwanski on Flickr

[sw4400]

If the CTA really decorated a bus down to paint and Christmas Lights, wonder if this might be what it would look like...

CTA_Christmas_DE60LF_1_1.bmp

[jajuan]

I'll keep an eye out for 103rd and 77th's buses in my area. So far the only thing I'm seeing is 77th's NOVAs displaying "HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY HOLIDAY"

North Park and Forest Glen buses in my area haven't ghown up anything either except for mainly North Park NFs displaying the "HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY HOLIDAY" or "SEASONS GREETINGS" with accompanying Santa Claus in sleigh image.

[sw4400]

It seems like 2010 and 2011 the CTA has stopped decorating one bus from their garages for Christmas, but I'll put up this list with hopes there is at least one bus decorated from each garage for Christmas this holiday. Wreath, Candy Canes, Lights, Interior Decorations. I know the destination signs can display electronic canes as well as say "Happy Holidays", but I am looking for a decorated bus like we've had in the past with 4463, 6847(that was elaborate, but any NOVA or New Flyer could be dressed up to look like this) & 2009.

2012 Christmas Buses(0% Spotted)

Chicago Garage:

Forest Glen Garage:

North Park Garage:

Kedzie Garage:

74th St. Garage:

77th St. Garage:

103rd St. Garage:

Best time to begin a watch for decorated buses would be after Thanksgiving until Christmas Day.

[BusHunter]

It seems like 2010 and 2011 the CTA has stopped decorating one bus from their garages for Christmas, but I'll put up this list with hopes there is at least one bus decorated from each garage for Christmas this holiday. Wreath, Candy Canes, Lights, Interior Decorations. I know the destination signs can display electronic canes as well as say "Happy Holidays", but I am looking for a decorated bus like we've had in the past with 4463, 6847(that was elaborate, but any NOVA or New Flyer could be dressed up to look like this) & 2009.

2012 Christmas Buses(0% Spotted)

Chicago Garage:

Forest Glen Garage:

North Park Garage:

Kedzie Garage:

74th St. Garage:

77th St. Garage:

103rd St. Garage:

Best time to begin a watch for decorated buses would be after Thanksgiving until Christmas Day.

Now that #6847 is back at the Glen, it should be interesting to see if it will become a Xmas bus again. I don't know but, maybe that bus in particular has equipment in it that runs the lights and other stuff like a heavy duty alternator. It's seems like an odd occurance that same bus has been the Xmas bus there for the past few years, (when it was stationed there.)

[YoungBusLover]

NF #1111 may be a Christmas bus. I Saw it today on #55 going eastbound.

[sw4400]

Probably wasting the time to bump this thread up as it seems like CTA has stopped decorating the buses like they did in the past with 4463 and 6847, although they did put a wreath on 2009 in the past . Maybe each garage will churn out one bus this year(40', 60' or even 30')??? What would define a "Holiday Bus"...

• Hand poles decorated to look like candy canes
• Wreaths on the front and/or back of the bus
• "Presents" on the wheelwells inside like 6847.
• Twinkling lights(if they get that elaborate)
• Piped in Christmas Music(maybe too much, but who knows...)

2013 Christmas Buses (0% Spotted)

Chicago Garage:
Forest Glen Garage:
North Park Garage:
Kedzie Garage:
74th St. Garage:
77th St. Garage:
103rd St. Garage:

Best time to begin a watch for decorated buses would be after Thanksgiving until Christmas Day. Maybe... just maybe this tradition continues and the buses just weren't noticed in years past... I know the displays can say "Happy Holidays" and show little electric trees and candy canes... I'm referring to actual decorations inside and outside the buses.

One can hope they haven't scratched this tradition.... It's about as traditional as the Holiday Train that runs the eight rail lines during the Holiday Season...

There is history with this... it goes back to the days of what was called the "Free Santa Claus Bus" back in the 70's, when GM Fishbowl #1306 was dubbed with this honor....

[BusHunter]

Probably wasting the time to bump this thread up as it seems like CTA has stopped decorating the buses like they did in the past with 4463 and 6847, although they did put a wreath on 2009 in the past . Maybe each garage will churn out one bus this year(40', 60' or even 30')??? What would define a "Holiday Bus"...

• Hand poles decorated to look like candy canes
• Wreaths on the front and/or back of the bus
• "Presents" on the wheelwells inside like 6847.
• Twinkling lights(if they get that elaborate)
• Piped in Christmas Music(maybe too much, but who knows...)

2013 Christmas Buses (0% Spotted)

Chicago Garage:

Forest Glen Garage:

North Park Garage:

Kedzie Garage:

74th St. Garage:

77th St. Garage:

103rd St. Garage:

Best time to begin a watch for decorated buses would be after Thanksgiving until Christmas Day. Maybe... just maybe this tradition continues and the buses just weren't noticed in years past... I know the displays can say "Happy Holidays" and show little electric trees and candy canes... I'm referring to actual decorations inside and outside the buses.

One can hope they haven't scratched this tradition.... It's about as traditional as the Holiday Train that runs the eight rail lines during the Holiday Season...

There is history with this... it goes back to the days of what was called the "Free Santa Claus Bus" back in the 70's, when GM Fishbowl #1306 was dubbed with this honor....

Maybe there is some Xmas spirit at CTA besides the holiday train. They have dressed up the end of the O'Hare stop with flashing lights and a banner, but it seems to only be down around the employee area.

[Busjack]

Maybe there is some Xmas spirit at CTA besides the holiday train. They have dressed up the end of the O'Hare stop with flashing lights and a banner, but it seems to only be down around the employee area.

holiday station.png

holiday station 1.png

holiday station 2.png

Looks like passengers get the cheer only when pulling out of the station.