In Service/Retired RTA,Pace bus photos

[Guest]

When did colonial get rid of their DINA's (Marcopolo's)? I used to recall seeing them in the yard years back, and I know their performance was a little disappointing (I rode one and it wasn't that bad).

You know what? Thats news to me Huskie!, I didnt know Colonial had DINA/Marcopolos, I loved those buses. How far back do you recall this? Ive always wanted to get behind the wheel of one of those Dina buses. You dont see them too often now. Theyre really sharp looking highway coaches. Id love to see what it looked like in Colonial or even in Greyhound colors. Do you have any pics of these when they were at Colonial? Today their highway coaches comprise mostly of MCIs, VanHools and Setras, Yuk!!, ugly!!. I cant stand those Setras! We have various MCI coaches, most of them coming from Dallas Dart and a couple of NJ Transits. We have one of the old large Prevost artics sitting in the back of Colonials yard burned out.

[trainman8119]

You know what? Thats news to me Huskie!, I didnt know Colonial had DINA/Marcopolos,

I don't think it was Colonial that had the Dinas. The were from the contractor of the Sears routes...I can't remember who it was. It was a minority contractor, I believe, from the city. Sears demanded they put the Dina's on the route, and if there was ever a day there wasn't one running, it hit the fan. The old guy got a lotta of grief when they had to do some maintenance or one just broke down.

[MetroShadow]

You know what? Thats news to me Huskie!, I didnt know Colonial had DINA/Marcopolos, I loved those buses. How far back do you recall this? Ive always wanted to get behind the wheel of one of those Dina buses. You dont see them too often now. Theyre really sharp looking highway coaches. Id love to see what it looked like in Colonial or even in Greyhound colors. Do you have any pics of these when they were at Colonial? Today their highway coaches comprise mostly of MCIs, VanHools and Setras, Yuk!!, ugly!!. I cant stand those Setras! We have various MCI coaches, most of them coming from Dallas Dart and a couple of NJ Transits. We have one of the old large Prevost artics sitting in the back of Colonials yard burned out.

They had them until throughout the start of the decade but abruptly got rid of them for the MCI's (whether or not this was before they moved from Franklin Park is another question). I knew some were run on Pace routes, but rarely--they had codes for those routes in the signs (Prarie Stone in particular), and some were run on charters, but rarely. At the time, they were regarded as the 'cream of the crop' back then. I wish I had pictures to show for it, but I didn't (I was in my lower teens at this time).

I'm familiar with what they have now (Even the older I's used for Stroger shuttles too), and I'd still prefer the DINA's over the Setras though.

[twyztdmynd]

Dina's used to be Colonial's pride. But later experienced coolong problems. Also, they were not equiped with defrosters. Manual fans were installed in the dash corners in liu. The final dina was sold (to Pauline Transport) before I arrived. They were not ADA compliant and PACE was insisting on lift busses for 100% compliance.

[Busjack]

Also, they were not equiped with defrosters.

Since they were Mexican buses, I guess that wouldn't have been needed in their native environment. :lol:

[twyztdmynd]

Even though its probably been asked several times, I feel I need to volenteer my two cents.... I'm sure the administrators see the equal demand of a Pace pictures page along with its sister CTA photos page.... How about it ???

[andrethebusman]

Even though its probably been asked several times, I feel I need to volenteer my two cents.... I'm sure the administrators see the equal demand of a Pace pictures page along with its sister CTA photos page.... How about it ???

Colonial has gone thru close to 300 buses over the years! Dinas were 700's, there were maybe 20 of them. 800's went from 800 on up to 850, 100's 100 thru 145. 900's once started at 900, now highest is 986. There had to be at least 20 transits also. And all of this between circa 1999 and 2005... Unfortunately, many came and went so quickly nobody got any data.

However, there appear to be no record of anything that is gone. Wonder why???

Andre

[twyztdmynd]

However, there appear to be no record of anything that is gone. Wonder why???

Andre

Colonial sells its fleet a few busses at a time to no specific buyer. The do have a website - www.colonialbussales.com. Know most of the 814-836 ADA coaches went to Keller in Maryland. My baby 816 wsa one of the last to go. Some 700's went to Pauline C.C.C. and Neal's in michgan. Let's put their selling stragedy this way...."Come on down" to Colonial... "its yours if the price is right!" There were soe 200's - accordian busses and 500's - neoplan transists. 100's were useally buy off's from other charter co's and 800's even #'s were new coaches. I know 138-145 and 815,17,19 were Indian Trails coaches. Again... beautiful condition for highway coaches. 102-110 were Conitnental Airport's . 127- 133, 135, 137 were from Dallas... few were painted for continental express but still owned by Colonial/Pioneer.

[twyztdmynd]

Mel Bernero Just posted some oldies but goodies here

http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z30/mel...it%20authority/

I especially like the one of 9040, I remember riding that one...

[Busjack]

Mel Bernero Just posted some oldies but goodies here

http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z30/mel...it%20authority/

I especially like the one of 9040, I remember riding that one...

Surprising that a lot of them show them off the routes one would normally expect (also many more paint jobs for 3701).

Also 8102 supports what I said about the Rapid Transit signs before the 7400s were received.

[RIPTA42]

I was wondering if any member had any photos to post in a collection similar to the CTA bus photos of former RTA/Pace in service/retired busses?

We have Pace photos at gallery.bustalk.info. Additions are always welcome!

Also, use this link to find photos of ex-Pace buses running elsewhere.

[artthouwill]

Colonial sells its fleet a few busses at a time to no specific buyer. The do have a website - www.colonialbussales.com. Know most of the 814-836 ADA coaches went to Keller in Maryland. My baby 816 wsa one of the last to go. Some 700's went to Pauline C.C.C. and Neal's in michgan. Let's put their selling stragedy this way...."Come on down" to Colonial... "its yours if the price is right!" There were soe 200's - accordian busses and 500's - neoplan transists. 100's were useally buy off's from other charter co's and 800's even #'s were new coaches. I know 138-145 and 815,17,19 were Indian Trails coaches. Again... beautiful condition for highway coaches. 102-110 were Conitnental Airport's . 127- 133, 135, 137 were from Dallas... few were painted for continental express but still owned by Colonial/Pioneer.

I have yet to see any Continental painted Colonial buses.

This is the little bit I know. Coach USA sold its O'Hare operations. Total Enterprises runs the employee lot that Coach USA/Keeshin used to have, and the rest was sold to Colonial. Coach had routes 326, 600, 606, 616, 696, and 699. Colonia operates these routes under the Academy name (why I don't know). I thought Mid-America had the 855 route.

I believe that Colonial is operated by one brother and Pioneer is operated by another brother. Is this true? It would seem they could combine themselves unless they don't get along.

[Busjack]

Mid-America lost the contract for 855 to Colonial. It's back on the bidding block again.

696 and 699 were run by Cook County School Bus, but again, they lost the contract, apparently some time around 2007 (although Bill V. has Colonial with the contract before 2004). That was a separate contract from the 326-616 one.

As far as the internals at Colonial/Pioneer/Academy, we asked 5750 about that once, and if he can clarify....

[BusHunter]

Mel Bernero Just posted some oldies but goodies here

http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z30/mel...it%20authority/

I especially like the one of 9040, I remember riding that one...

Those are some really good pictures. About the best I've seen for older type buses. Thank you for posting this!! There's just about every bus type and livery captured. I liked the color photographs of #7776 and #7819 the only ones I've ever saw were black and white. The animal bus #3433 is a true classic. Also I'd never thought I'd see a bicentennial Flxible ever again. That is a difficult picture to find anywhere. Mostly what you can find are the GMC type bicentennials. (Too bad someone doesn't have a list of buses or "L" cars that were bicentennial and who they were named after.) Other buses of note #3241, the air conditioned Flxible is here ( only the 2nd I've seen, this is the first in color!!) The Christmas bus #4436 which was almost a new bus at the time. #8650 is here, the former NYC demonstrator bus. #4903 perhaps at the inaugeration of #4900's on Lake street. Also the different liveries of #3000's were good too. I didn't know most of which existed. The painting of a #3000 with a president on board was especially interesting. I thought that was more of a newer concept started on Americanas. Wow!! what a trip down memory lane.

[Busjack]

The L cars are listed in CERA 115, page 118, which a scan attached (which I believes conforms to the telephone book decision, as only conveying compiled information).

The Bicentennial Flx is under the L structure on the dustwrap of that book.

[trainman8119]

This pic from the collection of 2 9200s at Limits illustrates the driver windows

that were originally installed on the 9000 series buses. These were later removed

for the standard slide windows.

http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z30/mel...ent=CTA9277.jpg

[Busjack]

By the way, I wonder what Metron was? Apparently it ran some route between Jefferson Park and Arlington Heights.

[twyztdmynd]

I have yet to see any Continental painted Colonial buses.

This is the little bit I know. Coach USA sold its O'Hare operations. Total Enterprises runs the employee lot that Coach USA/Keeshin used to have, and the rest was sold to Colonial. Coach had routes 326, 600, 606, 616, 696, and 699. Colonia operates these routes under the Academy name (why I don't know). I thought Mid-America had the 855 route.

I believe that Colonial is operated by one brother and Pioneer is operated by another brother. Is this true? It would seem they could combine themselves unless they don't get along.

see Continental's charter page...http://www.airportexpress.com/charters/charters.html

Yes, it is owned by two brothers. One could only assume there were differences between the two. In 90's Colonial was in Stone Park and Pioneer shared a lot with Ryder ( considering fleet was maily old North American/Ryder Coaches) in Northbrook. Late 90's they merged lots - remaining seperate names to Mt Prospect roughly behind Sam's Club. Nowadays Off Busse and James in Mt Prospect.

[jajuan]

Yes. Thanks for the look back down memory lane. I forgot that a 3700 was ever in the bicentennial colors. I just remember seeing a Fishbowl and a MAN Artic (I think) in those colors when I was little. What's interesting about the pic of 4903 is that a Flx-5300s is sitting behind it signed as a 16 Lake bus. That suggests to me this is possibly shortly after the opening of Chicago and the transfer of the old 16 from Kedzie to Chicago given the Kedzie 'K---' run number in the run box. I didn't think anything other than 3700s or 4900s operated on the 16 suring the time of these buses service life because of the 96 inch width restriction for buses on this route due to the limited width of Lake Street under the Green Line tracks. The fishbowls and the Americana 4334 in original colors brought back childhood memories. I remember seeing the white and black fishbowl with the orange orange and blue base on the side sitting parked at the Michigan/Congress Plaza staging area that's used by the 7, 126, 132, 143 and 147. The fishbowls with the different colors where the dark green or white (of the Albinos) would go in those buses' original livery for CTA were interesting. It would be nice to see a pic of the blue RTA fishbowls that were painted in the same pattern as CTA originally had them in green or the Pace ones that were like a turquoise with red painted in the positions that CTA put the dark green.

[BusHunter]

The L cars are listed in CERA 115, page 118, which a scan attached (which I believes conforms to the telephone book decision, as only conveying compiled information).

The Bicentennial Flx is under the L structure on the dustwrap of that book.

Thanks for the list. I thought I might have saw an "L" car list in first and fastest, but I don't know what issue. It's possible though that I confused it with a list of the names of the original steam locos that pulled the "L" cars of early 1890's vintage. They do have that list. As for the second part of your response, I know what book your speaking of. It's the rolling stock Volume 2 (Forgetting the whole title) They have that same book along with an autographed copy of CTA at 45 at the Park Ridge Library at Touhy/NW highway (where the #68 CTA bus terminates) Being that the book is out of print that's the only place I know of where you can at least read the book, if you don't already own it. (Don't know if Park Ridge let's Chicago residents take out books though) As for the picture it's an overhead shot and you can't see much detail. I like Mel's picture much better.

[Busjack]

It would be nice to see a pic of the blue RTA fishbowls that were painted in the same pattern as CTA originally had them in green or the Pace ones that were like a turquoise with red painted in the positions that CTA put the dark green.

Are you referring to the Nortran and Suburban Transit buses, respectively?

[jajuan]

Are you referring to the Nortran and Suburban Transit buses, respectively?

Yes. I don't find too many sites that have pictures of them. I now see what some others were speaking of in terms of the Fishbowls borrowed from CTA by the RTA.

[Busjack]

Yes. I don't find too many sites that have pictures of them. I now see what some others were speaking of in terms of the Fishbowls borrowed from CTA by the RTA.

The 7700s were basically paint jobs for the RTA's approval (or basically disapproval). The albinos (9400s, 9500s) were actually used by the RTA. However, one seems to have a Tinley Park dashboard sign.

[Busjack]

If you click back to his Illinois link, and then click forward, there is other interesting stuff, including

• A CMC garage photo with a mixture of single level and double decker buses.
  
• A Highland Park page, with apparently a Twin Coach (maybe from Elgin) along with some RTA pumpkin buses.
  
• An RTA page, with, in addition to pumpkin buses, some old buses painted in different RTA schemes, and again a Twin Coach on 422. Also a Grumman that is "Out to Lunch."
  

There are also Evanston, Glenview, and Nortran links.

[ajcalcote1982]

My favorite Pace bus is the Southern Suburban 2400's.